Frommer's New York State - From New York City to Niagara Falls

449 Pages·2003·7.674 MB·English

by  Neil E. Schlecht, Rich Beattie, Brian Silverman, Karen Quarles

New York
State
from New York City
to Niagara Falls
1st Edition
by Neil E. Schlecht, Rich Beattie,
Brian Silverman & Karen Quarles
Here’s what the critics say about Frommer’s:
“Amazingly easy to use.Very portable,very complete.”
—Booklist
“Detailed,accurate,and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.”
—Glamour Magazine
“Hotel information is close to encyclopedic.”
—Des Moines Sunday Register
“Frommer’s Guides have a way of giving you a real feel for a place.”
—Knight Ridder Newspapers
Published by:
Wiley Publishing,Inc.
111 River St.
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5744
Copyright © 2004 Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights
reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval sys-
tem or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photo-
copying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107
or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written
permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate
per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers,
MA 01923, 978/750-8400, fax [phone]. Requests to the Publisher for per-
mission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc.,
10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, 317/572-3447, fax
317/572-4447, E-Mail: [email protected].
Wiley and the Wiley Publishing logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates. Frommer’s is a trademark or registered
trademark of Arthur Frommer. Used under license. All other trademarks are the
property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associated with
any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
ISBN 0-7645-3929-9
Editor: Lorraine Festa
Production Editor: Donna Wright
Cartographers: Roberta Stockwell, Nicholas Trotter
Photo Editor: Richard Fox
Production by Wiley Indianapolis Composition Services
Front cover photo: Niagara Falls’ Maid of the Mist
Back cover photo: Thoroughbred racing at the Saratoga Race Course
For information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support,
please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 800/762-2974,
outside the U.S. at 317/572-3993 or fax [phone].
Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that
appears in print may not be available in electronic formats.
Manufactured in the United States of America
5 4 3 2 1
Contents
List of Maps vi
1 The Best of New York State 1
1 The Best Places to Stay . . . . . . . .1 7 The Best One-of-a-Kind
2 The Best Restaurants . . . . . . . . . .5 Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
3 The Best Places for 8 The Best Historic Places . . . . . . .12
Antiques Hounds . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 9 The Best Places to
4 The Best Hikes . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Commune with Nature . . . . . . .13
5 The Best Family 10 The Best Leaf-Peeping . . . . . . . .14
Vacation Spots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 11 The Best Four-Season Towns . . . .14
6 The Best Places for 12 The Most Adorable Towns . . . . .15
Watersports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
13 The Best Oddball Attractions . . .16
2 Planning Your Trip to New York State 18
by Karen Quarles
1 The Regions in Brief . . . . . . . . .18 Frommers.com: The Complete
2 Visitor Information . . . . . . . . . . .19 Travel Resource . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
3 Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 9 The 21st-Century Traveler . . . . . .36
4 When to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Online Traveler’s Toolbox . . . . . .38
New York State Calendar 10 Getting There . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 11 Getting Around . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
5 Travel Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . .28 12 Tips on Accommodations . . . . . .46
6 Health & Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 13 Tips on Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
7 Specialized Travel Resources . . . .31 Fast Facts: New York State . . . .48
8 Planning Your Trip Online . . . . . .34
3 For International Visitors 52
by Karen Quarles
1 Preparing for Your Trip . . . . . . . .52 3 Getting Around the U.S. . . . . . . .59
Size Conversion Chart . . . . . . . .57 Fast Facts: For the
2 Getting to the U.S. . . . . . . . . . .58 International Traveler . . . . . . . . .60
4 The Active Vacation Planner 65
by Neil E. Schlecht
1 Visiting New York’s 2 Outdoor Activities
National Parks . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 from A to Z . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
iv CONTENTS
5 New York City 73
by Brian Silverman
1 Getting There . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 4 Where to Dine . . . . . . . . . . . .103
Manhattan’s Neighborhoods 5 Exploring New York City . . . . . .115
in Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 6 Shopping Highlights . . . . . . . .135
2 Getting Around . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 7 New York City After Dark . . . . .139
Fast Facts: New York City . . . . .88 8 Highlights of the
3 Where to Stay . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 Outer Boroughs . . . . . . . . . . . .146
6 Long Island & the Hamptons 153
by Rich Beattie
1 The North Shore . . . . . . . . . . .153 4 Fire Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174
Sunday Driving . . . . . . . . . . . .160 Where the Boys
2 The North Fork . . . . . . . . . . . .163 (& Girls) Are . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176
Along the Long Island 5 The South Fork:
