Overnight in Utica NY..Things to Do Please
 

Meeting a friend from Toronto here as it is midway for both of us.
Please tell me what there is to do, we are both in our 40's, shopping, restaurants, things to see and nightlife (if any, which I think there is). Many thanks. Travelling next month.

If you are into art be sure to visit Munson Williams Proctor Insitute www.mwpai.org

Not sure what there is for nightlife; you might want to take an hour and drive to Syracuse for that.

I've been to Utica many times. I think you've picked the wrong place to meet your friend. It's a small middle-of-nowhere industrial city that saw it's heyday over 100 years ago and has been on steady decline ever since. No industry, no jobs.

You'd be far better off meeting somewhere like Syracuse.

I hoped this post was a joke - since Utica has become almost a family joke of ours, having stopped there once on way to Cooperstown, Niagara Falls, Toronto. Highlight - our teenage son enjoyed telling his friends he saw prostitutes being arrested from lobby of our downtown hotel. We had difficulty even finding someplace to eat dinner - ended up at some chain right off the highway. For evening entertainment our kids used the binoculars to watch some sketchy activity across the street in a partially-boarded up building - turned out to be a Bingo game, but the atendees were unique.

DH had to travel there on business in past year - it has not changed.

Change your meeting place to the Turning Stone resort in Verona - Exit33 off of I-90... its about an extra half hour drive for you, but it has the dining, spas, night life, casino and is a fun place to hang out... the rooms there are amazing and plentiful... beats Utica by a Gazillion times...

Thank you for the responses....Utica will not be our meeting spot :) Glad I posted for info!!

I think that is a good idea. For November you might want to consider Syracuse, there are a lot of hotels to choose from ranging from historic inns to new hotels, lots of dining options, shopping, art, nice bars from neighborhood pubs to upscale establishments, theater, and there are many special winter/holiday events going on.

I live in Utica and I have for the past twenty five years, and I resent these comments from people who haven't bothered to do more than use Utica as a stopover. It's true that Utica has seen better economic times, but that's true of most cities in the United States, particularly in the midst of the present economic climate. Pointing the finger at Utica as though it were the only place where the economy is depressed is just snide.

If any of the respondents here think that you can't see prostitutes being arrested in any city in the United States, they are very naive. If you'd bothered to investigate, you'd have found that there are plenty of interesting activities for visitors. There's a wonderful (world-class) art museum. There's a zoo. There are jazz performances and other music events.

I'm glad these respondents have decided to avoid Utica, as I'd rather not have them in my hometown, even for just and overnight.

isabellasmom...I forgot to warn you about the grumpy residents...

Garyt - LOL!