As the temperatures turn colder, an impressive assortment of seasonal activities across New York State will heat up any winter itinerary.New York has moreskiareas than any other state,andanotheronewill be addedwhen amuch-anticipatedresort reopensfor this season.A visit toLake Placid to commemorate the 1980 Winter Olympic Miracle onIcewill add ahistoric nodto awinter getaway,whileice castles andprisms atwinter festivalsacross thestatewillbring smiles and delight to all.Relaxation and creativityaboundfor wintertravelersbooking a new hotel, spending the day at the spaorlearninga new craft.
See below fora preview ofthe amazing winter activities and getaways that visitors can find inNew York Statethis season.
VISIT A (NEW)NEWYORK STATESKI AREA
Cockaigne ResortReopens(Chautauqua-Allegheny)
Skiing and snowboarding returnstoCockaigne Resortfor the first time since 2011. The lodge was originally built as the Austrian Pavilion for the 1964 Worlds Fair in New York City, and was moved to Cockaignein 1966. The newly updated lodge has four-times the footprint with giant windows facing the bunny hill. Aninviting atmosphere, expansive food menu and curated craft beverage list will keepvisitorsfeeling cheerful this winter.
The renewed resortoffersa10-acre terrain park, 80 skiable acres, 10 trails,andfiveslopes with the longest measuring 3,600 feet. A new snowmobile adventure park and dedicated parking for trailers allowseasy access to the section of Chautauqua Countys 400-mile trail system running through the Boutwell Hill Forest, which is also ideal for cross-country skiing. Before hitting the county-wide trails, be sure to check out one of the areas tallest rideable hilltops.
Afterthe slopes, be sure to visit nearby Jamestown and warm up with laughter at theNational Comedy Centers new Ernie Kovacs exhibit.
RELIVE A MIRACLE
Itwas February 22,1980whenthe smalltownofLake Placidbecamethe stage for a sportingmiracle. Forty yearsago,the United StatesMens Ice Hockey Team defeated the Soviet Union, the four-time defendingworld champions, in a medal-round game.As the final seconds ticked away, announcerAl Michaels famously asked,Do you Believe in Miracles? and a legacy was born.February2020 will mark the 40thanniversaryof that momentandpresentsthe perfectopportunityto visittheAdirondacktown with afull slate of activitiesscheduled forFebruary13-23.From reliving the opening ceremonies to skating around the historic Olympic Oval, the Lake Placid Olympicsites will be on full displaywithevents throughout the village and opportunities to meet Olympians.
NEW LODGINGS FOR A WINTER SLUMBER
Foster Supply Hospitality,the creators of soulful and rurally independent hotels intheWestern Catskills, will unveil their fifth property,Kenoza Hallinthe town ofKenoza Lake.The 55-acrepropertystartedas a bustling Catskills summer retreat in the late 1800sis rebornfor new guestseager toexplore the beautiful regionyear-round. The 22 guest rooms, many with lake views and large soaking tubs,will be available for booking starting December27. The award-winning culinary team will offertheir well-known fine dining experience with outdoor lakeview seating and a full barandcommon area complete with a fieldstone fireplace. Reminiscent of the areas early SwissandGerman settlers, the Hemlock Spa will offer a range ofKneipp-inspired body treatments along with an outdoor saunaandhot tub, a movement studio and pool.
This environmentally sustainableinn,locatedon the grounds of the former Catskill Game Farm,in ameticulously-renovatedgiraffebarn tucked intomore than200 acres. Nestled into theCatskill Mountains, the property has fiveguest rooms named for animals who oncecalled thefarmhome, as well as four campsites and a hot tub.Thesiteincludes overfivemiles ofwalkwaysandtrails, connecting to more than20 miles of maintainedmountainbike/hikingtrailsfeaturingswimming holes, beautiful views and other local resortsto explore. Long Neck Inn donates a portion of every stay to various global conservation efforts.
WANDER THORUGH A WINTER FESTIVAL
Winter Light Festival(Finger Lakes)
A new festival willbring the power of light and sound to thestreets of Downtown IthacafromDecember5-15.The festivalwill featurePrismatica, an art trail of 25 luminous and interactive prisms, brightening up the pedestrian mall ontheIthaca Commons. The prisms stand more than seven feet tall and reflect all the colors of the rainbow depending onthelight view.The 11-dayfestival willalsofeature a special visit from Santa Claus, a family-fun silent disco,anIce Barandthe10thannual ChowderCook-off.