Wine Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166 The Hamptons . . . . . . . . . . . . .178
3 South Shore Beaches: 6 Shelter Island . . . . . . . . . . . . .185
Long Beach,Jones Beach
& Robert Moses State Park . . . .172
7 The Hudson River Valley 190
by Neil E. Schlecht
1 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190 3 The Mid-Hudson Valley . . . . . .209
2 The Lower Hudson Valley . . . . .194 4 The Upper Hudson Valley . . . . .221
Constitution Island/ Wine Trails & Farmer’s
Warner House . . . . . . . . . . . . .197 Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .226
Hudson Valley Hotels
& Motels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206
8 The Catskill Mountain Region 228
by Neil E. Schlecht
1 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .230 4 Northwestern Catskill Region
2 Southeastern Catskill (Delaware County) . . . . . . . . . .247
Region (Ulster County) . . . . . . .231 Take Me Out to the
Unique Lodging Last Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . .248
in Saugerties . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238 5 Southwestern Catskill
3 Northeastern Catskill Region Region (Sullivan County) . . . . .253
(Greene County) . . . . . . . . . . .240
CONTENTS v
9 The Capital Region:Saratoga Springs & Albany 260
by Neil E. Schlecht
1 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260 3 Albany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .276
2 Saratoga Springs . . . . . . . . . . .261 Albany’s Highs & Lows . . . . . .280
Hyde Collection Art Museum . . .266 Hotel & Motel Chains
Taking the Waters . . . . . . . . . .268 in the Albany Area . . . . . . . . .286
More Places to Stay . . . . . . . . .273
10 Central New York 289
by Rich Beattie
1 Cooperstown . . . . . . . . . . . . .289 2 Utica & Environs . . . . . . . . . . .297
11 The Finger Lakes Region 302
by Neil E. Schlecht
1 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .302 6 Rochester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .326
The Finger Lakes Wine Trails . . .305 The Erie Canal . . . . . . . . . . . .330
2 Ithaca & Southern 7 Canandaigua Lake . . . . . . . . . .333
Cayuga Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . .306 8 Geneva & Northern
Cayuga Wine Trail . . . . . . . . . .308 Seneca Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . .338
3 Watkins Glen & Southern 9 Seneca Falls & Northern
Seneca Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . .314 Cayuga Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . .342
Seneca Lake Wine Trail . . . . . .316 The Underground Railroad . . . .346
4 Corning & Elmira . . . . . . . . . . .317 Aurora’s Amazing Makeover . . .347
5 Keuka Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .322 10 Skaneateles Lake . . . . . . . . . . .347
Keuka Lake Wine Trail . . . . . . .324 11 Syracuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .352
12 The North Country 356
by Rich Beattie
1 Southern Adirondacks . . . . . . .357 Backcountry Blunders . . . . . . .374
Bowling with the Vanderbilts . . .358 3 Thousand Islands . . . . . . . . . . .374
2 Northern Adirondacks . . . . . . .365 A Fishin’ Tradition . . . . . . . . . .382
13 Western New York 386
by Rich Beattie
1 Buffalo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .386 5 Niagara Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . .408
2 Day Trips from Buffalo . . . . . . .397 Kid Stuff in Canada’s
“No séances, please.” . . . . . . .399 Clifton Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .412
3 Letchworth State Park . . . . . . .403 A Little Peace, Please . . . . . . .418
4 Chautauqua Institution . . . . . .406
vi CONTENTS
Index 419
List of Maps
New York State 2 Downtown Saratoga Springs 263
Manhattan Neighborhoods 77 Downtown Albany 277
Manhattan Subways 85 Central New York 291
Downtown Accommodations, Cooperstown 293
Dining & Attractions 91
The Finger Lakes Region 303
Midtown Accommodations,
Downtown Rochester 327
Dining & Attractions 92
The Adirondack Mountains 359
Uptown Accommodations,
Thousand Islands 375
Dining & Attractions 94
Western New York 387
Central Park 127
Downtown Buffalo 389
Long Island 154
Niagara Falls 411
The Hudson River Valley 191
Catskill Mountain Region 229
An Invitation to the Reader
In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants,
shops, and more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share
the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed
with a recommendation, we’d love to know that, too. Please write to:
Frommer’s New York State, 1st Edition
Wiley Publishing, Inc. • 111 River St. • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5744
An Additional Note
Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time—and this is
especially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirma-
tion when making your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held
responsible for the experiences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us,
however, so we encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a
close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets.
About the Authors
Neil E. Schlechtis a writer and photographer who travels frequently along the Hudson
between an old farmhouse in northwestern Connecticut and New York City. He is the
author of a dozen travel guides—including Spain For Dummiesand Frommer’s guides to
Texas, Cuba, and Peru—as well as art catalogue essays and articles on art and culture.
Rich Beattieis a freelance writer who lives in New York City. Formerly the Managing
Editor of Travel Holiday Magazine and Executive Editor of the adventure-travel site
GORP.com, he now writes for Travel & Leisure,the New York Times,Four Seasons Hotel
Magazine,Boating Magazine,and Modern Bride,among others.
