Cooperstown / Photo x Jessica Kelly
To be honest, I’m really not a baseball fan and I was under the assumption that loving it was a requirement in order to visit Cooperstown. Turns out, even someone that is not that into baseball can enjoy the area, as well. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very baseball centric with the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum along with plenty of stops with baseball memorabilia, but there’s also shops, amazing restaurants, bakeries, and a booming beer scene.
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The Inn at Cooperstown / Photo x Jessica Kelly
The Inn at Cooperstown
16 Chestnut St, Cooperstown, NY 13326 / (607) 547-5756
Where should you stay? The Inn at Cooperstown is stunning and is located in a prime spot, just a short walk from Main Street. You are literally around the corner from the shops, the museum, and restaurants. They offer packages in collaboration with Ommegang and the Baseball Hall of Fame, making it easy for visitors to plan out their entire trip at once.
Ommegang Brewery / Photo x Jessica Kelly
Ommegang Brewery / Photo x Jessica Kelly
Ommegang Brewery
656 Co Hwy 33, Cooperstown, NY 13326 / (607) 544-1800
We took a seat at the bar and immediately ordered a flight and a giant pretzel to soak up the beer. Throughout our time there, the bar manager was giving us various tastings and samples, even blending some beers at times to create some truly unique combos. The Rosetta, a sour ale with aged cherries, had bold flavor. If you tend to love sour beers, be sure to try the Apripêche which is a tart Belgian ale with peaches and apricots. Since you have to order food while drinking in New York State, we ordered up a giant salty pretzel with caraway mustard and cheese sauce.
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The Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard / Photo x Jessica Kelly
Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard / Photo x Jessica Kelly
Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard / Photo x Jessica Kelly
Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard
288 Goose St, Fly Creek, NY 13337 / (607) 547-9692
After food and flights, we stopped at Fly Creek Cider Mill to check out the gift shop. They have a ton of different cheeses, baked goods, jams, little decorations and tchotchkes. They’re very famous for their cider, but they also have a selection of wines and hard ciders too. I highly recommend the raspberry hard cider, it’s incredible! Be sure to grab some of their apple butter. It’s the perfect pairing for soft cheeses like a nice triple cream brie.
Schneider’s Bakery / Photo x Jessica Kelly
Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum / Photo x Jessica Kelly
Explore the Main Strip
I enjoyed Main Street, popping in and out of various shops along the strip. You’ll run into Schneider’s Bakery (157 Main St, Cooperstown, NY 13326) along the way, and you’ll definitely want to stop in. They have the best cut out cookies, pastries, flakey croissants, tarts, muffins, and more. I highly recommend grabbing one of their giant, delicious cream puffs. If you are a baseball fan, meet some of the greats via the Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum (99 Main St, Cooperstown, NY 13326)! The National Baseball Hall of Fame (25 Main St, Cooperstown, NY 13326), also located on Main, is filled with history and artifacts from the sport, every baseball guru should check it out.
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The Covered Bridge
1527 Co Rd 31, Cooperstown, NY 13326 / (607) 547-8662
After discovering various covered bridges throughout my travels, I’ve developed an appreciation for their rustic charm. Cooperstown has the Hyde Hall Covered Bridge, located inside Glimmerglass State Park. The Hyde Hall Covered Bridge is actually the oldest covered bridge in the country that’s still standing today.
Bocca Osteria / Photo x Jessica Kelly
Bocca Osteria / Photo x Jessica Kelly
Bocca Osteria / Photo x Jessica Kelly
Bocca Osteria / Photo x Jessica Kelly
Dinner at Bocca Osteria
5438 NY-28, Cooperstown, NY 13326 / (607) 282-4031
You have to end a trip on a good meal and Bocca Osteria really exceeded our expectations. We started with the calamari fritti which consisted of flash fried crispy calamari tossed in olive oil, lemon, lime, orange, and hot cherry peppers along with the crostini with sliced Ommegang marinated flank steak on toast points smeared with herb cream cheese and red pepper aïoli. For our mains, we decided on the surf and turf special with steak and shrimp along with the fettuccine ai fungi with housemaid fettuccine, porcini and portobello mushrooms, parmigiano reggiano in a white truffle cream sauce and we added sliced steak to it. Absolutely outstanding! We finished with dessert. My boyfriend got the chocolate tort and I decided on the blueberry ravioli. Not your typical ravioli, this had blueberries and a little bit of white chocolate inside a puff pastry ravioli served with a scoop of vanilla gelato.