Discover Central New York: A Guide

A visit to Central New York will instantly whisk you back in time to a slower, more graceful pace of life. Check out the old-fashioned principal streets in the quaint villages dotted throughout this mostly rural region. Drive down a winding country road and admire the legendary hop yards which made the region the nation’s main producer of hops in the late 1800s. The brewing tradition remains strong: Try a farm-to-glass beer or sample some moonshine while following Brew Central. Other options certainly include a visit to the world-famous Erie Canal. Spend a day in historic Utica with a stop at the cutting edge arts institute, Munson. Cooperstown, the bustling, upscale village perched on the shores of picturesque Otsego Lake is best known as the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (a popular bucket list must for most sports lovers). And there are multiple attractions, including the Fenimore Museum, where the building is nearly as breathtaking as the American art displayed inside.

We Recommend

EAT

The Tailor and the Cook is a tough reservation to land for valid reasons: It’s great, straight-from-the-farm food just a few feet from Utica’s Union Station. Seriously, what’s not to love?

DRINK

Speaking of Utica, let’s stay there to get our drink on at Saranac FX Matt 1888 Tavern & Biergarten (adjacent to Matt Brewing Company). Why not give their wild berry vodka whip a try? Thank me later.

SLEEP

Historic elegance awaits at the stately Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown. First opened in 1909, this classic accommodation sits on its namesake lake but is close to all the action in town.

FUN

Howe Caverns, at more than 150 feet below the earth’s surface, gives 90-minute tours per day all year. But now you can also go spelunking or try the brand-new escape room. F-U-N indeed.

Local Guide

Travel to the Central New York by Rail with Amtrak
Outdoor adventure, historic sites, hands-on museums, sports attractions, homegrown cuisine, craft beverages and festivals galore. Starting points: Amsterdam, Utica and Rome.

THINGS TO DO

MUSEUMS

RESTAURANTS

OUTDOOR ATTRACTIONS

HOTELS

BREWERIES

DISTILLERIES

LANDMARKS

CIDERIES

HOCKEY AREAS

BASEBALL STADIUMS

Articles

Where The Railroad Meets The Farmer
A train trip through Upstate New York aboard Amtrak takes you past many farms; fields of corn, apple orchards, and dairy cows flashing by outside the window. Yet there is one place along the Empire Corridor where the state’s cornucopia of agricultural abundance comes in direct contact with our intercity passenger rail system – the farmers market at the Utica Union Staion….Click to Read More

Explore Howe Caverns
Roaming through limestone corridors, vast galleries and beneath colossal boulders, I’m 156 feet below the earth’s surface in a cave, six million years in the making. With strange formations, flowing sheets and dripping stalactites, the solid rock walls appear fluid-like….Click to Read More

Amtrak Route Map

CLICK TO VIEW MAP / STATIONS

Check out the Amtrak map to plan your next adventure!
Traveling to Central New York is easy with its three fantastic Amtrak stations. Train travelers can take Amtrak to Rome (ROM), Amsterdam (AMS) and Utica (UCA).