Upstate NY

Wonderfully Rural

When anyone, anywhere in the world mentions New York, people automatically think of NYC. What a mistake. The Upstate is simply remarkable. To my great surprise, and I do like surprises, it is mostly Greenscape, rolling mountains, with lakes and waterfalls around every corner. A world apart from NYC. I have discovered that YouTube is an informative tool to help plan vacations for new destinations. I watched numerous videos on the Upstate and all had five must see areas to visit: The Catskills, Finger Lakes regions, Niagra Falls, Thousand Islands and the Adirondacks. They hit the mark!

The Catskills

 Located in southeast New York State, between Albany and New York City, the Catskill Mountains region encompasses 700,000 acres of the Catskill Park. It occupies parts of four counties: Sullivan, Delaware, Greene, and Ulster. The Catskill Mountains' natural beauty includes breathtaking attractions like cascading waterfalls and scenic vistas, and some of the best fall foliage anywhere. They are also famous for its thousands of miles of diverse hiking trails and some of NY's best ski resorts. The Catskills are a natural playground for those who love the outdoors. Amazingly, there are 98 peaks in the mountain range.  

We visited in mid-May and the weather was pretty mild and really pleasant. We stayed at The Inn at Lake Joseph and can recommend it highly. It's a caringly restored historic home as the main house and two later built homes/apartments for larger gatherings. It is a short walk to the lake where the hotel provides canoes and row boats for your water activities. It is well worth the time to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. Matt, the Innkeeper, was most helpful in planning our excursion and suggested the Delaware River Gorge. It was stunning; we saw three bald eagles in two days He also advised us to eat at Forage Pizza. It is a small hole-in-the-wall place 2 minutes away that has one the top 3 best pizzas I have ever had (and I've eaten a lot of pizza). Great homemade breakfast by Matt. 

The Finger lakes

It's named appropriately as there are 11 glacial lakes north to south within close proximity to each other. It's known for its natural beauty, waterfalls, parks, hiking and yes, maybe most of all wine. With over 130 wineries, endless wine trails, and a collection of wine-related events year-round, the Finger Lakes region is one of the hottest wine regions in the United States. We followed the direction of the V is for Vino Wine Show that went to just three of the wineries: Fox Run, Sheldrake Point and Dr. Konstatin Frank. All were great to visit, good wines and very friendly people. We met the owner of Sheldrake Point, Chuck. and he took us on a tour the wine production facility. 

The wineries were great experience, but the parks were even better.  A visit to Watkins Glen State Park is an absolute must. I have traveled to some stunning places around the globe, and this is one of the most unique I've ever seen. It is the most famous of the Finger Lakes State Parks, with a reputation for leaving visitors spellbound. Within two miles, the glen's stream descends 400 feet past 200-foot cliffs, generating 19 waterfalls along its course. The gorge path winds over and under waterfalls and through the spray of Cavern Cascade. Be sure to take the gorge trail not the rim trial, get up close to the natural beauty. I strongly suggest going in the morning to avoid the crowds as it affords a much more enjoyable experience. Also, make sure it is open. We went in mid-May, and it had just opened. It is somewhat physically challenging so be sure to pace yourself. There are plenty of places to sit and relax. We stayed at the nearby Inn at Taughannock Falls. (good luck with pronouncing that) It too is another restored historic home or estate that has adjoining nearby properties overlooking Cayuga Lake. It is an impressive boutique Inn that has an 

excellent restaurant. I inadvertently booked our room on Mothers' Day and didn't think about dinner reservations. The Inn was most accommodating and although completely booked made room for us at a table overlooking the Lake. Just perfect. Breakfast is included with the same beautiful view.  The Inn is centrally located and a really good jumping off point for most of the wineries. It is adjacent to the Taughannock Falls Park, and it is a very scenic 20-minute walk/ trail to the falls. Too funny, the park had a sign indicating that this was a nesting area for Peregrine Falcons - we saw two. There is another overlook that is a three-minute drive that gives a little different vantage point. Certainly worth the time. I really can't say enough about the Finger Lakes and how special they really are. Very diverse and something to do year-round. We only spent two nights there but most folks plan a week around the Lakes. Probably not a bad plan. 

