10 Towns in New York With the Best Downtown Areas in 2024
New York State, known by most as the Empire State or home state of the “Big Apple,” has a population of around twenty million people. A good majority of them live within the larger boroughs and cities like Manhattan and Buffalo. Scattered between, with anywhere from less than a thousand to just over twenty thousand residents, a plethora of small towns live and thrive. This is sometimes seen through growth within their downtown areas, like the historic district in downtown Skaneateles and the artistic district in downtown Cold Spring. From Cooperstown to Seneca Falls, these ten small towns in New York have the best downtown areas.
Geneva
Located around halfway between the larger cities of Rochester and Syracuse, the town of Geneva, with just over twelve thousand residents, is a happy oasis when it comes to having a happening, thriving downtown. From Beef & Brew to Water St. Cafe and from the Elephant to the Rusty Pig, there is a dining experience for everyone in downtown Geneva. Plus, along with possessing an intriguing, inspiring historical background, founded in the year 1883 and showcased through local museums, downtown Geneva presents several festivals and events all year long, including the Geneva Jazz Festival held in April, the Glorious Garlic Festival taking place in August, and the Geneva Music Festival held every June.
Cooperstown
Known best for being home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Glimmerglass State Park, the quaint village of Cooperstown is a stroll back through the annals of time. Situated at the southern edge of Otsego Lake, this pastoral town of around two thousand residents has a thriving downtown area, aptly named Main Street, with Schneider’s Bakery to one side and the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum bordering the other. In between these two locations, several other shops and diners welcome visitors daily, like Seventh Inning Stretch, a hobby shop honoring baseball, and Doubleday Cafe, serving a tasty reuben w/fries. There is also the Saturday Market, located downtown as well, supplying fresh produce to locals and visitors alike.
Woodstock
The town of Woodstock, made famous through its association with a music festival held in nearby Bethel in 1969 by the same name, has a phenomenal downtown area. Known by the locals as Tinker Street, downtown Woodstock is a haven of sheer extravagance wrapped up in a quaint, hometown package, especially to those who love shopping. There are several fabulous mom-and-pop shops like Candlestock, perfect for picking up a unique gift, and mouth-watering eateries like Oriole 9, great for a tasty breakfast or brunch. Woodstock is also home to a variety of events and festivals, being known for its artistic integrity, including the 39th installment of the original Woodstock Festival and the Woodstock Farm Festival, which showcases fresh produce available in the area.
Rhinebeck
Across the Hudson River from the towns of Kingston and Hurley, Rhinebeck has one of those iconic downtown areas first established through the intersection of two different streets. Many amenities can be experienced by visitors for the first time in the proximity of these two particular roads, Market Street and Route 9. From Smoky Rock BBQ and the Gables of Rhinebeck south of downtown and Terrapin Restaurant to the north, there are a plethora of different shops and eateries in downtown Rhinebeck that are well worth visiting. Plus, events like the Sheep and Wool Festival, held in the middle of October, and the Dutchess County Fair, bring in a lot of visitors every year.
Port Jefferson
From scenic views along Harborfront Park, to the mom-and-pop shops, stores, and restaurants, including a Thomas Kinkade Signature Gallery, the Fifth Season, offering a delicious dining experience, to McAllister Park and its views along Pirate’s Cove, the downtown area of Port Jefferson is a wonder to behold. There are several annual events and festivals held in and around downtown Port Jefferson, as well, like the Charles Dickens Festival, held every December, and the Dragon Boat Race Festival in September. A vast variety of museums and historical buildings are also located in downtown Port Jefferson, including the Mather House Museum on Prospect Street, shedding a light on the history of Long Island and the shipbuilding industry.
Skaneateles
The town of Skaneateles, located at the head of Skaneateles Lake and a short distance from the city of Syracuse, has a thriving downtown area. Delicious restaurants and comfy lodging, including Doug’s Fish Fry and the Sherwood Inn, provide that connection with the downtown area in general while festivals like the Skaneateles Festival, featuring some of the best music around, and the Curbstone Festival, a day-long shopping spree held on the sidewalks of downtown Skaneateles, provide a close association with the locals that cannot be experienced anywhere else. The Fall Fest and Witches Walk, both held in the fall, also take place in downtown Skaneateles, bringing with them a touch of hometown ambiance.
Saranac Lake
Perhaps known best for the Robert Louis Stevenson Memorial Cottage and the Ice Palace, the town of Saranac Lake, with a population of around five thousand people, has a thriving downtown area. Known under the common title of Main Street, downtown Saranac Lake is home to a plethora of mom-and-pop shops, diners, restaurants, and other local establishments, like Pendragon Theater, Red Fox Restaurant, and Left Bank Cafe. There are also several events and festivals at various times of the year in and around downtown Saranac Lake, including the Winter Carnival, which includes curling and sledding competitions, and Music On the Green, a free weekly concert held in Riverside Park every Wednesday.
Cold Spring
The town of Cold Spring, New York, is perhaps best known for Bannerman Castle. Yet this quaint, picturesque town, possessing a downtown area that includes the iconic Cold Spring Antiques Vault on the corner of Main and Rock streets, and the Hudson House, which is in close proximity to the Hudson River at the end of Main Street, is also home to a variety of other unique shops, eateries, and events that bring visitors back to downtown Cold Spring every year. Cathryn’s Tuscan Grill and Cold Spring Depot serve up some great dishes while the Breakneck Ridge Loop, the Open Concept Gallery, and Once Upon a Time Antiques offer a different perspective on the aspects of life.
Tarrytown
Almost forty minutes south of and on the same side of the Hudson as the town of Cold Spring, Tarrytown seems to possess a different type of downtown, though it in itself is equally as thriving. Home of the Lyndhurst Estate and Washington Irving’s Sunnyside, both displaying a stunning blend of the historical, natural, and cultural through their extravagant homes and gardens, Tarrytown offers visitors and residents alike the opportunity to explore restaurants that offer one of a kind dining experience, like Sweet Grass Grill and Horsefeathers, located on Main and Broadway respectively, and establishments including the Tarrytown Music Hall, which has been listed on the Registry of Historic Places.
Seneca Falls
With the Seneca River flowing through downtown Seneca Falls, this New York river town of nine thousand permanent residents is a haven for a variety of outdoor activities and attributes. Seneca Falls is also home to several thriving establishments in the downtown area as well. From locally-owned shops and restaurants, like 84 Fall and Lyn’s Kitchen, to events and festivals, like the “It’s A Wonderful Life” Museum Fest in mid-September and the Seneca Falls Canal Fest in June, there is something for everyone in downtown Seneca Falls. And, if there is time, remember to check out the “It’s A Wonderful Life” bridge, made famous through its use in the iconic film.
They say a town is known best through its downtown area. Whether it is due to the delicious dining and comfortable lodging choices, the many different types of events and festivals held there each year, or the quaint, mom-and-pop stores aligning both sides of iconic “Main Street,” there has to be a hometown ambiance present. Though there are numerous other towns across the state of New York, this was ten of them with the best downtown areas.
