LEAF-PEEPING PAIRINGS: Where to stop for fun, food

Some of the best leaf-peeping drives exist north of Albany and into Vermont. But there’s more than just beautiful scenery to enjoy along the way.

Whether you’re traveling with kids and looking for family-friendly stops, want to take in beautiful artwork or simply explore the history of upstate New York and Vermont, here are a few stops between Saratoga Springs, New York, and Burlington, Vermont, worth checking out. Best of all, most of these stops can be enjoyed year-round!

Saratoga Springs

For the kids: Children’s Museum at Saratoga

The Children’s Museum at Saratoga is a place where kids can experience a world that’s just their size. Kids can put on a lab coat and safety goggles and explore the world of science. Or visit Lillian Andrew’s attic, filled with souvenirs, postcards, antiques and more. A highlight of the museum is the fire truck and fire house, where kids can put on a real firefighter coat, jump on the fire truck and save the day! Note: The museum is closed for renovations but will reopen in November.

Address: 69 Caroline St., Saratoga Springs
Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; noon to 4:30 p.m. Sunday; closed Mondays and most major holidays
Admission: $8 per person, children under 1 are free
More information:cmssny.org or call (518) 584-5540

For the adults: NYS Military Museum

The NYS Military Museum houses more than 10,000 artifacts that date from the Revolutionary War to Desert Storm relating to New York’s military forces and the state’s military history. The museum also owns the largest collection of state battle flags in the country, and the largest collection of Civil War flags in the world. Additionally, the Veterans Research Center includes a 2,000 volume library of military and New York state history, more than 6,000 photographs, scrapbooks, letters, maps and more.

Address: 61 Lake Ave,, Saratoga Springs
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday; appointments are required to access the Research Center 
Admission: Free admission
More information:https://dmna.ny.gov/historic/mil-hist.htm or call (518) 581-5100

Where to eat: PJ’s Bar-B-QSA

This restaurant in Saratoga Springs is considered to be one of the best barbecue joints in the Northeast. They offer regional styles of barbecue, from Texas beef brisket (smoked for 13 hours over mesquite wood), Virginia smoked sausage, Memphis or Kansas City ribs, North Carolina pulled pork and a Pacific Northwest smoked salmon. There’s a selection of burgers and hot dogs, plus all the traditional barbecue sides you could want, including fried okra, hush puppies, macaroni salad, barbecue beans and more.

Where: 1 Kaydeross Ave. West, Saratoga Springs
Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday through Saturday
More Information:pjsbarbqsa.com or call (518) 583-2445

Lake George/Glens Falls

For the adults: The Hyde Collection Art Museum & Historic House

The Hyde Collection may be a little off the beaten path in this part of upstate New York, but it's worth the drive for its impressive collection of art, including works by Botticelli, El Greco, Raphael, Rembrandt, Rubens, Degas, Picasso, Renoir, van Gogh and more. Works by American artists including Winslow Homer, Ryder and Whistler are part of the collection as well. The museum is housed in the Hyde House, which is open to visitors as well.

Address: 161 Warren St., Glens Falls
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sundays; closed Mondays and most national holidays 
Admission: $15; $13 for seniors 60+; free admission for children 12 and under, students with ID, active military and family.
More information:hydecollection.org or call (518) 792-1761

For the kids: The World Awareness Children’s Museum

The World Awareness Children’s Museum is an interactive, hands-on children’s museum with a mission of inspiring curiosity and understanding of worldwide cultural diversity. Hands-on exhibits include the One World Gallery, where kids explore a large world globe with projected images of the international youth art collection. The Nigerian Marketplace produce, textiles, and bead stringing along with traditional clothing that kids can wear. Children will wear a kimono, remove their shoes and explore the Japanese Tea House to learn about Japanese traditions.

Address: 89 Warren St., Glens Falls
Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday through Wednesday
Admission: $5 for adults and children ages 3 and older; free for children under 3; military discount available
More information:worldchildrensmuseum.org

Where to eat: Log Jam Restaurant

The Log Jam Restaurant offers up ‘casual Adirondack dining’ in an authentic log cabin. Three massive stone fireplaces provide light and warmth during the colder months, and the wood plank floors and log walls give the room a cozy, rustic feel. The menu offers a wide variety of options, including Maple Bourbon Pork (boneless pork loin chops, seasoned and char-broiled, topped with maple bourbon glazed Granny Smith apples, and served with extra-sharp cheddar cheese). Or try the Maple Dijon Salmon (salmon brushed with maple syrup and a creamy dijon mustard, then baked with an apple pecan crust). Tip: Reservations are highly recommended.

