Fort Plain, New York
Fort Plain, NY is a quaint little village situated on the south side of the Mohawk River and the Erie Canal. In 2013, much of the downtown area was ravaged by flooding of the Otsquago Creek. The village is making a great comeback and here are some of the things within five minutes of the Greene House Inn that may prove of interest. (Links to the external sites are on the title of each location.)
This is probably Tony and Brendan's favorite restaurant in the area. Aaron is the proprietor and specializes in Farm-to-Table cuisine. The menu changes because of this concept and the food is always so fresh and well prepared. If you're in town on Wednesday through Saturday night, we do strongly recommend a visit.
The Fort Plain Museum is the site of a Revolutionary War fort. The location is great to explore especially if one is interested in local Mohawk Valley history.
The Plain Food Co-Op is a great country store that specializes in fresh quality food. The Co-op is supported by volunteers. Their efforts keep the prices low. There is a great selection of spices, nuts, grains, etc. Volunteers sort the bulk products into smaller packaging.
Hikers and bike riders could enjoy some high-quality, reasonably-priced trail mixes.
Hikers and bike riders could enjoy some high-quality, reasonably-priced trail mixes.
Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown is one of the area's big tourist areas. Baseball, opera, and culture all collide with wonderfully unexpected results on the bottom of Lake Otsego. Busy in the summer, but there are many activities in the winter that will still keep visitors coming back.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame
About 30 minutes southwest of Fort Plain, the National Baseball Hall of Fame is probably the area's biggest tourist attraction. While most busy in the summer and especially in late July, the Hall of Fame is open year round and can be a great place to visit when one needs a baseball fix in the middle of winter.
With all the hiking, digging, eating and baseball around, there should be some time for some high culture. The Fennimore is a wonderful museum that features some great permanent collections and an amazing array of temporary exhibits. Big enough to get a good art fix in, but small enough so as to not feel overwhelmed.
When one thinks of upstate New York, the last thing that may come to mind is opera. But here within 30 minutes of our place is one of the finest opera houses in the nation. Using a baseball reference, the Glimmerglass Opera is in the AAA of the Opera world. Many virtuosos stop off at Glimmerglass on their way to the Met in New York.
This is our "go-to" restaurant whenever we're in Cooperstown. Located just outside the village, "Bocca's" Italian fare is some of the best in the area. They also do brick oven pizzas which are really good. Prices are reasonable and the staff is always so friendly.
Brewery Ommegang
I guess we shouldn't play favorites, but this Cooperstown brewery delivers the best Belgian ales on this side of the Atlantic. Located just south of Cooperstown, their brewery tour will be a highlight for the ale-ficianados in the crowd. Yes, you do get to sample and there is the great Café Ommegang with a great selection of the beer and food. We should mention here that Ommegang and the Fly Creek Cider Mill are part of the Cooperstown Beverage Trail.
We are so sad to report that due to the pandemic that the Fly Creek Cider Mill has ceased operations at this time. We're leaving the link here in hopes that they may consider re-opening in the future.
The other "Rectangle" villages (Canajoharie, Palatine Bridge, and Nelliston)
Fort Plain is part of four villages that make what Tony and Brendan call "The Rectangle." While we have a preference to our village of Fort Plain, there are some fun activities to be had in the other three municipalities.
Located south of Canajoharie, this small park has a great little hiking trail with a good view of the Wintergreen Falls. Please note that many people have a tendency to use the falls as their own swimming hole. Although it does look like good fun, it is both illegal and unsafe. There have been a number of deaths to those don't take heed. We recommend looking and listening to them only.
During the summers, the drive-in, located on Route 5 in Palatine Bridge (about 7 minutes from the Inn) is open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. It's a great deal as well. $8 per person to see two first run movies in the comfort of your car. Tony and Brendan do love seeing movies this way as it does bring you back to days gone by. One recommendation: bring bug repellent as you'll want to enjoy the cool summer breeze with the windows down.
Just over the Mohawk River in Nelliston is the Palatine Cheese Company. They specialize is multiple flavors of cheddar cheese including Bacon Horseradish and Garlic & Chive. All are excellent, but the Garlic Dill Cheese Curds are to die for. (Update: The store is currently shuttered, but you can find the cheese in some smaller outlets like the Plain Food Co-op mentioned above.)
Mohawk and Herkimer
Mohawk (and its bigger neighbor Herkimer) is a special place for us. This was Brendan's first introduction to the region and his sister still lives in the village. Thankfully, for those sightseeing, there are plenty of things to do.
The Mohawk Antiques Mall
The Mohawk Antiques Mall
This is our favorite antiques mall in the area. (We admittedly are a bit partial and Brendan's father and sister both have booths there.) But we love the selection, variety and usually the prices. And the ride from the Greene House Inn on Route 5S to the Mohawk Antiques Mall is one of the most scenic drives anywhere.
Stop by and tell our the staff that the Greene House Inn recommended this place.
Stop by and tell our the staff that the Greene House Inn recommended this place.
Located in Herkimer, the Erie Canal Cruises are a great way to sit back, relax, and learn about the history of the great canal which shaped the history of the region and the nation. Tony and Brendan took some friends on this and they loved it. The 90-minute cruise brings the riders through a lock on the canal. It's a pretty amazing engineering feat. (Helpful hint: Erie Canal Cruises often advertise discounts on Groupon.)
If you're pressed for time, or just want to get a good amount of souvenir shopping done in one place, Gems Along the Mohawk is a great place to visit. Right next to the Erie Canal Cruises (in fact, you can get tickets for the cruise here), Gems offers booths from many regional sites including Fly Creek Cider Mill and the Herkimer Diamond Mines.
Located about 8 miles north of Herkimer (about 35 minutes from Fort Plain) is the Herkimer Diamond Mines. Kids love the fact that they can dig and hammer to find "Herkimer Diamonds." Parents will be happy that the kids will be exhausted at the end of the day. A fun outing while exploring the region.
Sharon Springs
Only about 15 minutes from Fort Plain is the village of Sharon Springs. A small town with some nice shops and a great restaurant. We believe it's worth a visit.
Rachael Ray is a fan of Sharon Springs and here's a YouTube video about it.
Rachael Ray is a fan of Sharon Springs and here's a YouTube video about it.
McGillicuddy's Naturals is home to some of the best soap that we've ever used. We are massive fans of the Bug Bee Gone which really does help with warding off those darn pests of summer. But there is such a great variety and Deb, the owner, is wonderful.
If you love curiosities and need to find that special something for someone, you'll more than likely find it at Cobbler & Company. There are twelve rooms filled with eclectic gift ideas that are ever changing. Brendan's personal favorite is the area where the old-fashioned candies are.
If you're a fan of the Fabulous Beekman Boys whose reality TV show portrayed the escapades of this couple giving up their New York City life for a goat farm in upstate, their flagship store here in Sharon Springs will not disappoint. The store is filled with luxurious toiletries, gourmet foods and so much more. If you're lucky, you just might catch Josh or Brent minding the store.
It may seem odd that an Inn such as ours would promote a nearby hotel, but the B&B concept and the hotel concept are quite different. Further, we wanted to highlight the great restaurant inside the hotel. Doug and Garth are the Innkeepers there and have turned this run down old hotel into the grand lady she is today. It is through their hard work that Sharon Springs is back on the map as a destination. Stop by and say hi. Tell them Brendan and Tony in Fort Plain sent you and they'll be happy to see you. (They'll be happy to see you even if you don't tell them.)
