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Wildlife & Nature

Erie Canalway Bike Trail

A cycling destination for riders of all abilities, the Erie Canal Bike Trail offers endless adventures exploring the charming towns, living history, scenic beauty and cultural attractions of New York State. Whether enjoying a leisurely ride from one village to another or spending a week completing the entire 360 miles (between Buffalo and Albany), we recommend mapping out your itinerary using the interactive Erie Canalway Trail Map. You’ll find places to discover along the entire length of the trail. And because it’s responsive, you can use it on your phone or tablet while you’re on the trail. Grand Colonial Bed and Breakfast is located two miles from the trail in Herkimer and provides guests with complimentary secured storage for their bicycles. Planning a fall trip? See our tips for the perfect fall cycling trip on the Erie Canalway Trail for route ideas and what to pack. Prefer a real bed over a tent? Read about the alternative to camping in Herkimer for an outdoorsy stay with all the comforts. Want a mile-by-mile breakdown of the trail near the inn? Our guide to biking the Frankfort to Little Falls section covers the highlights you can hit in a day.

Trail Map

Fall Foliage

Stay with us for a weekend during our favorite time of year and enjoy the brilliant colors that emerge during the fall foliage season. Fall is the season to take your time driving down the winding Central New York roads bursting with vibrant orange, sunny yellow and blazing red leaves. And with the ability to go places cars can’t, this is also a great time to consider a train ride on the Adirondack Scenic Railroad. With nearly endless opportunities for outdoor fun, there’s nothing else more pleasing to the senses. Peak colors usually start in the Adirondacks the last two weeks of September and vary from place to place through the end of October. We strongly recommend calling us ahead of your visit at 315-982-5004 for an up-to-date report on the fall colors in our area.

Fall Foliage Report

Utica Zoo

Bring the whole family to see Utica Zoo’s over 200 different animals from 99 unique species, including African Lions, Red Pandas, and Bactrian Camels. Serving the region for over 100 years, the Utica Zoo is open year-round (except Thanksgiving and Christmas) from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Regular admission varies by season and is usually less than $10. The Zoo offers a variety of special events, programs and activities. During the summer months, Late Fridays at the Utica Zoo features a beer and wine garden, animal walkabouts, and yard games. During the winter months you can snowshoe at the Utica Zoo. Guests can bring their own snowshoes or rent them onsite. The last snowshoe rental occurs at 3:00 p.m. With wooded trails and amazing scenery, snowshoeing lets you see the zoo in a whole new way. Utica Zoo is a 25-minute drive from Grand Colonial Bed and Breakfast. Visiting in summer? Don’t miss Sunset Sips at the Utica Zoo — an after-hours event combining the animals with local drinks. Traveling with a dog? See our practical guide to a pet-friendly stay at Grand Colonial for which trails work for leashed dogs, plus how pet stays work at the inn. Planning a full day of outdoor stops? Check our distances and drive times for trailheads, parks, and waterfront access points by minutes from the inn. Looking for a serene waterfall stop? See our guide to Buttermilk Falls in Little Falls just a short drive from the inn. For a deeper-feature read on what the Canalway trail experience is like, see our why cycling the Erie Canalway will rethink your approach to travel piece.

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