Cazenovia, New York: One of America’s Coolest Small Towns

Where in the world is Cazenovia? Never heard of it? I hadn’t either until serendipity stepped in and the next thing I knew I was booking a flight to New York (that’s a good story for another time).

Since being nominated in Budget Traveler’s “Coolest Small Town in America” contest, I suspect a lot more people know about Cazenovia. Don’t worry though, Cazenovia welcomes tourists, but the essence of what makes it cool won’t change for tourism. Besides, it’s not the easiest place to get to— you have to want to go there. Whether you have one day or three, here are some cool places and things to do while you’re exploring Cazenovia.

 What makes Cazenovia a cool small town?

Cazenovia is located in upstate New York about thirty minutes from Syracuse and two hours from Albany.  Founded in 1795 by John Lincklaen, Cazenovia is like stepping back in time. The architecture and rural landscape provide a sense of place that I’ve found to be uncommon in the United States. There’s also an amazing community dedicated to the preservation of this sophisticated small town. I find that very cool.

Albany Street Historic District

The original plan for the development of Cazenovia can be seen in the Albany Street Historic District. To walk down Albany Street (the main east-west thoroughfare) is to walk through the nineteenth century. Architecturally and historically significant buildings, both commercial and residential, line both sides of the street. Another cool feature, there are no telephone lines in the downtown area. I love that!

Things to do in Cazenovia?

I had no idea I was in one of America’s coolest small towns, but after just a few hours there, I wasn’t surprised. What surprised me was the number of things to see and do in such a small place. Impressive!

Take an architecture walk down Albany Street. Seriously, the whole street screams photo-op. TheAlbany Street Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

 

Villa Estate Vineyards

Villa Estate Vineyards has taken over what was, until June, Owera Vineyards. I have not had a chance to visit but it sounds like they’re keeping what the community liked about Owera, while adding their own spin. The Zazzara family has deep hospitality ties so this is not their first rodeo but it is their first winery.

What hasn’t changed is the winery is still intact, and the full 57 acres are part of the estate.  The tasting room features a polished rustic style and is very warm and inviting. The wines are still sourced and made primarily from grapes grown in the Finger Lakes area of New York.

The restaurant is now Fellows at The Villa. They are specializing in foods that express the ethnicity of New York State and pairing them with the wines of the Villa Estate vineyards. If you go send me a message or drop a comment and let me know how it is.

The varietals grown have not changed and focus on the cool climate varietals:  I recall I liked the Cabernet Franc, a common red in New York State. Also the Riesling was excellent and 
coincidentally, it won a Dallas Morning News Wine Competition in 2011.

Critz Farms & Harvest Moon Cidery

This was my first visit to a true agritourism farm and I was pleasantly surprised. I got lost in a corn maze (another first), drank some hard cider that tasted like champagne, and heard an excellent bluegrass band while sitting outside on a crisp fall day. I’d call that a perfect. 

Critz Farms has been in business for twenty-five years and is still family-owned. The day I was there, the owners were there too, hanging out with the rest of the crowd.

The farm is located on approximately 325 acres and focuses on agriculture and entertainment with a family focus. Kids can enjoy activities like the petting zoo and cow train, while adults can sit on the patio listening to live music while sipping an award-winning cider.

I visited during fall harvest celebrations so we did the corn maze. This one had a theme and you had to find each of six stations to win a prize. I rate this an adult-friendly activity, or not only for kids.

Depending on the season, you can pick your own apples, pumpkins, or Christmas tree.

Critz Farms is closed from late December until mid-March. Dates vary from year to year.

Farmer’s Market

The Cazenovia Farmer’s Market is located in Canon Park on Albany Street. It is held every Saturday from the 10th of May to the 1st of November, rain or shine. It was raining pretty hard when I was there and one woman who makes lovely pottery said, “But of course, you’re here.” Most said, “A little rain won’t stop me.” That pretty much sums up the personality of Cazenovia.

Sample fresh local cheeses, produce, bread, pottery, and sweets as you stroll through the market. People are friendly and will tell you anything you want to know about their farm and the area.

Cannon Park

Located on Albany Street, Cannon Park honors Revolutionary War veterans. There’s a nice memorial path through the park and a Civl War cannon as well. The Farmer’s Market is located here. Across the street is the First Presbyterian Church 

Lake Cazenovia

What else makes Cazenovia cool? Lake Cazenovia is pretty cool—surrounded by woods, there are fun activities year round. When the founder, John Lincklaen saw the lake and the trees he decided to build his summer home there. He’s also responsible for the historic business center and instilling a desire to preserve the history and natural beauty for the residents. 

