Seven Spectacular Reasons to Plan a Trip to Chenango County

Nestled in Central New York, Chenango County is a great destination for a day trip, weekend getaway or a longer adventure. Here are seven attractions that caught our eye:

1) Visit Black Bear Winery, a local stop on the Brew Central Trail. Sample fruit and currant wines, honey meads, and cider at the county's charming winery owned and operated by two local craftsmen whose passion you can taste in the product! (Check ahead for special events!)

2) Find a new challenge on one of our golf courses. Touting both nine and 18-hole courses, most provide amenities such as restaurants/banquet facilities, rental carts and pro shops. Check out the full list here.

3) Explore the great outdoors. Brookfield State Forest features 130 miles of trails spread over 13,000 acres, while Genegantslet Creek is the area's premiere trout stream and Balsam Pond is a warm water fishery with Norlunge, largemouth bass, yellow perch, sunfish and chain pickerel. For family fun, Rogers Environmental Education Center offers a visitors center and special events, including hikes, lectures and children’s programming. Learn more about outdoor recreation options here.

4) Watch races at one of the best motocross courses in the country. Unadilla is known around the world. "In addition to being the first track in the U.S. to host the MX des Nations, Unadilla has also been home to the 250 USGP, the fall Trans-AMA and Trans-USA series," according to its website. "Today, Unadilla proudly hosts rounds of the US Motocross Nationals, ATV Nationals, and JDay series, as well as the MX Rewind vintage racing weekend, and a series of amateur events."

5) Enjoy our local arts and culture. Chenango County is a contrast between big-city culture and small-town fun and entertainment. From sophisticated theater, music and art galleries to local venues supporting a variety of artistic media and specialty collectibles. Learn more here.

6) Step back in time and explore local history. Visit a train depot restored by the Plymouth Historical Society, browse railroad memorabilia at Oxford Historical Society Museum, or tour a collection of 160 classic and vintage vehicles at the Northeast Classic Car Museum. Reflect on the area's earliest inhabitants at the Chenango County Historical Museum's exhibits on Native Americans, early industry, the Chenango Canal and more. Learn more here.

7) Listen to soul-rendering live music. The 27th Chenango County Blues Festival is a "nationally known award winning event with famous blues artists, great food, craft vendors, camping, and free children’s activities" on Aug. 16 and 17, according to VisitChenango.com. Live music continues every Thursday night in East Park in Norwich from the beginning of July until the end of August. Click here to learn more about these and other upcoming events.