Cooperstown – A Pretty Cool Place to Visit

Hello! Just got back from a mini vacation in Cooperstown and I have to admit, it was quite a surprise! Getting there was an adventure in and of itself….you see, Cooperstown isn’t right off the beaten path – it’s actually about 20 miles removed from the main highway! As I was driving those 20 or so I miles, I saw a lot of what I’m not used to. Dilapidated and burned down or abandoned barns, pick up trucks, lone service stations along the way….it reminded me of those movies where you see a different type of lifestyle. I’m used to the urban and suburban lifestyle; everything here practically screamed of rural. This city/suburban girl certainly wasn’t prepared for that! I was getting worried and thought many different things as I made my way to the place where’d I was going to lay down my head. One of my thoughts was: “I would never want to break down on on this long stretch of road – ESPECIALLY at night!” I just pictured something like this happening and was immediately visited by the thought of being totally stranded. I didn’t see a single street lamp, all I saw were trees, LOTS of farms, and not a single soul was in sight! As a matter of fact, there weren’t even that many cars on the road….maybe one or two aside for me FOR MILES!

As I approached the turn I needed to make, I almost overshot it since it was such a narrow road with a tiny sign. By the looks of it on the GPS, it seemed MUCH bigger than It really was! Thankfully since there was no traffic on the road, I was able to double back a bit and make the appropriate turn. I finally made it to the proper road and driving down this stretch reminded me of just why my father would love the chance to retire here. The scenic stretch along Ostego Lake was absolutely GORGEOUS. The serenity of the lake is a great reminder of why people embrace this type of lifestyle. The peaceful ebb and flow of the water, the stillness and calm that overcomes you as you look along the water are why people come here to temporarily escape it all or to just live peacefully. A true reminder of this different lifestyle was evident, when, as I was driving on the long stretch of road, I saw what looked to be different. As it got closer, I realized  that what I just saw was an Amish family, out for a ride in their buggy. A complete family unit consisting of a mother, father, and a baby were on the same stretch of road in front of regular cars, going with the flow. Pretty darn cool.

I finally got to my hotel, and it was quaint and cute. Everything about the place screamed of a more peaceful and simple life. It actually reminded me of the usual place my family and I stay in whenever we go to Lake George. The accomodatinos were clean but the scenery was absolutely breath-taking! The only thing that truly bothered me was that at night, I wanted to watch a game on TV, and ironically, In a big baseball town, I couldn’t watch my baseball team….Wi-Fi wasn’t functioning AT ALL, the game was televised on a channel they don’t get, and Internet was practically non existent!  On a town like this, what’s left to do? Sleep early. I really didn’t have the energy to go to the pool, since I went sight seeing right after driving five hours. I could’ve used a game to relax and wind down, but I ended up passing out anyway. As for the two, it’s quaint, lovely and charming. You could tell they go through painstaking work to preserve the old town feel. Everything seems somewhat untouched and you’re quickly reminded of an old time where traditional values are upheld, and families can be families. I’d like to say that it’s not commercialized. But unfortunately with its big draw being the a National Baseball Hall of Fame, a town like this can’t help but capitalize on this fact. Revenue like this is absolutely necessary for a town with a population of 2,138 to sustain itself….and that’s ok. Souvenir shops litter the street near the Hall of Fame, seeking assorted tchozkies, souvenirs, and the like.

Still, you don’t get the feeling that it’s a mall or a shopping development by some big corporation. On the way home, I stopped in a nearby town called Fly Creek. apparently this is known for its cider mill. I learned how they make cider and even got to see an actual old cider mill press that they use to make the cider. It was refreshing to see that they haven’t given way to technology and that they still use the old method for making cider. The old town feel, the quaintness – what a great escape from the hustles and bustles of everyday life where we’re too overladen with technology. People here aren’t slaves to their smartphones or tablets like they are in bigger cities. life is simple and that’s the way it used to be and SHOULD be!

It may not be a place to visit for long term like weeks or months has, but it is certainly a great place to go for an overnight or a week – ESPECIALLY if you have family member who are into baseball whether watching it or playing it. It’s educational but it is also relaxing. I definitely recommend this “diamond in the  rough”…as a matter of fact, I am already planning to go back. Anybody out there’s been to Cooperstown? Would love to their about it!

XOXOXOXO,