ANYONE GO TO HERKIMER "diamond" MINES, upstate NY?

[a1tinkfans]

Saw an article and think this might be fun for a fast getaway.
Herkimer , New York, where you mine for quartz crystals...
Anyone?????

Also, AAA has a motel called Herkimer Motel, any opinions (like is it clean and worth a 5 hour trip??)
THANKS!!

 

[worm761]

never been but when we lived in new york we went to Howe Caverns. we loved it. http://www.howecaverns.com/

 

[a1tinkfans]

never been but when we lived in new york we went to Howe Caverns. we loved it. http://www.howecaverns.com/

Been there! This sounds interesting, SO CURIOUS...hopefully someone will have gone/knows about it.
Have a good week!

 

[meandtheguys2]

Funny you mentioned this! We are going next year. My boys bought one a piece at a rock show we attended recently.

Please let us/me know how you liked it, if you go!

Michelle

 

[a1tinkfans]

Funny you mentioned this! We are going next year. My boys bought one a piece at a rock show we attended recently.

Please let us/me know how you liked it, if you go!

Michelle

Sure Will!!

 

[meandtheguys2]

Thanks!

 

[ducklite]

The Herkimer Motel is like a Motel 6, very basic. It's in an area that you're going to get a LOT of noise, there are train tracks and the Thruway right next to it, so if you are light sleepers you might want to consider staying elsewhere. (And there's NO WHERE else in Herkimer/Mohawk/Ilion I'd ever suggest!!)

Probably the best hotel in the general area would be either up at Turning Stone, which is probably about a 30-35 minute drive, or maybe the Radisson in Utica, which is a 25 minute drive.

I lived in the next town over for a couple of years long ago, never went to the mines though.

Anne

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

Back when I was a troop leader, I took the Girl Scouts there for a day. They loved it! Be sure that you are appropriately dressed for hot weather and wear sturdy shoes.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Back when I was a troop leader, I took the Girl Scouts there for a day. They loved it! Be sure that you are appropriately dressed for hot weather and wear sturdy shoes.

THANK YOU!

 

[a1tinkfans]

The Herkimer Motel is like a Motel 6, very basic. It's in an area that you're going to get a LOT of noise, there are train tracks and the Thruway right next to it, so if you are light sleepers you might want to consider staying elsewhere. (And there's NO WHERE else in Herkimer/Mohawk/Ilion I'd ever suggest!!)

Probably the best hotel in the general area would be either up at Turning Stone, which is probably about a 30-35 minute drive, or maybe the Radisson in Utica, which is a 25 minute drive.

I lived in the next town over for a couple of years long ago, never went to the mines though.

Anne

Anne,
THANKS for the heads up! Very much appreciated!
My DH already thinks I am nuts to suggest this but I thought it would be fun for my son to experience. We "sluiced" (?) thru some "stuff" years ago, maybe Howe Caverns and this sounded fun
BUT...
the Motel thing is scaring me I am PICKY about accomodations, ESPECIALLY if there is a HINT of moldy or that mildew smell, I thought this was AAA rated!??
I will re-think this and decide if the trip is even worth it and/or if my DH would be willing to go up and back in one day (4 hours each way for us)! Unfortunately I really did not see ANYTHING else we would even be interested in seeing/doing up there.
Thank you again!

 

[Imzadi]

Check how many diamonds in the AAA rating. Anything two diamonds or less, then YES you are paying for the mold & mildew.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Check how many diamonds in the AAA rating. Anything two diamonds or less, then YES you are paying for the mold & mildew.

I'll be checking with AAA tomorrow!


ANYONE ELSE BEEN TO THE MINE??????

 

[ZPT1022]

If you were wanting to make a week of it, you could drive and stay somewhere in between Howe Caverns and the mine, and do both. Afterwards you could continue up to Niagara Falls. We plan on doing that at some point, but we will also be stopping in Rochester. Never knew about the mine but we have family in Rochester and make the 8 hour drive from CT 2-3 times per year so we keep thinking we should make a week out of it at some point and not just do the crazy overnight or weekend trip.

 

[ducklite]

Anne,
THANKS for the heads up! Very much appreciated!
My DH already thinks I am nuts to suggest this but I thought it would be fun for my son to experience. We "sluiced" (?) thru some "stuff" years ago, maybe Howe Caverns and this sounded fun
BUT...
the Motel thing is scaring me I am PICKY about accomodations, ESPECIALLY if there is a HINT of moldy or that mildew smell, I thought this was AAA rated!??
I will re-think this and decide if the trip is even worth it and/or if my DH would be willing to go up and back in one day (4 hours each way for us)! Unfortunately I really did not see ANYTHING else we would even be interested in seeing/doing up there.
Thank you again!

When were you thinking about going? Why not go the last week of August, you can stay in Syracuse--lots of nice hotels there, mostly on the East side of town (there's a nice Embassy Suites at Carrier Circle). You can spend a couple days at the State Fair, which is loads of fun, and then spend a day in Herkimer, which is about an hour away--easy drive on the Thruway.

Leave Syracuse and head south on 81, hop on Route 13 in Cortland, head south and and visit Corning Glass works. DH took DS there when DS was about 11 and he loved it! There are a few nicer hotels in the Corning/Elmira area, it's about a 2 hour drive to get from Syracuse to Corning. From there it's 17 to 81 to 380 to 80 to NYC--about a 3.5 hour drive.

Anne

 

[a1tinkfans]

We did Niagra Falls last summer, loved it, but as the kid says...been there done that.
Was really just looking for a 2 day trip. something to do easy and not too far away. We're on eastern LI so about 5 hours for us.
Anne, you certainly know the area, WOW, thanks for your thoughts, but I won't give up Disney for this (we're headed late Aug) , LOL
Well, didn't get a chance to call AAA about motel, have some time though to figure it out....have a lovely week everyone!!

 

[java]

Here's something a little funny. My dh works at a Diamond wholesale company and they actually made some "costume" stuff for one client and they got their CZ's from Herkimer! So now that I told him we could go to the mine- he wants to go. Thanks for tips on staying in Syracuse(In August we should be good with snow ) And the glass works sounds great too!

We also did Niagara falls last Labor Day weekend. But my kids would go back in a second. They loved it. especially as a "freebie" vacation that they weren't expecting.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Unfortunately due to sickness we did not make it up to Herkimer Mines as planned.
Will post our experience if/when we get there, likely in the fall.

 

[meandtheguys2]

I'm so sorry your plans were ruined by illness! Hope all is better, now!