Fort Stanwix National Monument, Rome

I was very impressed. The staff were enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The fort was immersive with lots of rooms open and informative displays. The visitor center was well laid out with a nice series of videos to connect everything together as well as a decent amount of artifacts. I'd say give yourself an hour and a half for your visit. My main complaint is that there is no dedicated parking lot (I think your best option is street parking near the visitor center). Also, the fort isn't nestled in the woods but rather surrounded by the businesses and city streets of downtown Rome, NY. It's only ten to fifteen minutes from I-90, so if you're looking for something to break up your drive across upstate New York, this is a great stop.

I had the privilege of visiting Fort Stanwix when the Plymouth Fife and Drum Corps performed there. The staff was incredibly friendly. The fort was well maintained. It was a smaller fort than expected, but I enjoyed going in the sleeping quarters and walking around the grounds. The gift shop is not open on Mondays, but it was decent considering the size of the fort. I picked up a passport book, but forgot to stamp it so I will be back!