9 Prettiest Small Towns In Upstate New York

Upstate New York overflows with Revolutionary War battlefields, Finger Lakes gorge trails, and small towns full of stories. You can trace the legend of the headless horseman in one town and stand at the birthplace of the women's rights movement in another. One village is even home to the only domed octagonal house in the world. Others hold Olympic ice and baseball's Hall of Fame. These nine towns rank among the prettiest in Upstate New York to visit.

Oswego

Oswego is a historic Great Lakes community located on Lake Ontario. The settlement was of high strategic importance to the colonies and the fledgling U.S. It saw three battles during the French and Indian War and two during the War of 1812. Today, it is the site of one of the best-preserved star forts, the Fort Ontario State Historic Site. The fort that stands today was built in the 1840s to protect the settlement from attacks, and it would later serve as the only refugee camp for victims of the Holocaust between 1944 and 1946. Today, visitors can see exhibits related to its entire history and walk the grounds of the star-shaped fort. Oswego also explores Great Lakes maritime history at the H. Lee White Maritime Museum, right on the harbor pier. Nearby, Breitbeck Park lets families play on the shores of Lake Ontario, and the Children's Museum of Oswego offers hands-on science exhibits.

Seneca Falls

Seneca Falls is a Finger Lakes town just west of Cayuga Lake. Its mixture of historical importance and small-town character has long drawn both visitors and film fans. Many believe it inspired Bedford Falls, the setting of the holiday classic "It's A Wonderful Life." There's an It's A Wonderful Life Museum in town that preserves reels, props, and stories from this inspiring film. The town is also significant for being the birthplace of the women's rights movement in America. The first Women's Rights Convention was held here in 1848, and today the historic structures are a part of the Women's Rights National Historical Park, including the home of suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Seneca Falls also provides easy access to Cayuga Lake State Park, where one can swim in the clear water or go cross-country skiing during the winter.

Ticonderoga

Ticonderoga is one of the Adirondack Mountains' most historic communities, which comes from its connection to the early days of the American Revolutionary War. In 1775, a group called the Green Mountain Boys seized control of Fort Ticonderoga without firing a shot. The cannons they captured here would be used to drive the British out of Boston. The fort today is a museum that contains 18th-century military equipment, artifacts, live cannon demonstrations, and reenactments. A ticket to the fort also includes access to Mount Defiance, where one can hike up to see the fort from a higher altitude. Ticonderoga offers another pretty viewpoint from Black Point Beach, which sits on the shores of Lake George, a lake so clean and beautiful that it's been called the Queen of American Lakes. Those with an appreciation for TV shows and movie sets will enjoy the Star Trek Original Series Set Tour, a recreation of the set from the first series.

Saratoga Springs

Saratoga Springs has long served as a healing destination for New Yorkers and those out of state, due to its mineral waters. To accommodate these visitors, the town established the Saratoga Spa State Park, which today includes several historic buildings like the Roosevelt Baths and Spa, where one can still soak in the mineral waters or enjoy a water slide at the Peerless Pool Complex. Saratoga Springs is also close to the Saratoga National Historical Park, where Americans defeated the British during the Battle of Saratoga in 1777. Here, one can follow in the footsteps of those soldiers while enjoying beautiful views of the Hudson Valley. For less crowded outdoor spaces, Saratoga Springs has the 11-mile multiuse path Zim Smith Trail through wooded areas and Saratoga Lake.

Lake Placid

Lake Placid is a peaceful Adirondack Mountain town that hosted the 1980 Winter Olympic Games, home to the famous Miracle on Ice. In that tournament, the U.S. team defeated the Soviet Union in a game of hockey. Lake Placid offers tours of the ice rink via the Olympic Center and the Olympic Museum. During the winter, one can try out Olympic-style skiing and bobsledding trails via Mt. Van Hoevenberg. The area is beautiful during the summer as well, with the appropriately named Mirror Lake offering reflective waters for swimming and fishing. One of the lesser-known spots in Lake Placid is the John Brown Farm State Historic Site. This was the farm home and grave of abolitionist John Brown, who was executed in 1859 for raiding Harper's Ferry in an attempt to start a slave revolt. His raid is often seen as one of the sparks that pushed the nation toward the American Civil War.

Cooperstown

Cooperstown is a great place to go for a game of baseball. After all, it is the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum. Here one can see the bronze plaques of its Hall of Fame members, as well as view artifacts from baseball's long history across many different cultures, including African American and Latin American. Cooperstown also claims to be the birthplace of baseball, and Doubleday Field downtown is still known as the home of baseball. Other than baseball, folks come here to see the Fenimore Art Museum for its wide collection of folk and Native American art, such as buffalo hide clothing and bone objects. Getting outside of town, one can explore through hemlock trees and up to the 1,827-foot Mount Wellington at the Glimmerglass State Park.

Sleepy Hollow

Even those who haven't been to the town likely have heard of the name Sleepy Hollow before. Washington Irving published a fictional short story called "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" in 1820 about a headless horseman who terrorized the town. Walking through the town makes one feel like they've stepped into the story as they cross through rustic bridges to the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, where Washington Irving himself is buried alongside many other famous figures such as Andrew Carnegie. Irving was deeply involved in the community, with his name marked on a pew at the Christ Episcopal Church. Sleepy Hollow also contains unusual architecture such as the Armour-Stiner Octagonal House. Built in the 1860s, it is the only domed octagonal home in the world. It's worth booking a tour just to get a picture.

Watkins Glen

Watkins Glen is at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The lake feeds both gorgeous waterfalls and a rich tradition of winemaking. These two elements make Watkins Glen a favorite among those from the Finger Lakes or in New York more generally. To the south of Seneca Lake, one can go through the Watkins Glen State Park, which provides the best fall hikes in New York, following a path of 19 waterfalls that tumble down 200-foot cliffs into a gorge. Other than hiking, the park offers an Olympic-size pool. Further up north, one can go to Seneca Lake Kayak to take a kayak out onto the lake, or browse through local artwork and souvenirs from the Franklin Street Gallery & Gift Shop. Watkins Glen is part of the Seneca Lake Wine Trail, connecting many wineries, including the Lakewood Vineyards.

Corning

Corning is the best town in New York to see expertly crafted glass that will challenge traditional ideas of what glass can do. Corning sits to the southeast of Watkins Glen, a bit further away from Seneca Lake on the shores of the Chemung River. It was home to many glass makers, known as gaffers, which is why its downtown historic district is called the Gaffer District. Within the district is Corning's premier attraction, the Corning Museum of Glass. One can see glass objects dating back 3,500 years to Ancient Egypt through its 35 Centuries of Glass Galleries, along with glass-making classes. Those interested in fine art can go to the nearby Rockwell Museum, which includes kids' activities at the Kids Rockwell Art Lab. Lastly, Corning offers a taste of what life was like for the Finger Lakes pioneers at the Heritage Village of the Southern Finger Lakes, a living history museum with reenactors dressed in period-appropriate clothing.

The Best of American Pastimes

One can discover all the different types of American pastimes and expertise in these pretty small towns. Cooperstown wears its heart on its sleeve with its baseball Hall of Fame and fields, while Corning showcases the ways that Americans and those around the world have made beauty out of glass. These towns also tap into the American pastime of rebellion, whether that's the American Revolutionary War sites or the Women's Rights National Historical Park. It's that American spirit that truly makes these towns so nice to see and visit, both their historical sites and natural wonders.