Central NY's Winter Family Fun!
Central New York is the place to play this winter!
Children’s Museum of Local History, Science & Technology helps kids grasp the past and get ready for the future. It has four floors of interactive exhibits, including a ‘real’ airplane to pilot and LED Play Dance Floor, plus special events: Winter Break Activities (February 20-25), Science & Tech Fair (March), and Easter Egg Hunt with Easter Bunny (March 30). Roberson Museum and Science Center has a new digital planetarium and many exciting exhibits and programs, including Dinosaur Train Discovery Tour (February 23).
Woo woo! Ride the rails on the vintage cars and locomotives of the Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley Railroad -- The Easter Bunny Express runs the weekend of March 31-April 1.
The Farmer’s Museum is one of America’s oldest rural life museums: this spring, experience our ancestors’ traditions every Sunday in March during “Sugaring Off Sundays,” featuring sugaring demonstrations and children’s activities. Sweet! New traditions start at Critz Farms: schedule an educational tour or visit during their Maple Weekends (March 17-April 1) to learn more about the art and science of maple syrup production and visit area sugarmakers. All over New York State, over 140 maple syrup producers participate in Maple Weekends (March 16-17 and March 23-24). Punch in a zip code on their site & find all the sweetest places!
Take the whole family to “Rock of Ages” (February 14) or “RAIN – A Tribute to the Beatles” (March 17) presented by the Broadway Theater League.
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site preserves the history of the Erie Canal. Visitors experience one of the 19th century’s greatest engineering and commercial projects and it’s a scenic site for hiking and cross-country skiing, too!
Play ball! The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum honors the greatest players of the game, past and present. Start with the Babe Ruth room, one of two devoted to just one player. It’s interactive, all-inclusive, fun and educational!
At Kopernik Observatory & Science Center, one of the best equipped public observatories in the Northeastern US, a “Winter Skies” program (February 15), “Comets: Tales & Origins” (February 16) and Friday Night Programs show the newest images from space and give telescope tours. Tours may be scheduled by arrangement.
There are 200+ animals at The Utica Zoo, plus fascinating reptile exhibits, the primate collection and exhibits of lions and California sea lions. And, with groomed trails and amazing scenery, bring or rent snowshoes to see the zoo in a whole new way!
Do you like covered bridges? Fox Creek Bridge, built in 1980, makes a great photo op! It covers a concrete arch and is open only to pedestrian travel.
Rogers Center has 600 acres full of natural wildlife habitats, miles of labeled trails and outdoor exhibits. Fun for snowshoers, x-country skiers, photographers, bird watchers and hikers.
Whaupaunaucau State Forest and Jeffrey’s Pond have 13 miles of cross-country and hiking trails, and deer, ruffled grouse, wild turkey, foxes, beavers, and other animals. There’s a lean-to for adventurous winter campers too!
Broadway Theater League – Binghamton
Children’s Museum of Local History, Science & Technology (CMOST)
Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley Railroad
Critz Farms
Fox Creek Bridge
Kopernik Observatory & Science Center - Vestal
Maple Weekends – various, statewide
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum – Cooperstown
Roberson Museum and Science Center
Rogers Center - Sherburne
Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site
The Farmer’s Museum
Utica Zoo
Whaupaunaucau State Forest
For more Family Fun travel ideas, visit Central New York.