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Lake-effect snow, a roaring river and a park laid out by the Olmsted Brothers give Watertown its character. The seat of Jefferson County sits on the Black River about 30 minutes from Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence, and it serves as the hometown city for nearby Fort Drum.
The river's falls powered mills and paper plants through the 1800s, and the money built the grand Public Square, the Paddock Arcade of 1850 and stone mansions along Washington Street. Frank W. Woolworth worked as a clerk here and tried his first five-cent counter in a Watertown store in 1878. Today the Black River is known for whitewater rafting right through the city.
Thompson Park, on a hill above downtown, holds the New York State Zoo, a golf course and wide views toward the Adirondack foothills. Watertown is also a practical base for the Thousand Islands, Sackets Harbor's War of 1812 battlefield and the beaches of Lake Ontario.
A large hilltop park designed by the Olmsted Brothers firm and given to the city by industrialist John C. Thompson. Winding drives, stone walls, picnic groves, a public golf course and a pool fill its slopes, and the overlooks face the city and the hills beyond. Come at sunset for the best views.
A compact zoo inside Thompson Park focused on animals of New York State and nearby regions, including black bears, gray wolves, river otters and birds of prey. Paths are short and stroller friendly, and keeper talks run in summer. Pair it with a picnic in the park; allow about two hours.
A family-run ski hill just south of the city with a handful of trails, a terrain park, tubing lanes and night skiing. Lake-effect storms off Lake Ontario often give it reliable natural snow. Lift tickets cost far less than at the big resorts, which makes it a good place to learn or bring kids.
Built in 1850 off Public Square, this glass-roofed passage is often called the oldest continuously operating covered shopping mall in the United States. A handful of local shops and cafes line the narrow hall. Walk through from Washington Street to Arsenal Street and look up at the skylight.
The heart of downtown is a long tree-lined square framed by 19th-century commercial blocks, banks and churches, with monuments and a fountain on its central green. Summer brings concerts and farmers market days. Park once and explore on foot, as the arcade, library and museum are all close by.
A Beaux-Arts library opened in 1904, given to the city by Emma Flower Taylor in memory of her father, a former New York governor. Inside are marble columns, murals, a domed reading room and a local history and genealogy collection. It is still a working public library, so visitors can walk in freely.
Housed in the 1870s Paddock Mansion on Washington Street, this museum covers Jefferson County history with period rooms, local industry displays, Native American artifacts and changing exhibits. A Victorian garden surrounds the house. Check hours ahead, as they are seasonal.
The Black River drops through Watertown in a series of ledges, making it one of the few places where you can raft big rapids inside a city. Local outfitters run guided half-day trips from spring through early fall, with wetsuits supplied. Spring trips are the wildest; late summer is calmer.
Held each July at the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds, this county fair dates to 1817 and is often cited as one of the oldest continuously running fairs in the country. Expect livestock barns, 4-H shows, harness racing, rides and grandstand events. Go on a weekday evening to avoid the biggest crowds.
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