10%

10 Fun Things To Do In Oneonta This Summer

Staying in the 607 this summer? Put these 10 student-approved hidden gems on your to-do list ASAP.

By SUNY Oneonta

June 21^st, 2019

We all know Oneonta has some of the best restaurants, thrift stores and antique shops around...But did you know we have our own roller derby league? And a butterfly conservatory??

We asked students and staff for their favorite things to do around Oneonta in the summer. Grab your friends and check out their suggestions⬇

1. go wild at the butterfly conservatory

Transport yourself to a mini rainforest! The Joseph L. Popp, Jr. Butterfly Conservatory is a 3,000 sq. ft. indoor tropical garden that's home to various species of tropical birds, reptiles and butterflies from around the world! An awesome activity for a rainy day. Don't forget your camera.

Photos used with permission from the Butterfly Conservatory

2. freshen up at the farmer's market

Grab your reusable shopping bag and head to Muller Plaza downtown, where dozens of vendor tents pop up every Saturday for the Oneonta Farmer's Market. The weekly outdoor market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine, from May until October.

10 Fun Things To Do In Oneonta This Summer

Photos used with permission from the Oneonta Farmer’s Market

3. get rough and rowdy at a Roller Derby bout

Ever heard of roller derby? Otsego County has its own league — the Hill City Rollers. Come see them in action at one of their home bouts at Interskate 88 on the Southside. Upcoming home bouts are scheduled for July 7, July 28 and August 25.

Photo by Sean Childs, used with permission from Hill City Rollers

4. Catch a Fireworks show

Every Thursday night around 9 p.m., Cooperstown All Star Village (located near the end of Chestnut Street in Oneonta) puts on a fantastic fireworks show for their baseball players, their families, and the community. Free entertainment!

5. tee up at the Oneonta Sports Park

In Oneonta's East End, the Oneonta Sports Park offers a 300-yard driving range; a 9-hole multi-sport course for disc golf, wedge golf and foot golf; and a fun 18-hole mini golf course complete with a tiki theme, cave and waterfall. After the last hole, grab your buddies and cozy up next to the firepit. The sports park is open seven days a week from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.!

Photos used with permission from Oneonta Sports Park

6. reach new heights at the Franklin mt. hawkwatch

Get ready to take a selfie. With panoramic views of the city and the Susquehanna River valley, the Franklin Mountain Hawkwatch is a must-visit. It's located within the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society Sanctuary, a 100-acre property at the top of Franklin Mountain that boasts trails, a wetland boardwalk, open fields, and an incredible lookout — the Hawkwatch. Every autumn, birdwatchers gather here to catch a glimpse of Red-tailed Hawks and Golden Eagles.

The DOAS Sanctuary is open to the public every day from dawn 'til dusk.

7. catch a movie at the unadilla drive-in

Go back in time and experience a movie outside, under the stars! Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until Labor Day, you can catch a double-feature at the Unadilla Drive-In, which opened in 1956! Gates open at 7 p.m. and the first movie begins at dusk. Just pay your $8 entry fee, visit the snack bar, tune your radio to 107.3 FM, kick back and watch the movie magic unfold in front of you on the giant outdoor screen.

Photos used with permission from the Unadilla Drive-In

8. PICK YOUR OWN BERRIES

There's nothing quite like picking a few pounds of berries and then using them to make a delicious pie for your loved ones (or yourself.) At Middlefield Orchard in Cooperstown, you can pick your own strawberries, raspberries, black raspberries, blueberries and blackberries! Beginning July 1, it's open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Other area berry farms to check out: Ingalls Blueberry Hill in Milford and Otsdawa Berry in Otego.

Photo used with permission from Middlefield Orchard

9. Take yourself out to the ball game

Come watch a baseball game just half an hour from the sport's birthplace. The Oneonta Outlaws team is a collegiate baseball league based at Neahwa Park's historic Damaschke Field, which is one of the oldest ballparks still in use, having hosted Babe Ruth at one time! Check out the Outlaws' schedule.

Photos used with permission from the Oneonta Outlaws

10. get active in the great outdoors

If hiking, biking, fishing or boating is your thing, you're in luck! There are lots of rivers, lakes and trails right in our backyard. Check out the trails at Robert V. Riddell State Park and College Camp, go fishing at Wilber Lake, do some kayaking on Goodyear Lake, or grab your friends and head to Fortin Park! If you have 25 minutes to kill, Gilbert Lake State Park in nearby Laurens has a beach!

"There are tons of spots around here where I can go fishing, canoeing, kayaking—all the things I really like to do outdoors." – Dakota Bailey, Environmental Science & Geography alumnus

"Oneonta is so beautiful. My friends and I just walk around for fun and take pictures with the scenery because we don't have that at home—it's so flat there. The mountains here are so beautiful." - Alicia Zysk, Class of 2022