ESBBA Blog Postings - Focused for the traveler - Tidbits from New York State Innkeepers
Geocaching on the Increase in New York State!
Geocaching is a real-world treasure hunt using GPS-enabled devices. At your final destination, you will find a geocache container. The container may have; a log book for you to sign, a camera for you to take a picture of you and your group at the final destination, an item that another player has put in for exchange for a small item you will put it, a coin that you may take to another location and exchange for something waiting for you at that location, or literature or history about your final destination. With geocaching, the possiblities are endless. The treasure at the end of your hunt may be a beautiful waterfall, mountain cliff, or other natural scenic view or overlook that you may have never even knew existed. The treasure could be a souvenir from the particular area you are visiting. The geocaching hunts and their treasures are varied and can be a great way for you and your family to see and do things that you most likely would not have been able to do without the geocaching real-world treasure hunt.
There are many trails in New York State ready for your first geocaching expedition!
...more at this site
At the north end of Cayuga Lake, in central New York, is part of a wetland area with more than 18,000 acres of marshes, wooded swamps, small ponds and streams. This area is the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. Bird watchers call it the "Atlantic Flyway", a stopover for migratory birds. There are many observation pools at this refuge and several wildlife species can be seen such as American coots, muskrats, great blue heron, geese, osprey, and bald eagles. Also spotted has been a pair of sandhill cranes which are unique to New York State.
...more at this site
Peregrine falcons are on the endangered species list in New York State. Their decline was mainly said to be caused by the pesticide DDT, which caused reproductive problems and thinning of the eggshells. Releasing of the birds of prey in the years 1974 to 1988, has helped with the return of the Peregrine falcons as a nesting species, which was no longer happening in the 1960's. In 1983, Peregrine falcons were seen nesting on two bridges in New York City and then, in 1985, Peregrine falcons were again nesting in the Adirondacks. Now, there are known to be 50 pairs throughout New York State. They nest on buildings, bridges, and cliffs and can be seen in the Adirondacks, Syracuse, Albany, Binghamton, Rochester, and Buffalo. The nesting sites are monitered and managed to promote the nesting. Their nesting season is from March through July. They usually return to the same nesting area every year and they mate for life.
During their nesting season, work on the buildings or bridges that have nests is postponed and the same goes for any outdoor activity that would disturb the nesting, such as rock climbing. As soon as the nesting season is over, the work or outdoor activity can resume. The Peregrine falcon is a bird of prey and usually feasts on other birds, such as pigeons in the city areas.
...more at this site
This is the second year ESBBA has partnered with the innkeepers’ group to sponsor the conference, part of its mission to encourage the professional and financial success of its members through education, marketing, and collaboration with professional partners.
ESBBA members pledge to follow high-quality standards of hospitality and ethical business practices with the aim of providing superior lodging experiences for guests.
The conference is scheduled for March 4–6 at the Williamsburg Lodge in Williamsburg, Va. It will open with an Aspiring Innkeepers session on the 4th and follow with numerous informative workshops presented by experts in the industry, cooking demonstrations, and opportunities to interact with vendors of goods and services. For conference information and a schedule of events, visit www.midatlanticinnkeepers.com.
Fifteen Empire State Bed and Breakfast Association (ESBBA) member inns are gearing up to offer a home away from home to cyclists traveling the popular scenic, auto-free tow paths along the Erie Canal where once mules pulled barges carrying goods that helped New York State and other parts of the country to prosper. The inns are participating for the second time in a two-page spread in Cycling the Erie Canal, a guide to 400 miles of adventure and history along the Erie Canalway Trail published by Parks & Trails New York.
Located from Buffalo to Syracuse and Wolcott to Fort Plain, some of the inns overlook the canal and are accessible to boaters as well as cyclists, while others are a short distance from the canal or have access to it.
As members of ESBBA, all pledge to emphasize high-quality standards of hospitality and ethical business practices with the aim of providing a superior lodging experience for their guests. For information about the association and its members, visit www.esbba.com.
