The Adirondack Museum, Blue Mountain Lake, NY

I’ve visited some amazing museums in my time — the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Natural History, the New York State Museum — the Adirondack Museum in the central Adirondack region is perhaps one of the largest museums in Upstate New York. It certainly ranks as one of the most interesting and enjoyable. [...]

Our Stay at Blue Mountain Rest, Adirondacks Region

I discovered Blue Mountain Rest, a cabin rental retreat, through a search engine search for accommodations in the Blue Mountain Lake, New York, area. We wanted to see the Adirondack Museum and decided to stay in the area for a few days. Boy, am I ever glad I found this place! We absolutely LOVED our [...]

Blue Mountain Public Beach and Park, Rt 28

The drive on Route 28 from Utica to Blue Mountain is a cornucopia of sights, sounds and smells. We catch glimpses of azure lakes peeping between the Scotch pines and Douglas fir trees that stand at attention on each side of the road. I often have a difficult time staying in the lane, because the [...]

Climbing Blue Mountain: The NYSDEC Trail

Oh, my aching muscles…. Blue Mountain is in the central Adirondacks. Located in Hamilton County, the peak of the mountain reaches 3750 feet (1143 meters) and elevation gain from the trail head is 1559 feet. The trail is approximately 2 miles up- you can do the math to see how steep the trail is! A [...]

The Quirky Main Street Cats of Catskill, NY

Is something in the air of this tiny little riverside town? Catskill, NY, just seems to exude creativity and whimsy. Washington Irving’s Rip van Winkle supposedly slept in this region; Samuel Wilson, the butcher who later became known as Uncle Sam, was born here. The Hudson River School artists were based here. And the region [...]

The Erie Canal Village, Rome, NY, Part 2

This is part two of a terrific visit. We visited a cheese factory, church, and schoolhouse; enjoyed refreshments at the tavern; and investigated the old modes of transportation. A great time!

The Erie Canal Village, Rome, NY, Part 1

Finally! I’d been wanting to visit this Village again ever since I visited when I was 14 years old. What a wonderful, wonderful place. Step back in time, literally. If it wasn’t for your wristwatch and cellphone, you’d think you were back in 1807.

The Joseph Smith Historic Site, Palmyra, NY

Just south of the small town of Palmyra, in Wayne County, NY, is the small site dedicated to Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon religion. The site was very barren and foreboding on a blustery February when we visited. We decided to stop so that I could take a few photos of the reproduction log [...]

Oneida Indian Settlement, Nichols Pond, in Smithfield

This is the historic site of the ancient lands of the Oneida Indian tribe of Central New York. It was also the resting place of the mysterious glacial erratic stone, sacred to the Oneidas. The place oozes history, archaeology, and wonder, with a strong mix of nature and spookiness mixed in. This is also the spot where Samuel de Chaplain and his Huron friends attacked the hapless Oneidas, hearing gunshots for the first time.

The Smallest Church in the World, Oneida, NY

This little bitty church– barely enough room to hold three people– hold the claim to fame as the smallest church in the world. It rests on a small pond outside the village of Oneida, NY.

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