Stay to Play—Strong National Museum of Play:
Tear your kids away from their video games for a weekend getaway and introduce them to a fantasy world in 3-D. They read life-sized pop-up books, play with classic games and toys in the
National Toy Hall of Fame and drive Elmo down Sesame Street in a big yellow taxicab. Exhibits like Grossology (running through May 11) and the upcoming worlds of the Berenstain Bears, Clifford, and Curious George blend entertainment and education in a fantasy experience found only in New York. (585) 263-2700
New York Loves Lucy:
If you’re an I Love Lucy fan and you’ve never been to the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center in her hometown of Jamestown, NY—you’ve got some ’splainin’ to do.
The Luci-Desi Museum has costumes and props from the show as well as interactive exhibits dedicated to the First Couple of Comedy. The Desilu Playhouse is home to exact replicas of the Ricardos’ New York City apartment living room and kitchen from the show. Come for Lucy-Desi Days on Memorial Day weekend, and celebrate Lucy’s birthday weekend 8/1-8/3. (877) LUCY-FAN (582-9326)
The Lake in the Sky:
Treat yourself to a luxurious stay at a seven-story Victorian castle on the deep blue waters of Lake Mohonk in the beautiful Catskill Mountains. Since 1879,
Mohonk Mountain House, America’s oldest family-owned resort, has been adding amenities, from its century-old golf course to the newer spa, complete with a heated outdoor mineral pool. Between April and November you can experience western-style horseback riding on scenic carriage roads and 85 miles of hiking trails across 2,200 acres. (800) 772-6646
Albright-Knox Art Gallery:
New York is the proud home of one of the nation’s oldest public arts organizations, the
Albright-Knox Art Gallery, a dynamic and multicultural collection of modern and contemporary art. Jennifer Steinkamp is currently exhibiting her collection (through June) of abstract, three-dimensional, computer-animated installation art projected on a large enough scale to make the viewer question the artistic potential of technology (as well as their own depth perception). (716) 882-8700
Far Out—Woodstock:
Not far from the big empty field that most famously hosted one of the biggest music festivals of all time, the town of
Woodstock retains its reputation and history as an artistic colony. Stay for the weekend at an elegant Victorian cottage B&B. Rent a couple of bicycles and explore the art galleries, eclectic emporiums and mosaic makers on Tinker Street. Start growing out those sideburns—this is the summer to love Woodstock, NY.
When in Rome, NY:
A short drive from Rome,
Erie Canal Village is a reconstructed 19th-century settlement on the site where construction began on the canal that made New York the Empire State and changed the course of the Civil War. Ride down the canal on a boat pulled by horses, and then head back to Rome for another gem from the same time period—the 80-year-old
Capitol Theatre. Gone with the Wind is currently being shown on 35mm film restored from its original viewing at the theatre in the spring of 1940, and at the same price for admission — $1.10. Erie Canal Village: (888) 374-3226; Capitol Theatre Box Office: (315) 337-6453
Go Green:
For the eco-conscious traveler, there’s no greener place than The Adirondacks.
The WILD Center presents the natural history of the six-million-acre park with indoor and outdoor features, including more than 900 live animals and interactive exhibits that break down the complex surrounding ecosystem before your eyes. If that’s not green enough for you, starting July 4, “A Matter of Degrees—The True History of The Adirondacks,” narrated by Sigourney Weaver, will be projected in high definition in the Flammer Panoramas Theater. (518) 359-7800
City History Walking Tours:
It’s so easy to get carried away by the waves of tourists that pass through New York City, but away from the big buses and Times Square traffic there is rich history to be found on the streets.
Joyce Gold History Tours of New York offers a series of walking tours through the stories of the city. Tours like “Gangs of New York and the Bloody Five Points” and “Harlem — Keystone of African America” guide visitors through the footprints of history and into hidden neighborhoods they might have otherwise missed. (212) 242-5762. Links to other New York City walking tours:
www.bigonion.com (212) 439-1090,
www.nycwalk.com (212) 979-2388
All of Albany:
Much of New York State’s history was written in its capital, Albany, and one great way to see our riverfront city is by riding through town and splashing into the Hudson River on an amphibious
Aqua Ducks & Trolley tour. By land you’ll tour historic government buildings, gravesites of the first Dutch settlers and the city’s famous tulips. Then drive straight into the river for a truly unique look at the city skyline and the decommissioned
USS Slater. Aqua Duck: (518) 462-DUCK (3825); USS Slater: (518) 431-1943
The Underground Railroad:
The best way to truly understand American history is to walk in the footsteps of its most influential citizens through their battlegrounds of social change. One of New York’s most historic points of interest is the Underground Railroad and the story of Harriet Tubman’s valiant efforts to smuggle slaves out of the South. Start your journey at
Harriet Tubman's house in Auburn, tour the
Seward House where William Seward, the wealthy abolitionist, housed escaped slaves, and end at the Fort Hill Cemetery where both are laid to rest. It’s a cultural and historical experience unlike any other. Harriet Tubman's house: (315) 252-2081;
Seward House: (315) 252-1283