The new, completely updated edition of the guidebook contains full-color maps, comprehensive listings of attractions, historic sites, visitor centers, and parks, as well as information on lodging, bike shops, parking, and other services, and tips on cycling, travel, and trip preparation. It will be available beginning in March for $23.95 online from Parks & Trails at www.ptny.org and in selected bookstores, bike shops, and museum gift shops.
In partnership with the NYS Canal Corporation and Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, The Parks & Trails New York continues to revive parts of NY Heritage. The Erie, Oswego, Cayuga-Seneca, and Champlain canals are all part of a continuing multi-use recreational trail project. Biking is just one option to enjoy this 524-mile continuous historic corridor trail in New York State.
...more at this site
New York State appears to be playing a big part in the development and manufacturing of Next Generation Computer Chip Technology. The involvement of leading companies like Intel, IBM, GLOBALFOUNDRIES (including AMD), TSMC and Samsung with higher education and New York State, one can only imagine the technology and economic impacts.
...more at this site
Organic Farms in New York State are on the rise. Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm. (wikipedia.org) Organic farming was the original type of farming. It was the way of farming before the introduction of inorganic methods. Then, after the Industrial Revolution, inorganic became the way of farming. (wiki.answers.com) The inorganic farming caused organic movements to form promoting the use of organic farming.
A New York State native, Jerome Irving Rodale, was one of the first supporters for the return of organic farming in the United States. His priority was on an active lifestyle, stressing the use of organically grown foods. He founded the 'Prevention' magazine in 1950.
According to the Department of Agriculture, New York State ranks among the top ten states in the number of organic farms with organic dairy having the largest segment in New York.
...more at this site
In the colonial period of America, it was common for a traveler to depend on a family's kindness to give up a bed for the night for him to get some much needed rest. Then, with the coming of the railroads, hotels were springing up and the traveler no longer needed to rely on the private family for a bed. But, then came the Great Depression, and tourist and guest homes were a more viable option for the traveler who needed to save money. More and more Amercans started traveling to Europe after World War II. In Europe, many of the Americans stayed at Bed and Breakfasts. Talk of the European B&B's reached America and soon B&B's were opening in the United States.
On October 15, 1966, the National Historic Preservation Act was signed into a bill by Lyndon B. Johnson. Its goal was to preserve historical and archaelogical sites in the United States. The National Register of Historic Places, the list of National Historic Landmarks, and the State Historic Preservation Offices all came of with this Act.
Being listed on the National Register qualifies approved properties for grants, loans, and tax incentives. This act inspired Americans to update their current tourist and guest houses into B&B's, and others to think about restoration and opening a B&B. Starting in the 1980's, new B&B's were being opened and the already existing B&B's were being renovated to include private baths for their guests.
In addition, some future innkeepers opt to build their own B&Bs, some in a contemporary style, and some mirroring the styles of the past - increasing the choices for travelers.
Here in New York State, there are many quaint and charming B&B's to choose from. Our B&B's offer the friendly personalized touch of the "home away from home" feeling in beautiful unique homes. The innkeepers/home owners have the personal local knowledge of their areas to help with the enjoyment of one's relaxing stay. So, for those travelers who want a unique stay, a bed and breakfast is the unparalleled choice.
Hops was first introduced to the United States in 1629 from England. In 1808, Madison county, New York was home to the first commercial hop yard in the United States. By 1860, the majority of American hops came from New York State (Otsego, Madison, and Schoharie counties).
Cooperstown, NY was known as "The King of Hops." In 1909, a fungus was spreading on the hops crops and by 1920, the crop was basically destroyed by the downy mildew. The fungus was not totally to blame for the downfall of the hops, for in the West Coast, hops were being grown with greater yields per acre bringing the price down and taking away profits the hops farmers in New York were receiving. In the West Coast where it is drier, they did not have to worry about the fungus that was affecting New York State. Then came the Prohibition, which lead to a dramatic decrease in the need for hops.
