Looking for an idyllic getaway with stunning natural scenery, star gazing, quaint rural farms, and charming little towns to explore? Then look no further than Cooperstown and Otsego County, NY. And if you really want to make the most of the secluded natural beauty of the area, skip the hotel and opt for some aesthetic glamping!
We drove up from DC on a Friday morning. It was a relatively easy drive that took about 6 hours and completely avoided the congested I-95 corridor. We arrived at our glampsite around 2 pm. I was a little worried about glamping, as I am rather high maintenance, but this glampsite really thought of every comfort and need. It had all the aesthetics of camping without all the discomforts of sleeping on the ground, going to the bathroom outside, and preparing food without any conveniences. Instead, our glampsite had comfy queen beds in a bug-proof yurt, solar powered electricity, WIFI, a convenience store with everything you could possibly need, a shower and bathhouse, soaking tubs, a cooking area (with Keurig, thank god), and campfire starters.
By far, the soaking tubs were my favorite, especially at night when we could also star gaze. We happened to be there on one of the darkest nights of the year, and being a city girl who doesn’t spend much time in areas without light pollution, I had never seen the sky like this! When we weren’t aesthetically glamping, we spent our time exploring the charming farms and villages that dot the county.
After arriving Friday afternoon, we headed to the historic Otesaga Resort Hotel. Opened in 1909, this award-winning historic hotel sits on Lake Otsego and offers panoramic views of the lake as well as a variety of restaurants and bars to enjoy. We decided to treat ourselves and savored fresh oysters, pork ribs, French onion mac and cheese, and grilled asparagus on the veranda overlooking the lake at their fine dining restaurant, 1909.
Saturday morning, we woke early to have a sunrise soak in the tubs before heading out to pick apples and raspberries at Middlefield Orchard. We were there during Family Farm Day, which meant most farms, even those rarely open to the public, were hosting visitors with you-pick opportunities and fun farm activities. The nice thing about this area is that they grow early, mid, and late season apples. So, from August through early October there is always something to pick. I, for one, cannot miss apple picking each fall.
After picking apples and snacking on off-the-vine raspberries, we headed into Cooperstown for the local farmers market and to grab some lunch. Although most famous for the Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown has so much more to offer! It is such a charming and cute town at the base of Lake Otsego. After lunch we explored some of the gorgeous parks along the lake, namely Brookwood Point and Glimmerglass State Park. Inside Glimmerglass is the oldest covered bridge in the US! Obviously, I could not miss that! Both are beautiful recreational areas that offer kayak rentals and Glimmerglass even has a public beach if you fancy a dip in the cool, crystal-clear lake.
We spent the rest of our afternoon enjoying some local activities. I love that this area always has lots of local events and activities. We first stopped in at the stunning Gatehouse in Morris for their Lattes and Literature program before heading down the county road to the local Harvest Festival in Garrettsville. After much local shopping, sipping, and eating, we headed back to the tranquility of our glampsite, where we roasted marshmallows for s’mores and stared in awe at the night sky.
On Sunday, our final day, we packed up our glampsite, and enjoyed another full breakfast, before heading out to Fly Creek Cider Mill and Orchard for some fresh apple cider and warm apple cider donuts. We decided to continue our Family Farm Weekend fun with another stop. This time for goats! Hulse Hill Farm is a small homestead farm with the cutest herd of North American cashmere goats, which are part of the Clean Cashmere Herd (www.cleancashmere.farm). The farm offers workshops as well as monthly tours and events focused on educating visitors about the environmental and social impacts of the textile industry. Visitors are also educated on the value of ethical cashmere goat farming.
For Family Farm Day we got to get up close and personal with these adorable (and so soft) goats! They were so sweet and curious! Many pets were had. Our visit was also incredibly educational. I learned so much about American cashmere. And in their shop, you can even purchase the heirloom cashmere produced by these goats!
We did a little bit of shopping and grabbed a late lunch in Cooperstown before heading back to DC. This was such an amazing weekend getaway and the entire time I kept thinking, “this area is so gorgeous now, I cannot imagine how breathtaking it is when the fall foliage arrives.” Definitely add glamping in Otsego County to your travel list!
This trip and post were sponsored by This is Cooperstown. All opinions are my own.