Spotlight

Looking for outdoor winter fun that is away from the ski slopes? For the families that love the winter months, there are plenty of enjoyable activities in the Finger Lakes that will get the whole family excited for snow.   Tubing Slide down the mountain in a tube   Tubing can be great winter fun for all ages. Greek Peak Mountain Resort Adventure Center makes tubing even easier with…

Cold brews, chairs that hang from the ceiling, deconstructed coffee, lattes out of an avocado…yes, the hipster coffee bars have swept the nation and even Cortland, New York. With its industrial aesthetic, BRU 64 took inspiration from the west coast trends, a few coffee conventions and brought the best ideas to Main Street Cortland. Spoiler Alert: they don’t serve you deconstructed…

There’s a “bomb cyclone” in the forecast and if you are already not a huge fan of winter this doesn’t help. But before you retreat to your couch and re-watch that Netflix series (again) try staying warm and avoid cabin fever with these winter activities.     Get cozy at BRU 64. Whether you fancy a coffee or one of their many rotating beers, you can admire the…

Snowshoeing is a great and inexpensive way to get outside during the winter months. Whether you seek trails that are off the beaten track or are looking for family fun between snow covered trees, there are plenty of snowshoeing options in Cortland County. Here are some tips to help get you started on your great snowshoeing adventure this winter. Easy to learn. The expression, “If you can…

Wintertime in the Finger Lakes is relatively quiet, but visitors to Cortland County will find mountains of winter activities to enjoy. Whether you seek family friendly fun or search for a rush of outdoor adrenaline you can find it all here. Visitors will find four family friendly ski areas all within a 30-mile range of each other in Cortland County. Here are some ski tips to help you get the most…

Did you know that there is a wonderful, interactive and immersive exhibition of an impressive train collection left to the Homeville Museum (located at the CNY Living History Center) by Ken Eaton.   When volunteer Doug Deer became involved just over a year ago, his passion for model trains helped to make the incredible collection left by Ken a focal point for the Homeville Museum at the CNY…

Colder temperatures have finally arrived in Cortland County but that doesn’t mean you should stay in every night! Over the coming winter months we’ll share some suggestions for hearty, soul warming food. Utica might have invented chicken riggies but Hairy Tony’s perfected this delicious dish. It’s creamy sauce with just enough of a spicy kick will definitely warm you up on…

Song Mountain is excited to announce it has replaced its Thunderbird T-bar with a new triple chairlift. The T-bar, installed around 1965, had seen many years of dependable service. The new triple chair that replaces it was relocated from Northern Minnesota and is from the Riblit Tramway Company. Riblit built its first lift at Mount Hood, Oregon in 1938 and was once the largest ski chairlift…

Family owned and operated since 1933, Hollenbeck’s Cider Mill is one of Cortland County’s hidden gems. It is a place locals remember fondly visiting as children and where people from out of state and even Germany have come to get pies and cider. One year after purchasing the business from his cousin Bruce, Matt Hollenbeck continues to produce quality cider and look to the future. We sat down…

Cortland County is known for its rich agriculture. The event Cortland Harvest: a Taste of Fall, sought to bring local farmers and producers together with local brews from Cortland Beer Company and NYS wine from the Finger Lakes Tasting Room for one evening. This unique food pairing came together with local music from Molly & the Badly Bent Bluegrass Boys, Local Farmers Union, and Chris…

Fall pumpkin picking is a tradition for many this time of year. The leaves on the trees have started to change, it's almost sweater weather, and hot chocolate is replacing ice cream. Picking your own perfect pumpkin is the thrill of the hunt. Whether you want the largest one you can carry or the perfect shape for your carving, half the fun is finding it!   This past weekend we visited…

You have your ticket for the concert that evening at the Center for the Arts in Homer, NY. The show is sold out, and you would probably arrive about a hour an half before showtime to make sure you got a good seat. But 12 hours earlier, at 8 a.m. on Saturday, September 16 when you might have still been sleeping. That was when the day began for the Big Bag Voodoo Daddy concert.   There are many…

Sure, you could hop in your car and take in the scenic fall foliage that covers Cortland County, but we recommend stepping outside your vehicle and explore these unique leaf peeping spots.   Fall Foliage with some adrenaline.   Catch some of New York's best fall foliage from the mountain! Try out Greek Peak's Nor'Easter Mountain Coaster for some added adrenaline to your leaf peeping this…

Fall in Upstate New York is a magical time of year. The rolling hills throughout Cortland County are dotted with farms, produce stands, beautiful old homes, and the best drives for enjoying fall foliage. We’ve made a list of a few drives throughout the county to enjoy the fall season and hopefully take you to places you’ve never been before! Little York to East Homer to Truxton This…

459.5 feet. That is how long the 18th hole is at Shipwreck Golf. It is the longest mini golf hole in the world and holds the Guinness World Record. That is impressive. Experience Cortland dug out our golf glove and set off to see if we could at least make par.     Shipwreck Amusement Center has a scenic mini golf course with a festive pirate theme. There are giant ships, palm trees,…

Lime Hollow Center for Environment & Culture encompasses nearly 430 acres of beautiful rolling hills, valleys, forests, fields, streams, numerous ponds, a peat bog, and a great diversity of flora and fauna. With over 12 miles of open trails, Experience Cortland took a morning to explore. We set out from the Visitors Center on McLean Road. There are 5 different parking areas to choose from…

As a person who know very little about growing the hops used in the brewing process, despite visiting the Guinness Factory six times, I was excited to make the trip to Willet Hop & Grain Farm to learn more.     In the southernmost part of Cortland County I knew I was getting close to my destination when I noticed buckwheat growing on both sides of the road leading to the farm. But…

Whether you pronounce it Tee-off-knee-oh-ga or Tie-off-knee-oh-ga, the Tioughnioga River is just over 34 miles long. The east and west branches of the river come together just north of the City of Cortland forming the main branch which than continues on through Cortland County becoming a tributary of the Chenango River which flows into the Susquehanna and on to the Chesapeake Bay. The name…

Inspired by two women who completed the Experience Cortland GeoTour in only 8 hours, I decided enough with the procrastinating and explore the trail myself. Or at least explore portions of it. The Experience Cortland GeoTour features 20 stops that take you all throughout Cortland County. For my journey, I chose 5 stops that I thought would take me to the more unique, less frequented spots in…

  This past weekend, Experience Cortland made the journey (finally) to Cortland’s Seedstock music festival. The festival is held at Reed’s Seeds on Route 215, just a few miles south of the City of Cortland.   This was Seedstock IX. When the festival first started out, it was just a one day gathering for friends and family for them to play and hear great local music. Nine…