Address: 1484 State Route 9, Lake George
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily for lunch; 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. for dinner (until 8:30 p.m. on Sundays) 
More information:logjamrestaurant.com or call (518) 798-1155

Middlebury/Shelburne, Vt.

For the adults: Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History

The Sheldon Museum is the oldest community-based museum in the country. Since 1882, the museum has offered tours, exhibits and programs that are focused on Vermont’s history. It houses a permanent collection of 19th and 20th century Vermont furniture, paintings, and household objects. The Walter Cerf Gallery, built in 1991, features both historically-themed exhibits and artwork by contemporary Vermont artists.

Address: One Park St., Middlebury, Vt.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday 
Admission: $5 for adults; $3 for children 6-18; free for children under 6; $4.50 for seniors, $12 for family admission 
More information:  henrysheldonmuseum.org or call (802) 388-2117

For the kids: Daily Chocolate

The Daily Chocolate opened in 2006 and features small-batch chocolates, hand-cut and dipped. Owners Jen Roberts and Judd Markowski use organic and local products when possible. Some of the more popular flavors include the Black Rum Caramels, Peppermint Patties, and Lemon Lavender Chocolate Bark. And, best of all, just in case you can’t make it up to Vermont to visit them, you can order their chocolates online.

Address: 7 Green St., Vergennes, Vt.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday 
More information:dailychocolate.net or call (802) 877-0087

Where to eat: Rosie’s Restaurant and Coffee Shop

Rosie’s has been serving homestyle meals in Middlebury, Vermont for more than 30 years. Several staff members have been there for more than 20 years. The restaurant offers family favorites, including meatloaf, homemade soups, prime rib. pulled pork and more. Their breakfast menu features hotcakes, served with creamery butter and Vermont maple syrup, sausage gravy and biscuits, french toast, omelets and more.

Address: Route 7 South, Middlebury, Vermont
Hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
More information:rosiesrestaurantvt.com or call (802) 388-7052

Burlington, Vt.

For the adults: Shelburne Museum

The Shelburne Museum encompasses 39 historic buildings over 45 acres of land. The buildings were relocated to the museum grounds by founder Electra Havemeyer Webb. They include houses, barns, a one-room schoolhouse, a lighthouse, general store, covered bridge, and the 220-foot steamboat Ticonderoga. The exhibitions rotate throughout the year, and have features everything from a collection of vintage circus posters to kinetic sculpture and the work of American artist Anna Mary Robertson “Grandma” Moses. (Note: Grandma Moses: American Modern is on display until Oct. 30.)

Address: 6000 Shelburne Road, Shelburne, Vt.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, May 1 - December 31; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, January 1 - April 30
Admission: May 1 through Oct. 31: $24 adults; $22 seniors/AAA members; $14 for children 13-17; $12 for children 5-12; Active military and children under 5 are free. From Nov. 1 - April 30, prices change. $10 for adults; $5 for children 5-17; children under 5 are free. 
More information:shelburnemuseum.org or call (802) 985-3346

For the kids: ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center

The ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center offers educational exhibits and programs focusing on the animal life in the Champlain Basin. More than 70 species of animals live in the LEED-certified building. You’ll find several species of turtles on display, along with poison dart frogs, sea stars, lake sturgeons, newts, snakes and more. The NSB Theater offerings films by National Geographic several times per day. And special exhibits allow for hands-on learning with kids of all ages.

Address: 1 College St., Burlington, Vermont
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m daily (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) 
Admission: $14.50 for adults; $12.50 for seniors and students; $11.50 for children 3-17; children 2 and under are free 
More information:echovermont.org or call (802) 864-1848

Where to eat: Farmhouse Tap and Grill

The Farmhouse Tap & grill is a farm-to-table gastropub in Burlington. The menu focuses on Vermont grown, raised, and produced ingredients. Items like Vermont Cheddar Ale Soup, or Pitchfork Farm Beets are paired with entrees including the Fried Adams Farm Chicken (with butternut squash and kale chow chow, and an apple BBQ sauce). The burgers feature locally raised angus beef, free-range turkey, and even a vegetarian black bean burger made with beans grown in Vermont. An excellent selection of Vermont craft beers rounds out the menu.

Address: 160 Bank St., Burlington, Vermont
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 12 a.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Saturday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday
More information: farmhousetg.com or call (802) 859-0888