Labor Day weekend begins the day after tomorrow. Some people are returning home from their end of summer vacations, some are beginning their getaways. Our family is traditionally back by Labor Day weekend. This year we didn’t go away – car and house repairs made that cost prohibitive but we did manage to do an overnight trip that, to be honest, had its ups and downs. We’re spending this week of vacation getting together for dinner and mini-golfing at the end of the week, and then back to school and work for most of us. Middle child started college so he’s been attending classes while the rest of us have been sleeping late and eating potato chips for breakfast or something equally healthy!

New York has a vast amount of wonderful things to do and places to visit. I truly love living in New York. Even at the height of Covid, we were still able to travel within the state safely. Staying in a hotel and eating at restaurants, we felt very safe.

Here are a few of my recent recommendations:

Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY – We spent over two hours here, and we still didn’t see everything. It cost $17/adult, kids 17 and under are FREE, which was awesome! If you plan ahead, there are glass items you can make and pick up the next day or have shipped home. There are live demonstrations which were both entertaining and educational. There is a shuttle bus from the welcome center that takes you right to the door of the museum and then does a loop that brings you also to the Rockwell Museum, and Corning’s Market Place, and then back to the welcome center. It is halfway between NYC and Niagara Falls.

Mark Twain’s Study, Exhibit, and Grave, Elmira, NY – We were only able t his octagonal study and that was from the outside. Unfortunately, they were short staffed and so we couldn’t go unside. We also arrived after buildings were closed so did not view the exhibit in Cowles Hall. However the grounds are beautiful with a fountain near the Twain Study as well as statues of Twain and his wife. It is a beautiful campus and we enjoyed simply wandering the grounds. His grave is in Woodlawn Cemetery and the link above brings you to an interactive map. This links to a YouTube video discussing the new Mark Twain exhibit.

Erie Canal Cruises, Herkimer, NY – This was my second cruise, my family’s first, and it was a wonderful, family experience. The cruise takes you through the calm waters of the Erie Canal and through Lock 18, an over one hundred year old lock. The cruise is a narrated tour for 90 minutes; there is a restroom onboard and a snack bar (cash only), but the real treat is the history and the trip through the lock and back again. On site is a restaurant and gift shop with all manner of New York specialities. There is the largest section of Wizard of Oz merchandise that I’ve ever seen, but of course it helps to know that L. Frank Baum was born and raised in nearby Chittenango.

Niagara Falls, NY – I grew up traveling to Niagara Falls, Ontario and didn’t make my first visit to the New York side until covid hit and we went their on our family vacation. The link above will take you to the Niagara Falls State Park website, where you will find many things to do including hiking trails, Maid of the Mist boat tour, Scenic Trolley rides, and other happenings. This link will bring you to the official tourism site for Niagara Falls, NY.

Streaming/TV Recs:

• Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
• The Boys (Amazon Prime)
• Resident Alien (Syfy)
• Umbrella Academy (Netflix)
• Stranger Things (Netflix)
• tick, tick…BOOM (Netfix)
• Hamilton (Disney Plus)

Spider-Man: No Way Home returns to theatres Friday, September 2nd with 11 new minutes of content. I loved this movie so I’m definitely looking forward to spending my Saturday with it again! Also Regal Theatres are having a $3 special on Saturday for National Cinema Day – I’m not sure if you need to be a member of the Regal Crown Club, but joining is free.

Enjoy the rest of your summer and safe travels!