Franklinville, NY Road Trips

1 Cattaraugus County Historical Museum, 9824 Route 16, Machias (about 7.5 miles north of downtown Franklinville), ☏ +1 716 353-8200. M-Th 9AM-4PM, also third Sa of each month May-Oct and first Sa of Jul & Aug, 10AM-2PM. Located on the first floor of the Old Stone House in Machias, this museum contains a wealth of historic photographs and artifacts covering daily life in pioneer days, the contributions of local residents to the Civil War and the two World Wars, and the history of the Cattaraugus County Fair. A range of special events and temporary exhibits appear frequently on the programming schedule, and there's an onsite research library for those who want to dig a bit deeper. Free. (updated Dec 2017) 2 Howe-Prescott Pioneer House, 3031 Route 98 South, ☏ +1 716 676-2590. Su Jun-Aug by appointment. The Howe-Prescott House is one of the oldest extant buildings in the area: it was erected circa 1814 by a family of prominent abolitionists (a movement that was extraordinarily strong in the hamlet of Cadiz, just a short distance south of Franklinville village center) and served as a station on the Underground Railroad in the years before the Civil War. Under the ownership of the Ischua Valley Historical Society, nowadays it's done up as a pioneer homestead, with exhibits and demonstrations illustrating life in the very earliest days of white settlement in Western New York. (updated Dec 2017) 3 Miner's Cabin, 9 Pine St., ☏ +1 716 676-2590. Open during Maple Festival and special Open House events, as well as Sundays Jun-Aug by appointment.

1 Ischua Valley Country Club, 8093 Route 16, Farmersville (about 1½ miles north of downtown Franklinville), ☏ +1 716 676-3630. Golf course daily 7AM-sunset, everything else M-Th 11AM-9PM, F-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 11AM-8PM. Far from the hoity-toity, members-only affair you usually think of when you hear "country club", at Ischua Valley everything's friendly, down-to-earth, and open to the public. Bisected by the lovely Ischua Creek, the club's 9-hole, par-36 golf course becomes 18 holes and par 72 when you realize that each hole has two different sets of tees — play through twice for a different scenario each time! If golf isn't your game, Ischua Valley has also got a bowling alley, and if you're hungry, the fish fry at the onsite restaurant is renowned. (updated Jan 2018) 2 Skateland of Franklinville, 70 S. Main St., ☏ +1 716 676-2655. Skating F-Sa 7PM-10:30PM, Su 2PM-4:30PM, also Sa 2PM-4:30PM Oct-May only; Passions Dance Club F 8PM-10PM & Sa 10PM-midnight. To call Skateland an old-fashioned roller rink would be to sell it short: this Franklinville perennial on the cusp of its fourth decade of existence is a youth hangout of a multifaceted bent. Not only roller skating but also laser tag, a video arcade, inline hockey, and (in the summer) outdoor batting cages and a go-kart track are on offer. And on Friday and Saturday nights, the skating hall becomes Passions, Cattaraugus County's only teen dance club. (updated Dec 2017) Western New York Maple Festival, ☏ +1 716 557-2498.

1 Frankeez, 100 S. Main St., ☏ +1 716 676-2333. Daily 11AM-9PM. Frankeez is open all year round, but the menu says "SUMMER" in big bold capital letters: served at this casual walk-up snack bar (with limited indoor seating) is a modest but delicious range of simple fare from off the grill and out of the deep fryer. The order of the day is burgers, hot dogs, chicken wings and fingers, fries and onion rings, and — above all — delicious hard and soft-serve ice cream that's the perfect way to cool down on a hot day. The loaded chili cheese fries are a must. $5-15. (updated Jan 2018) 2 Jackie's Village Restaurant, 9 Elm St., ☏ +1 716 676-9973. Just a stone's throw from Park Square is where you'll find this "where everybody knows your name" type of place, where good old-fashioned homestyle American comfort food (think meatloaf, mac & cheese, and scratch-made soup of the day) is served by "the kind [of people] that know everybody's normal order". Don't worry, though: even if you're not from around these parts, the service is friendly, the prices are reasonable, and the food is tasty — especially the home fries served at breakfast! Cash only. $15-30. (updated Jan 2018) 3 Family Dollar, 99 N. Main St., ☏ +1 716 676-5951. Daily 9AM-8PM. You know the drill. A limited range of groceries and miscellaneous other stuff sold cheap. (updated Jan 2018) 4 Franklinville Fresh Market (Shur-Fine), 17 S. Main St., ☏ +1 716 676-3697. M-Sa 7AM-9PM, Su 8AM-9PM.

