Where's Johnny Jet? From Rome to the Home of Baseball

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Greetings from Otsego County, New York. This is my first trip to Cooperstown, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame and the moment I arrived, I had the same feeling I'm sure other virgins have had: "Why the heck did I wait so long?" I grew up just hours from this village of 2,300 and I'm a huge baseball fan to boot ... Go Yanks! Cooperstown is so amazing that even if you're not a fan of America's favorite pastime, you'll adore it, too. Join me this week as I travel from Italy to New York, then on to this family favorite vacation spot. Then, grab your favorite ball cap, because we're going to the Baseball Hall of Fame, baby. If you don't have time to sit back, relax and read the story, don't worry. There's a two-minute Johnny Jet video at the end of this week's story. And, if baseball isn't your thing, you can spend your down time exploring other destinations with stories from our two newest writers. Kevin O'Connor takes us on a journey to The Pacific Palms Resort in southern California, while Jerome Shaw shows us a different side of Las Vegas.

Rome Mistake

Last week, we left off in Rome. My trip back to the United States was a whirlwind. My buddy Mike and I were both booked on Delta's 11:45 am nonstop flight into JFK. Mike wanted to leave our hotel at 7am; I thought he was crazy. I insisted that leaving at 8am would give us plenty of time -- and the hotel concierge concurred. He also said that there was no need to book a cab in advance, as it wouldn't be a problem getting a taxi in the morning. Well, sure enough ... he was wrong. As the morning concierge said with a slightly panicked look, as he scrambled to call every taxi company in the phone book, "there must've been an accident or something." Some 25 minutes later, following death stares from Mike and a few drops of sweat from me, a cab finally showed up. Mike was fuming in the taxi; even more so when I said, "it's your fault for listening to me." He didn't find that very funny, as he pondered the consequences he was going to suffer from his wife back home if he missed his flight. After the silent, 11-euro taxi ride (yes, this driver did charge us extra for our bags), we ran into the station only to learn that we had missed our backup train to the airport. Ouch. That hurt.

What to Do?

At the time, we didn't know the train schedule. There was a 20-minute wait until the next train departed and Mike wanted to jump in a taxi. I said, "Mike, first of all, the train is quicker. Secondly, why do you want to spend an extra 50 euro, when there's no guarantee that we'll get there any quicker?" Mike barked at me about how long the check-in and security lines are in Rome. Forever optimistic, I said, "Don't worry. We won't miss our plane." But when I glanced at my watch, I gulped quietly, though outwardly, I was still smiling. I realized that by the time we got to the airport, we were going to have less than 90 minutes before departure. We were definitely cutting it close. Yikes.

If you time it right, the quickest and cheapest way to get to Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Airport from central Rome is to take the train. The Leonardo Express takes 31 minutes and departures from Rome Termini are 22 and 52 minutes after the hour. The first train of the day is at 5:52am and the last is at 10:52pm. Tip: Be sure to buy your ticket in advance and validate it using the yellow machines before getting on. A one-way ticket costs 12 € (about US$16). If you have a Eurail pass, there's no need to purchase a ticket. You can buy Eurail passes from RailEurope.com.

Leonardo da Vinci Airport

While riding the train, I finally broke the silence between Mike and me. I told Mike to follow me when we arrived, because I was planning some tricky maneuvering which included sprinting through the airport. He agreed and we made great time until we were rudely greeted by a Delta economy check-in line that was so long, it must have had at least 400 people in it. Fortunately, just to the right was Delta's business class line, only 10 passengers deep. Huffing and puffing from our sprint, I asked the man in front of me what flight he was on. When he said that he was headed to JFK, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. But when I clarified, just to be on the safe side, and asked if he was on the 11:45am flight, he said, "Heck, no." so powerfully that his teeth almost fell out of this mouth. Mine, too. Turns out, he was on the 1:50pm flight. When I explained our situation and asked politely if he could let us cut into the line, he, and those in line behind him, agreeably obliged.

Fast Track the Hard Way

To make a long story short, checking in and clearing customs and security, took us a total of 25 minutes. We even had enough time to shop duty free, grab a slice of pizza (3.30 €) and a bottle of Panna water (1.80 €) for the flight home. Mike was amazed and I was just thankful that I had Gold status. Otherwise, our sorry asses definitely would've been either spending another night in Rome or scrunched up in separate middle seats on one of Delta's later flights. Moral of the story? One: If you're running late, be proactive. Do whatever you can within reason to get to the front of the line. Two: Things don't always go according to plan and leaving no room for error is really dumb.