STAY

If you book through the link I get a small commission that helps me pay for the site but doesn’t cost you anything.  Thank you! 

Lincklaen House
Built in 1835, the exterior looks the same today, as it did then. It’s the perfect location for a weekend in Cazenovia, smack in the middle of the historic center of town. On Saturday morning the local market is across the street and you can walk to all the cute shops. President Grover Cleveland and John D. Rockefeller were frequent guests at the Lincklaen House… location, location, location.

Colonial architecture and decor lend a warm and cozy ambiance to twenty-three guest rooms, furnished with period decor.

I had a corner room, so there were lots of windows and good light. The colonial style four poster bed and red walls made an immediate statement. There was also a small sitting area, a comfy chair, and a writing desk. My favorite feature of the room was the built in library next to the sofa. Colonial-style furnishings are not usually my favorite, but in Cazenovia, they are perfectly charming.

Lincklaen House is very popular with locals. There’s casual fine dining in the main part of the hotel. The dining room is especially beautiful and perfect for a holiday meal. You can imagine the people gathered around the table in their plain clothes and bonnets from the 1700s. The period furniture and architectural details invite you to relax and enjoy another era.

For a more casual experience, walk downstairs to Seven Stone Steps. I loved the dark English pub vibe and the wide variety of choices on the menu. For hotel guests, continental breakfast is served in the dining room.

Lincklaen House is at the corner of Albany St. & Lincklaen. You can check rates on Expedia here. (affiliate link) Check rates and availability on Tripadvisor here.  (affiliate link)

Where to eat in Cazenovia, New York

Despite being such a small place, Cazenovia has no shortage of good places to eat. All of these are on Albany Street except for the Brewster Inn.

Pewter Spoon: Is now open but only for online ordering. The menu looks great and if you need something to go, check it out.

Seven Stone Steps

Seven Stone Steps is located below the street level at Lincklaen House. There is an entrance through the hotel, or enter from the street. Seven Stone Steps has a dark wood interior with church pew-like benches around the perimeter and lots of carved graffiti. The menu was huge and very affordable and included pub standards, like burgers and fish and chips.

Brewster Inn

For a fine dining experience, I highly recommend the Brewster Inn. Located on Lake Cazenovia, the Brewster Inn’s wine list won Best of by Wine Spectator in 2009. We had a delightful Pinot Noir from Oregon.

Whatever your dietary needs you’ll find something delicious: from seasonal oysters to pasta, to a New Zealand grass-fed rack of lamb, or a crisp green salad. Brewster Inn is also open for brunch and was recently voted one of the best places for brunch in the Syracuse area.

Brewster Inn also offers accommodations. You can check their rates via this affiliate link. 

Discover cool history

History truly stands still at Lorenzo House. Completed in 1808, Lorenzo House was the home of the father of Cazenovia, John Lincklaen. Lincklaen was Dutch and arrived in the central New York area on a mission for the Holland Land Company. Legend has it that he was immediately enamored of the landscape writing in his journal, “Situation superb…fine land.”

When I first saw Lake Cazenovia from the porch of Lorenzo House those were exactly my thoughts! Lincklaens’ descendants lived in the house until 1968 when it was given to the state of New York. Lorenzo House hosted many important visitors, such as Grover Cleveland, then President of the United States.

We arrived at Lorenzo House early and were on the first tour of the day. Our guide, Barbara Bartlett, was excellent, and no wonder, she and her mother have been associated with Lorenzo House for over twenty years! What luck to have a guide with so much experience.

Barbara personally documented every item that goes with the house. I don’t recall the exact number but it was in the thousands; furnishings, books, dinnerware, everything in the house belonged to the family.

In addition to the house, there are extensive gardens and an exhibition of carriages that will make you grateful to Henry Ford. While interesting, they don’t look very convenient.

Chittenango Falls State Park

Chittenango Falls is a state park and the main feature is a 167-foot waterfall. The bedrock is limestone over 400 million years old. Pretty cool! I didn’t have time to hike to the bottom and take that photo. My photo doesn’t do it justice.

The hiking trails, observation points, and other amenities of the park were developed during the 1930s under Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency; hiking, fishing, picnicking, and reveling in nature’s beauty are the main activities here. The park is open year-round but may have limited access during the winter months.

Stone Quarry Hill  is a great place to walk and hike with stunning vistas of the rural landscape, not to mention quirky art. It is one of the first outdoor sculpture parks in the country.

As you can see,  I covered a lot of ground in two days. 

Now, what do you think? Cool or not? Have you been to Cazenovia, NY?  Where is your favorite small town?

 

All material and photographs are copyrighted by Penny Sadler. All rights reserved.