New York: Things To Do

Baseball Hall of Fame This humble museum displays more than just bats, mitts, and pennants. Its interactive exhibits and frequent appearances by living legends draw millions to the rural hills depicted in the novels of James Fenimore Cooper. Central/Leatherstocking; 25 Main St.; 888-425-5633; www.baseballhalloffame.org
family | history | sports

Corning Museum of Glass Glasswork from ancient times to today, along with glassmaking demonstrations, and a gift store that’s an exhibit in itself. Greater Niagara; 1 Museum Way; 800-732-6845; www.cmog.org
museum | art | shopping

Dia: Beacon, Riggio Galleries An innovative museum inside and out, consisting of a formal garden and an astounding collection of contemporary art, including works by Warhol and Serra, housed in the towering rooms of a converted Nabisco box factory. Hudson Valley; 3 Beekman St.; 845-440-0100; www.diaart.org
museum | new | trendy | art

Fire Island Arrive by ferry and travel on foot along the raised boardwalks that web this sandy sliver of an island where cars are prohibited and houses are built on stilts. Sections known as The Pines and Cherry Grove have been favorite gay resorts for years. Long Island; www.fireisland.com
beach | wildlife | outdoors

Fort Stanwix New York’s answer to Colonial Williamsburg, a faithful reproduction of a Revolutionary War fortress and a lesson in the complicated relationships between American loyalists and Indians. Central/Leatherstocking; 112 E Park St.; 315-338-7730; www.nps.gov/fost
family | museum | history

Howe Caverns Most native New Yorkers have cherished childhood memories of these caves, which are naturally 55 degrees year-round and have been the site of more than 500 weddings. Few places above ground can stake those claims. Central/Leatherstocking; 255 Discovery Dr.; 518-296-8900; www.howecaverns.com
family | outdoors

Letchworth State Park Known as the “Grand Canyon of the East,” western New York’s jewel has raging waterfalls and towering cliffs that make every hike a stunner. Stay in the park’s Maplewood Lodge and spend the whole weekend. Greater Niagara; 1 Letchworth State Park; www.letchworthpark.com
family | hiking | outdoors

Mohonk Mountain House A stay at this mammoth 266-room hotel will reward you with more than an elegant room. The sprawling, immaculate property on Lake Mohonk features 85 miles of nature trails, and – for the daring – mountain climbing lessons. Catskills; 1000 Mountain Rest Rd.; 800-772-6646; www.mohonk.com
luxury | family | hotel | smart splurge | expensive

Niagara Falls You may want to avoid the souvenir-swarmed downtown, but take the Maid of the Mist boat tour and you’ll be enraptured by the spectacle of 150,000 gallons of water tumbling 160 feet every second. Greater Niagara; www.niagarafallsstatepark.com
family | outdoors

Rockefeller State Park Just over the Tappan Zee Bridge, and past Sleepy Hollow is a former Rockefeller estate where carriage roads and lovely ponds make for a calm respite from the nearby city. Hudson Valley; 914-631-1470; www.friendsrock.org
family | wildlife | outdoors | history

Saratoga Springs Horse races, theater at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and legendary spas made this one of the country’s first resort towns, located just north of Albany. Adirondacks; www.saratoga.com
performing arts | spas | history | horse racing

Upstate Opera Broadway doesn’t have a monopoly on the state’s musical productions. Every summer, the Glimmerglass Opera stages outdoor performances to rapturous crowds along the shores of Cooperstown’s Lake Otsego. Central/Leatherstocking; Glimmerglass Opera, 8 miles north of Cooperstown, on Rte. 80; 607-547-5704; www.glimmerglass.org
culture | performing arts

Wings over Buffalo Every bar these days makes Buffalo wings, but if you want to visit their birthplace, you’ll have to stop by Anchor Bar where the sumptuous combination of chicken, hot sauce and blue cheese was discovered. Buffalo; Anchor Bar, 1047 Main St.; 716-884-4083; www.anchorbar.com
bar | bar menu

Women's Right's National Historical Park Birthplace of the suffrage movement, Seneca Falls is the site of the first Women’s Rights Convention, the Elizabeth Cady Stanton House and the original “Declaration of Sentiments.” Central/Leatherstocking; 315-568-0024; www.nps.gov/wori
family | museum | history