Rome to New York City

Would you believe that once we finally boarded, our flight had a bunch of empty seats? Mike and I were each able to score center rows to lie down in. When does this ever happen on a summer flight from Rome? I'm going to venture a guess and say never. I would have felt even luckier if it weren't for the most annoying Italian girl sitting across from us. Honestly, if it weren't for her, the eight and a half hour flight would have been a dream. But this obnoxious, mid-30s, non-English-speaking woman, whose belly, incidentally, was hanging out of her too-short shirt, prevented everyone in a 12 row radius from sleeping. Heck, I even wore earplugs and it still sounded like she was talking and laughing in my ear. To solidify her win of the award for Rudest Passenger Ever, she began kicking the seatback in front of her, like a spoiled little brat, when the passenger in front tried to recline her seat. Let me point out that this beast had her seat reclined herself. When the two women almost got into a catfight, you know who I was rooting for. FYI: Two meals were served on this flight: a hot lunch, which I think was chicken teriyaki and then pizza 90 minutes prior to landing. The mid-flight snack was Häagen-Dazs ice cream -- just what my belly and that rude woman needed.

Connecticut

We landed at JFK at 4pm. The flight attendant I was chatting up in the galley warned me that there might be a huge bottleneck, both on the runway and at customs. But to everyone's surprise, there wasn't. That might, quite possibly, have been the first international flight to land at JFK this summer that's not had to wait hours for a gate or passport control. I was seriously contemplating changing my ticket to head home to Los Angeles that same night instead of waiting two days as I had originally planned. But, I stuck to my original plan, jumped in Mike's car and visited my family in southern Connecticut. It's only an hour drive and it turned out to be a good move on my part. First of all, I later learned that the 6:30pm flight I was going to take was stuck in JFK gridlock for three and a half hours prior to takeoff. Secondly, I was able to spend a couple of relaxing, fun-filled days with my friends and family. And then ... there was the unexpected icing on the cake. Drum roll, please. I got a last-minute invitation to go on an exclusive tour of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Driving to Cooperstown

From Westport, Connecticut I took the hour-long Metro North train ride into New York's Grand Central Terminal. I spent the night on the Upper East Side and was picked up early the following morning in a black Escalade. Driving from NYC to Cooperstown is a piece of cake. I know ... it's easy for me to say, since I had a driver. Everyone in the car, including the driver, agreed that the 225-mile, four-hour drive was indeed boring. There really isn't much to see except at the beginning and end of the drive. Highlights along the way were the view of the city from the George Washington Bridge and Yankee Stadium. Then there's nothing much to see until you get close to Cooperstown. That's when the landscape becomes pastoral and you start to see rolling green hills dotted with picturesque farms, complete with grazing cows.

Flying to Cooperstown

If you're traveling by air, the closest airports to Cooperstown are Albany Airport at 74 miles (a 70-minute drive) followed by Syracuse airport at 95 miles (a 90-minute drive).

About Cooperstown

Cooperstown's history is very interesting but far too extensive for me to go into any detail, so here's a quick synopsis. William Cooper founded Cooperstown in the late 1700s. Mr. Cooper was a member of Congress and encouraged numerous settlers to make this area their home. His son, James Fenimore Cooper, became one of the most famous American novelists, most notably recognized for his novel The Last of the Mohicans. Cooperstown sits on the south end of Otsego Lake, which is referred to in many of Cooper's books as the "Glimmerglass". The name is still used today. In fact, the popular Glimmerglass Opera, an opera company founded in 1975, is regarded as one of America's finest opera houses. Today, the town seems to be pretty much owned and run by Jane Forbes Clark. Jane is the primary heir of her family's fortune; the family has resided in Cooperstown since the mid-19th century. Their fortune is due to a half ownership of the patent for the Singer Sewing Machine. Jane is highly respected in the town and she owns most of the land, some hotels and museums and she even sits as chairwoman of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Otesaga Hotel

