Liz Spaziani, assistant, stewardship and development research programs: My family and I visited New York City for the day. As soon as we stepped off the tour bus, we hailed a cab which sped us off to St. Patrick's Cathedral. From there, we walked several blocks to Central Park and jumped on another form of transportation that's a must when in the City: horse and carriage. In Times Square, we had time for a bite to eat before we watched "Beauty and the Beast" at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater. We're already making plans for our next day trip there -- so much to do, so little time!
Regarding family day trips, Julie Dunsmore, assistant professor of psychology, says, "Three of our favorites are to the Science Museum in Syracuse (we usually get lunch somewhere downtown, then watch an IMAX film, and do the exhibits at the museum), and, especially this time of year, Fort Rickey (the animals are fun, and the water play area is great for little kids) and Verona Beach (it's shallow for a LONG way out, which, again, is great for our kids, who are 2 and 7, and it has a nice playground)."
Paddling a canoe down the lazy Moose River that winds, twists, and turns -- stopping occasionally to get out to swim -- these are the requisite elements of the perfect day trip for Judy Owens-Manley, associate director of community research. Starting at Old Forge, one can canoe down the river to designated spots where the Adirondack Railroad will pick up both the canoe and the canoer for a trip home on the rails.
Kino Ruth, director of the career center, says, "Beat the heat with a water safari in Old Forge!" The Ruth/Willemsen family makes it a point to head to Enchanted Forest on steamy summer days.
Glynis Asu, reference librarian and sciences liaison, wrote: "A favorite day trip of ours is to Corning, NY. On the way, we stop at Buttermilk Falls to enjoy the view and climb around a bit. Our first stop in Corning is the Corning Museum of Glass, where we enjoy the historical and hands-on science exhibits, live glassblowing, the spectacular Steuben display and the other Museum galleries. The gift shop is beautiful, with unique glasswork of all kinds (we usually pick up a Christmas ornament as a memento). Corning itself is a pretty little town, where we stop for a bite to eat, stroll the shops on Market Street, and then hunt for bargains at Fieldcrest Linens and the Corning Factory Store, before heading home."
"The road cycling is superb in this area of New York. Virtually all the roads are paved, the scenery is spectacular, and there is very little traffic," says Todd Rayne, associate professor of geology. "One of my favorite rides is in the Frankfort and Ilion Gorges. They are deep stream valleys that descend from the hills south of the Mohawk Valley down to the two villages. Each has a narrow, winding, smoothly paved road that follows a beautiful stream with small waterfalls. The ride involves riding down one valley and up the other one - so you have a six-mile descent followed by a six-mile climb! In the fall when the leaves are changing colors, this ride is hard to top. The round-trip distance from the College is about 55 miles."
Associate Professor of Sociology Mitchell Stevens offers two Central New York suggestions. "Ithaca is a great day-trip, for the beauty of the drive as well as the destination. I think of Ithaca as a hip cross of Berkeley and New England. Have lunch at the fabled Moosewood Restaurant, stock up on all your organic eats in the city's numerous health food stores, people watch, check out what's on exhibit at the Cornell Art Museum, hang out in the beautiful park on Lake Cayuga. Heading home, drive north along the lakefront and take a soft-serv break. How wholesome is that?
"For a swimming day, Green Lakes State Park, just east of Syracuse, is the favorite good beach, clear water and a large swimming area. Full lifeguard coverage is good for children. You also can rent canoes and hike around the lake. Green Lakes also has good picnic sites, a beautiful golf course, and is open for cross-country skiing in winter. Kill two birds: combine a trip to Green Lakes with a Wegman's run."
Resources:
Fort Rickey Game Farm http://www.fortrickey.com/
Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology, Syracuse, NY http://www.most.org/
Cooperstown, NY http://cooperstown.net/
Enchanted Forest http://www.watersafari.com/
New York State Parks http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/
Adirondack Scenic Railroad http://oftimes.com/train/
Corning Museum of Glass http://www.cmog.org/
Bicyling in New York http://www.a1trails.com/biking/bike_ny.html
Pumpkin Coach http://www.pumpkincoach.com/pumpkin.htm
