As we head to the summer season gasoline prices are high and flying isn’t much fun. Seems like a good year for a vacation nearby home. While there is a tendency to want to “get away,” if might be a good time to discover (or rediscover) what is in your own back yard – wherever that may be.
Staying home doesn’t necessarily require actually staying home. Picking a destination nearby can include booking a room at an inn, hotel or B&B, even if you are only an hour or less from home. The advantage includes having more time to visit attractions you’ve identified that you’d like to experience. And, of course, you are away from those chores that cause you stress.
For those of us interested in history, antiques and art there’s no shortage of places to visit. The Collector office is only about 30 minutes from downtown Buffalo, NY. We’ve visited many of the historic sites and attractions, yet it seems like some are left in the “good intentions” file and other times it can feel like a marathon to go from one to another. Spending a couple of nights downtown would turn a day trip into something more like a vacation.
We often drive about an hour to visit the Genesee Country Village and Museum near Rochester, NY. After visiting we may stop for a meal, but then it’s pointing the car toward home. Yet, the City of Rochester has numerous places of interest, including the George Eastman House (of Kodak fame), the Susan B. Anthony Museum and House, the Strong Museum of Play and many others. Planning a stay-over means a leisurely opportunity to take in some more sights – or finding alternatives if an attraction isn’t what you expect.
We’ve driven around Western and Central New York over many years. Hardly a trip goes by without a “we should visit there sometime” or a “I didn’t realize we were so close to….” Historic attractions are always in need of support, and the smaller ones especially so. Maybe it IS a good year to forego that major vacation extravaganza (and the chance of spending it in an airport). See you at the gas pump.
Grant Hamilton, Publisher
