Blog Author: Experience Cortland

Many of us have temporarily hit pause on travel plans due to the worldwide pandemic, but that certainly doesn't need to kill our wanderlust completely. To keep spirits lifted and minds wandering during the holiday season, fill the stockings of loved ones with gift cards, and memberships from Cortland County establishments to spend or experience later. Not only will you be supporting local…

Many of us have temporarily hit pause on travel plans due to the worldwide pandemic, but that certainly doesn't need to kill our wanderlust completely. To keep spirits lifted and minds wandering during the holiday season, fill the stockings of loved ones with gift cards, and memberships from Cortland County establishments to spend or experience later. Not only will you be supporting local…

Experience Cortland, the Cortland County Convention & Visitors Bureau, announced the launch of “Shop Today, Experience Tomorrow” - a holiday shopping small initiative to encourage locals and visitors alike to support tourism businesses now, even if they do not feel comfortable traveling here just yet. The initiative will encourage people to purchase gift cards and memberships from tourism…

During fall, it's all apple all the time, and there's no better place to get your apple fix than Hollenbeck's Cider Mill! The Cortland County staple has opened its doors for their 88th season, and although the experience may be a little different this year, you can still get your all your favorite fall treats delivered right to you car! Keep reading for how to navigate the season. THE BASICS The…

Local artists are vital to the Cortland County community. Whether they are musicians, visual artists or writers, they help our county thrive. Artists attract people to our signature festivals, they expose us to culture, provide affordable entertainment at events and most importantly give all of us a reason to get together and enjoy the arts. Now, more than ever it is important to support our…

Both fresh and frozen blueberries bought from the store are great, but picking your own fresh blueberries from a u-pick farm just makes them taste that much better.  Lucky for us, there are several places in Cortland County where you can pick your own fresh fruit and stock up for the months to come.  Here is a list of u-pick blueberry farms throughout the county that make it easy to pick your…

National Travel and Tourism Week is an annual tradition for the U.S. travel community. It’s a time when travel and tourism professionals across the country unite to celebrate the value travel holds for our economy, businesses and personal wellbeing. The Cortland County Convention & Visitor's Bureau (CVB) is leading Cortland County's travel and tourism community during this celebration. In its…

Edible alchemy is how Carly and Dave Dougherty describe their food fermentation. What began as a fascination became their passion in 2012 with the launch of Food & Ferments. What is food fermentation? When vegetables like cabbage are left to sit and steep, their sugars are broken down and promote the growth of bacteria. The bacteria converts sugar into lactic acid and that acts as a…

Art lovers rejoice! Cortland County has many art spots waiting for you. Explore a metal zoo, interactive art installations, impactful murals and so much more. Feed your soul and take a trip to Cortland County. Eric Kroot Art Trail at Lime Hollow Nature Center Eric Kroot Art Trail at Lime Hollow Nature Center Totem poles, incredible larger than life art installations can be found lurking amongst…

Hollenbeck's Cider Mill celebrates its 86th cider season this fall. A trip to see the cider press, or to enjoy a freshly made donut is a fall must do in Cortland County. Check out the video below. Share your Cortland County adventures with us for a chance to be featured! Tag @experiencecortland and use hashtag #experiencecortland.

Trinity Valley Dairy Farm is a fourth-generation family farm in the beautiful East Homer valley. We got to explore it all from cows to their 2-mile long corn maze! Make a trip to Trinity Valley Dairy Farm a must do on your fall adventure in Cortland County.   Check out the video below. Share your Cortland County adventures with us for a chance to be featured! Tag @experiencecortland and tag…

Chocolate truffles, chocolate covered bacon, chocolate, chocolate CHOCOLATE! We visited owner and chocolatier Stacey of Sinfully Sweet Café in the Village of Homer to learn more about her inspiration for the sweet stuff.   Why not check it our yourself! Sinfully Sweet Café is located at 17 S. Main St. Homer, NY.   Check out the video below.   HUNGRY FOR is a series…

We took an airplane over Cortland County for the Cortland Airfest.   The Cortland County Airfest at Gen. Levi Chase Field draws hundreds of people to see planes up close from small charter planes to a Black Hawk helicopter courtesy of the US Army's 10th Mountain Division in Watertown, NY. You can also take an airplane or helicopter ride. We took to the skies in one of these airplanes for some of…

Seedstock Music Festival is celebrating its tenth year! We were curious about the work that goes into building its custom stage.   Check out the timelapse! Share your Cortland County adventures with us for a chance to be featured! Tag @experiencecortland and tag #experiencecortland.

2 weeks, 360 hours, 40 actors, 10 technicians, 1 show...   Since 1972, Cortland Repertory Theatre has produced high-quality theatre in Cortland County. For two weeks, we took an inside peek at the hard work that goes into producing just one of these shows. Produced by: Max H Productions - https://www.maxhproductions.net/. Check out the rest of the summer season & see special ticket…

  How a community transformed a historic church into a multi-faceted performing arts venue better known as the Center for the Arts of Homer.   On any given day, walking into the historic old church building in Homer, New York you’ll hear violins, a rock band, and dancing feet. You find a crowd of people enjoying the art gallery or you watch a crew setting up for the next concert.…

Main Street Farms has been around for eight years, but they are still seen as beginning farmers. The USDA recognizes a beginning farmer as someone who has been in business less than 10 consecutive years. While Main Street Farms is still technically in its infancy as a farm, they have established a great presence and focus on building community through food. It is through their CSA (Community…

By Gabrielle DiDomenico Project Coordinator, Seven Valleys Health Coalition   It's that time of year when we celebrate the return of the sun and warmer temperatures--but that isn't the only reason to get excited by the arrival of spring and the coming of summer. Our local farmers' market season is upon us and that calls for a celebration in and of itself. How about three cheers for fresh…

  Here are five reasons not to miss the new exhibitions reveal at the CNY Living History Center.   The Flying Ace   Levi Chase was an American fighter pilot and double flying ace during World War II. This exhibition, curated and built by his grandson, Bill Chase, will share some incredible stories related to the 512 combat missions that Chase flew during three different wars.  …

“Watch for Low-Flying Dragons” is just one of the signs you’ll encounter at Dragonfyre Distillery. Nestled in the rolling hills between Marathon and Willet, Dragonfyre Distillery is a family owned distillery by Vince and Donna Pedini. Dragonfyre takes great pride in using local grains for the whiskeys and moonshine. The rye and barley come from Willet Hop & Grain, just down…