Courtesy Cooperstown/Otsego County Tourism
Tell me about the main meeting sites.
• From its 700 feet of lakefront to its 30-foot-tall white columns, the Otesaga is Cooperstown’s grand hotel. Opened in 1909, the 135-room AAA Four Diamond hotel has 12,000 square feet of meeting space in 12 rooms on two levels, including its 2,600-square-foot main ballroom and a main dining room. Like many businesses in Cooperstown, the hotel closes in the winter. To house larger groups, it works with the nearby Cooper Inn, a 15-room historic property, and other local hotels.
• About 25 miles south, the city of Oneonta is home to the area’s other conference hotel, the Holiday Inn Oneonta-Cooperstown. The 120-room hotel just off Interstate 88 has 3,800 square feet of meeting space. Also in Oneonta are two performing-arts centers, the Foothills Performing Arts Center and Oneonta Theatre, both with meeting space. The 78-room Clarion Hotel is downtown.
Tell me about some venues for off-site events.
The Otesaga works with all of the major area attractions, including the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the Fenimore Art Museum and the Farmers’ Museum, to arrange off-site events.
For a true taste of Cooperstown …
Part of the beauty of Cooperstown is its lack of franchise restaurants. Small bistros and restaurants can be found to fit most every appetite and budget.
For a winning picnic, pick up sandwiches at Danny’s Market, not far from the lake. Highly recommended is the Chicken Dilemma, which combines chicken, fresh mozzarella and roasted red peppers. Bagels and bread are all freshly baked. Go upscale at Alex and Ika, where dishes are infused with lemongrass, smoked paprika and other lively spices. Frommer’s Guide called it one of the top 10 restaurants in New York state. Private events are welcome. Pastas are a good choice at Hoffman Lane Bistro, just off busy Main Street. Rachael Ray made a stop at Brooks Bar-B-Que when she was in the area. This longtime favorite claims the longest indoor charcoal barbecue pit in the East. For scenery with a savory meal, try Blue Mingo Grill in a boatyard a few miles from Cooperstown.
Did you know?
- More than 400,000 people visit each year; the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is the biggest draw.
- Cooperstown was once the hops-growing capital of the world. The Busch family, founders of Anheuser-Busch, have a vacation home there.
- Otsego Golf Course, nine miles north, was established in 1894; closer to town is the Leatherstocking Course at the Otesaga Resort. Built in 1909, it has earned 4.5 stars from Golf Digest and was judged the 55th best golf course in the country by Conde Nast Traveler.
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