Upstate Aesthetics

Appretiating the beautiful and sceneic world of Upstate New York

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Landis Arboretum

This was an incredible find - a public garden with 15+ miles of trails, a meditation garden, beautiful view of the Mohawk-Schoharie valley, and a large metal T-Rex.

Throughout the property, flowers and trees are carefully catalogued and labeled and information kiosks are spread around the trails. We were the only two on the trail until we got to the garden.

The arboretum runs on donations and volunteers year round. You can find more information about donating, your visit, or the history on their website;

https://www.landisarboretum.org

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Boldt Castle, Alexandria Bay

Heart Island on the St. Lawrence River is home to Boldt Castle. Built as a declaration of love for George C. Boldt’s wife, Louise, this castle stands apart as top stop for New York travelers.

In 1904, disaster struck when Louise suddenly died. Boldt never returned to the island as he could not imagine living there without his dear wife.

The incomplete castle stood dormant for 73 years until 1977 when the Thousand Island Bridge Authority made efforts to restore the castle to its final glory. The castle can be visited during the season (May-October) as well as the boat house - both destinations can be reached by ferry from Alexandria Bay.

Personally, we managed to see the castle on the very last weekend they were open. It was still picturesque, but crowded. The ferry rides were to die for and the entry fees were ~$11.00. There’s also a little spot on the island to get lunch and some ice cream while you wait for the ferry back 🍦

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Penn Yan Aero - Flight over Keuka and Canandaigua Lakes

A friend of mine is a pilot of vintage planes at Penn Yan Aero - a small municipal airport at the top of Keuka Lake. She offered to take me up one day to test out her favorite plane after some updates were made. The views were spectacular ✈️

Every Fourth of July the club hosts a pancake breakfast and people fly in from all over the U.S. and Canada in their old vintage planes to support their friends in Penn Yan. They also offer plane rides for $20 for anyone who wants to see the sky ~

Le vent se léve!

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The Adirondacks - Kipp Mountain

The Adirondacks are a fan favorite for New York campers. My friend and I took a trip for her birthday and splurged on an AirBnb cabin.

We made our way up to the top of Kipp Mountain, which was an easy to medium level hike with an elevation gain of ~458 feet. The view was absolutely worth the sweat and it was a great way to spend a birthday.

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Sodus Beach

One of my favorite day trips. Sodus is right on Lake Ontario and has a nice sandy beach with swimming available in the summer. There are restaurants and shop that line the beach and are open seasonally.

We also saw a dog 🐶

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Taughannock Falls State Park 🍁

After an easy hour long walk you’ll find yourself at the bottom of the falls. We went in October which was perfect - both for pictures and for a nice cool day.

There are a few paths that go around the park as well where you can find the bridge of locks and some great views of the gulley. The visitor’s center was cute, but didn’t offer a lot of information on the falls so in case anyone is interested, here’s the scoop;

The cataract drop from Taughannock is 215 feet, 66 meters - technically taller than the American side of Niagara. The origin of the name is under debate. The name either comes from the Delaware Indian chief Taughannock or from the Delaware word taghkanic (“great fall in the woods”). More information can be found at this website which is run by a local resident.

[andallshallbewell]

[maureen2musings]

…

nev.in.color

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Green Lakes State Park

Absolutely STUNNING in the Fall. There’s an easy flat path that leads all the way around the lake which grants a new view every turn. The water is so clear and there’s swimming available in the summer.

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Caroga Lake State Park and Campground

Tent camping at Caroga was great! We managed to snag a site at the end of a loop so we didn’t have any neighbors and could enjoy some peace. There wasn’t a lot of quiet to be had, though. It was a great family get away near a holiday, if that’s what you’re looking for (unlike us lol)

On the plus side we did get to meet a lot of very good dogs.

The lake is Nine Corner Lake on top of a medium-level mountain hike. It offered a nice cool swim after a hot hike.

June, 2022

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AuSable Chasm 🏕️

We tent-camped at AuSable Chasm Campground with very little foliage between the campsites. I highly recommend signing up for the lantern tour. It took about an hour and a half to do the full yellow trail in the dark, but the trail was easy (bar for a lot of steps) and we got s’mores as a treat.

We finished all the available trails at AuSable the next morning so we took an afternoon trip to Vermont on the ferry. Well worth the $15 round trip ticket.

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Chimney Bluffs State Park 🌊

Throwback to my trip to Chimney Bluffs State Park in the summer of 2021 🏖️

If you’re looking for an easy hike, there’s a trail that goes through the woods along the lake, but for the more intrepid traveler I’d recommend taking the medium - difficult level hike that follows the cliff edge. You’ll want to add this park to your next excursion as it may not be there in a few years!

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Fair Haven Beach State Park 🌊

It was about 27 degrees F at the park today, but even with the wind chill the views were spectacular 😍

There was a bit too much ice to make it out on the pier, so I’ll post again when I visit in the summer but I got to see the swans this time of year so it was worth it 🦢

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Landis Arboretum 🌲🌳🌿🌹🪷🍄

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Ice fishers on Keuka Lake 💙❄️🐟

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Celebrating Beltane by making some Dandelion tea and Dandelion-Lemon cupcakes 🔥🍄🌸

Have a Blessed Beltane! 🖤🔥🔥🔥🔥

[angeliquemorris]

Waterfall flowers 🌸🌼