With George Washington generally credited for giving New York its “Empire” nickname, the state has long been a realm of dramatic and fortifying places to meet. From fantasy castles to idyllic retreats, here are several quintessential Upstate stomping grounds for groups.
NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM, ALBANY
The “amazing discoveries” in New York’s historic capital city include the nation’s largest and oldest state museum. From geology and wildlife to a moving 9/11 tribute, the museum’s permanent and rotating exhibits provide an enlightening visual portrait of the state’s natural and cultural history. Multiple spaces can accommodate groups of up to 400 for receptions, dinners and meetings, including the Adirondack and Bird halls, and the Fourth Floor Terrace, offering stellar views of the Empire State Plaza and Capitol Building.
CANFIELD CASINO, SARATOGA SPRINGS
Along with its storied waters and national landmark racetrack, Saratoga’s other historic claim to fame is gambling. In fact, the resort was once regarded as America’s Monte Carlo, with this local treasure its Grand Casino. Opened in 1870 as the Saratoga Club House, the venue was renamed in the mid-1880s by new owner Richard Canfield, who enhanced the grand building and its gardens with European flourishes such as stained glass windows and marble statuary. Set in leafy Congress Park, the building, now city-owned, houses the Saratoga Springs History Museum and hosts elegant events and functions.
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT’S DARWIN D. MARTIN HOUSE COMPLEX, BUFFALO
With signature Prairie-style elements including its strong horizontal lines, overhanging eaves and cantilevered roof, this National Historic Landmark is considered one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s finest works. Following extensive reconstruction and restoration efforts, ongoing today, this time-capsule residential complex, designed by Wright at the turn of the 20th century for wealthy Buffalo businessman Darwin Martin, is a must for tours and functions. Groups can book the modern Greatbatch Pavilion for larger gatherings, along with the Barton House (1903) and Gardener’s Cottage (1909) for more intimate affairs.
CORNING MUSEUM OF GLASS, CORNING
The world’s largest glass museum and New York’s top attraction after Manhattan and Niagara Falls, this global Finger Lakes icon debuts the new $64 million, 100,000-square-foot Contemporary Art + Design Wing this month. Dazzling, too, is the adjacent glassblowing and design facility, seating 500 people with a gallery-level balcony offering 360-degree views of the action below. Other versatile spaces include the Auditorium, hosting receptions for up to 800 guests, and The Studio, where attendees can make their own glass souvenirs.
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ELK LAKE LODGE, NORTH HUDSON
Few retreats anywhere can match the charm of this rustic mountain-ringed resort in the heart of the Adirondacks High Peaks region. “Surrounded by 12,000 acres of private water and woods, Elk Lake Lodge is a perfect location to host intimate retreats, meetings and weddings,” says General Manager Michael Sheridan. “The preserve allows guests to enjoy a true wilderness with the facilities to support the experience.”
Offering six bedrooms, a dining room and a sitting area furnished in the Adirondack and Craft style, the 1904 Main Lodge is complemented by eight newly reappointed private cottages. Slated to reopen this spring, the historic Emerson Lodge can accommodate eight for meetings.
BOLDT CASTLE, ALEXANDRIA BAY
Built for love and abandoned in heartbreak, this Thousand Islands’ treasure is New York’s Taj Mahal. In 1900, millionaire George Boldt commissioned construction of a 120-room castle on Heart Island for his wife Louise, only to abandon the project after her sudden passing in 1904. Rescued in 1977 by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority, which has since spent millions in preserving the castle and its various stone structures, Boldt Castle today is an enchanting landmark for seasonal tours and after-hours meetings, conferences, retreats and weddings.
MOUNT HOPE CEMETERY, ROCHESTER
Following the model of America’s first “rural” cemetery (Mount Auburn in Cambridge, Mass., 1831), this state and national landmark was the first in New York along with Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, both dedicated in 1838. Covering 196 picturesque acres, Mount Hope features Egyptian obelisks, a Moorish gazebo, a Florentine fountain and other architecture, with famous residents including Frederick Douglass and Myron Holley, the force behind the Erie Canal. Programs include special exhibitions and guided tours for groups of 25 or more.
THE FARMERS’ MUSEUM, COOPERSTOWN
New York’s rural heritage comes alive at this beloved institution, itself situated on a working farm from 1813 originally owned by legendary novelist James Fenimore Cooper (his namesake Art Museum across the road is the museum’s sister organization). Opened in 1944, the living history museum transports visitors back to the mid-18th century with national historic landmark structures, hands-on activities, festivals and reenactors in period costume continuing the traditions and routines of the times. Along with group tours, the facility offers evocative spaces for functions and weddings, including the Bump Tavern and Cornwallville Church.
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THE OTESAGA, COOPERSTOWN
Since 1909, this venerable, AAA Four Diamond property, a member of Historic Hotels of America, has been delivering a one-of-a-kind experience for guests. Situated on 700 feet of Lake Otsego shoreline, the Georgian architecture of the resort is highlighted by an impressive front portico supported by 30-foot-tall columns, which makes for a grand entrance. Fine dining and plenty of sports and recreation are integral parts of the experience for groups. The property’s 18-hole Leatherstocking Golf Course is a highlight, and canoeing, tennis, fishing and a heated outdoor pool round out the offerings. The Otesaga features 30,000 square feet of flexible function space in 14 meeting rooms, including a 2,600-square-foot ballroom.
NEW YORK STATE FAIRGROUNDS, SYRACUSE
Among Syracuse’s many claims to fame is hosting the nation’s first state fair in 1841. After traveling to 10 other New York cities over the following decades, the fair settled in its present location in 1890. Renamed the New York State Fair in 1967, the event has since evolved into a major 12-day extravaganza. For groups, that means the fun of the nation’s seventh-largest state fair (the 2015 event takes place from Aug. 27 to Sept. 7). One of the largest year-round exhibit complexes in the U.S., the 375-acre fairgrounds, offering 110 structures, is available year-round and hosts hundreds of sporting, entertainment, equine, consumer and other events.
Longtime contributor Jeff Heilman's first story for Meetings Focus was on the Catskills, back in 2004. As a proud New Yorker, he celebrates his 200th story for the magazine with this feature.
