Canada and Vermont get all the fame for maple syrup. But you’ll find some of the best maple syrup in New York, specifically at the Uihlein Sugar Maple Research & Extension Field Station in Lake Placid.

Part of Cornell University’s College of Life Science and Agriculture in Ithaca, the Uihlein Sugar Maple Research & Extension Field Station aims to educate visitors on maple syrup production, from tree to bottle.

Tours include walking through the sugar bush (sugar maple trees) to see how the sap is collected, visiting the sugar shack to see where some of the syrup production takes place, and—the best part—sampling different types of maple syrup. You’ll even get to taste syrup you buy at the grocery store (such as Mrs. Butterworth’s Syrup, which isn’t maple syrup, by the way), and compare it with the real stuff.

Purchase some syrup to take home—it’s the ultimate souvenir or gift! 

Tours
Tours must be scheduled in advance; call 518-523-9337 to make a reservation.