On our way back to Ohio from Massachusetts, we spent a night at the Herkimer Diamond Mines Resort KOA in Herkimer New York.  I don’t usually write about places where we only spend one night, but the Herkimer Diamond Mines Resort was unique and worth sharing.

Herkimer Diamond Mines Resort KOA is a first-class KOA strung along the banks of West Canada Creek.  There are 64 camping sites, from tent to small RV back-ins, that are right along the banks of the creek.  People with children love these sites because they can watch their children play in or float down the creek from the comfort of their own back yards.

But the Herkimer Diamond Mines Resort has plenty of other recreational opportunities as well.  There is a swimming pool, playground, Disc golf course, fitness trail, shuffle board court, and beach volleyball courts interspersed with another 63 camping sites.  There are also 20 tent sites and 30 Kamping Kabins.  The Kamping Kabins come in a wide range of styles, from the traditional, basic Kabin that is simply one or two bunk rooms, to full house-keeping Kabins with linens and fully-supplied kitchen.  Many of the Kabins have a theme.  Some of them are solar-powered.  There is a Kabin that had an observatory attached and another that has a robot theme.  One of them has a private dog park.

Breakfast is served daily at the campground and there are activities for all ages going on all day long.  We were there on a Thursday and we could have created a friendship bracelet, participated in a scavenger hunt, done a science experiement, made a paper bag puppet, tie-dyed a t-shirt, participated in a ping-pong tournament, watched a movie, or gone for a cruise on the Mohawk River.

Across the street from the Herkimer Diamond Mines Resort is the Herkimer Diamond Mine.  This is a big draw in the area because, for a fee, you can go into the mines and look for your own “diamonds.”  You get to keep whatever you find and some people make a living from selling the “diamonds” they find at the mine.  Families pack a lunch and go prospecting for a day as an adventure.  Herkimer Diamonds are not really diamonds, but 18 faceted quartz that look like diamonds when they are cut and polished.

There is a large gift shop with lots of jewelry and a rock shop.  We also enjoyed the museum that explained the history of the area and displayed a beautiful collection of Herkimer Diamonds.  There is also a small cafe and CC’s Pub and Grille.  So there is plenty to do no matter how long you stay in this fun, off-the-beaten-path location.