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Visiting the Village of Cooperstown, NY, is one of life's truly special
treats, but an excursion to the outskirts and surrounding countryside
in Otsego County also holds it own weight, resulting in some of New
York state's most charming attractions and scenery. You can even find
spectacular scenery in the most unlikely places, like behind
Springfield Town Hall...
View from back of Springfield Town Hall, Springfield, N.Y.
A ride down East or West Lake Rds. (Routes 31 and 80, respectively),
hugging the 10-mile long Otsego Lake, is a great start to the scenic
countryside with its stunning water views juxtaposed with rolling hills
and the distinct-looking Sleeping Lion Mountain (it sort of looks like
a sleeping lion). On the west side, the trees give way to some stunning
full views of Lake Otsego, with the color of the water changing daily,
based on climatic conditions.
On the shores of beautiful Otsego Lake on the Cooperstown-Springfield
line (Route 80) is the Glimmerglass Opera, a world class company,
attracting 32,000 patrons each season to its beautiful Alice Busch
Opera Theater on Otsego Lake.
Glimmerglass
Opera, Cooperstown, NY. Photo by Franke
Forte
Photography.
All work is copyright protected.
Taking a right at the Glimmerglass State Park
sign after the Opera building and the end of the lake affords
spectacular views of the countryside, with endless green fields, pretty
farms, deers feeding in the grass and the scent of mountain fresh air.
This area is especially beautiful later in the day with the big skies
offering incredible sunsets, followed by a piercing moonlight on clear
nights.
Farm under early evening moonlight on Allen Lake Rd. near Route
20 in Springfield.
Glimmerglass State Park, 10 minutes out of Cooperstown Village and at
the other end of Lake Otsego on East Lake Rd., is a model of how state
parks should be run. Clean, well-maintained and ultimately beautiful,
Glimmerglass State Park has a fine swimming beach in the summer, great
cross country skiing and vast open land to roam any time of the year.
The fresh air is enough to make one want to move instantly to this
region. Many do, as seen here in this pre-4th of July fireworks
scene at Glimmerglass...
Glimmerglass State Park at sunset.
Next to Glimmerglass State Park is the beautiful Hyde Hall. Hyde Hall
promotional literature accurately says it all: "Hyde Hall is a stunning
reminder of a bygone American era when families of English aristocracy
established vast estates in the former colonies. The house itself may
well be the finest example of neoclassic country mansions anywhere in
America. Roger Kennedy of the Smithsonian writes that Hyde Hall is "a
great house, architecturally, and a social document of the first
importance." The late former Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan called Hyde
Hall "one of the most remarkable buildings in America."
A ride into the country will not disappoint either, particularly Fly
Creek. A five minute drive from the Village over the hill on Route 28
(from Chestnut Street), Fly Creek is a true charmer with the
down-to-earth, find-it-all-here Fly Creek General Store, some great
homes with views of the valley and the Fly Creek Cider Mill. The Cider
Mill is a turn-of-the-century water-powered mill with delicious apple
cider, great box lunches (wonderful pulled pork and homemade pies), a
picnic area, extensive two-story gift shop, and Fly Creek where kids
can feed the ducks. The Fly Creek Cider Mill is rural American business
at its best -- a viable, well-run operation where all employees work
hard to ensure customers have fun and come away with good products. You
simply can't get better cider anywhere else.
Fly Creek Cider Mill.
Surrounding villages like Richfield Springs, Cherry Valley, Milford,
Middlefield and Springfield have scenic rural beauty, some nice antique
shops, and lack of development that breeds a sense of pride that the
past can somehow be maintained in today's much fast-paced world.These
types of villages are worth visiting as a complement to your
Cooperstown vacation.
The combination of visiting Cooperstown and the nearby small rural
communities indeed make for one of the best vacations in New York
state. It is a place of unspoiled land, great scenery, and, of course,
lots of fun.
Spring flowers with distant views
of Mohawk Valley and
Adirondack Mountains from Route 20 in Cherry Valley.
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The Otesaga Resort Hotel
Grand, historic hotel in the Village of
Cooperstown. Scenic Otsego Lake Views. Fabulous lakeside resort
amenities. Memorable dining options. Easy walk to to National Baseball
Hall of Fame and Museum and
quaint, charming downtown. Reserve A Room At The Otesaga Resort Hotel
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