There are plenty of lodging options for every budget in Otsego County, from camping to staying at the prestigious, Four Diamond AAA Otesaga Hotel. That's where I was fortunate enough to call home for a couple of nights; they require a two-night minimum stay. The Otesaga Hotel is a member of the Historic Hotels of America and is a magnificent, federal-style structure with 30-foot columns supporting the front portico. Walking into the lobby, I was flooded by nostalgia. It took me instantly back in time to my family's annual summer vacations at the Ocean House in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. Sadly, the Ocean House is no longer standing and quite frankly, it was never as clean or as well kept as this 1909 hotel. The Otesaga Hotel has 135 rooms on five floors. The fifth floor must have originally been a storage area or attic because the elevator only goes to the fourth and my lakefront room had slanted ceilings. Don't quote me on this but I hear that all the rooms are shaped differently; but, even with my room's odd layout, it was comfortable. It featured a king-sized bed, a small antique desk, way too much closet space and a 1990s TV. My favorite part was the bathroom, which was bigger than most apartments in New York City. Other notables: Wireless Internet is free. Check-in is at 3pm and they mean 3pm. The staff I came across were all friendly, though they could definitely use a few more bellhops/valets; they were rarely around when you needed them and they left "checked bags" unattended.

Otesaga Memories

The Otesaga Hotel is open seasonally. It opens just before Easter and closes right after Thanksgiving, though they will reopen any time for special occasions. Translation: they'll open any time for a group that reserves 60 or more rooms. The hotel's location is its best attribute. Besides being mere walking distance from all of Cooperstown's main attractions, it's perched along the southern shore of Otsego Lake, with 700 feet of waterfront property. A wraparound, wooden, lakeside patio highlights this view. Fifty new, sleek white rocking chairs are neatly lined up in two rows, patiently waiting for guests to plop themselves down and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere. I was one of them. As I gently rocked back and forth, I looked to my right to witness kids with smiles from ear to ear, jumping off the dock. To my left was the hotel pool and just beyond that, the plush, 18-hole Leatherstocking golf course. But the view straight ahead was the winner. On a sunny day, the colors are unreal. The calm lake, bright blue sky and puffy white clouds overhead are soothing, the lush green rolling hills and stoic oak trees, restful.

The Otesaga Hotel is definitely reminiscent of a more genteel era. It's a family-friendly hotel; many have made this their annual vacation destination for years. Most of the seniors I saw walking around were dressed in jackets and khakis. Their children and grandchildren took the more casual approach, many wearing their favorite baseball team's cap or t-shirt. Of course, I donned my Yankees cap with much pride. I wasn't alone. The most popular team logos were, by far, the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. See? Rodney King was on to something. We can all get along. No matter which team you root for, it's just special to sit out on the back deck and watch fathers play catch with their sons and daughters. It almost made me want to start a family ... key word being "almost". As corny as this might sound, I know that it's moments like these that will create memories to last a lifetime.

Otesaga Food

The Otesaga Hotel operates on a modified American plan, which means that breakfast and dinner are included in the nightly rates. Rates begin at $315 per room based on double occupancy. The food is above average and the service was very good. Breakfast is an elaborate buffet. They have a wide variety of food stations, including one that makes eggs and pancakes to order. To top it off, they serve real maple syrup made in the town next door. Dinner is served in the main dining room and men are required to wear a jacket. But leave your ball cap at home; hats are a no-no. Dinner is not buffet style but the menu changes daily and they have options for almost every diet.

Leatherstocking Golf Course

I gather that most people have lunch in town, as the hotel's more casual restaurant, open year-round, wasn't very crowded. The Hawkeye Bar & Grill is open year round and offers lunch and dinner. However, for guests there's a $10 dinner surcharge. The main reason to have dinner at the Hawkeye is if you've just finished a round of golf and don't feel like changing. By the way, if you get a chance to play a round on the Leatherstocking golf course, do it. It was rated one of Travel and Leisure's best golf resorts in 2006. A round of 18 costs $95, after 3pm, it's $70. But they don't have a fee for just 9-holes. The cart fee is $20.50 and the gift shop sells golf shirts and hats with your favorite baseball team logo on the side. Only in Cooperstown. The Otesaga Hotel, 60 Lake St, Cooperstown, NY; tel.: 607-547-9931.

Brewery Ommegang

A 5-mile, 15-minute drive from the hotel is the Brewery Ommegang. The Ommegang microbrewery opened in 1997. It's modeled after a traditional Belgian farmhouse and is set on a former hop farm in upstate New York. Hops are what they used to brew beer with but when the crops were killed, they began shipping theirs from Belgium. The working brewery offers daily tours and free tastings that include all five of their Belgian-style ales. The staff is really laid back. They don't care if you hang out afterwards and relax with a picnic lunch on the sprawling, 136-acre grounds. But buying their oversized bottles from them will actually cost you more money ($6 a bottle) than if you were to purchase it from one of their sellers; they don't want to undercut them. Open year-round except on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Years Day. Brewery Ommegang, 656 County Highway 33, Cooperstown, NY; Tel: 800-544-1809 or 607-544-1800.

Farmers' Museum

When I heard that I was scheduled to visit The Farmers' Museum, I admit, I thought, "How boring." But I'm so glad I didn't skip out and took the 15-minute walk down the street because this was my biggest surprise in Cooperstown. The museum is situated on 120 acres and has been a working farm since the 1790s. In the 1870s, the Clark family purchased it and in 1918, built a modern, fully equipped complex for their cattle. It was opened to the public in 1944 and since then, they've collected over 23,000 artifacts. The museum tour starts out ... well, it's just okay. Don't get me wrong; it was cool to see an old horse and buggy, the legendary Cardiff Giant (it's made from gypsum) and then to walk through their exhibit on the history of ice cream. However, to say I was shocked and a bit disappointed that at the end of it, they weren't selling some delicious homemade ice cream (only Ben & Jerry's), would be an understatement. BTW: Did you know that ice cream was invented by the Chinese in 336 BC but was really developed by the Italians in the 17th century? I knew my people were good for something.

The real treasure of the Farmers' Museum is their recreation of an 1845 rural village and farm. It's sort of a like a mini-Disney Main Street; three of the buildings (the barn, creamery and herdsman's cottage) are still standing. The others are authentic reproductions from the 1840s. The best part is that they hire locals to actually live the 19th century New York rural life, just like it was, back in the day. They dress the part, cook, clean or do whatever their job would have entailed 150 years ago. Some work in the general store (they sell period goods), at printing presses, law offices; the blacksmith sells his creations and in the pharmacy, the " chemist" produces 25 medicines from the plants in his garden out back. I had no idea that they used licorice to mask the unpleasant taste of medicine because it's 50 times sweeter than sugar. All the workers go about their business so you can observe, but if you ask them a question, they're more than happy to answer or demonstrate aspects of their trade or daily life.

Country Fair

If that doesn't float your oat (Get it? Oat instead of boat? Ah, forget it.), then cruise by the Farmers' Museum Country Fair. It features two colorful period tents with agricultural demonstrations and games. The highlight? The 24 handmade riding animals on the Empire State Carousel. Rides cost just 50 cents and adults are welcome. Check open hours before you go and note that the fair is closed from November until April. Admission for adults (13-64) is $11, seniors 65 and over are $9.50, children 7-12 and college students with ID, $5. Children under seven, NYSHA members, active and retired career military are all admitted free. Note: you can save money by purchasing a combination ticket to visit the Fenimore Art Museum, The Farmers' Museum and/or The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Fenimore Art Museum

Across the street from The Farmers' Museum is the Fenimore Art Museum. It's housed in an elegant, 1930s neo-Georgian mansion and includes memorabilia from the Cooper family, containing a number of paintings illustrating Cooper's novels. Most of the artwork is primarily American folk art and American Indian art. Currently, there's an American West exhibit of Frederic Remington and a folk art exhibit called Folk Art on Fire. It was small but it was great to see how they celebrated the camaraderie and bravery of 19th century American firefighters. Again, check open hours before making the trip. It's closed for the winter, January through March. Admission rates are the same as the Farmers' Museum.

Main Street

Of course, I had to save the best for last. The Baseball Hall of Fame is a 10-minute walk from the Otesaga Hotel and is the primary reason I, and others, I'm sure, have made the trek to Cooperstown. Stephen Carlton Clark opened the Hall of Fame in 1936. Mr. Clark owned a number of hotels in the area and he thought that by opening a museum dedicated to baseball, it would attract more guests. Some 14 million visitors later, I'd say he was right. The Hall of Fame is located near the end of Main Street. Walking down Main Street is like taking a walk back in time. The buildings all have a Norman Rockwell feel. If you don't stop to look in the windows (most are selling modern day baseball memorabilia and souvenirs), you wouldn't be able to tell what year it was.

Baseball Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame doesn't offer tours. It's all self-guided so I was totally stoked when I found out I was getting a private tour from the VP of Operations, Jeff Idelson. If you think I've got a tough job, Jeff's entails traveling around the country collecting baseball memorabilia (they add about 400 new items each year) and he's on a first name basis with every player. Wow. A couple of days after my tour, while I was watching Barry Bonds about to break the homerun record, the sports announcer said, "I see Jeff Idelson from the Baseball Hall of Fame is here." That was pretty cool since I'd just met him. Anyway, he gave me the scoop ... I learned a lot, both from Jeff and simply from wandering around this incredible shrine. Here's what I found most interesting.

Birthplace of Baseball?

For one, Cooperstown is not the birthplace of baseball like many believe. There is strong evidence (like a bylaw that banned the playing of baseball within 80 yards of the town meeting house) that it all started in Pittsfield, MA in 1791. The Baseball Hall of Fame is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB). However, the MLB commissioner sits on the board, along with 15 others and they meet twice a year. There are three parts to the Baseball Hall of Fame election committee. If you're interested in more information on this, you can read about it here. The Baseball Hall of Fame is 50,000 square feet and it houses in excess of 2.6 million documents, including files on every player to ever appear in a major league game. There are 500,000 photographs and 12,000 hours of recorded film, video and sound.

Who's in the Hall?

I was shocked when I learned how few players have actually been elected to the Hall of Fame. Can you believe that only 198 former major leaguers have earned a spot in the Hall? That's less than one per cent of those who have played. In addition, 35 Negro leaguers, 23 executives or pioneers, 16 managers and eight umpires have been elected. The total amount comes to just 280. Out of those, only 62 are still alive. BTW: God bless Yankee legend Phil "Scooter" Rizzuto, who passed away last week. If you have time, log on to the Baseball Hall of Fame website to read his hilarious induction speech.

When to Visit

It was so amazing for me to walk around and see all these treasured items. The collection is truly unfathomable. Just think; they have Shoeless Joe Jackson's shoes (though they're currently on a road exhibition) and Babe Ruth's homerun bat. Jeff told me that the most popular exhibit is actually the Women in Baseball display. He said that Penny Marshall was responsible for it, drawing her inspiration from the Baseball Hall of Fame to create the film A League of their Own. This year, the Hall of Fame honored their latest inductees: Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken. Fifty-five Hall of Famers were present and guess where they stayed? Yup. At the Otesaga Hotel ... I wonder who slept in my bed? Don't even bother to try and make a hotel reservation at the Otesaga Hotel during the weekend that inductees are honored. The hotel closes to the general public during those four days. This year, they had a record crowd of 75,000 people. Even with all the talk of steroids in the sport, baseball is at its peak. The Baseball Hall of Fame is open all year and the busiest months are July and August. But here's a tip: If you want to avoid the crowds, visit in January. More than one person told me that at that time, you can essentially have the place to yourself. Honestly, they said if they get three (only three.) people to visit, it's a good day. Winter hours are from 9am to 5pm, summer 9am to 9pm. Admission prices are $14.50 for adults (13 and over), $9.50 for seniors (65 and over) and $5.00 for juniors (ages 7-12). Baseball Hall of Fame

Overall

Before I arrived, I couldn't understand why Cooperstown was so popular with the rich in the summertime back in the old days (pre-air-conditioning). But after feeling the much cooler temperatures and appreciating the views, now I understand. These days, with all the attractions, activities and of course the rocking chairs on the lakeside patio of the Otesaga Hotel, it's no wonder so many memories are created in Cooperstown. But don't take my word for it. Pack up the car or hop on a plane and create some special memories of your own.

Note: This trip was sponsored by The Otesaga Hotel.

Johnny Jet has been featured over 1,000 times in major publications, including USA Today, Time, Fortune and The New York Times, and has appeared on ABC, CBS, CNBC, MSNBC, NBC, FOX News Channel, and PBS. JohnnyJet.com has been named "one of the top best money-saving web sites for travel" by Budget Travel Magazine, while the L.A. Times calls it "one of the top 10 essential travel resources on the internet." In the May 2007 issue of Outside Magazine, Johnny Jet was touted for having one of the world's best "dream jobs". Every week Johnny hosts a "travel website of the week" for several radio stations around the country, he writes weekly for Frommers.com and he has written for USAToday, The Boston Herald and Coast Magazine. Sign up today for Johnny Jet's free weekly travel newsletter at www.johnnyjet.com.

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