Today the Northeast Hops Alliance is a group of farmers and brewers promoting hops growing in New York State.
learn more at
Interesting blog on Hops in New York State
Hops Growers and Tours in New York State
New York State Brewing History
Map of New York Brewery Ale Trail
href="http://www.fingerlakesbeertrail.com" target="_blank">Finger Lakes Beer Trail
The Underground Railroad assisted persons held in bondage in North America to escape from slavery. Why call it the Underground Railroad? The secretive transporting of the slaves was run much like the rail road system. People who sympathized with the slaves and hid them on their properties or in their homes were known as safe-houses, stations and or depots. The routes in between the safe-houses were called lines. The people who helped the slaves on their way to freedom were called conductors. The terms packages and freight were used to describe the fugitive slaves.
New York state played a major role in the Underground Railroad and had several stations since New York was so close to the slaves' final destination, Canada, where they would be free. At times, New York was the fugitive's final destination for New York state was known as a safe haven with black communities being established in the state.Some of the major stations were in Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo. Numerous other stations were spread all across New York state and along the Erie shoreline in Western, New York.
Gerrit Smith, Sojourner Truth, John Brown, Henry War Beecher, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Tubman all abolitionists, made their homes in New York.
Click here for a list of Underground Railroad places to visit.
Castles originated in Europe in the 9th and 10th centuries. They were built by the nobility as fortified residences to control the area surrounding them. The castle was also a symbol of power. Their purpose was both offensive and defensive. In the 15th and 16th centuries, castles were not the residences they once used to be due to the invention of gun powder in the 14th century and the improved canon fire that came later, which could break the castle walls, therefore the original castle was being replaced by artillery forts. Then in the 18th century, mock castles were being built. In the Americas, some true castles were being built by the Spanish and French colonies.
In New York State, there are many structures called castles. The usage of the word castle has changed over time and most of the structures we call castles are not true castles for they were not built for defensive purposes. But, these structures were designed with the true castles in mind and each has its own story. New York State is home to many of these magnificent structures. The following is just a sample of the "castles" and does not include the several private residences that are not open to the public.
Adirondacks and North Country:
Boldt Castle - Around 1900. Inspired by the castles of Germany's Rhine Valley ...more
SINGER CASTLE - 1905. Architect Ernest Flagg designed the Castle after inspiration from Sir Walter Scott's novel about Woodstock Castle (1832) in Scotland ...more
New York State Military Museum - 1889. Armory architecture. Located in Saratoga Springs ...more
Hudson Valley:
Bannerman Castle - 1901. Simulated Scottish castle. The Bannerman Castle Trust, Inc. is dedicated to the preservation of Bannerman Castle as an educational, cultural, and heritage tourism resource in the Hudson Valley ...more
Castle Rock - 1881. The estate of former Illinois Central Railroad president William H. Osborn in Garrison, New York, United States. The Osborn family has owned and lived in it since it was built by J. Morgan Slade in 1881 as a summer residence, although the original acreage has been subdivided considerably since then. Most of the remaining land is now open to the public for hiking.The house property remains private ...more
Cat Rock - 1919. In process of restoration. Privatley owned. See above Caslte Rock ...more
Emma Willard School - 1910. Three of the first structures were of Tudor Gothic style. Current home of the nation's oldest secondary school for girls, and carries on the tradition of leadership in women's education begun in 1814 by its founder, Emma Hart Willard ...more
Frederick Ferris Thompson Memorial Library - 1905. "The architectural character of this building, which mixes clear, box-like, Beaux-Arts massing with complex Gothic decorative detail, provides the dominant formal theme for the west side of the campus." At Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY ...more
Lyndhurst - 1838. Gothic Revival. Tours, hiking and biking ...more
Mount Saint Alphonsus - Around 1908 Seminary school.
Olana - 1870's -1891. "FredericChurch spent the next two years working with Vaux designing and building a home that would be, as he called it 'Persian, adapted to the Occident' " ...more
Ward Manor Gatehouse - 1918. Jacobean/Elizabethan structure
"In 1963 Bard purchased the Ward Manor property, significantly expanding its campus and dormitory capacity. Originally known as Gate Lodge, it was designed by Francis Hoppin and built in 1918 as the gatehouse to the Louis Hamersley mansion, later called Ward Manor. The gatehouse now houses the vocal arts program."
