The Enchanted Mountains Region is a great place to vacation, visit and live.  There are plenty of vacation "hot spots" to enjoy.

Three Relaxing Days in Western New York

Geographic Area: Chautauqua-Allegheny Region

Alfred, Wellsville, Allegany, Olean, Salamanca, Jamestown, Chautauqua

Recommended Season: Spring, Summer and Fall

Day One

Begin your day at The Schein-Joseph International Museum of Ceramic Art located on the campus of Alfred University (ceramicsmuseum.alfred.edu; 607/871-2421). This museum houses nearly 8,000 ceramic and glass objects, ranging from small pottery shards recovered from ancient civilizations to contemporary sculpture and installation pieces, to advanced ceramics reflecting the cutting edge of ceramic technology. The museum celebrates American ceramics within the broader context of worldwide ceramic creativity and history- a history representing thousands of years. From this site, continue your tour of Alfred with a visit to the Terra Cotta Museum (607/587-4313). Here you will find artifacts depicting the history of terra cotta and its use in modern ceramics.

Traveling southwest to Wellsville, you'll find a village nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains with the Genesee River running through it and early 20th Century charm sprinkled throughout its downtown district. At lunch, enjoy fine Italian dining in an urban atmosphere at l'Italia (585/593-2223). After lunch, you can uncover the hidden treasures of downtown Wellsville where you will find antiques, pottery, glassware, china, and gift shops.

Driving west you will come to Bolivar and the Pioneer Oil Museum (585/928-1433). This museum houses numerous artifacts, oddities, and signs of the time while preserving the history of Southwestern New York's oil regions. Sidle up to one of the oil field guides and let them regale you with tales of the region's storied past!

Drive west to Sprague's Maple Farms (SpraguesMapleFarms.com; 716/933-6637) in the town of Portville, a 13,000 square foot Maple Center which houses the year-round Pancake House and Restaurant, the manufacturing facility, bottling works, and the worldwide distribution center for their maple products. Tour the facilities to see the entire maple syrup process from start to finish, including the old-fashioned "sugar shack" where you can see the sap boiling.

Overnight will be at the Country Inn & Suites by Carlson (CountryInns.com/oleanny; 800/456-4000) in Allegany.

Day Two

Tour the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts (SBU.edu/go/arts-center/index.htm; 716/375-2494) at Saint Bonaventure University in Allegany. This modern facility contains galleries and museums with some original Old Masters on display; and the Garret Theatre, which provides performing arts throughout the year. From this site you can drive to Olean to visit the Cutco/Ka-Bar Visitors' Center (716/790-7000). Discover the origins of the Ka-Bar brand name: a testimonial letter from a grateful fur trapper who used his Ka-Bar knife to "kill-a-b'ar". Travel south to Rock City Park (716/372-7790)- sometimes called the 8th wonder of the world- where you'll find an astonishing landscape marked by bridges, crevices, and towering, house-sized rock formations fashioned by nature. Whilst atop these geological marvels, you can see for miles. When you've seen enough, take lunch at Ho-Sta-Geh Restaurant (716/372-0123). Perched on top of Rock City hill, Ho-Sta-Geh provides excellent views of the Allegheny River Valley while you dine.

Travel west to Salamanca, where you can visit the Salamanca Rail Museum (716/945-3133). You'll travel back in time as you step into the original depot, beautifully restored and stocked with railroad antiques and rare photos. Guides are available to retell the history of the railways and how the railroads helped create the city of Salamanca. Next, travel down the road to discover the history and culture of the Seneca Nation of Indians at the Seneca-Iroquois Nation Museum (SenecaMuseum.org; 716/945-1738). Here you will see a reconstructed longhouse and a collection of artifacts from centuries of Indian heritage. Learn about Seneca culture and see the actual treaties that granted the Seneca Nation its sovereignty. Dinner will be at the Thunder Mountain Buffet at the Seneca Allegany Casino (SenecaAlleganyCasino.com; 877/553-9500). Overnight stay will be at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, Salamanca (hiexpress.com; 716/945-7600).

Day Three:

Journey to Jamestown for a stop at the Lucille Ball/Desi Arnaz Center (lucy-desi.com; 716/484-0800). You will laugh with Lucy and Desi as you remember America's number one female comedian. Enjoy the videos, interactive displays, and an extensive gift shop that offers everything "Lucy." Celebrate the history of Jamestown with a guided tour of the Fenton History Center (716/664-6256), former home of NYS Governor (1865-1869) Reuben E. Fenton. Period rooms, topical exhibits, and special seasonal displays offer visitors a look at the area's pioneer history and development. The Fenton Center's gift shop provides a wide array of history-based items and books.

In the summertime, climb aboard the Summer Wind (thesummerwind.com; 716/763-7447) for a relaxing cruise on Lake Chautauqua. Enjoy the sunshine and soft breezes of the upper deck or the climate-controlled comfort of the interior salon. The exquisite dining provided by Vullo's Restaurant (716/487-9568) is a fine accompaniment to the two-hour, narrated trip along the lake.

After your lunch on the Summer Wind, travel northwest to the Chautauqua Institution (ciweb.org; 800/836-2787), a place where music, dance, opera, theater, and the visual arts find their own forms of expression in a beautiful lakeside setting. The Institution sits comfortably apart from the day-to-day world, where every day brings a new concert, a new lecture or performance- but always a new experience. The quaint streets are lined with Victorian cottages, vacation homes, inns, hotels, gardens, and parks.

For more information, please contact the Enchanted Mountains offices.