Of all the roads you take in life, make sure a few of them are in Sharon Springs
Most of you have heard our story before. You know we stumbled into Sharon Springs while on a weekend getaway from NYC. It changed our lives. And if you’re thinking that it might be able to do the same for you, we wanted to share a few highlights of our village.
Sharon Springs sits in the Northwest corner of Schoharie County – 600 square miles of rolling hills and meandering streams. It’s probably one of the most overlooked counties in the state. We’re kinda glad for that. But we kinda like to show it off too. So here’s a list of some of the best sights and sounds Sharon Springs and Schoharie County have to offer.
The first stop is the village time nearly forgot: Sharon Springs, a spa town that once drew 10,000 people a year to its mineral springs in the 1800s, is back on the map after falling into disrepair.
SHARON SPRINGS
1. Brunch at the American Hotel
If you enjoy a Sunday drive with a delicious destination, then be sure to book a brunch reservation at the American Hotel. Our go-to spot for a date night in town (yes, we have a favorite table, too), the 3 ½ story Greek Revival, front porch lined with rocking chairs begging you to take a seat, proudly stands in its restored glory on Main Street in the heart of downtown Sharon Springs. The hotel, whose original floorboards were first laid in 1842, is not only the magical result of a five year historic preservation project, thanks to vigilent proprietors and Beekman Neighbors Doug and Garth, but also listed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks and home to the coziest restaurant with the tastiest menu.
They focus on two things at the American Hotel: hospitality, and a fabulous place to enjoy a locally grown meal. The award-winning restaurant offers a variety of delicious menus to complement your round-the-clock cravings, and you should most definitely schedule a dinner on your culinary calendar, but if you really want to get your leek on fleek, their brunch menu is egg-cellent and totally worth the drive.
2. Curried Chicken Salad at the Black Cat Cafe
If the American Hotel is the granddaddy of menu offerings in town, then the little cafe across the street is the cat’s meow. The Black Cat Cafe offers up a scrumptious breakfast and lunch menu seven days a week. It’s the perfect pitstop for a quick bite; their homemade soups and sandwiches really hit the spot, but you’ll want to stay much longer so be sure to save room for a delicious treat and afternoon tea. It’s charming interior’s perimeter is lined with vintage, enamel top tables, an assortment of mixed-matched chairs, a drool-worthy bakery case, and the world’s best curried chicken salad. You think we’re joking, but this flavorful concoction of chicken, walnuts, scallions, raisins, mayo, celery, chutney on homemade raisin bread is an explosion of tastes and textures simply unmatched on menus throughout the area. Often imitated, but never duplicated, one taste, and the cat will surely have your tongue.
3. Visit to the Beekman 1802 Mercantile
A trip to Sharon Springs isn’t complete without a stop at the Beekman 1802 Mercantile. Home to all things Beekman, immerse yourself into sensory overload: the sights, sounds, scents, and flavors straight from the farm and our devoted artisan partners. We’re so proud that the Mercantile is a place where the farm extends beyond its fences and comes to life in the heart of downtown Sharon Springs, greeting our neighbors from near and far. Exploring downtown Sharon Springs by foot will put a pep in your step and you can see for yourself why we fell in love with this tiny village and milked our visit.
4. Visit to Beekman 1802 Farm
Why end your Beekman experience at the Mercantile? Unfortunately, we can’t open up the farm to visitors as often as we’d like, but Beekman 1802 Farm is open for tours during village festivals and a handful of super select dates throughout the year when being on the Farm has its perks. (Think: baby goats!) If you make it to the Farm, and we really hope you do, you’ll come face to face with the familiar cast of characters and countryside landscapes you’ve come to know over the years. Feeling chatty? Have a heart-to-heart with Farmer John. Got baby fever? Practice your baby talk on the baby goats to your heart’s content. Tease your green thumb by strolling through the towering flower beds and hearty heirloom vegetable gardens (150 varieties of vegetables in 53 raised beds, but who’s counting?). With a little exploring you’ll find the perfect midday pit stop and cool down in the Beekman Family Crypt. (Don’t be scared – there’s no cryptkeeper, and it’s more cool than it is creepy).
While it’s never a bad day to visit Beekman 1802 Farm, here’s an insider tip for weary travelers: the Beekman Summer Tours are the only tours where we are physically at the farm to greet our Neighbors! Usually when the farm’s open we’re holding down the fort at the Mercantile on Main Street meeting folks, signing books, and taking photos, so if you want to see us in action on the farm, consider planning a jaunt to Sharon Springs in July or August. In addition to the announced Beekman 1802 Farm Tours on the website, keep your eyes peeled for some fun, new farm adventures popping up on the calendar this year!
5. Celebrate at the Garden Party & Harvest Festival
Speaking of village festivals, while there’s always a little sparkle on the streets of Sharon Springs, they really come to life during two very crucial weekends of the year: once in the Spring during our annual Garden Party, when April showers have given way to May flowers, and Beekman Farm is in full bloom. If May flowers aren’t your thing, then the Harvest Festival may be right up your alley, when the bounty is ripe and the foliage is on fire. No matter the season, the Sharon Springs street festivals will surely complement your calendar cravings. And since it’s always a good time to shop for someone special, with a myriad of vendors as far as the eye can see posting up all over town, our Beekman-backed Main Street festivals are the perfect one-stop-spot to find some handmade goodies to gift to your Neighbors.
6. Shopping at Cobbler & Co.
No matter what your shopping passion, chances are you’ll find it in Schoharie County. Right in downtown historic Sharon Springs, Cobbler & Co. is an eclectic gift shop featuring twelve themed rooms filled with unique, whimsical, and hard to find items perfect for any occasion. Every nook and cranny holds a surprise, so be sure to keep your eyes wide open as you navigate from room to room. Even if you don’t have any shopping to do, it’s absolutely worth a peek inside this little house with rooms filled with goodies!
7. Tea at the Roseboro Hotel
Once an elegant Victorian-era resort like many others that once proudly lined Main Street in downtown Sharon Springs, beckoning vacationers from New York City to this tidy village off U.S. Route 20, the Roseboro Hotel is finally experiencing its own revival. Although its well-preserved first floor used to be home to the Beekman 1802 Mercantile before we moved up the street, the rest of the enormous hotel had fallen into rack and ruin years before. That is until, Ron, an investor from Silicon Valley, packed his bags and moved to Sharon Springs with ambitious plans to restore the Roseboro and once again make it a vital part of the fabric of the village on the western edge of Schoharie County.
The Roseboro was once famous for its high teas and tea dances, and the first establishment to take residence is Miss Lodema’s Tea Room, brewing up an experience to literally give guests a taste of what life was like during the hotel’s heyday. Another unique element to Miss Lodema’s Tea Room is that the guests will likely be seated at tables with people they don’t know as an effort to encourage friendship because according to the proprietor, that’s what Sharon Springs is all about!
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