Brian Silverman,author of Frommer’s New York City,Frommer’s New York City From $90
A Day,and Portable New York City,has written about travel, food, sports, and music for
publications such as Saveur, Caribbean Travel & Life, Islands, American Way, the New
Yorker,and the New York Times.He is the author of several books including Going, Going,
Gone: The History, Lore, and Mystique of the Home Run(HarperCollins), and co-editor of
The Twentieth Century Treasury of Sports(Viking Books). Brian lives in New York, New
York, with his wife and son.
A native of Buffalo, New York, Karen Quarlesnow enjoys the temperate climate of New
York City, where she works as a freelance writer and editor. Karen has also contributed to
Frommer’s Los Angeles.
Other Great Guides for Your Trip:
Wonderful Weekends from New York City
Frommer’s New York City
Frommer’s Memorable Walks in New York City
Frommer’s Star Ratings,Icons & Abbreviations
Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality,
value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system.In country, state,
and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices
and budget your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (rec-
ommended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and
regions are rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star
(highly recommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see).
In addition to the star-rating system, we also use seven feature iconsthat point you
to the great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from
tourists. Throughout the book, look for:
Finds Special finds—those places only insiders know about
Fun Fact Fun facts—details that make travelers more informed and their trips
more fun
Kids Best bets for kids, and advice for the whole family
Moments Special moments—those experiences that memories are made of
Overrated Places or experiences not worth your time or money
Tips Insider tips—great ways to save time and money
Value Great values—where to get the best deals
The following abbreviationsare used forcredit cards:
AE American Express DISC Discover V Visa
DC Diners Club MC MasterCard
Frommers.com
Now that you have the guidebook to a great trip, visit our website at www.frommers.com
for travel information on more than 3,000 destinations. With features updated regularly,
we give you instant access to the most current trip-planning information available. At
Frommers.com, you’ll also find the best prices on airfares, accommodations, and car
rentals—and you can even book travel online through our travel booking partners. At
Frommers.com, you’ll also find the following:
• Online updates to our most popular guidebooks
• Vacation sweepstakes and contest giveaways
• Newsletter highlighting the hottest travel trends
• Online travel message boards with featured travel discussions
1
The Best of New York State
V
isitors to New York State who venture both downstate and upstate have an
array of options unequaled elsewhere in the country. Besides the urban allure,
culture, and shopping of Manhattan, much of New York State is still, in many
ways, waiting to be discovered on a grand scale. The state is blanketed with out-
standing beauty and diversity of scenery from one end to the other. Although
New Yorkers have long vacationed in the Catskill and Adirondack mountains,
for too long too few have seen too little of the state between its two tourist book-
ends, New York City and Niagara Falls. The historic Hudson Valley, a majestic
river lined with elegant estates, is finally positioning itself as a destination, not
just a day trip from the city. The great wilderness of the Adirondack and Catskill
mountains is magnificent for outdoors and sporting vacations, but those spots
are also home to the easygoing charms of small towns. The pristine glacial-lake
beauty and outstanding wineries of the Finger Lakes make it one of the state’s
most deserving destinations. And Long Island is home to splendid sandy
Atlantic Ocean beaches and the gulf of New York economic extremes, ranging
from blue-collar immigrant enclaves to elite summer homes in the Hamptons.
Planning a trip to a state as large and diverse as New York involves a lot of
decision-making, so in this chapter we’ve tried to give some direction. Below
we’ve chosen what we feel is the very best the state has to offer—the places and
experiences you won’t want to miss. Although sites and activities listed here are
written up in more detail elsewhere in this book, this chapter should give you an
overview of New York State’s highlights and get you started planning your trip.
—Neil E. Schlecht
1 The Best Places to Stay
• Le Parker Meridien (New York best moderately priced hotel. See
City; & 800/543-4300): New p. 98.
York’s best all-around hotel, Le • Seatuck Cove House (Eastport;
Parker Meridien has the perfect & 631/325-3300). On the edge
blending of style, service, and of the Hamptons, this enormous
amenities. It’s the best choice if Victorian home sits right out on
you want a little of everything; the water with gorgeous views.
luxury, high tech, family-friendly, And because the inn has only five
comfort, and a great central loca- rooms, you’ll feel like you own the
tion. See p. 96. place. The rooms are painted
• Hotel Metro (New York City; white and decorated with an
& 800/356-3870): A Midtown appropriately beachy feel. Four of
gem that gives you a surprisingly the five are also large enough to
good deal, including a marble comfortably accommodate a sepa-
bathroom; it’s New York City’s rate sitting area. Take a walk along