Spotlight

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…

Reveling in local food, music, and life: Experience Cortland sat down with Molly Andrejko about her recent Instagram takeover.   Molly Andrejko is the Project Coordinator for Seven Valleys Health Coalition and last week we turned over our Experience Cortland Instagram account to her. The result? We got an inside look at Cortland County’s Farmers Markets, eating fresh and local,…

Blueberry picking, ice cream eating, mini golfing, and adventure seeking is all here in Cortland County this summer! The kids are out of school so why not get outside and enjoy the summertime. Explore these 5 fun activities to do with your family this summer!   1. Blueberry Picking at Hall's Hill Blueberry Farm   Located just a short drive from downtown Cortland,…

Front Left to Right: Claire Sorlie, Caiti Marlowe, Michael Dikegoros. Back Left to Right: Grant Paylor, Aaron Jacobs, McKenna Silva We turned over our Instagram account (@experiencecortland) to the six Cortland Repertory Theatre performing interns for an exclusive look into their lives and behind the scenes during rehearsals, performances, and everything in between. Experience Cortland sat down…

The family friendly, easily accessible trail at Tinker Falls...   This past Sunday we explored Tinker Falls located in the 1,483 acre Labrador Hollow Unique area for a quick adventure.   This impressive 50-foot waterfall is super accessible. Right off of NY Rt 91, there is plenty of parking right across the street from the trail entrance, or handicap parking right by the start of the…

  Kyle [1] picked me up just after 9 a.m. on Saturday morning. I always forget just how close Greek Peak Mountain Resort is to downtown Cortland. A quick drive through the rolling hills of Cortland County and we arrive at Greek Peak about 9:20 a.m. On the drive Kyle explains to me that mountain biking is very different from road cycling, or which I am very familiar with and he tells me to…

Ever since the Cortland County Historical Society was founded in 1925, it has collected, preserved, and interpreted countless artifacts from all around the county. Their latest exhibition was a major project to help celebrate their 90th anniversary by exhibiting and interpreting 90 unique artifacts from throughout Cortland County.   I spoke with Director Mindy Leisenring and asked a difficult…

It’s why I think we’re so lucky about our museums here [in Cortland].  Even if you’ve lived here your whole life, been here for an event, or you’ve gone around for a tour, there’s always something new to discover.   There are many interesting objects found throughout the 1890 House Museum. There’s a hair wreath in the East Parlor, large brass cranes…

CNY Living History Center Museum Object: 1925 Brockway Fire Truck Brockway Truck Museum Luke Biondi, Executive Director.   ...they [Argentinian firemen] just wanted to bring it up and get it replaces because they used it for so long, almost forty years. I guess that’s part of the reason that I like the truck their perseverance just to get it all the way up here. For us [CNY Living…