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Local Secrets, Big Finds - New York

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View 2007 Local Secrets, Big Finds
Photos Courtesy of Lake Placid/Essex County Visitors Bureau & NYS Department of Economic Development.
Grape Festival Photo courtesy of Bob Brozic.
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City Bakery
Manhattan

212.366.1414
If you like hot cocoa, you'll love City Bakery's--it's their "crowning glory." Sipping a mug of their hot chocolate is "like drinking a melted chocolate bar." They even make their marshmallows from scratch. They host a hot chocolate festival every February, when people can celebrate and sample the growing assortment of hot chocolates--25 and counting! Fans note that the food is "yummy" too; the salad bar is "great;" and there is an "interesting" sandwich bar. You'll find everything from grilled white-cheddar cheese on cornbread sandwiches to sandwiches made of grilled chocolate.

Skan-Ellus Drive-In
Skaneateles

315.685.8280
It's not a movie-drive-in, but you'll find "superb fast food, reminiscent of the early years-like the 50s and 60s." This is the ice cream and burger joint of years past, when cheeseburgers, shakes, and fries tasted like heaven. Monday nights in July and August feature hot rod cars, and you can eat outside on picnic tables. The Skan-Ellus burger is "uniquely-seasoned ground beef, like a sloppy Joe, but without the sauce," definitely worth a try! Oh, one more note: the Drive-In doesn't operate in the winter, and they even disconnect the phone number.

Naples Grape Festival
Naples Valley

585.374.2240
Naples Grape Festival
Known as the Grape Pie Capital, Naples Valley, nestled in the Finger Lakes region, is also famous for its annual grape festival. "It's a good, small festival" held every September on the fourth weekend. Known as one of the few places "where you can get grape pie," the festival also features "crafts, vendors, and typical festival food, as well as entertainment." Lots of wineries are nearby, and outdoor activities like fishing, boating, hiking, and camping abound. Read more.

Letchworth Craft Festival
Castile

585.493.3600
Letchworth State Park is "known as the Grand Canyon of the east." It might just be "the most beautiful park in New York." With "easy access from the New York State Thruway," it is a popular getaway spot in the fall. More than 200 craft tables and exhibits are featured during the craft festival, which takes place during the peak of fall foliage, every Columbus Day weekend. Plus, there are food vendors and live entertainment, and you can also bring your own food--there are "excellent places for picnics and nature walks along the gorge."

Three Sisters Islands
Niagara Falls

716.278.1796
The Three Sisters Islands are nestled within the rapids of the Niagara River and are accessible via footbridge from Goat Island. You can "get so close to the Falls, yet it still feels very personal and intimate." It's not tourist-ridden, so "you can really experience the power of the Falls." If you sit on one of the islands in the early morning, "there is a special sort of solitude" that comes with "watching most of the Niagara River hurtle by just before it goes over the Falls." Read more.

Chittenango Falls State Park
Chittenango

315.655.9620
Chittenango Falls is the perfect, local alternative to the infamous Niagara Falls. This 167-foot waterfall's size, beauty, and power are "awe-inspiring." On a sunny day, "the spray makes a rainbow and mist that's breathtaking." View the falls from the top or hike around the gorge to a footbridge. This "low-key" village has a "few choice eateries on the lower side of the price scale." Kids love it, and visitors "can't quite believe" what they're seeing. Plus, the "hometown of the Wizard of Oz," yellow brick road and all, is "just up the road." Read more.

City Island
Bronx

718.885.9100
City Island
The City Island Bridge is the only connection between City Island and the mainland, specifically the Bronx. It's most like a New England port town, but in New York City! A trip here "seems as if you have ventured into a quaint little town, but you've never left the Bronx." You can find "fresh seafood of all types, and the prices are reasonable." Most shops and restaurants are on City Island Avenue and "most restaurants have outdoor seating near the water." For a romantic dinner, visit at sunset and watch the sun fade into the water.

Nuyorican Poets Cafe
New York City

212.505.8183
What began in the East Village living room of a writer/poet back in the 1970s now thrives with weekly poetry slams, theater, jazz, hip-hop, and more. It "fills up fast" so "it's good to go early to get a seat." Anyone with any interest in the creative arts will "love the vibe of this place." Read more.

Broadway Lounge
New York City

212.704.8900
To get your own, uninterrupted glimpse of Times Square, head to the Broadway Lounge on the eighth floor of the Marriott Marquis. When you arrive, walk over to the "huge picture window" with views overlooking Times Square. Live music, creative cocktails, and tapas are served here. If you want a quiet, more private moment with Times Square all to yourself, go early when the bar is closed, because "no one is there in the morning."

Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory
Brooklyn

718.246.3963
A walk across the Brooklyn Bridge is a small price to pay (and a wonderful, free activity) for the "best-quality ice cream around." The Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory is located in a 1920s fireboat house "on a pier right under the Brooklyn Bridge." The best part about this shop is the location, because you can enjoy your cone or sundae and "watch boats going by" or admire the "great views of New York City." The pastry chef of the River Cafe next door whips up all the toppings and syrups for the sundaes. (Hint: This area is a popular spot for marriage proposals.)