I Love NY Vacation

You can travel the world....or stay within the state of NY for amazing adventures: beautiful beaches, mountains, nature, excellent university campuses, athletic experiences, and so much more! We traveled the state with our family of 5: age 2 and twin 5 year olds. While our itinerary had a child focus, each area would satisfy all ages. We broke the trip into three parts: two long weekends and a full week. It would be easiest to have done it all in one swoop, but our schedules couldn't allow it. Many people asked for our itinerary. Here it is:

TRIP ONE

August 11
9:00am – Watkins Glen State Park. Park ($8) at upper entrance, do the 1.3 mile gorge trail.  Take the shuttle ($5) back to the car.
11:30– Drive the Glen racetrack. Call in advance to ensure they are open.
1:00 – lunch at Maria’s Tavern
2:30 - Robert H Treman State Park (waterfall pool area. $8 parking waived with receipt of parking same day at another state park)
4:30 - Cornell University - Triphammer Falls, Wilder Brain Collection, Botanical Gardens & AD White Library
6:00 – Dinner at Bickering Twins
7:30 – ice cream at Scooby Steve’s (suggest being here at sunset with relaxing farm setting overlooking sunset)

August 12
10:00 – Ithaca’s Farmer Market – amazing, unique lunch selections.
12:00 – Sciencenter (buffalo Science museum membership has reciprocity)

3:00 - Ports of NY winery
4:00 – Ithaca’s Children Garden (free)
5:30 – Dinner at Ithaca Beer Company – 122 Ithaca Beer Dr 1485

7:30 - Taughannock Falls - tallest falls of the east

9:00 - 15 below rolled ice cream (in Ithaca Commons...downtown shopping area)

August 13
10 – National Soaring Museum ($15) – call to reserve plane ride for $100 (607) 734-0641
12:00 – lunch at Poppleton cafe
1:00 – Corning Museum of Glass 
2:00 – sandblasting glass class for three kids (prepaid)
6:00 – Aunt Cookies in Geneseo for dinner
Home

TRIP TWO

August 18

7:30 – leave home
10:30 – Wegmans Landing in Liverpool, NY .Rent bike along water or free trolley on weekday morning

11:30 - Heid's hot dog stand. 100+ years old
12:30 – Old McDonald’s Farm in Sackets Harbor, NY
4:00 – Venditti Winery in Theresa, NY
5:00 – Home Again Alpaca Farm - call ahead and they open upon appt.
6:00 – Dinner at The Sports Page
7:30 – check in campsite – 1000 Islands Campsite 42099 State Route 12 Alexandria Bay, NY 13607

August 19

10:00 - mass in Clayton, NY
11:30 – One Hour Tour from Uncle Sam’s Boat Tours.  Dogs allowed! But, not allowed at Boldt Castle

1:00 - lunch in village. Patios are dog friendly.
2:00 - Pirate Parade (pirate week is in August)
4:00 - Come back to campground and relax
8:00 - Bay Drive In Theater - $13 admission plus dinner  – cash only

August 20
10am - Antique Boat Museum
12 - Lunch at McDermotts MidTown deli in Adams, NY
4:00 - Swallow Hallow nature trail in Alabama, NY

6:00 - dinner in Clarence

TRIP THREE

August 25
3:30 – Herkimer Diamond Mines (save some money and go to Ace Diamonds down the street)
6:00 – Dinner at Beardslee Castle Dungeon– call ahead to make res: 315-823-3000
9:00 - air bnb in Hudson NY

August 26
9:00 – Breakfast at Tanzy’s on Warren Street
10:30 – Olana self guided landscape tour
12:00 –Saugerties Lighthouse tour (give donation). Arrive 20 minutes early because it's a 15 minute walk from parking.
2:00 – 5:00 – Old Rhinebeck Aerodome show and museum
6:00 – Dinner at Baba Louie’s on Warren Street


August 27
9:00 – breakfast at Joe Beez 
10:00 – Hannaford SuperMarket to buy lunch food for picnic – 100 plaza rd Kingston, NY
11:00 - Forsyth Nature Center (free...bring lettuce or carrots to feed the animals)
12:00 – Trolley Museum (bring picnic lunch)
Walkway of the Hudson (1.3 one way walk)
6:30 – Dinner at Coney Island
9:30 – check in at AirBnb in Long Island

August 28
9:30 – pony ride at Deep Hollow Ranch – country’s oldest cattle ranch
10:30 – Montauk Lighthouse – oldest in NY
11:30 – Hither Hills Beach
1:00 – lunch at Bostwick’s Chowder House (awesome!!)
2:00 – Grey Gardens House
4:00 - Gold Coast Mansions...call.ahead for reservations to enter any of them.
6:30 – Dinner on West Point campus. 3 restaurants at hotel on campus.
9:30 – Arrive at Stillwater BnB

August 29
10:00 – Saratoga Automobile Museum
12:00 – Roma importing Company for lunch to go
12:30 – Saratoga Horse Races
3:30 – Congress Park
5:30 - dinner at Salt Water Cowboy in Lake George

6:30 - Lake George mystery spot by visitor center.
7:30 – watch sunset at Lake George Million Dollar Beach
10:00 – check in to Cobble Mountain Lodge – 2983 Wilimington Rd Lake Placid NY 12946

August 30
Summer bobsled (pre-reserve $75/person)
lunch at Wyatt’s in Mirror Lake village
1:00 - cloudspitter gondola ride to little whiteface mountain
3:00 – North Pole (prepaid – ask elves for next day reentry ticket)

5:00 - pick up a birthday cake from Cake Placid
5:30 – dinner at Lisa Gs (one of my fave restaurants on our vacation)

August 31
9am – Breakfast with Santa at the North Pole

11:00 - drive up Whiteface Mountain and climb to top for amazing views. 

1:30 – lunch at Camp Fire in Saranac Lake,  NY
3:30 – Wild Center
6:30 – Dinner at Spokes Craft Beer in Watertown, NY