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Thats the editorial aspect of it, his time is limited, he gave a rough time frame and asked what people thought he should see.
So I think like Finger Lakes, cute but mostly famous for wine and taking a day to catch a buzz going from sample to sample. OP is traveling fast with teenagers. Not a good fit IMO.
OP likes sports. Some minor league team in Podunk NY or Cooperstown?? Time only allows one. I picked Cooperstown. Or he could skip Upstate all together and see the Yankees. Frankly I was appalled somebody asked about Upstate NY with four teenage boys that like sports and Cooperstown hadn't come up. But ya all used your own editorial licence to omit that. If it was four teenage girl fashionistas hell bent on shopping there way across the state I prolly woulda left that area out.
Letchworth State Park?? I love that park and was well aware he was going by it. Its nice, been actually trying to find time to get there myself again. But the area around Cooperstown or Old Forge is IMO much prettier.
Outlet Malls?? Those things are 6 for a buck all over the USA. He's on his way to NYC, why bother?? Within a couple hours he will have the choice between the actual Gucci store or a knock off on Canal Street.
On the history stuff I'm fascinated but not everybody is. NY was a slave state but due to the harsh climate and short growing season NY (all of the snowbelt) couldn't make slavery work for economic reasons. Smaller owner/operator farms made more sense then large plantations. Not to many years later NY became a hot bed of fire and brimstone abolition. Its interesting to go from place to place and see the transition, somewhat hypocritical, take place. But many people either care about only one side or don't care at all. So all I can do is point it out and move on.
This is what I mean about getting off the topic again, but I'll bite. NY had slavery until 1827, but most of it was Downstate and in the river valleys(Hudson and Mohawk). There were some that were brought to other parts of NY from the South. On the other hand, there were many people that were anti slavery and always were in NY. Hence, the movement by Adams native Charles Finney and others even before the Great Awakening. A great on this topic would be North Star Country by Milton Sernett. Interestingly, the Harriet Tubman Home in Auburn may be a good place to check out that legacy of freedom and anti slavery.
As for the sports aspect, I believe that the OP is looking for possible sporting events, not just a Hall of Fame. Many of the places along the way have minor league teams and there is an other Hall of Fame in the Boxing Hall of Fame.
Also, there are more forms of amusement parks along not only the part of the Thruway west of Utica, but there is one off of I-81 South if he goes that way as well.
There is quite a bit of history that people forget that occurred like the Hill Cumorah site in Palmyra too: Hill Cumorah & Historic Sites
As for shopping, the OP asked about options along the way and that's what the posters gave him.
Lastly, I think people just want to give the OP what they what or can think about without posters making it about themselves, as that is how they will be able to make the decision for themselves. Just presnt information and they will decide.
To the OP, here are some more websites for some of the places suggested and others west of Utica that you may or may not be interested in: Seabreeze Amusement Park - Home
I agree with most of your posts but "Just a hall of fame"? A visit to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown for a baseball fan can be likened to a visit to the Holy Land for a devoted follower of a religion. As a baseball fan, I would much rather visit the Hall of Fame than see any minor league team that I am not a follower of play a game, even more so if I had never been there before.
thanks for all the suggestions. it's great to get input from people who are "passionate" about their ideas. regardless of whether or not you agree, it's all good info to me and i thank you. mahalo.
I agree with most of your posts but "Just a hall of fame"? A visit to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown for a baseball fan can be likened to a visit to the Holy Land for a devoted follower of a religion. As a baseball fan, I would much rather visit the Hall of Fame than see any minor league team that I am not a follower of play a game, even more so if I had never been there before.
You are misreading my post. My point is that the OP is probably looking for a sporting event and not JUST going to a hall of fame, if that is what he is looking for at all. If anything, the OP might want to go to a game he and sons may not go to otherwise due to being something different, while still taking in everything that comes with attending a game. Also, many of the players on the Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse teams are going to be or have been major leaguers at one time. I can't tell you how many former major leaguers I saw watching games here in Syracuse. Just in the last 2 or 3 years, Bryce Harper and Steven Strasburg played for the Syracuse Chiefs before going to the Washington Nationals. So, you get to see future major league stars before they make it.
