Anybody ever done Cooperstown??

[bigfunguy]

What else is there to do up there other than the HOF? Closest metropolitan area? Best time to go? Is it worth it?? Considering surprising my Dad with a birthday trip, but we'd be flying up from Atlanta, so wanna be sure its worth the effort...

[TSJ55]

I did it a couple of times one summer. I think it takes 2 days minimum to see the whole thing and in my opionion it was 100% worth it. Certainly a baseball junkie's pilgrimage.

The entire town is baseball crazy so the HOF is only part of the trip. I'm not sure of the closest metropolitan area to be honest. Upstate NY, so I'm guessing Rochester of Buffalo. The fact that C-town was small was pretty cool I thought. I cannot comment on best time to go.

[bounty37h]

My dad and I went for Bench's HOF induction weekend, had a blast. Can spend a couple days in the museum alone. The town is also baseball heavy, lots of memorablia stores, Doubleday (not sure what goes on there daily basis, if open), and a great microbrewery there as well. We also went to Oneota (sp?) for a minor league game on way home, though cant recall how far away it was.

[New York Red]

Originally Posted by TSJ55

I did it a couple of times one summer. I think it takes 2 days minimum to see the whole thing and in my opionion it was 100% worth it. Certainly a baseball junkie's pilgrimage.

The entire town is baseball crazy so the HOF is only part of the trip. I'm not sure of the closest metropolitan area to be honest. Upstate NY, so I'm guessing Rochester of Buffalo. The fact that C-town was small was pretty cool I thought. I cannot comment on best time to go.

Actually, it's about halfway between Syracuse and Albany, maybe 30 or 40 minutes south of the New York Thruway. I don't remember which exit for sure, but I believe it's the Utica exit from the west and the Schenectady exit if you're coming from the east. If you're coming from the south, I guess it'd be either 87 from the NYC area or 81 up through Scranton, PA, Binghampton, NY, etc. There are plenty of signs to direct you once you get within an hour or so.

You don't have to worry about alternative things to do, because the HOF and other Cooperstown sites will easily keep you busy for a couple days. It's been several years since I've been, but I'm dying to go back soon. For a lifelong baseball fan, it's Heaven on earth.

[Beatlessp]

Got to stop in there back in '07, my first trip to the in-laws upstate from Milton wv. that is SUCH a fun drive anyway my wife and i were still dating at that point, and on the way up, i noticed the cooperstown exit off I-81 (found out cooperstown is about an hour from the interstate). Found out she was a keeper when she agreed to swing out to the museum on our way back home. It was the end of our weeklong trip and a last second add-on so the budget wasn't there to do much, but the museum was awesome! blew through it in about 3 hours, but skipped a TON of stuff. Want to go back with more time, that's for sure!! oh, and the cool thing is, i have a picture of the all time HR leaderboard they have with Bonds and Aaron tied....Barry broke the record* that very night, that was pretty cool too!!

[bigredmechanism]

There's no true big town very close.

I went there in the fall, which was nice driving up seeing all the foliage and mountains. If you're flying, that probably won't make any difference to you, though.

We were there for a good part of the day (~10AM - ~5PM) and I wished I had more time to look at stuff.

[redsfanmia]

One of the most disappointing days of my life was spent in Cooperstown. I thought it would be one of the best experiences of my life but I left unfulfilled.

[texasdave]

Originally Posted by redsfanmia

One of the most disappointing days of my life was spent in Cooperstown. I thought it would be one of the best experiences of my life but I left unfulfilled.

Pete? Is that you?

[redsfanmia]

Originally Posted by texasdave

Pete? Is that you?

I came away with this impression....baseball is about the Yankees and Red Sox while the other teams are just there to fill out the schedule. I was not impressed at all with Cooperstown.

[texasdave]

Originally Posted by redsfanmia

I came away with this impression....baseball is about the Yankees and Red Sox while the other teams are just there to fill out the schedule. I was not impressed at all with Cooperstown.

I have never been there, so I have no idea. If what you are saying is true then ESPN must run Cooperstown.

[redsrolen]

Originally Posted by texasdave

Pete? Is that you?

LMAO!!!

LORD WILLIN' & THE CREEK DON'T RISE....I'LL BE THERE FOR SCOTTY!!!

[holster10]

It's worth the trip alone to drive through upstate New York.

[New York Red]

There's a ton of Yankees stuff, which is understandable considering their history. That didn't bother me at all. In fact I thought the really old Yankee stuff was pretty awesome. I'm sure there's plenty of Red Sox stuff too, but it didn't catch my eye the way the Yankees stuff did. Then again, it was before the Sox' most recent WS titles.

My two favorite sections of the HOF are the actual plaques honoring each player, and the baseball card section (because I, like many fans my age, grew up collecting the old Topps bubble gum cards).

[redsfanmia]

As a Reds fan I feel the Reds HOF is much better than Cooperstown. I want to go back to Cooperstown with lower expectations, I'm sure I would enjoy it more.

[New York Red]

Originally Posted by redsfanmia

As a Reds fan I feel the Reds HOF is much better than Cooperstown. I want to go back to Cooperstown with lower expectations, I'm sure I would enjoy it more.

For a lifelong Reds fan, I might agree the Reds HOF is better in some ways. For a lifelong fan of baseball in general, and of the long and great history of the game, Cooperstown is incredible. Just my opinion. I understand where you're coming from though.