Niagra Falls 

Niagra Falls has been a tourist destination for centuries and for good reason, it's breathtakingly beautiful. Because it is so well known I did little research beyond finding the right hotel. Litte did I know that on the US side is a beautiful State Park complete with all of the amenities. It is well worth the couple of hours it will take to see all that it has to offer. Although the Canadian side has most of the new hotels / casinos and best views of the falls, we selected the US side and stayed at the historic Red Coach Inn. We are glad we did. It is immediately next to the park, right off the interstate and a two-minute walk to the falls. We had dinner and breakfast at the hotel,

both were good and very convenient for two very weary travelers. You can either walk or drive to the Canadian side depending on your preference. For us, walking was faster than waiting in lines and much more scenic (not to mention way more exercise). Drive or walk, you have to cross the Rainbow Bridge, an architectural treat. Bring your passport! Just across the bridge I can recommend a great little cafe that makes an outstanding Poutine. The Secret Garden serves up traditional dishes and some really cold beer. I was happily surprised that the US $ was much stronger than the Canadian.

Thousand Islands

Being from the South you eat a lot of Thousand Island Dressing but never, ever did I know it was a place. They are an archipelago of almost 2000 islands that straddle the US-Canada border in the St. Lawrence River. They stretch for almost 50 miles downstream from Kingston, Ontario. The US islands are in northeast corner of New York. There are so many things to see and do but a boat trip of some sort will really give you a feel for the area. We stayed at the Thousand Island Harbor Hotel and were delighted that although new, large and part of a small chain, it was really well done. The attention to detail was remarkable and the views stunning. Come to find out that it is one of the nicest hotels in the entire region. It is within walking distance of the small, charming and colorful village of Clayton. Some of the best ice-cream ever at the Scoop. Nearby Alexandria Bay is where most of the tours take place and be sure to see Boldt Castel on the nearby island. We had lunch at Riley's on the River and completely enjoyed our Reuben sandwich, with homemade 1000 Island Dressing of course. 

The Adirondacks

They are called the " never-never land of wonder". The Adirondacks feature over 100 welcoming communities, mountains, lakes, verdant valleys, and steep cliffs. Spanning more than six million acres, the Adirondack Mountains are home to the largest protected natural area in the lower 48 of the United States. Like a patchwork quilt, the Adirondacks are made up of ten distinct regional destinations, each offering their own brand of Adirondack adventure. On our way from the 1000 Islands to our hotel in the south we stopped at The Adirondak Hotel on Long Lake for lunch. Come hungry as the portions are enormous. I had the fried fish sandwich which could easily have fed two people.

It is one of the best pieces of fried fish that I've had outside of London. We stayed at the Fern Lodge on Friends Lake (a private lake). It is advertised as "Adirondak luxury lodging at its best". It is!! Although we stayed at some unique properties on our Upstate adventure, this is probably our favorite. With only five rooms, book ahead. Our room, the Oak, had an amazing yet relaxing view. As in many cases what makes a place standout are the people. Wendy in essence runs the place to include skippering the small excursion boat, cooking and general spreader of good cheer. She made our stay special. Without her, the Lodge would only be a Five Star property with superior amenities. She also recommended visiting Saratoga Springs, now our favorite town in NY. Known for thoroughbred racing, mainly the Travers, it is much more. Rich in history and architecture, it is fun just to walk the town and take in its charm. Nice people everywhere from artisans to cafes. Be sure to eat at Morrissey's at the Adelphi Hotel. Try the sushi special. We planned the Fern Lodge for the end of our trip to totally relax. Glad we did. 

We visited the Upstate in May, the temps ranged from the high 40's to low 50's in the morning to the 60's to 70's during the day with mostly good weather. NY has something for everyone for every season. Being from Georgia, I thought we had the friendliest people in the country, not so' folks in the Upstate are just as friendly. I would suggest flying into Albany and planning your itinerary from there. It is a wonderful place filled with good folks and beautiful scenery. We will be back.