These galleries are always popular with our readers.  Everyone likes a little roadside oddity, a piece of unusual historical fact, a curious snippet of trivia, and, well, something that is just odd in a way.

In this gallery, we point out 13 different places along the backroads and byways of Upstate New York that will make even the most hardened road warrior stop and look around.  I have been to all of them.  And it happened to me.

New York's Best Roadside Attractions

Famous graves, famous buildings, famous monuments, incredible churches, historic firsts, an awesome religious shrine, a concrete 2-ton eagle, and one of the oldest movie theatres in the state (and still in the same family hands!).  They are all on this list.

As for my own favorite, you can't beat the Catskill fire tower in Stamford, NY.  Where once there were dozens of these mountain "smoke watchers," this is the last fire tower that you can actually drive up the mountain to see.  And, after a recent renovation, the tall fire tower is now open for you to climb to an even higher perch.  On a warm sunny summer day, the view can be unforgettable.  So, while yes, you can hike up to several fire towers, take a drive up this Delaware County mountain and enjoy the view from the top.  The very top.

All of these roadside features (some in the middle of nowhere, others in town) are worthy of a stop on your next road trip around our beautiful and fascinating Upstate New York!

13 Upstate New York Roadside Oddities You Must Not Miss

We use the term "oddity" loosely here. But these 13 places really, really must be seen by all road warriors passing through Upstate New York. Famous men, graves, businesses, churches, monuments, and more all make a journey around our region so interesting. Keep your eye out for these 13 gems!

12 Diners and Cafes Well Worth the Drive to the Finger Lakes For

The Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York is known for its many fine restaurants and famous wineries. But, there are also a wonderful collection of smaller cafes and diners throughout the region.

This is a list of 12 of those iconic eateries which dot the roadsides of Upstate. Many are very small, Mom-and-Pop operations. Others are elegant cafes at which you could very well spend an hour or two having a cup of coffee or a fresh baked good. But, they all have one thing in common. They are all small!

We hope you enjoy this list of great little diners and cafes to stop at and enjoy the next time you are in the Finger Lakes area.

 

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