SaranacLake WinterCarnival(Adirondacks)
Named one ofthe 10 Most Spectacular Cold-weather FestivalsbyCondNast Traveler, theSaranac Lake WinterCarnivalisthelongest-running event of its kind intheEastern U.S. This winters festival takes place from January 31February 9and features a stunning Ice Palace where visitors can enter for exploration and pictures.Sporting events take place throughout the 10-day eventincludingsnowshoe softball,cross-countryskiing,fry pan tossingand snow rugby. A gala,paradeandfireworksdisplayround out the festival.
SOMETHING TOSIPTHIS SEASON
AnythingButBeer(Finger Lakes)
Grain-free andvegan,AnythingButBeerisa brewery thatallows a greater number of people to enjoy craft beverages and embrace the community. The brewery has grown out of a passion forbringing food and beverage to thosewhomight not be able to consumespecificingredients. The new taproom helps to expand the already successful company serving their popularproducts includingSon of James (Oak Aged Irish Whiskey Apple), Wild Thang (Wild Fermented Cider), and Bay of Bengal (Blueberry Cardamom).
Hot House Brewing(Finger Lakes)
Serving a primarily American Style ale,Hot House Brewingis a licensedNew York Statefarm brewery with 95% of the hops used grown in the on-site greenhouse or sourced locally. They focus onlocally-grown ingredients and have six to eight year-round brews on tap in the tasting room along with seasonal, specialty and experimental brews. The tasting room located at Barone Gardens has a beautiful greenhouse seating area and an on-site Bistro serving food.
New York States first farm meadery license was recently awarded toRoyal Meadery, an Albany Countycraft beverage manufacturer. This license requires 100% use of New York State-sourced honey and further supports the state's booming craft beverage industry and demand for honey. Mead, commonly referred to as "honey wine," is an alcoholic beverage that is created by fermenting honey with water, which can be infused with fruits, spices, herbs and flowers. This sector of the beverage industry, like distilling, brewing and cider making is expected to thrive in New York and visitors can sip the sweet creations at Royal Meadery. From New York Nectar to Raspberry, the tasting room in Delmar offers a variety of mead samples during a guided tour.
GIVE THE GIFT OF A GETAWAY
Holiday Glassmaking at Corning Museum of Glass(Finger Lakes)
Get blown away this holiday season at theCorning Museum of Glass.With hot glassmaking,flameworking, fusingandsandblasting, the winter cold will melt away in the Make Your Own GlassClass. Experienced glassworkers assist visitors in creating festive works of glass art includingfusedornaments,colorfulicicles,sandblasteddrinkingglasses,snowmen and aChristmastreesculpture. After creating this take-home project, explore the museumandthe annualHoliday Ornament Treeshowcasingmore than 2,000 glass ornaments.
Mirbeau WinterSpaTreatments(Hudson Valley)
The recently openedMirbeau Inn & Spa Rhinebeckoffersgracious accommodations, a world-class spa and progressive American dining at Willow by Charlie Palmer.The full-service resortisreminiscent of an old-world chic Parisian hotelwithall the modern comforts,andjustashortwalkfrom Rhinebecks historic center.For the holiday season,the spais introducing itsWinter Warmup body treatmentfeaturing atriple shot caramel coffee scrubanda Perky Peppermint Mani/Pedithat includesa candy cane champagne soak.
Culinary Institute of America WinterBaking andCookingClasses(Hudson Valley)
Feedyourhunger forwintertreatsand take home some professional cooking tipsatworld-renownedCulinary Institute of America.Masterthe art of holiday entertainingwith classes rangingfrombakingcookiesand pies towhipping upappetizers and cocktails. The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park started in 1946 and is one of the worldspremier culinarycolleges with state-of-the-art facilities. On-site dining establishments, single-day cooking classes and a stunning campus makes it the North Pole for foodies.
For more information on these and other great experiences in New York State this winter, visitiloveny.com/winter.
About New York State
New York State is a premier vacation destination with world-class attractions, picturesque natural beauty, locally sourced cuisine and a booming craft beverage scene, an array of accommodations, and iconic, year-round festivals and events. Its 11 diverse vacation regions feature some of the worlds top ranked beaches; two out of Americas top three favorite state parks; breathtaking Niagara Falls; more ski areas than any other state; one of the nations longest foliage seasons; multiple Halls of Fame; North Americas longest, fastest and highest zipline; the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous United States; and soon, the countrys longest multi-use trail. Add in the states unique museums, historic landmarks, cultural sites, charming small towns and urban playgrounds, and its no wonder New York has been consistently chosen as a top getaway by travel publications and experts.