Going to Cooperstown for my Bachelor Party

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Posted By: Dave Snyder

I'm getting married this September and my friends - knowing full well of my passion for vintage baseball - have decided to take me to Cooperstown for my Bachelor Party. We're all in Boston, so it's not a bad drive. I've been to Cooperstown once - about 15 years ago - before I fully appreciated the history of baseball, so I'm really looking forward to this trip. We're going the weekend of August 11th and I'm wondering if there are any Cooperstown "must-sees" or "must-do's" while I'm there. I think we're staying in the area for 2-3 days, and plan on doing the HOF one day and then either fishing, golfing, browsing the memorabilia shops - who knows. Anyway, I'd be interested in any tips or advice for how to maximize my time there from board members who have been. Any and all recommendations welcome - where to stay, where to eat, what to visit outside the HOF etc.....

Thanks in advance!

-Dave

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Posted By: rob

If money is not a huge object, the Otesaga is clearly the best place to stay. They also have a golf course. I have rarely strayed outside the town, but I know there are many historical places to visit.

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Posted By: PC

As Rob said, the Otesaga is the place to stay. A grand old hotel right on the lake. They have golf packages, and maybe they can arrange for fishing as well. If your group can afford it, and you think you can avoid causing bachelor party mayhem on the grounds, then this is probably the place to stay.

I was in Cooperstown this past winter with the wife and kids. We stayed a few miles outside town (on Rt. 28) in a new Howard Johnson Inn & Suites. Quite nice, reasonable rates, with an indoor pool and small fitness center. Pretty much a clone of the Hampton Inn style. I reserved through expedia, but the direct reservation number I have is 607-286-7600. A great place to stay for the family, but for a bachelor party you would be a little further from whatever night life/bars there might be in Cooperstown.

For lunch, the Doubleday Cafe is great. Good food, reasonable prices, and right on Main Street a short walk from the HOF. With two small kids on the trip, I didn't seek out finer dining experiences, so hopefully someone else can recommend a good steak for your group on Main Street or nearby.

Congratulations, and good luck!

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Posted By: Greg

I went to Oneonta State, a 20 minute drive from Cooperstown, and I too did a bachelor party weekend there, although it was 12 years ago. Most important piece of advice -- book the hotel as soon as possible. August is incredibly busy -- I now do a father/son weekend in Cooperstown every August with one of my college buddies, we're going the weekend before your party and booked a couple of months ago and had trouble finding rooms.
The Otesaga is great and the setting out the back of the hotel is stunning, but it's expensive. If you're just looking for a place to crash, there are plenty of good typical chain hotels -- best western, holiday inn suites, clarion, etc. onthe outskirts of Cooperstown and in Oneonta. Zoning in the village of Cooperstown doesn't allow for any chain hotels or restaurants, so if you want to stay in town and be able to walk from your hotel, the only choices I can think of are the Otesga, Cooper Inn (also fancy) and a motel on the lake that I think is called Lakeside (not sure of that name).

I can't remember if the Otesga golf course is public -- I think it is. Oneonta Country Club is also public and it's a pretty nice course.

best baseball shop by far is called National Pasttime, but virtually every store in downtown Cooperstown has baseball items for sale.

Doubleday Cafe in the middle of downtown is great for lunch. I'd highly recommend Brooks for either a lunch or dinner. World famous barbecue chicken , also great ribs and fries, and the coleslaw at the all you can eat salad bar is pretty good too. Very 1960s family country setting. (it's always busy, so if you go at a peak time, expect to wait).

If you want bachelor party night life, you'll have to go to Oneonta. even in the summer, the downtown college bars get busy, and of course there is also the Novelty Lounge, which offers some typical bachelor party fare.

there's also the Oneonta Tigers of the single A New York Penn League. Damaschke Field is oneof the great old time parks, nothing facny, actually a little run down, but a beautiful view out past the outfield, great atmosphere, and you don't need tickets in advance. I just checked -- they're home against Williamsport that weekend.

that's a start, if I think of more I'll be glad to add it. Also, as I said, I'll be there the weekend before, so if I come across anything special I can let you know. (of course I'll be with two ten year olds who are just excited about having a vending machine in our hotel).

Greg

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Posted By: Chuck

Tell Doodles I said "Hello" if you see him.

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Posted By: mike

Congrats. Otesaga is easily the best hotel. I think Baseball and history is pretty much summed up in Cooperstown. The shops are a trip in themselves. The art and farmers museums are OK - the time is probably better spent hiking and fishing.

Outside of town, if you like beer, I would go to the Cooperstown Brewery in Milford on NYS 28. The tour is $2 with samples. Outside of Milford and Cooperstown there is the Ommegang Brewery with free tours and tastings; 3 Philosophers is a meal. That tasting is totally worth the drive from Cooperstown. The Bear winery on NYS 28 towards I-88 has locally made samples and is OK. No tour. The Cider Mill in Fly Creek (about 10 minutes from Cooperstown) is more a girl kind of thing, but they have an old working cider press and tons of local products to sample free, including of course cider and apple wine.

You can catch the rookie league Oneonta Tigers on the 1st and 3rd. Oneonta is a college town on I-88 and is about 25 miles from Cooperstown. The Soccer Hall of Fame is there. If you stay at the Oneonta Clarion you can visit the downtown restaurants (Autumn, Stella Luna, Tokyo Express, Athens) and bars (Black Oak). Also, the Yum Yum shack outside Cooperstown on 28 has good seafood, but you're from Boston, so ...

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Posted By: John S

Congrats Dave and nice choice!

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Posted By: Steve f

Suuure you are Brilliant! wonders Now why couldn't I think of that excuse?*

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Posted By: Joe

I was there about 2 years ago and stayed at the Tunicliff Inn. It's across the street from the HOF. Nice old place. Nice rooms. And a bar/restaurant downstairs
that was pretty cheap. I was there in December, so I'm sure the rates are a lot higher in August. But I paid about $65-70. I'm pretty sure they have a web site.
The Ommegang brewery is a good time, although it's a little tough to find your way back to town. There are a couple bars in town - I can't remember their names - that were empty in December, but I'm sure would be a good time in Aug.
I'd recommend staying in town. It might be more expensive than the chains out of town, but for a bachelor party you don't want to be doing a lot of driving. And the roads there are pretty rural and curvy.

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Posted By: Max Weder

No bachelor party at Cooperstown could be complete (or not) without an aria from Glimmerglass, the Cooperstown opera company http://www.glimmerglass.org/ and a trip to the Farmer's Museum http://www.famersumuseum.org where you can see the Cardiff Giant



Max

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Posted By: Brett

Hey Dave,

Congrats on getting married !

I went to Cooperstown about 5 years ago when I was 16 and it was great. I'd really like to see your photos of the pre war era stuff like uniforms, signed balls and so on when you go.

Take lots of pictures and have a good time !

-Brett

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Posted By: jay behrens

That's just wrong, you'd rather look at balls then something else for your bachelor party :-p

Grats

Jay

I love pinatas. You get to beat the crap of something and get rewarded with candy.

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Posted By: Dave Snyder

.........to everyone who responded. There are some great ideas here which I'll pass along to my "handlers". They've already let me know that they're having trouble finding rooms in town so we'll see.

Thanks again everyone - I'll give a debrief when I get back!

-Dave