Erie Canal Cruises offers daily seasonal sightseeing cruises through Lock 18 at Jacksonburg. The 90-minute narrated cruises on the Mohawk River run May through October. eriecanalcruises. com
From UCA Station: 14.1 miles car
The Griffiss International Sculpture Garden in Rome is an impressive outdoor collection of public works in various media. Of the 20 + modern pieces on display, several are interactive, some offer seating as part of the design, and others are lit using solar power. sculpturespace. org / sculpturepark
From ROM Station: 3.9 miles car
PHOTOS:( DIAMOND MINE) TRACI SUPPA;( HOWE CAVERNS) COURTESY HOWE CAVERNS
Old Fort Johnson, an intact 1749 limestone house, was the residence of Sir William Johnson during the French and Indian War. Today, seasonal tours of this National Historic Landmark describe the social, cultural, military and industrial past of the Mohawk Valley. oldfortjohnson. org
From AMS Station: 1.2 miles car
Built in 1928, the historic Capitol Theatre is a 1,788-seat performing and visual arts space with its original Möller theater organ. There are more than 100 shows per year, including silent and classic movies, live theatrical productions, musical concerts, and dance. romecapitol. com
From ROM Station: 1.4 miles car
WHAT’ S NOT TO MISS ▼
Open year round, the Utica Zoo is home to 200 animals representing 85 species from around the world, including zebras, monkeys, red pandas, wolves, and alligators. Family favorites include the children ' s petting zoo, camel feedings, and sea lion shows. uticazoo. org
From UCA Station: 2.3 miles car
At the Herkimer Diamond Mines, you can prospect for 500-million year old quartz crystals, and keep what you find. The diamond-like geometrical gemstones rate 7.5 on a hardness scale, and can measure between one to eight inches long. herkimerdiamond. com
From UCA Station: 17 miles car
We met Captain Jerry Gertz at the helm of Lil’ Diamond II, one of the vessels operating with Erie Canal Cruises, Inc. He gave us a great recommendation for an afternoon activity.
“ My personal favorite central New York escape is the Herkimer Diamond Mines. This familyfriendly environment provides a great hunt to find naturallyfaceted crystals that don’ t exist anywhere else on Earth. Those beauties were created near 500 million years ago, and I got to keep all that I found! The museum and shop are full of rock specimens from all over the world; it’ s an awesome display.”
worth a visit: Howe Caverns
The further we descended, the larger my daughter’ s eyes grew in anticipation. She had never explored an underground cave in all her eight years, and the experience was high on her precocious bucket list.
The 90-minute guided tour of Howe Caverns, the largest show cave in the northeast U. S., begins in an elevator, which brings you 156 feet below ground to the dim, chilly space— loud with the sound of rushing water.
Discovered in 1842 by farmer Lester Howe, Howe Caverns is an extensive cave system with a lake running through it. We followed the paved pathway through the massive, dramatically lit boulders and flowstone formations. We maneuvered single-file through the Winding Way, a narrow, 300-foot long limestone corridor. We longed to touch the stone surfaces, but— because they’ re still growing— were asked not to. There are two pieces of the smooth, glossy calcite on display which visitors are allowed to feel; the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Praying Hands.
Our whole family learned new things that day, like how different minerals such as iron, manganese and copper change the color appearance of the calcite growing underground, and how to remember the difference between stalactites and stalagmites.
The grand finale of the tour was the quarter-mile boat ride on the shallow River Venus. At the end of the journey, they turn off the lights and let you experience a moment of total darkness to which your eyes cannot adjust.
While the cave tour is open year-round, if you go between Memorial Day and Labor Day, you can also enjoy the Howe High Adventure attractions above ground. They include a 900-foot long zip line, the Sky Trail ropes course, rock wall, air jumper, and downhill rides in the 12-foot inflatable H2OGO balls.
TIP: Rent a car from Enterprise at the Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak station, or request the Howe Caverns shuttle service if you stay overnight at the Howe Caverns Motel.
— TS
Amtrak. com New York By Rail | 63