Wing's Castle - located in Millbrook NY. Ajoins the Millbrook Winery property. Tours available. ...more
Long Island:
Hempstead House and Castle Gould - The design of Castle Gould (1904) was based on Kilkenny Castle in Ireland. Hempstead House, designed in the style of a Tudor manor house, was completed in 1912 ...more
La Falaise - 1923. The architecture is French eclectic. The design is based on a 13th century Norman manor house ...more
Westbury House - or Castle - 1906. Charles II-style mansion ...more
Mohawk Valley:
Beardslee Castle - 1860. Replica of an Irish Castle, located in Little Falls, NY. Creative cuisine, wedding receptions, banquets, special events. 123 Old State Road, Little Falls, NY 13365
New York City:
Belvedere Castle - late 1800?s. Contains exhibit rooms and an observation deck. Reopened the structure on May 1, 1983, as the Henry Luce Nature Observatory. http://www.centralpark.com/guide/attractions/belvedere-castle.html
Castle Williams - Designed and erected between 1807 and 1811. Protect New York City from naval attacks. Located on the northwest point of Governors Island ...more
The Cloisters - Reconstructed in the 1930s from several other buildings. A branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to the art and architecture of medieval Europe ...more
Fonthill Castle - 1852. A Gothic Revival style building consisting of a cluster of six octagonal towers at varying heights. Part of the College of Mount Saint Vincent in the Bronx.
Westchester County:
Glen Island Castle - 1879. German Rhineland. No longer in use. Located in Glen Island, New Rochelle.
Iona Castle - Originally was built in Germany, and then was disassembled and shipped to New York in the 1920s ...more
Leland Castle - 19th century. Also known as Castle View. Gothic revival style. Currently houses the administrative offices of the College of New Rochelle and the college's Castle Art Gallery ...more
Reid Hall - 1892. Renaissance Revival style. An historic academic building located on the campus of Manhattanville College at Purchase, New York. Reid Hall was at one time a potential site for the United Nations ...more
Wards Castle - 1870's. Rye Brook, NY. Second Empire, Gothic Revival ...more (Port Chester, Westchester County, NY)
Whitby Castle - 1852. Contains stones from the original Whitby Abbey in England and thus the family chose "WHITBY" as the title of the estate. In 1965, the City of Rye purchased the property to be renamed Rye Golf Club as it is known today ...more
New York State is richly endowed with more than 7,600 freshwater lakes, ponds and reservoirs divided into 17 watersheds, or drainage basins. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, of the worlds total water, only 3% is freshwater. Of that 3%, only 0.3% is ground water in the form of lakes, rivers & swamps (0.09% of the total). We should all keep in mind how precious and vital this water is, both in terms of recreation, survival and our economy. New York State is truly blessed with this great resource....more at this site
New York State is home to one of the longest single span covered bridges in the world. This is the old Blenheim Bridge over the Schoharie Creek at North Blenheim built in 1855 (located 23 miles from Cobleskill, NY). There are many other covered bridges in New York State and all are on the National Historic Register.
The earliest known covered bridge built was in 1825 and the last to be built was in 1912. Timber and stone were abundant in New York State and were great inexpensive materials for the use in building the covered bridges. Actually the first wooden bridges were not covered and had a short lifespan due to weathering. It was found that covering the wooden bridges increased their lifespan from about 9 years to more than 80 years.
Due to the iron manufacturers increased acitivity with the Civil War era, the iron manufacturers started producing metal bridge pieces to keep active. The covered bridges were then being built with metal trusses. The railroad companies and local governments liked the increased strength.
A group formed in 1966, with a goal of preserving historic covered bridges in New York State. The name of this group is the New York State Covered Bridge Society (NYSCBS).
