Skip to content
Howe Caverns, Howes Cave, NY

Photo: jpitha, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

AttractionsFamily FavoriteRainy-Day Pick

Howe Caverns

Howe Caverns is an attraction in Howes Cave, NY, part of the Catskills and Cooperstown guide. Cost: $25 to $50.

255 Discovery Dr · Howes Cave, NY

Why you should go…

Farmer Lester Howe found this limestone cave in 1842 after noticing his cows gathering near a cool draft on hot days. The traditional tour lasts 90 minutes and covers a 1.25-mile walk plus a quarter-mile boat ride, with 139 stairs along the way. You pass formations such as the Bridal Altar and Titan's Fireplace, and the cave stays at 52 degrees whatever the weather outside. Tour tickets must be booked online, and the site also has an escape room, gift shops and a cafe.

  • #cave tour
  • #caverns
  • #underground boat ride
  • #guided tour

What's around here?

The closest stops to Howe Caverns, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Museums
    Iconic

    National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

    $25–$50

    Walk three floors of baseball history, from Babe Ruth artifacts to the bronze plaques of every inducted Hall of Famer.

    27 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Cooperstown

    Free

    Official tourism promotion agency for Cooperstown and Otsego County, New York.

    27 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Bailiwick Animal Park & Riding Stables

    Under $25

    A Catskill animal park and family ranch with exotic and farm animals, petting and feeding, and guided trail rides.

    39 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Outdoor Adventure

    Ulster County

    Free

    Catskills and Hudson Valley destination with hiking trails, wineries, historic villages and the Walkway Over the Hudson.

    56 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Tours
    Date Night

    Hudson River Cruises

    $25–$50

    Narrated sightseeing boat cruises on the Hudson River departing from Kingston's historic Rondout waterfront.

    58 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Eat & Drink
    Foodie Favorite

    Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest

    $25–$50

    A two-day September wine, food and craft beverage festival at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck.

    59 mi awaySwitch it up: Eat & Drink