Welcome to Fort Drum! Home of the 10th Mountain Division, and also known as South Canada, the North Country, the Arctic, etc. Contrary to popular belief, there are no actual mountains here… unless you count the 12-foot-tall mountains of snow in the commissary parking lot at the end of January. During the winter, it can be hard to get out and meet people (literally, because you’re snowed in), but in the summer, you can’t keep people inside! In the two years we’ve lived here, we’ve managed to check quite a few items off our Base Bucket List, so here are some of our top things to do around Fort Drum.
On Fort Drum
Many people don’t know this, but there is a whole system of walking trails around the base! Most aren’t paved, but my stroller handles it fine, unless it’s just rained. In the winter, they groom some of them for snowshoeing.
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, Remington Park on base has a pond with catch and release fishing and a beach area, volleyball courts and horseshoes, playgrounds, and plenty of outdoor spaces for picnics, barbeque, or just hanging out. It’s the perfect place for a lazy Summer Saturday, or your unit’s “Mandatory Fun Day”.
There are playgrounds. Everywhere. I think every house on post has a playground within easy walking distance. Our favorite one is by the library, just up the road from our on-post coffee shop, Sip of Glory, and Mountain Peak Ice Cream.
The neighborhoods offer their own seasonal fun available to everyone on post! In Crescent Woods, there is a skating rink, and Monument Ridge has a sledding hill. Rhicard Hills has a summer splash pad, and all of the community centers have indoor playgrounds for when the weather isn’t great, but the kids still need to be kids.
Within 1 Hour of Fort Drum
Martin’s Greenhouse
They sell t-shirts that say “the best thing about Fort Drum” on the back, and I wear mine proudly. Chances are, if you’ve lived at Fort Drum in the last 10 years, you’ve heard of Martin’s. They’re a greenhouse, but they don’t just sell plants. Depending on the time of year, there’s fresh produce, pick-your-own flowers, local meat, bread, and eggs! And there’s always décor and plants. They also have seasonal craft markets and the cutest fall photo ops. I go at least once every two weeks, and even my 2-year-old gets pumped about Martin’s.
Weekly Farmer’s Markets in the Summer
My favorite local farmer’s market is the Wednesday Farm and Craft Market in Watertown, which runs from May to October. It’s in front of the local library, and there’s a children’s story time at the beginning inside the library. I love getting fresh fruit and veggies for the week, and usually can’t resist fresh flowers for the kitchen table.
Uncle Sam’s Boat Tours is based out of Alexandria Bay, and the perfect way to truly experience the Thousand Islands region. We’ve done the 2 Nation Tour twice, which takes you on a 22-mile journey through the international waters of the St. Lawrence River between the United States and Canada! (no passport required). All of their boat tours also offer the opportunity to disembark at Heart Island to tour the iconic Boldt Castle. If you’re a Downton Abbey fan, this is a must!
The Black River Trail is our favorite walking trail. It’s right off base and goes all the way to Watertown, following the Black River. It’s totally paved, and beautiful any time of year, though I think fall is the prettiest.
Experience animals, agriculture, and the joy of the country at Old McDonald’s Farm, where you can feed cows, play with goats, and watch their daily pig race. Admission includes a visit with over 200 farm animals, an optional hayride through their “Scenic Storybook”, a sunflower patch in the summer, and a corn maze and pumpkin patch in the fall!
Sackets Harbor is a picturesque little town on the shores of Lake Ontario. During the War of 1812, it was home to a pivotal battle (you may recognize it from the story of American Girl Doll Caroline!), and you can tour the battlefield and grounds overlooking the lake. Sackets Harbor also has some amazing restaurants, an ice cream shop, and lots of cute shops along Main Street.
State Parks
Guys, there are SO MANY state parks in New York, it’s wonderful. Some of our favorite state park excursions have included hiking the Snakefoot Trail at Robert G. Wehle State Park and taking maternity photos at Southwick Beach. Bonus: if you get a library card with the North Country Library System, you can borrow an Empire State Pass (for free admission into the state parks) for 3 days from the Flower Memorial Library in Watertown!
Located in the middle of the St. Lawrence River, Wellesley Island is accessible by bridge from both the United States and Canada. Wellesley Island is home to Wellesley Island State Park and the Minna Anthony Common Nature Center, as well as lots of hiking trails and beautiful views! It is on the American side, so no passport required, but if you want to continue on into Canada, the 1000 Islands Tower is just over the border, and has unbeatable 360-degree views of the Thousand Islands.
Nothing says summer like Berry Picking, and our favorite spots for pick-your-own produce are Appledale Orchards in Mexico, New York, and Tug Hill Estates in Lowville.
