UPSTATE NY: Otsego County, Delaware County, Schohaire County

Otsego County

Discover a place where heritage and natural beauty come together in the rolling foothills of the northern Catskills, the land of James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales.  Home of Baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.  Home to the Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta.  Come explore all that this beautiful County has to offer.  The City of Oneonta also known as “City of the Hills” can be characterized as a friendly community -- one that is proud of its diversity, stability and beauty. With a population of just under 14,000 people, one of the City's finest attributes is its small town atmosphere. Residents and visitors alike are attracted to Oneonta because of its friendliness, its reputation as a great place to raise a family, its safety, and the overall perception that it is a family oriented community, "where everyone knows everyone else."  Oneonta has two colleges, SUNY Oneonta which is ranked #49 on the US News & World Reports of best colleges 2009 and Hartwick College, a private liberal arts and science college.  Both contribute greatly to the economy of Oneonta as well as the arts community across Otsego County.  Cooperstown is truly a fascinating place. Located at the south end of Otsego Lake in Central New York State, it is at the heart of a splendid four-season recreational area. All the hospitality of the Lake, nearby skiing, an endless array of cultural activities, distinctive architecture, and tightly-knit but friendly villages, coexist here in a natural setting of exceptional beauty.  Cooperstown is not the birthplace of baseball, but it is the Home of Baseball. And it is the birthplace of the Susquehanna, a wonderful river that winds through New York and Pennsylvania, reaching the sea via Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. It is proud to be the home of the Glimmerglass Opera, a nationally renowned company with an astonishing history that began in the seventies in a High School Auditorium. It has a proud community, and hundreds of dedicated people that thrive together, in business, in education, in agriculture, in medicine, in government, and in the arts. Whether your passion is baseball, golf, opera, museums, sailing or antiquing, you'll have a great time here in Cooperstown.  

Delaware County 

Away from the city's noise and set in the western slopes of the Catskill Mountains is a land of wooded hills and fertile green valleys, of over 700 miles of fishing streams, of covered bridges, welcoming people and beautiful vistas. This is Delaware County, Mother Nature's home in New York's Catskill Mountains.   Geographically one of the larger counties in New York State, Delaware County covers 1,460 square miles, an area larger than that of Rhode Island. It ranges from valley bottoms of 1000 feet above sea level to peaks higher than 3000 feet. Both branches of the Delaware River rise in the northeast corner-the West Branch in Lake Utsayantha, Stamford, and the East Branch in Grand Gorge-and traverse the County before joining forces in Hancock. With thousands of acres of public land and a wide variety of game habitats, Delaware County is a sportsman's paradise. It is a special place. Beautiful vistas, welcoming people, innovative educational resources, varied cultural amenities, safe communities and a commitment to economic growth and development all within a few hours drive from major metropolitan centers make Delaware County an ideal place in which to live and work.  Outdoor activities include: Fishing, Hiking, Hunting, Camping, Biking, Swimming, Boating, Rafting, Canoeing, Nature Walking, Golfing, Horseback Riding, ATV Trails, Geology, Photography, and all winter sports.

Schoharie County

Across the Catskills from the Hudson River Valley, south of the Mohawk River Valley, lies Schoharie County. Its quiet, natural beauty is waiting to welcome you, as it has welcomed visitors for hundreds of years.   The heart of Leatherstocking Country lies here, just west of Albany. When you visit, you'll quickly see the beauty that drew the first settlers to the region, and quickly appreciate the natural bounty from which our agricultural heritage was born.  A visit to Upstate New York’s Schoharie County is a trip to quaint towns and villages, filled with reminders of simpler times. Farmers work their land. Brooks babble. Eagles fly. Fish jump in the streams.  Unique attractions – grand caves, acres of flowers, working mills and more – all are part of Schoharie County’s magic. Stroll Main Street in Historic Sharon Springs. Experience the village green in Jefferson. See covered bridges or bask in the beauty of the nature trails.    Find out why Schoharie County is picture-perfect any time of year.   The picture above is Vroman's Nose. It is a prominent geological feature in in Schoharie County and is among the more popular hiking sites in upstate New York.  The County was a central location during the Revolutionary War.

Other Links for Dining, Lodging, Entertainment, Arts and more

Here are several other good links that provide information for local towns and cities on Dining, Lodging, Entertainment, Arts, and other activities.