It’s not always easy to find a fun day trip or overnight getaway during the winter and early spring months; especially if you don’t ski. If you haven’t traveled upstate to Howe Caverns yet, about 40 miles west of Albany, now’s the time to plan a road trip. Howe Caverns, the largest show cave in the Northeast, is open on weekends year round, and on weekdays during some schools’ winter breaks.
Howe Caverns’ main attraction is its living limestone cave –156 feet below the earth’s surface – carved by an underground river over the course of millions of years. Discovered by farmer Lester Howe in 1842, Howe Caverns is the second most-visited natural attraction in New York State, second only to Niagara Falls. Guided tours have been offered for 86 years, and just last year, new specialty tours were added.
Underground Exploration
After buying tickets above ground, you’ll take the short elevator ride 15 stories down into thecave. The pathways are paved and well-lit, and it’s a constant 52 degrees Fahrenheit every day. You’ll walk through massive boulders and flowstone formations, but you’re asked not to touch them because the oils in your skin may stop their growth. There are two pieces on display, called the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Praying Hands, that curious kids can touch to feel the smooth, glossy calcite.
Your guide will tell you how to remember the difference between stalactites and stalagmites. Stalactites, with the letter “t,” grow “tight” to the ceiling. Stalagmites, with a “g,” “grow” up from the “ground.” You’ll also learn how different minerals such as iron, manganese and copper change the calcite’s color.
While the entire 90-minute experience was great, there were two highlights my family really enjoyed. The first was walking through the Winding Way, a narrow, 18-inch-wide limestone corridor that you have to navigate single-file for 300 feet. My 7-year-old likened it to a “super-secret passageway.”
The second was the quarter-mile boat ride – underground – on the shallow River Venus. The ride ends at the cave’s eastern terminus, where you can hear a waterfall off into the dark abyss. They turn off the lights for a moment and let you experience total darkness. Your eyes can’t even adjust to the light, because there is none.
If your kids are more adventurous (and are ages 5 or older), there’s a two-hour Family Flashlight Tour on Sundays. With just flashlights and head lamps, you’ll explore the cave in the dark, just like Lester Howe did. The new, two-and-a-half hour Signature Rock Discovery Tour, for ages 14-plus, brings visitors into a section that’s been off limits for more than a century.
Above-Ground Attractions
Located in a new 6,000-square foot building across the parking lot, the HC Mining Company offers additional activities to round out your visit. There is both an indoor and outdoor gemstone mining water sluice, where you can wash your pre-purchased bag of mining “rough” to discover hidden gemstones, minerals, fossils, arrowheads, or shark’s teeth. Inside the Rock & Fossil shop, you can make jewelry from the gems you find.
While the cave tour and HC Mining Company are open year-round, there are additional outdoor attractions open between Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. The Howe High Adventure area includes a four-tower, 900-foot long zip line; the Sky Trail ropes course; a 26-foot rock climbing wall; and the Air Jumper inflated jumping pad. Adults can also climb inside the 12-foot inflatable H2OGO balls, which are then partially filled with water and rolled 1,100 feet down a hill.
Regardless of the fact that there are few restaurants nearby, you should still try the on-site café for lunch or a snack. The menu features homemade entrees such as mac n’ cheese and meatloaf and there’s also a Sweet Shop with homemade fudge in several delicious flavors, such as peanut butter and pumpkin.
Traci L. Suppa is a frequent contributor to Westchester Family and blogs about her family’s travels at GoBIGorGoHomeBlog.com.