Open only during the fall, Burrville Cider Mill has the best apple cider I’ve ever had, as well as fresh apple cider donuts! I always do some Christmas shopping here for special local foods to gift to family back home. And if you step around back, there’s a waterfall right behind the cider mill, the perfect background for a fall photo with an apple cider slushie and a donut. They’re also open for a weekend in the spring to celebrate maple days, and you can see how maple syrup is made at their sugar shack!
We love festivals in the North Country. From June to August, I think there is a local festival of some sort almost every single weekend. From Balloons in the Islands and the Hopenhagen Farms Lavender Festival in the summer, to Punkin Chunkin in October, and Maple Days in March, there’s no shortage of unique weekend activities.
The area around Fort Drum is prime dairy country, and the ice cream is perfection. During the summer, you’ll find local ice cream shops everywhere, but our favorite is Cowlick.
1-4 Hours Away From Fort Drum
If you’re willing to drive, there’s no shortage of incredible things to see and do in the surrounding areas. I’ve broken down our favorites (so far!) by type of activity!
Outdoors
I had no idea New York State had so many waterfalls, but I’m HERE for it. Niagara Falls is obviously the most popular (I made it my goal to see the falls in all 4 seasons, so we’ve been here 4 times!), but Salmon River Falls, Chittenango Falls, and Taughannock Falls have been our favorites. If you’re up for a moderate hike, the Gorge Trail at Watkins Glen State Park is 2.3 miles one way and features 19 waterfalls! Waterfalls are also the main attraction at “the Grand Canyon of the East”, Letchworth State Park.
If you’d rather venture east into the Adirondack Mountain Park, don’t miss The Wild Center at Tupper Lake, which has indoor and outdoor fun for the whole family. Also near Tupper Lake, if you’re looking for a more strenuous hike, Mount Arab is well worth it. We visited in the fall and climbed the fire tower at the summit. The views were fantastic.
History
The Fort Ontario State Historic Site has a storied past, having played a role in the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, and both World Wars, before becoming a shelter for victims of the Nazi Holocaust from 1944-46!
If you are a fan of Little House on the Prairie, the Almanzo Wilder Homestead is only 2 ½ hours away, and you can tour the original home where Laura Ingalls Wilder’s husband grew up.
The Battle of Fort Ticonderoga was a pivotal battle in the Revolutionary War, and it has been well preserved as a historical attraction. We were very impressed by the private collections on display here, including an epaulet that was on the uniform of Alexander Hamilton, and an original copy of the Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States, also known as the “Blue Book”, by Baron Von Steuben.
Museums/Attractions
The Winter Olympics were held twice in Lake Placid, in 1932 and 1980, and the Olympic Museum at Lake Placid has the second-largest collection of Winter Olympics memorabilia in North America. You can also try your hand at a few winter Olympic sports, with a skate on the Olympic speed skating rink or the ice rink that witnessed the famous Miracle On Ice during the 1980 Olympics, or try skiing at nearby Whiteface Mountain! During the month of February, Saranac Lake, also in the Adirondacks, holds its annual Winter Carnival, featuring a themed ice castle, built with ice blocks from Saranac Lake!
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse is only an hour and a half away, and is free for Military members and their families!
National Park System Sites
Fort Stanwix National Monument is a star fort that was significant during the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War. The Harriet Tubman National Historical Park is located in Auburn, and you can tour her home, as well as a small museum. And don’t miss Saratoga National Historical Park, the battlefield which witnessed the first surrender of the British Army, a monument dedicated to the men who fought there, and the country home of General Philip Schuyler (you may have heard of his son-in-law, Alexander Hamilton).
Weekend or 4-Day Trips
We like to take full advantage of as many 4-day weekends as possible, and Fort Drum offers no shortage of weekend trip opportunities! Boston and Philadelphia are less than 6 hours away, and if you have a full week, Cape Cod isn’t much further at 7 hours! A little closer at only 3 hours is Albany, which boasts gorgeous museums, historical sites, and architecture. And there’s always the obvious destination: New York City!
Our time at Fort Drum isn’t over yet, and we still have more places on our Base Bucket List (have you built yours yet?) that we’re excited to visit! Some of the places still on our list include Singer Castle, Pixley Falls, the Children’s Museum of Oswego, Oriskany Battlefield, The Wild Animal Park, Chimney Bluffs State Park, Fillmore Glen State Park, High Falls Gorge, and the Empire State Aerosciences Museum.
I won’t sugarcoat it; the winters here are harsh. But they’re also strikingly beautiful in their own way. And if winter isn’t your thing, the spring, summer, and fall here more than make up for it. No matter what time of year it is, there are always lots of things to do at Fort Drum, as long as you’re willing to look for them!
