A couple weekends ago, I spent a short time in Rome, New York. This is far from the first time I’ve visited this sprawling little gem in Central New York, and it certainly won’t be my last. Out of all the places I’ve visited across the state, the people of Rome always roll out the red carpet and make me feel like family. And that’s what the city is all about… community, closeness and good people that want to see their town succeed.

My Amtrak arrived in Rome as the sun was beginning to rise on my short little day trip to The Copper City. As I’ve documented in the past, Rome’s train station is one of the most beautiful small stations in our region


Bellamy Harbor Park was ablaze with gorgeous color, highlighted by the amazing golden rays on the late season sun.



Copperccino’s is Rome’s trendy “new” coffee shop, a sort of anchor for a new wave of community development and interest in downtown .




For the first time ever, I really made my way up and down some or Rome’s residential streets, marveling at some of the amazing houses and structures. Stunning!



Fort Stanwix Park is a gorgeous patch of public space, adding life to an already beautiful neighborhood.


While broken up a bit, Rome’s quaint downtown has elements that lend to a bright future. Creating a strong downtown in any small, sprawling city is a challenge, but there is little doubt in my mind that this is a stretch that will, one day, become a lovely place for residents and visitors to shop and enjoy.




One of my favorite New York State trails is the Mohawk River Trail, a gorgeous strip of paved pathway that connects downtown Rome with





A trip to Copper City Brewing is always a must! Got to see some of my favorite Rome friends and enjoy a couple cold ones 🙂

And finally, my train was a bit late, so I stopped into Rail and Canal next to the station. Had some delicious bar food, some excellent drinks and the staff was a lot of fun. Always amazing to meet new people!


I boarded my Amtrak, turned off my electric skateboard (which is the best way to explore a place by the way) and got comfy… but not before got to talk with my favorite conductor, Marty from the Utica/Rome area.


I’ve told the story of Rome before, I shared pictures of my adventures throughout New York State… there’s no real story here, sometimes I just like to show people how easy it is to take half a day and visit a place you might otherwise pass by. Don’t sleep on Rome or New York State in general… there are so many people trying to make our communities better every day, and they are beginning to succeed. I encourage everyone to check out the progress, so get out there and get adventurous!