Friday, 19 April 2013 12:31

Day Trips – 10 Places to Visit Within a Day

By Kate Towne Sherwin | Families Today

As I remember it, every Sunday when I was a little girl, my parents loaded all us kids in the van and “took a ride” to and around Vermont. Our annual overnight in Plattsburgh when my dad had to work up there is a treasured memory. Our family summer vacation spot is still only an hour away. To say I’ve been schooled to understand the value of a close locale that requires a scenic not-too-long drive and involves an entertaining something and a good spot to eat is somewhat of an understatement. 

“What would you put on a list of ten good day trips?” I asked my dad after receiving this assignment, and after thinking about it for a moment (with his characteristic excited eye twinkle,) he handed me a piece of paper with both sides covered with his ideas. 

The following list was culled from Dad’s ideas and mine (thanks to Mom for her input too,) and I’ve listed them in order of closest to farthest. 

Some of these trips I’ve done; and I’m excited to do those I haven’t, so I feel confident that whether you’re looking to spend a day with your honey, your grandchildren, or your best friends, you’ll find a few ideas here that fit the bill. 

Wayside Country Store and Arlington Recreation Park
Arlington, Vermont
Distance: ~33 miles
Time to travel: ~50 minutes by car
Cost: Gas and meal

This was the day trip we took most often on our Sunday rides around Vermont during my childhood. Less than an hour away from Saratoga Springs is the Wayside Country Store—a true country general store that first opened in 1850 and has been run by its current owners since 1984. Its tagline is, “If we don’t have it, you don’t need it!” but what we stopped for was the subs (its chicken salad is said to be particularly good,) the perfect lunch-to-go for a picnic at the Arlington Recreation Park less than four miles away. At the park, you’ll find a playground, one-mile fitness trail, access to the Battenkill River, and a par 3 golf course.

For more information: 
Wayside Country Store
3307 VT Rte 313 W
Arlington, VT 05250
(802) 375-2792
https://www.facebook.com/WaysideCountryStore

 

Arlington Recreation Park
Route 7A
Arlington, VT 05250
(802) 375-9564
http://events.benningtonbanner.com/arlington_vt/venues/show/2906425-arlington-recreation-park

 

Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs
Auriesville
Distance: ~35 miles
Time to travel: ~50 minutes by car
Cost: Gas and meal (and shopping?)

It would be hard for anyone to have missed the recent canonization of a Native American woman from our area: St. Kateri Tekakwitha was born in 1656 in a Mohawk village called Ossernenon, which we now know as Auriesville. It was also the same village where three Jesuit missionaries were martyred during the 1640s – one of whom was St. Isaac Jogues. It is after him that the small seasonal Catholic Church on Saratoga Lake is named. The Shrine in Auriesville makes a wonderful day trip for anyone interested in the history and spirituality of the location—it is over 400 acres of beautiful grounds on which are several chapels, museums, a cemetery and an outdoor Stations of the Cross. There is also a gift shop and has a coliseum that seats 6500 people with standing room for an additional 3500. You can arrange for a guided tour or walk about on your own. Be sure to either pack a lunch to picnic on the grounds or plan to buy your meal at the Visitors Center. 

For more information: 
Shrine of Our Lady of Martyrs
136 Shrine Road
Fultonville, NY 12016
(518) 853-3033
http://www.martyrshrine.org

 

Schroon Lake Public Beach and Pitkins Restaurant
Schroon Lake
Distance: ~60 miles
Time to travel: ~60 minutes by car
Cost: Gas and meal (and shopping?)

Schroon Lake’s public beach is one of my very favorites. It has a nice sandy beach, roped-off swim areas, and lifeguards; and just a few feet up the hill from it are picnic tables, a playground and public restrooms. The view of the lake and the Adirondacks from the hill above the beach is breathtaking, and just over your shoulder from that hill and that view is the town itself, with a busy downtown full of shops and restaurants—perfect for walking and shopping and stopping for a meal. My recommendation is Pitkins Restaurant, right on the main street (Route 9)—I’ve had many a meal there and always look forward to my next visit.

For more information: 
Schroon Lake Town Beach
Dock Street
Schroon Lake, NY 12870
(518) 532-7675
http://www.schroonlakeregion.com/

 

Pitkins Restaurant
1085 US Rte 9
Schroon Lake, NY 12870
(518) 532-7918
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g48576-d2077862-Reviews-Pitkins_Restaurant-Schroon_Lake_New_York.html

 

Amish Country Commons
Palatine Bridge
Distance: ~50 miles
Time to travel: 1hour 15 minute by car
Cost: Gas, meal, shopping

You only need to drive an hour away from Saratoga Springs to get a taste of Amish life and culture. In fact, New York State is currently home to the fifth-largest grouping of Amish in North America. Palatine Bridge is home to a large Amish community, and the Amish Country Commons is the perfect location to focus your day trip around. “A well-established, treasured relationship with the local Amish community enables the Commons to provide spectacular and unique insight into the traditions and creations of Amish culture,” notes the Commons’ web site (Facebook page.) There you can shop for Amish-made goods and grab a bite to eat, and driving through the area will likely allow you to spot Amish farmhouses and buggies. 

