Summer in Cooperstown, New York belongs to baseball. From June through August, youth tournament teams fill the village, the diners and just about every rental for miles. Then September arrives, the teams head home, and Cooperstown turns into a different place. If you’ve only ever visited for a tournament, fall is worth a second look.
The color
The hills around Otsego Lake usually start to turn in late September and peak somewhere in early to mid October, depending on the year. Drive north along the west shore of the lake on Route 80, loop around the top and come back down past Glimmerglass State Park, and you’ll see the season at its best. On a still morning the reflections on the water are hard to beat. For a longer drive, head out through the farm country toward Fly Creek and Hartwick.
Cider season
Fall is when Fly Creek Cider Mill, a few miles west of the village, is at its busiest. Expect fresh-pressed cider, tastings and a marketplace full of seasonal treats. Farm stands around Otsego County fill up with pumpkins, squash and local maple syrup, and several orchards in the area offer pick-your-own apples.
A calmer Hall of Fame
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is open year-round, and fall weekdays are about as quiet as it gets. You can take your time in the plaque gallery without the summer crowds, and Main Street is easier to wander too.
The Farmers’ Museum and the Fenimore Art Museum keep seasonal hours that usually run into the fall, so check before you go. Brewery Ommegang, just south of town, is a good stop on a crisp afternoon.
Staying at Field of Dreams in the fall
Field of Dreams sits in a lightly wooded setting about three miles from the Hall of Fame, which is exactly where you want to be when the leaves turn. There’s room for up to 13 guests, a kitchen stocked with coffee, spices and wine glasses, board games for the evenings, and a washer and dryer for muddy hiking clothes. Pets are welcome too, and fall is the perfect time for a long walk with the dog.
It also makes a good base for a fall family reunion or a friends’ weekend away: plenty of bedrooms, a big yard and a grill for a cookout while it’s still mild enough to eat outside.
Fall weekends book up with leaf-peepers and Hall of Fame visitors, so it pays to plan ahead. Check fall availability at Field of Dreams, or call Sandra on (877) 373-2602.
Featured photo: Doug Kerr — CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons