If you’re searching for a new adventure during finals week, the town of Cazenovia, N.Y., should be your next stop for the perfect study break. Only a 30-minute drive from Colgate University’s campus, Cazenovia can be a quick trip to explore another quaint town. Although Hamilton has cozy coffee shops and unique stores, it only spans two blocks and therefore has limited offerings. Compared to Hamilton, Cazenovia could almost be considered a vibrant city with the charming vibe of a small town.
To start, Cazenovia has more shops for browsing. The diverse shopping strip includes boutiques that sell everything from local trinkets to goods from France. H. Grey Supply Co. LLC, 20 East and Cazenovia Artisans are a couple of boutiques that offer local goods. Cazenovia local Ann Adams expressed how 20 East is her favorite store in Cazenovia.
“Great store! A fun variety of baked goods, local meats, gifts and friendly, helpful service! A must browse in Caz,” Adams said.
As 20 East continues to be the preferred boutique in Cazenovia, it never fails to offer its shoppers with a diverse assortment of delicious treats, making the foodies come crawling back for more. They serve homemade bread and other sweet eats with unique flavors — try turmeric and chia seed bread, blueberry poppy seed loaves, strawberry rhubarb pies or hand-painted sugar cookies. They also have a cooler section that offers local meat, cheese and oils. Aside from the tasty bites, 20 East retails handmade jewelry, pins and artwork that can be the perfect gift to treat yourself during the stressful finals week.
Another place to admire the local talent in the town is Cazenovia Artisans, which sells handcrafted goods of all sorts. All of the artwork has its own unique flare and never fails to stun the shoppers. Most of the featured artwork is from artists from the Adirondacks that specialize in scenic or abstract designs.
While exploring the little shops, hopefully you will build up an appetite to dine at one of the restaurants in Cazenovia. The town contains many more restaurants and types of cuisine than Hamilton. There are a couple of cafes like the Pewter Spoon Cafe, Loka Leaf Tea Lounge and Hearthstone Artisan Bakery.
First-year Nell Droege recently visited the Pewter Spoon Cafe for the first time and absolutely loved the quaint eatery.
“I tried the Chicken Pesto Panini and it was delicious. The cafe had a super cute vibe and a great ambiance. There was a lot of seating for my friends and me, and it is a great little coffee and lunch spot,” Droege said.
Besides the cafes, Cazenovia has unique cuisine like Greek food from Kalamata Pita, Japanese food from Queen Sushi & Asian Cuisine and Irish food from McCarthy’s Irish Pub. After feasting at one of these restaurants, there is a Carter’s Creamery that serves made-in-house ice cream and sweet desserts. The restaurants offer far better options than the food at Frank Dining Hall or the O’Connor Campus Center (the Coop).
If shopping is not your jam and you have not worked up an appetite yet, the center of town features a peaceful lake with endless relaxing activities. The lake is the perfect spot to take a stroll, fish, kayak or canoe. The lake is stocked with a variety of fish for catch and release, so fetch those fishing poles to see the eclectic fish of Cazenovia. Also, there are designated swimming spots with sand-based beaches and working lifeguards.
“The lake is another cute place in town that has so many fun activities,” junior Emma Shinsato said. “In the summer or fall seasons, the lake is perfect for swimming, and there are even lifeguards on duty. Also, in the colder weather, it’s so pretty to just walk around the lake. My friends and I visited Cazenovia in the winter for a lakeside walk and it was just beautiful.”
On your next adventure out, consider visiting Cazenovia because it will create a fun-filled day that can keep anyone entertained. From the endless shopping scene to the water activities, Cazenovia will have no one dying of boredom. A quick trip to Cazenovia will not fail to relieve stress over finals and will be the trip you never thought you needed to spice up your study routine. Cazenovia will welcome you with enjoyable activities and delicious food, and this cozy town will become a favorite destination for a brain break.