For more information: 
Amish Country Commons
6143 State Highway 5
Palatine Bridge, NY
(518) 993-3311
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Shops-At-Amish-Country-Commons/238339186186783

 

Norman Rockwell Museum and The Red Lion Inn
Stockbridge, MA
Distance: ~74 miles
Time to travel: 1hour 30 minute by car
Cost: Gas, tolls, meal, museum admission ($16 for adults, $5 for ages 6–18, children under 5 free; see web site for senior and college student discounts)

If you’ve never been to the Norman Rockwell Museum, hailed on its web site as the “most popular year-round cultural attraction in the Berkshires,” I highly recommend setting aside a day to visit. It houses the world’s largest collection of Rockwell’s work, and has a vibrant and constant calendar of events, exhibitions and programs. The Stockbridge setting only adds to its appeal, with Stockbridge’s reputation as having the “most famous Main Street in America” due to Rockwell’s portrayal of it and its many other attractions, including Tanglewood, Chesterwood and the Berkshire Theatre Festival. One of the well-known local sites is The Red Lion Inn, just around the corner, which has operated continuously since the 18th century. With its long front porch and décor of antiques, artwork, and colonial pewter, its character is elegant and distinctive. Between its more formal Main Dining Room, the rustic Widow Bingham’s Tavern, or its al fresco dining in The Courtyard in the warm weather, you’ll be able to find a place that fits the experience you want to have. 

For more information: 
Norman Rockwell Museum
9 Route 183
Stockbridge, MA 01262
(413) 298-4100
http://www.nrm.org 

The Red Lion Inn
30 Main Street
Stockbridge, MA 01262
http://www.redlioninn.com/

 

Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural & Sports Centre, Irish-American Heritage Museum, and The Shamrock House
East Durham
Distance: ~66 miles
Time to travel: ~1 hour 30 minutes by car
Cost: Gas and meal (and shopping?)

If you love the Irish heritage, you must visit East Durham. Located an hour and a half south of Saratoga Springs, this is a community so Irish that it literally has shamrocks painted on the roads—no wonder its nickname is “Emerald Isle of the Catskills.” The mission of the MJQ Irish Centre is to “to promote and preserve the cultural and artistic heritage of the Irish and those of Irish descent,” and its office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday from April until October. In addition, it invites the public to watch the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) games each weekend at the Centre (call a week in advance for game schedules,) and its 2013 schedule of events is packed full, including the 36th Annual East Durham Irish Festival on Memorial Day Weekend, the Catskill Irish Arts Week from July 15 to July, and the East Durham Feis on August 24. You might also like to visit the Irish-American Heritage Museum on the same site, as well as the Guaranteed Irish Gift Shop, only a mile away, the largest Irish import store in the US. Top off your Irish excursion with a meal at The Shamrock House, where that enduring example of homey hearty fare—pub grub—is available all day, every day.

For more information: 
Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural & Sports Centre, and Irish American Heritage Museum
2267 Rte 145
East Durham, NY 12423
(518) 634-2286
http://www.mjqirishcentre.com

The Shamrock House
2388 Rte 145
East Durham, NY 12423
(518) 634-2897
http://www.shamrockhouse.com/

 

The Vermont Country Store and Mildred’s Dairy Bar
Weston, VT
Distance: ~70 miles
Time to travel: 1hour 45 minute by car
Cost: Gas, meal, shopping

Many of you might be familiar with the Vermont Country Store’s catalog, with its simple drawn depictions of its old-timey products. As noted on its web site, the store itself “invites you to step back in time” with its offerings of penny candy, Vermont maple syrup and cheeses from local farms, clothing and home goods and other old-time and hand-crafted products. On the Store’s property is the Bryant House Restaurant, open for lunch or dinner, but I’m most interested in the brand new (as of May 2013) Mildred’s Dairy Bar, which has just my kind of food: burgers, hot dogs, fries, sandwiches, ice cream and milkshakes. It has indoor (screened gazebo) and open air seating of its own; or bring your food to the Village Green across the street.

