Visitors at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, discover that the Colorado Rockies’ only World Series appearance in 2007 ended in a four-game sweep by the Boston Red Sox. The museum also showcases artifacts like the Rockies’ 1993 opening season pennant, the purple pinstriped pants Eric Young Sr. wore in 1996 when he stole six bases in a single game, and a bat used by Larry Walker during his 1997 season when he led the National League with 49 home runs. 

These items are just part of the museum’s extensive collection, a must-see for baseball fans visiting the charming village of Cooperstown (population around 1,800) in the foothills of New York’s Catskill Mountains. The museum portrays the popular game through entertaining and educational exhibits. When I asked how much time visitors usually spend there,  I was told, “From two hours to two weeks.”

LUXURY ROOM WITH A VIEW

Relaxing on the veranda at the Otesaga Hotel, with stunning views of the lake and rolling hills.    

 In addition to reliving some of baseball’s greatest moments, I enjoyed time relaxing in a rocking chair on the wide veranda of The Otesaga, a luxurious historic resort hotel built in 1909. Overlooking stunning views of Otsego Lake, my stay at this elegant hotel was a key part of the experience. 

The property, whose name comes from the Iroquois word for “place of meetings,” transports visitors to a time of elegance and gracious hospitality. The expansive porch and guest rooms featuring ceiling chandeliers and oversized windows with stunning views of the lake, are among many details that combine the ultimate in comfort with opulence. 

The hotel also boasts a golf course that hugs the lake and is ranked among the best on the East Coast, a heated pool, tennis and pickleball courts and four-star restaurants. 

The Otesaga, a luxurious historic resort hotel (built in 1909) perched at the edge of Otsego Lake.

 While I could have happily spent all my time relaxing at The Otesaga, the variety of things to see and do in town drew me away.  

In addition to the Baseball Hall of Fame, other baseball-related attractions include the Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum, Cooperstown Bat Company, where visitors can learn how professional bats are made, and shops offering a wide array of baseball-themed apparel, player cards, and other collectibles.

A QUAINT VILLAGE

It didn’t take long for me to understand why Cooperstown has been referred to as “America’s most perfect village.” Its rolling farm fields tucked among pockets of forest amid tranquil lakes overlooked by low lying mountains create an idyllic setting. 

Shops offer a wide selection of baseball-related apparel, players’ cards and other collectibles.     

 The town itself could be the backdrop of a storybook or a movie set, with its walkable streets leading to the lakefront, leafy parks and a blend of colonial buildings and Victorian homes painted in vibrant colors. It’s no wonder Cooperstown was included on Travel+Leisure magazine’s list of best places to visit and best road trips from New York City.

The town was founded in 1786 by William Cooper, father of the renowned author James Fenimore Cooper, whose writings include the “Leatherstocking Tales,” a series of historical novels set in the frontier period, which combine pioneer and Native American lore against a backdrop of the region’s magnificent scenery. 

NATURE LOVER’S PARADISE

A tour boat on Otsego Lake.

 At the heart of Cooperstown’s beauty is Otsego Lake, a glacier- formed body of water whose name means “place of the rock” in Iroquois, a reference to Council Rock, once a meeting site for Native Americans. The lake is called Glimmerglass in James Fenimore Cooper’s books because at times the surface is so still it resembles
a mirror. 

For such a small village, Cooperstown offers a wide variety of welcome attractions. The Fenimore Art Museum displays world-class collections of American folk and Native American art alongside rotating exhibits.  

A broom maker at the Farmers’ Museum, a working farm since 1813.

 The Farmers’ Museum is a living history village that recreates rural life from the mid 1800s. The site has been a working farm since 1813, when it was owned by James Fenimore Cooper. Collections run the gamut from an early 18th-century plow to home-made hay rakes and a 19th-century milk fat tester.

These museums are among the attractions that extend the appeal of Cooperstown well beyond its fame as a favored destination for baseball lovers.