O/T-- What's your favorite thing in "The Hall"?

[tedzan]

Steve

You might consider being at the HOF during Induction weekend (July 26-28, 2013). It's a fun time to be there.

Friday-Saturday (7/26-27) is the traditional BB card show across the street from the HOF at the VFW building.
An eclectic group of Vintage (1887 - 1960's cards & memorabilia) dealers set-up at this show. This show has
been in operation since 1980.

For lodging, restaurants and museums in the surrounding area of Cooperstown. Contact their Chamber of Com-
merce for info.


TED Z

[ngrow9]

My favorite part of the Hall is, by far, the actual Hall of Fame itself (i.e. the plaque room). Make sure you save enough time to take it all in.

Also, if you are going in the summer, I'd highly recommend touring the museum at night. During the day it can get really hectic. After dinner, though, the place is nearly empty. It is a great time to go back to get a long second look at all of your favorite exhibits...

[bcbgcbrcb]

The Tunnecliff Inn right on the corner of Main Street has a pretty good restaurant downstairs underground. The restaurants there are much less than desirable so that's about the best that you'll find. There is also the largest baseball-themed restaurant about three blocks up from the museum and across on the other side of Main Street. That one's not too bad either, a little pricey for simple dinner entrees though.

[sayhey24]

A few more random thoughts:

Make sure you take some time to walk around and soak in the scene on the porch of the HOF Library facing Cooper Park. That porch is where Hall of Famers gathered for decades to receive their plaques and deliver their speeches on induction day. likewise, the lobby and back porch of the Otesaga Hotel. That's where they would gather to relax after the ceremonies. In the late 60s and early 70s I spent time there with people like Lefty Grove, Frankie Frisch, Charlie Gehringer, Red Ruffing and countless others.

The Otesaga is expensive and the rooms are tiny, so you'll probably just want to stop in for a visit. There are many nice B&Bs in town and also the Cooper Inn and Tunicliff, but I haven't stayed in either of those. If you have small kids and want a standard hotel, there are plenty of chain hotels ten minutes outside of town on route 28.
Man it's fun thinking about all this!

Greg

[Jantz]

Touching base on what Ted Z. said, I went to Cooperstown a few years ago and stayed at the Rose and Thistle bed & breakfast and was thoroughly pleased. The owners are very nice people and cook a great breakfast. They have a website for prices, directions and phone numbers.

Its located on the edge of town, but still within walking distance of the Hall. I went in the fall and it was nice leaving the wheels behind and getting some walking in.

Also if you're a fan of micro breweries, there is a nice brewery called Cooperstown Brewery Company just 10 minutes south of Cooperstown in Milford. They serve some tasty beverages and their bottles are all labeled with baseball themes and make nice display pieces in your man cave. Whether you display them full or empty is your choice. They also have a website for times & directions.


Hope this helps

Jantz

[oldirtyfishkilla]

My advice would be to TAKE YOUR TIME!! There is an amazing amount of stuff crammed into that place and you'll miss a lot if you rush..

Another thing to consider is the town itself. There are some great little restaurants and a TON of card/memorabilia shops that are museums in their own right.

If going with a significant other who could care less or is only mildly interested, you may want to do your research about the area and they could drop you off.

If you are a beer drinker, Ommegang Brewery has an amazing "belgian-style" brewery not far away and there is also Cooperstown Brewing company.

Hope this helps.

[MVSNYC]

Cooperstown is "heaven" to me. my dad & i have been going there for years, and this past March, i took my wife (for her first visit) and my parents, we treated them as a Xmas gift. we had a blast, we stayed at the Inn at Cooperstown, a beautiful B&B on the edge of main st. we love having lunch at Doubleday Cafe, and dinner at the Hawkeye Grill at Otesaga Resort.

Obviously the highlight is the HOF. it has evolved amazingly over the last 20 years (as long as i've been visiting it). it is truly one of the best museums on Earth. everything is very well presented and laid-out. The Hall itself is stunning and gives you the chills, take your time and look at each plaque and soak it all in. as mentioned above, the Ruth room is awesome, and the vintage uniforms & bats are thrilling. i also love the "Art" room, which displays many great paintings related to the National Pastime.

http://www.innatcooperstown.com/

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran..._New_York.html

http://www.otesaga.com/dining


enjoy!
MS

[Buythatcard]

One more thing about HOF. If you happen to visit it during the summer months, you might catch a game going on at Doubleday field adjacent to the Hall. Last time I was there, I caught the last few innings of a game. Players were teens that were part of some organized league.

It was so relaxing sitting in those stands watching a game after walking around the hall for hours.

Too bad there aren't any major card shows up in the area.

[z28jd]

I've gone during the Induction weekend once and while it was fun, I'd save that time of year for if you're a fan of the player being inducted. That is when Cooperstown is the most crowded, and the center of town isn't huge.

I've gone twice in early October and loved it. Most places are still open and there are no crowds. If you're going to the Hall of Fame for the first time, that is the time to go. You will be able to see everything, take your time and get nice pictures. It's a beautiful town and surrounding area, much easier to take in when it isn't so crowded.

If you go around this time of year, you really get the place to yourself, but there is almost nothing to do in town besides that, so it is more of a 1-2 day trip tops. Plus you have to watch for upstate NY weather.

Visit the Fly Creek Cider Mill while you're there. Worth the trip just outside of town