...more at this site
Apple production in New York State has a long history. In the late 1700's, land companies required settlers to plant apple orchards as a land claim, later leading to an 1896 record New York State apple crop of 54 million bushels. Even today New York State yields 29 million bushels annually, the second largest apple producer in the United States. With over 51,000 acres of Apple trees across New York State, you are very likely to be near them. In 2000, Cornell University released studies on the anti-cancer benefits of apples. This and other studies do seem to agree with the "Apple a day, keeps the doctor away". Make sure to pick up some apples for your next road trip or your next creative recipe!
...more at this site
The New York State Big Tree Register, maintained by the Department of Environmental Conservation recognizes trees of record size, promoting interest in their care and preservation. The Big Tree Register lists only native and naturalized species and does not include hybrid species. The Total Point Score is determined by taking the Height in feet + Trunk Circumference in inches + 1/4 Average Crown Spread in feet.
Some of the largest species include a Red Oak in Monroe County (510 points), an Eastern Cottonwood in Schuyler County (469 points), a Black Locust in Livingston County (423 points), a White Ash in Rockland County (420 points) and a Red Maple in Madison County (417 points). Among the top four largest trees, they average a Circumference of 330 inches (a diameter of 8.75 feet).
As you travel Across New York State, keep an eye out for these majestic trees, they have survived several centuries of social and environmental change and hopefully will continue to show us their tremendous ability to endure.
...more at this site
In a report by Dr. Ellen McHale (New York Folklore Society), Dr. Lisa Overholser (New York Folklore Society) and Dr. Daniel Franklin Ward (Erie Canal Museum), they pose two questions.
1. What was the world that created the Erie Canal?
2. What was the world that the Canal created?
This report goes on to show examples and in the end, shows how the preservation, restoration and even how the "re-water" movement is shaping the Erie Canal as a Destination across New York State.
...more at this site
The history of wine is fascinating, just as wine quotes can be both humorous and telling. Travelers in NY State have many opportunities to learn more and experience the rapidly growing New York wine industry. With 20 plus NY State wine regions, one is able to visit multiple scenic vineyards and taste many wine varietals. The natural beauty of vineyards can be seen throughout the year, as the wines mature. See the esbba.com attractions wine trails page for adventure ideas.
...more at this site
During your travels, you may find yourself taking photos. Regardless of your camera and skill level, taking a great photo often seems to come down to a couple key factors. If you can consider each of them, you will greatly improve the chances of getting that GREAT PHOTO!
1) Light! look at the angle and intensity of the light, is it good for the effect you are looking for? Do you need more or do you need to place your camera on a tripod or stable object to give your camera more time to gather the light?
2) Framing of the Photo! The human eye is amazing, we see a very wide view and yet can focus our mind on one area. It is important to look closely at what is in the camera's view, does it include too much, not enough and is the interest point in a great location of the frame? Do the other objects in the frame compliment the main interest point?
3) Focus! Auto focus is great and is often the way to go, however, is it focusing on the your key point of interest? Taking the same photo with different manual focus setting may yield that surprisingly great photo.
4) Color and more! The add advantage of a digital photo, is the ability to manipulate it in a photo editor, increasing color saturation and other variables can be rewarding and fun!
...more at this site
New York State offers a very wide range of activities for various interests groups. Here are just a few to consider.
1) The great outdoors of the Adirondack Region and the Forever Wild Wood Lands with many mountains lakes, rivers and waterfalls for scenic hiking, skiing, horseback riding, atving kayaking and much more year around
2) The scenic and powerful Niagara Falls experience with many surrounding attractions.
3) The historic and modern day exposure of American Baseball and Softball focus of in Cooperstown (Baseball Hall of Fame and museum) and surrounding region.
4) History! New York State has a very rich history of economic development. Hops farming, logging, Erie Canal, historic homes are just a few.
5) New York City!
6) Wineries with the beauty and scenic views.
7) Beaches, with many water ways, lakes and ponds, New York State offers many tranquil views and water related activities form Long Island to the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway.
8) Architecture, history and politics of Albany, the state capital. 9) Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, NY. 10) Old Forge, Lake George and the Blue mountain lake Museum are a fun and relaxing destination.
11) Horse racing at Saratoga Springs! 12) Lake Placid area in the Winter or Summer!