Central-Leatherstocking

Ride an elevator 200-feet beneath the surface of the earth to tour a geological wonder, Howe Caverns. Marvel at age old, dramatic underground rock formations: stalactites, stalagmites and columns. Then take a boat ride on an underground lake. Howe Caverns (518/296-8990) is located on Route 7 in the town of Howes Cave. Bring your sweaters, because the temperature remains a cool 52º F year-round.

Visit the nearby Iroquois Indian Museum on Caverns Road in Howes Cave (518/296-8949), with its children's museum and nature park. You will find exhibits dedicated to promoting the creative story of the Iroquois, told through exhibits, gallery shows, festivals, craft demonstrations and performances.

No family vacation would be complete without a pilgrimage to a place of sports magic, the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Main Street, Cooperstown (607/547- 7200). Youngsters come here to dream of the future, while adults come to recall the past. Historical artifacts, photographs and memorabilia of the nation's favorite pastime are on display in a way that touches the spirit. Special induction ceremonies for the greats are held each year, while a "women in baseball" exhibit pays tribute to the women who played during World War II.

Enter through a graceful portico to recapture a sense of upstate culture and history at the Fenimore House Museum (reopening in July with a new wing), Cooperstown (607/547-1400). You will discover a spacious ballroom with majestic landscape paintings, a display on folk art and American Indian art and a small gallery dedicated to the works of James Fenimore Cooper, the author who defined the early American hero in "Leatherstocking Tales" and "Last of the Mohicans." This is an educational opportunity for you and your children.

For more history, just cross the road and visit the Farmers' Museum, Lake Road, Cooperstown (607/547-1450). This is an open air museum, a living historical farm that illuminates life in Upstate New York State as it was from 1790 to 1860, with authentic settings and costumes for spinners, weavers, blacksmiths and broom makers. It also is the home of the Cardiff Giant, America's most famous hoax.