CLIMATE, EDUCATION AND TOURISM

Otsego County features a true four-season experience for residents and visitors alike. Warm days and cool nights make Summer here the stuff of legends. Otsego Lake and Goodyear Lake offer a range of water sports and beautiful vistas. The hiking trails and camping opportunities are numerous and varied. Warm days and cool nights make this region a long sought-after refuge from the heat, hustle, and bustle of metropolitan centers throughout the Northeast. Fall is a long, beautiful season, with steady, warm daytime temperatures. The spectacular color array of autumn foliage usually peaks in early to mid-October bringing in thousands of visitors to bask in its glory. Winter brings its own kind of beauty with beautiful snow-covered landscapes and traditional Holiday activities. Spring brings a rebirth of our green covered hills, the reemergence of our abundant wildlife and the blooming wildflowers throughout the region. If you have a favorite season, Otsego County has it!

EDUCATION

Otsego County has some of the best public-school systems in upstate New York. The county is rural in nature, so its schools feature relatively small class sizes. This contributes to the schools in the county having a true community feeling, enhancing success for the students and pride among the residents. The county is home to two respected four-year institutions of higher learning in SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College offering degree centered educational opportunities to thousands of students. Springbrook, a local nonprofit organization, offers a wide range of educational and developmental services to those with developmental disabilities. They provide a much-needed pathway for these individuals, adding to their overall quality of life. The same can be said for Pathfinder Village, who helps care for hundreds of residents with Down Syndrome. This facility in Edmeston creates a community of comfort, stability, and education for its residents with an expanding focus on community service and interaction.

TOURISM

In Otsego County, we proudly boast some of the finest tourism draws in America. The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown is a bucket-list experience for millions of people throughout the world. That baseball experience is extended to hundreds of youth teams who flock to the area to attend summer baseball camps. Cooperstown All-Star Village and Cooperstown Dreams Park feature a full schedule of week-long youth tournaments that draw teams from coast-to-coast for the high level of play and beauty of the surrounding area. With additional visitors to unique destinations such as Brewery Ommegang, Glimmerglass Opera, The Catskill Symphony Orchestra, the Fenimore Chamber Orchestra, Foothills Performing Arts Center, Fenimore Art Museum, The Farmers Museum and others, tourism provides a significant cultural and economic impact on Otsego County.