Share
this
New
England travel article with your friends
Glimmerglass State Park, located eight miles from
the Village of Cooperstown, N.Y., on beautiful Otsego Lake, serves as
confirmation that you are officially on vacation.
Upon entering Glimmerglass State Park, expansive lush green grounds,
gentle rolling hills and the mountain fresh air prepare the visitor for
the impending jewel -- a sparkling, shimmering, pristine beach that
seemingly comes out of nowhere to help you return to your best
childhood memories. This is the type of place you learned how to swim,
build a sand castle with friends you just made, eat mounds of hots dogs
and "Hoodsies" at the picnic area, run around freely on the grounds to
play catch or frisbee, and breathe in the summertime smell of suntan
lotion, charcoal on the grill, and what we now have identified as
negative ions -- the fresh smell coming from the water to make you feel
great.
This is the place we talk about upon returning from vacation in a "You
had to be there" mode. Verbal descriptions cannot quite cover the
feelings experienced in person at Glimmerglass State Park. Many other
lakes have all the "parts," but the sum never adds up to a place like
Glimmerglass Beach. Those who listen might think "What makes
Glimmerglass different from the beach down the street?" will never
understand unless they personally discover all the feeling of visiting
this unspoiled gem in an untouched area of rural Otsego County.
Everything seems to be just right, the prototype of what we expect from
a beach -- clean waters, tranquility, a family safe atmosphere,
attentive lifeguards, attractive grounds and the desire to stay there,
forever.
Sunset at Glimmerglass State Park.
Glimmerglass State Park's main draw may be the
beach, but there is so much else to experience year-round. Adjacent
Hyde Hall is a spectacular mansion, certainly worth a look. 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."
Glimmerglass is great for biking, fishing, hiking (there's an amazing
view of Otsego Lake from an uphill trail within the Park), and in the
winter ice fishing, cross country skiing, ice skating and snowmobiling.
It is also an ideal place for camping, offering what is regarded as one
of the best campgrounds in the United States.
It would be easy to spend a whole day here, and do it all over again
the following day, quite noteworthy considering all there is to do in
the Cooperstown region. We've had those talks while still on vacation
when talking to baseball-minded tourists who don't even know there is a
great state park and beach just minutes from the Village of
Cooperstown. Consider it yet just another reason to vacation in
Cooperstown, as Glimmerglass State Park joins other attractions in the
area to make for a real family vacation.
Glimmerglass State Park is located on East Lake Rd. in Springfield
NY. For more information on Glimmerglass State Park, visit the New York State Parks web site.
Please share this story with family and
friends. Thank-you so much!
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
Cooperstown Marketplace
FREE
SUBSCRIPTION
Sign up for our
free VisitingCooperstown.com E-NEW COOPERSTOWN TRAVEL NEWSLETTER
Featuring our
latest Cooperstown travel insider's news updates and stories, discounts
and coupons!