For more information: 
The Vermont Country Store
657 Main Street
Weston, VT 05161
(802) 824-3184
http://www.vermontcountrystore.com

Mildred’s Dairy Bar
Same as above
http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/store/company/static/Visit-Us/Bryant-House-Restaurant

 

Basketball Hall of Fame and Friendly’s Restaurant
Springfield, MA
Distance: 120 miles
Time to travel: ~2 hours by car 
Cost: Gas, tolls, meal, museum admission: $19 for adults, $15 for seniors, $14 for children 5–15, and children 4 and under are free (Note: See web site for special passes, as well as hours, as they change frequently)

I hear a lot about the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, but I rarely hear about the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA. Founded over 50 years ago, it memorializes the game that Dr. Naismith invented more than a century ago with basketball history, interactive exhibits, skills challenges, live clinics and basketball shooting contests. There are a few eating options on site including Max’s Tavern, Subway and Cold Stone Creamery; and pre-ordered box lunches are available as well (see Hall of Fame web site for details.) For the full Springfield experience, however, consider stopping at Friendly’s on the way home instead—it was founded in Springfield in 1935, and remains one of my favorite places. The closest one to the Hall of Fame is less than a mile away on Sumner Avenue.

For more information: 
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
1000 Hall of Fame Avenue
Springfield, MA 01105
(413) 781-6500 or 1-877-4HOOPLA
http://www.hoophall.com

Friendly’s Restaurant 
65 Sumner Avenue
Springfiend, MA 01108
(413) 737-8719
http://friendlys.com

 

Rambach’s Bakery and Fudge, and Grand Isle Ferry
Plattsburgh, NY to Grand Isle, VT
Distance: ~125 miles to Plattsburgh
Time to travel: ~2 hours by car to Plattsburgh; 14-minute crossing time to Grand Isle
Cost: Gas, meal, shopping, ferry fare: For passenger and car starting at $9.50 each way; for passengers alone $3.75 each way for adults, children 6–12 are $1.50 each way, and children under 6 are free (Note: Effective Wednesday, April 3, a fuel surcharge of 1% will be added to the price of each ferry ticket)

This day trip begins with a ride up the Northway to Plattsburgh, where I recommend you stop for a sweet treat at Rambach’s Bakery and Fudge, legendary in my family and with the locals for its Australian Tea Cake; it also offers a great selection of cookies, cakes, and donuts. From there, it’s only a mile and a half to the Plattsburgh Dock where the ferry to Grand Isle, VT runs every 40 minutes 24 hours a day every day of the year (with a few exceptions—see web site for schedule and fares.) Once in Grand Isle, the Grand Isle Ferry Dock Snack Bar and the Kitchen Door Café are close eateries, while the Grand Isle Art Works Gallery (displaying works by Vermont artisans), Hyde Log Cabin (one of the oldest houses in Vermont,) and Grand Isle State Park (beach, walking paths) offer activity options.

For more information: 
Rambach’s Bakery and Fudge
65 South Peru Street
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
(518) 563-1721
http://www.yelp.com/biz/rambachs-international-bakery-plattsburgh

Plattsburgh, NY–Green Isle, VT Ferry at the Plattsburgh Dock
820 Commodore Thomas McDonough Highway
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
(802) 864-9804
http://www.ferries.com/crossing-schedule-rates/grand-isle-to-plattsburgh-ferry

 

Saratoga & North Creek Railway
Saratoga Springs to North Creek, NY
Distance: ~50 miles
Time to travel: 2 hours 18 minutes by train
Cost: Train ticket ($30 round trip for adults, $24 for children in coach; $55/$44 in the dome car), meal (not included in the cost of the ticket) (and shopping?) 

Of all the train stations I’ve been in (a few), there are none I love as much as the Saratoga Springs train station—it’s charming and atmospheric, clean and family-friendly. The passenger service between Saratoga Springs and North Creek has a similar feel to me, with its vintage rail cars, along-the-Hudson route, and full-length dome cars that allow for on-board dining prepared fresh-to-order from its on-board kitchens. As noted on its web site, the rail service “harkens back to the days when train travel was sophisticated and elegant.” (Note seasonal availability and schedule changes on the web site.) After a leisurely train ride north, North Creek itself offers a variety of shopping options and other activities, including an historic tour and a pedal cab ride.

For more information: 
Saratoga Springs Train Station
26 Station Lane
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
(877) 726-7245
https://www.sncrr.com

North Creek Train Station
3 Railroad Place
North Creek, NY 12853
(877) 726-7245
https://www.sncrr.com/trips/what-to-do.html

 

Kate Towne Sherwin lives in Saratoga Springs with her husband and sons. She can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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