By JILL CROCETTA
[email protected]
Finally, summer is in the air: the days are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer, and everyone is a little less grumpy. There is such a pure magic to summer, it seems that all of these wonderful components rejuvenate us, giving us more energy to face every day. Regardless of whether or not your workload dies down at this time, it seems that the daunting pressures of the rest of the year subside. Whatever the cause for our summer fever, the symptoms are rather evident: an increase in ambition and an augmented sense of adventure. To complement these summer sentiments, our Top 5 this week consists of five unique places to take a road trip.
Art Omi: Art Omi an art exhibition unlike any other one you’ve seen. Being a not-for-profit organization that promotes creative exploration and exchange, it is extremely singular in every manner. By promoting open art, Art Omi gives its guests a chance to view the diversity of art through a lens of stylistic and cultural variety. The residency programs for international visual artists, writers, translators, musicians, composers, dancers, and choreographers only further articulates its openness and unique nature. For a nice day, Art Omi’s Fields Sculpture Park is the most intriguing hike you’ll take; at every corner you’ll find the modern art of internationally renowned art. No two pieces are even remotely similar, and there is an equal mix of architecture and sculpture to fuel the fascinated eye. Even for a rainy day, Art Omi’s Visitor Center and Gallery hosts indoor exhibitions and year round public art events, including lectures and performances And, for the kids? Education Omi offers a summer day camp for kids and teens who are interested in the practices of contemporary art, which takes place in the sculpture park itself. By all means, whether you are an art lover, nature lover, or are just fascinated by worldly accomplishments, Art Omi is a great place to stop by this summer.
Santa’s Workshop: Craving Christmas in July? Or better yet, are your children craving Christmas in July? No matter who admits to having some untimely Christmas spirit, Santa’s Workshop will surely spread the magic of the holidays to even the warmest summer months. Though it’s no North Pole (even if, often times, New York can feel like the North Pole) the Workshop is complete with many attractions that model the home of our favorite fictitious figure. The Village, which includes Santa’s house, a reindeer barn, a candy shop and a bake shop, and of course, a toy factory, is perfect place to explore, especially with mesmerized and fascinated children alongside. After the full tour of the village, it is seemingly only appropriate to then ride all of Santa’s rides and attractions, for a full visit to the place where everything seems to be its own fun. Though perhaps impromptu exploration isn’t enough? Santa’s Workshop Christmas in July event (July 7-8, July 14-15, July 21-22, and July 28-29) is made for fulfilling a child’s December dreams in a different month. This package begins with a family-style dinner with the man himself, followed by a toy making demonstration from one of Santa’s helpers, and ending with a summer campfire and s’mores. The next day, Christmas in July will continue, with breakfast and an inclusive tour of the park. No matter how much you’re in need of wintry magic during the warm months, Santa’s Workshop is surely worth the trip.
Fort Ticonderoga: If you need some history amidst the school-free summer, or if you’re just in need of a scenic view, Fort Ticonderoga is the place to visit. The famous fort, once the center of both the Seven Years War and the American Revolution, is now a restored and reconstructed to be interactive site. Here, guests are welcome to explore museum exhibits, interact with historic stades staff, and participate in any of the day programs, special events, or reenactments.
Take a tour of the battlegrounds, where you will also hear an orated story about the history of the great fort, or a guided tour of the Fort Ticonderoga Museum (which holds North America’s largest collection of 18th century military material). Musket and cannon firing demonstrations are also available for those interested in the British and French artillery. Additionally, the Fort offers Daily Soldier’s’ Life programs, giving those visiting a preview into the activities of an everyday soldier in 1757, including musket maintenance, tailoring, shoemaking, carpentry, even dining during the crop failure of 1757. Even if history hasn’t proved to be your forte, Fort Ticonderoga has many other sight-seeing opportunities, with limited historic dialogue. If you’re a garden lover, tour the Historic Gardens, one of the oldest cultivated landscapes in America. And if you’re interested in watching your garden grow like the Fort’s has, listen in on Hands-On Horticulture, as the garden everyday soldier in 1757, including musket maintenance, tailoring, shoemaking, carpentry, even dining during the crop failure of 1757. Even if history hasn’t proved to be your forte, Fort Ticonderoga has many other sight-seeing opportunities, with limited historic dialogue. If you’re a garden lover, tour the Historic Gardens, one of the oldest cultivated landscapes in America. And if you’re interested in watching your garden grow like the Fort’s has, listen in on Hands-On Horticulture, as the garden staff will demonstrate their seeding, and plant dividing and care techniques for successful growth. Rain or shine, Fort Ticonderoga is always bustling, and welcoming to anyone.
Roxbury Hotel: Tired of coming home to the same decor everyday? The walls of your kitchen are still that same lime green, your dining room chairs are still incredibly dusty, and your winter comforter is still on your bed, though temperatures have been reaching 90s… It’s time for a change.
The Roxbury Motel is an incredible getaway from the sameness of your home, without actually having to leave upstate New York. With a new twist to contemporary lodging, each room of the Roxbury Motel is uniquely decorated with a different outlandish, dreamlike theme. To name a few rooms, there’s The Wizard’s Emeralds (inspired by The Wizard of Oz) where everything, as you can imagine, is incredibly green, Maryann’s Coconut Cream Pie (inspired by Gilligan’s Island), where, yes, you can experience what it feels like to be living in one’s favorite food. There’s also The Archaeologist’s Digs, where you can take a shower next to a 500 gallon saltwater aquarium with Cleopatra’s sarcophagus inside, with a living room inspired by the one and only Indiana Jones. Or, check into The Final Frontier, a room inspired by Star Trek, or many more, inspired by our favorite stories and characters. In addition to the general awe-inspiring rooms, the Catskills prove to be a great getaway location for the weekend. After checking in, spend the day at the many great hiking, biking, or fishing locations, and grab a bite one of the area’s renowned eateries.
Even if the day’s not worth spending on a hike, take advantage of the area’s zipline tours, hot air balloon rides, flea markets, book villages (yes, there are such thing), and even the Belleayre Summer Music Festival. Whatever your excuse, check into the Roxbury Motel for a weekend, and live amongst the magic.
Wild Walk: Are you a nature lover, or do you just really, really enjoy views? The Wild Walk is an opportunity to walk amongst the trees at a height that matches the New York City highline. Though, instead of the views being hued vehicles and bustling pedestrians, the Wild Walk gives us perhaps the most worldly beautiful view: it exposes us to a calm forest, the home of more animals than we can count.
These trails are designed to give visitors a different outlook of our earth, as it takes us up a trail of bridges to the treetops of the Adirondack forest. The walk, complete with a spider’s web and a bird’s nest is designed to make us feel as though we are again animals of the forest, anticipating the actions of those around us, and living every day with only survival in our minds. Additionally, the Wild Walk offers a canoe trip through the Raquette River’s Oxbow with a New York State licensed guide and Wild Center naturalist, to furthermore expose visitors to the vst nature surrounding them. The Wild Walk is truly a mystifying experience, and with a different perspective, staring at the world vertically, rather than horizontally, perhaps only then can we realize how truly vast this Earth is.
True, summer never gets boring; the sweet sunshine will never, exactly, become boring. Rather, it seems that upstate New York is the one that makes the bright summer glow look like a mundane haze. We may love where we live, but toward the middle of these sunny days, there becomes an almost imminent urgency to adventure. And why fight it?