N is for Not Too Far From Home

The Adirondacks are just so beautiful this time of year. The snow is just about gone, (but I hear there is still some in the far north!), we're done skiing and getting ready to launch our boats on chilly Lake George. Why would anyone want to venture far from home with all this beauty right here? But, if you do have a hankering to venture out, but not too far from home, here are three short trips that are great for a weekend or a 72-hour midweek get-away.

Cooperstown

Cooperstown is about two hours, give or take, from the southern Adirondacks area. This quaint town, on the edge of beautiful Otsego Lake in central New York, is home to the famous National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. It is well worth the drive to visit the Hall of Fame alone, which boasts exhibits on the history of baseball and the many baseball greats who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. We traveled there to see pitcher Tom Seaver's induction in 1992 - a thrill we'll never forget. We toured the museum and attended the induction ceremony along with thousands of other baseball fans, and were sorry we didn't plan to stay longer.

Cooperstown isn't all sports - another attraction during the summer months is the Glimmerglass Opera which will feature Don Giovanni, Bluebeard, Orlando, and The Good Soldier Schweik this summer.

If you go, Cooperstown is located off of Interstate Route 88. You can reach the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce at (607) 547-9983. More details can be found here.

Burlington

Burlington, Vermont, is another short get-away from the Adirondacks. Take either one of the ferry crossings, or drive over through Whitehall, New York and on into Vermont.

Burlington borders on Lake Champlain, a huge lake compared to our familiar Lake George. A must when you visit Burlington is to take one of the Lake Champlain Shoreline Cruises. That will orient you as to the location of Burlington, and give you some historical background and great views of our Adirondack Mountains.

Burlington also has some great shopping at the famous Church Street Marketplace. Shops and cafes border both sides of a pedestrian walking mall that covers several city blocks.

Burlington is also famous for several of its local breweries. We visited two while we were there - the Vermont Brew Pub at 144 College St. in Burlington and the Magic Hat Brewery located at 5 Bartlett Bay Road in South Burlington where we took a tour of the brewing process. Magic Hat is great, they are something like the Ben and Jerry's of the beer industry, and worth a visit if you are there. Tours are given daily.

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