You are misreading my post. My point is that the OP is probably looking for a sporting event and not JUST going to a hall of fame, if that is what he is looking for at all. If anything, the OP might want to go to a game he and sons may not go to otherwise due to being something different, while still taking in everything that comes with attending a game. Also, many of the players on the Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse teams are going to be or have been major leaguers at one time. I can't tell you how many former major leaguers I saw watching games here in Syracuse. Just in the last 2 or 3 years, Bryce Harper and Steven Strasburg played for the Syracuse Chiefs before going to the Washington Nationals. So, you get to see future major league stars before they make it.
OK, I guess I missed the point you were trying to make. It is still my opinion though that if I were given the choice between visiting the Hall of Fame or going to a Minor League game I would choose the Hall of Fame.
OK, I guess I missed the point you were trying to make. It is still my opinion though that if I were given the choice between visiting the Hall of Fame or going to a Minor League game I would choose the Hall of Fame.
That is fine and my previous issue wasn't with that suggestion, but with the flyover country comment. Perhaps the OP could do both or given the mention of a shortest route possible, Cooperstown might be out of the way. So, the more possibilities for the OP, the better. It is all about giving the OP as many options as possible.
If the OP is a football fan and will be here in late July, Jets Training Camp will be at SUNY-Cortland(first practice open to the public on July 28th), Bills Training Camp at St. John Fisher in Pittsford(near Rochester and first practice open to the public in July 26th at 5:30 PM) and Giants Training Camp at SUNY-Albany(first practice is July 27th at 1 PM).
If the OP is a football fan and will be here in late July, Jets Training Camp will be at SUNY-Cortland(first practice open to the public on July 28th), Bills Training Camp at St. John Fisher in Pittsford(near Rochester and first practice open to the public in July 26th at 5:30 PM) and Giants Training Camp at SUNY-Albany(first practice is July 27th at 1 PM).
aaaaargh!! yes big football fans. not so much jets and bills but being from hawaii, i'll take any nfl action we can get. too bad we'll be gone by then. when my oldest goes to college next year at least i'll have an excuse to go see some cardinals games. thanks again everyone for all the suggestions.
To the OP - while not kid-friendly, there are a ton of wineries throughout the Finger Lakes region if you and your wife wanted to pop in for some tastings or just to pick up some bottles. I also see you're visiting from Hawaii... I moved here from Hawaii almost 3 years ago! Hope you're enjoying your trip!
howzit! haven't made the trip yet but thanks for the well wishes. were you born here or just lived here for a while? i'm curious, what do you miss the most about hawaii besides the weather?
howzit! haven't made the trip yet but thanks for the well wishes. were you born here or just lived here for a while? i'm curious, what do you miss the most about hawaii besides the weather?
I lived there for about 2 years - moved out there for a job after graduating college. I worked for an architecture firm right next to Ala Moana.
The biggest thing I miss is being able to walk and/or ride my bike everywhere. I lived behind Waikiki on the other side of the Ala Wai - one apt was in Kapahulu and the next was Moiiliili... so they were super convenient to everything. I had a car but didn't use it often. Now that I'm in the Syracuse area, I live in a walkable village which is the closest I could get to what I used to have in Hawaii. I also find it totally ridiculous that you have to pay to go to beaches and parks here.
I lived there for about 2 years - moved out there for a job after graduating college. I worked for an architecture firm right next to Ala Moana.
The biggest thing I miss is being able to walk and/or ride my bike everywhere. I lived behind Waikiki on the other side of the Ala Wai - one apt was in Kapahulu and the next was Moiiliili... so they were super convenient to everything. I had a car but didn't use it often. Now that I'm in the Syracuse area, I live in a walkable village which is the closest I could get to what I used to have in Hawaii. I also find it totally ridiculous that you have to pay to go to beaches and parks here.
Maybe try the beach at William Park in Cicero, but the vibe is most likely different than the other beaches in the area.
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