Reviews & Comments
Utica, NY
Athletic, cultural, beautiful landscape -
8/23/2008Utica and its surrounding area is an overlooked gem that offers much to residents and visitors. The community is very athletic with a variety of outdoor and indoor activities to participate in. There are many beautiful golf courses, lakes within minutes and one within 35 minutes that offers bars, restaurants, music, on the waterfront, rivers, places to swim, fish, kayak(whitewater also),boat, waterski, run, bike, hike, roller blade, dirt bike, play tennis(for free),a small ski area within the city, and larger ski areas in the surrounding area, snowmobiling, cross county skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, softball, volleyball, bowling, rock climbing, ice skating, fish and game clubs etc. A variety of athletic events with particpants from all parts of the world. We have a small zoo that has a variety of animals, reptiles, etc. and I challenge anyone to identify every species in this zoo. Several museums, Munsun Williams, Fountain Elms, Oneida County Historical, Running Hall of Fame, Sculpture Space. We have motorcycle and car enthusiasts. Theater and the Arts, World Class mucicals, plays, operas, orchestra, ballet, musicains. And food, where do I begin, Polish, Italian, Jamaicain, Bosnian, Vietnames, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Japanese. A Internationally known Brewery that brews beer for vendors around the world. Nightlife, Saranac Thursdays that brings in bands for a minimal charge with more entertainment, and free bands, and DJs. Jazz Nights, many bars and restaurants offering happy hours, bands in the parks for all ages, Turning Stone Casino about 35 minutes away that brings in nationally know recording artists. The countryside is beautiful rolling hills, four seasons, with the Erie Canal within the city and a treed bike trail along it that goes on for miles in both directions. Music offered at Lock 20 in the summer. I could go on and on. Yes it is a city/area that has fallen on hard economic times, but if you can't find something to do here, you're just not getting off the couch.