1 Legends Bar & Grill, 5 Park Square, ☏ +1 716 676-7013. Tu-Th 3PM-midnight, F-Sa noon-2AM, Su noon-10PM. Nestled snugly into one of the historic brick Italianates on Park Square, Legends is a place that walks a fine line: it manages a rollicking good-time atmosphere (with a pair of pool tables, frequent live rock and country concerts featuring local talent, and a lively bar well stocked with whiskey and bourbon) without being off-putting for young families with kids or other more mild-mannered travellers. There's also a limited food menu of pub grub, pizza and wings. (updated Jan 2018)

1 Camp Emerald Acres, 6629 Abbotts Rd., Lyndon (about 6 miles southeast of downtown Franklinville via County Route 24), ☏ +1 716 676-3225. Check-in: noon, check-out: 11AM. "Our goal is to promote camping as [not only] affordable lodging but a recreational adventure", proclaims Camp Emerald Acres' website — and true to the spirit of that statement, there's quite a bit more to this expansive campground than just several hundred serviced and unserviced campsites, RV sites, and cabins. In fact, with amenities like a horseshoe pit, volleyball court, 30-foot (9m) above-ground pool, fishing pond, extensive hiking trails, kids' playground, and frequent theme nights and special events — not to mention a camp store with all the snacks and supplies you might need during your stay — you might call Emerald Acres a destination unto itself. Open May 1-Oct 10. Primitive sites $22/night or $132/week, serviced sites (with water and electricity) $34/night or $204/week or $510/month; cabins and RVs $75/night.. (updated Jan 2018) 2 Shamrock Pines Campground, 3900 Jarecki Rd., ☏ +1 716 676-2776. Check-in: between 2PM and 8PM, check-out: noon. 380 acres (155 ha) of summer fun in the shade of a statuesque pine forest (hence the name) in the foothills of the picturesque Allegheny Mountains.

Franklinville's main drag is State Routes 16 and 98 (called Main Street within the village borders), which run concurrently with each other north-and-south through the center of town. To get to Franklinville from... ...Buffalo and other points northwest, take State Route 400 southbound until the highway ends in South Wales and merges with Route 16. Downtown Franklinville is 31 miles (50 km) ahead. ...Rochester and other points northeast, take Interstate 390 south to Exit 8 (US 20A; signs for Geneseo). Turn right and proceed westward for 12 miles (19 km). At the junction with State Route 39, bear left at the fork in the road and proceed westward along Route 39 for 36½ miles (58.5 km). In Yorkshire, turn left on Route 16; downtown Franklinville will be 14½ miles (23.5 km) ahead. ...Jamestown, Erie, and other points southwest, take the Southern Tier Expressway (I-86) eastbound to Exit 21 in Salamanca. Turn left and follow US 219 north for 6½ miles (10.5 km) until its junction with Route 98 in Great Valley. Keep going straight to stay on Route 98 northbound. Downtown Franklinville is 13½ miles (22 km) ahead. ...Corning, Elmira, and other points southeast, take the Southern Tier Expressway (I-86) westbound to Exit 27 in Hinsdale, which puts you directly on Route 16. Turn right at the end of the offramp and proceed for 13 miles (21 km) into downtown Franklinville. In practice, arriving in Franklinville by plane usually means flying into Buffalo Niagara International Airport.