Family Fun
Come on over to the Central New York Great Pumpkin Fest (October 6-7) in Oswego. They've got a Giant Pumpkin weigh-off, a raucous fall carnival, a farmers' market, petting zoo, live entertainment, and a wonderful arts & crafts show.
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Go on an educational agricultural adventure at Old McDonald's Farm Village. Take a musical hayride thru Oz Forest. Visit animals at Cowville, Sheepville, Hog Hollow and the Flying Reindeer Ranch. You can also pick your own pumpkins and play miniature golf.
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Discover the New York State Zoo at Thompson Park, the only Zoo in the world dedicated to New York's wild animals and wild places. Get nose to nose with black bears, watch the playful antics of rare wolverines and climb a real Adirondack Fire Tower.
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Farms & Culinary
Though known for its seaway and islands, this area also abounds with an autumn harvest. The farms near Watertown in Jefferson County produce a wonderful bounty found at farmers markets throughout the season.
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New York's newest wine trail, the Thousand Islands - Seaway Wine Trail includes three unique farm wineries and a vineyard featuring "cold hardy grapes," the newest variety for growing in northern latitudes.
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You may not know it, but some of the best artisan cheeses you've ever tasted are made right here in New York — many of them at fine dairy farms of the Thousand Islands region. Find out which Artisan Cheesemakers are near your destination and plan a stop for your trip.
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Events & Escapes
Don't miss the annual Oktoberfest (October 6) at the Thousand Islands Winery featuring German entrees, grape stomping competition and an authentic German Ompah Band complete with dancers.
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Uncle Sam Boat Tours depart from Alexandria Bay and offer close-up enjoyment of historic and scenic wonders in and around the 1000 Islands. Professional guides unfold a colorful historical tapestry of the river, the islands, and the magnificent homes that you'll see. All tours stop at historic Boldt Castle.
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Can you imagine getting a birds-eye view of spectacular fall foliage while soaring a thousand feet in the air above a thousand islands? Stop imagining and book a flight with Champagne Balloon Adventures in Alexandria Bay.
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America was shaped by the people who traveled along the big waters of the Great Lakes. Explore the Seaway Trail, to see the unique cultural imprint of Native Americans, French explorers, British soldiers, Dutch settlers, Underground Railroad travelers and more.
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Spend your autumn getaway in scenic Sackets Harbor. This charming village on Lake Ontario has a great Visitor Center that invites you to "Experience the Treasures" of the area.
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Seasonal events in New York State.
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Nature & Outdoor Activities
There are few places where you can catch as many trophy-sized fish of so many species as on eastern Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Local guides and charters can assure a successful outing for any angler.
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Robert Moses State Park, found partly on the mainland and on Barnhart Island (it can be reached by tunnel under Eisenhower Lock), offers camping, cabins, boating, fishing, picnicking, tennis and hiking.
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Wellesley Island State Park has the largest camping complex in the Thousand Islands region with secluded wilderness sites nestled along the banks of the St. Lawrence River. For the less adventurous, cottages with all the comforts of home are also available.
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Inside Wellesley Island State Park, the Minna Anthony Common Nature Center features over eight miles of hiking trails, plus a 3500+ square foot natural history museum. Come for the Annual Autumn Festival on October 6.
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Culture & Heritage
George Boldt built Boldt Castle in the early 1900s by as a monument to his love for his wife, Louisa. It is a magnificent six-story, 120-room abode with its own powerhouse, underground tunnels, Italian gardens and drawbridge.
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The Frederic Remington Art Museum was not the artist's home but he did visit often. The museum collection includes a full spectrum of his work; some of his earliest achievements, many published paintings and drawings, and an inspiring variety of late-life paintings, which focus on the landscape.
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Come and visit the Fort Ontario State Historic Site to see this unique star-shaped military installation and learn about the pivotal role it has played in the region's history through reenactments, guided tours and exciting audio-visual programs.
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Visit Singer Castle, a magnificent 28-room Scottish-inspired castle situated on beautiful seven-acre Dark Island; complete with secret passageways, tunnels and hidden rooms.
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History buffs will love the Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site. The site includes interpreted exhibits, tours, restored 1850's Navy Yard and Commandant's House.
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Since its founding as a small collection of antique watercraft in the 1000 Islands Museum, the Antique Boat Museum has now grown into its own world-class facility. Come celebrate the maritime heritage of the St. Lawrence River and the Northeast, open daily until October 8.
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