Utica had its heyday in the era of the Erie Canal, when manufacturing was booming. It attracted business, travelers, even the founders of a Utopian society -- one that went on to create some of the country's finest flatware. The Oneida Company is still around, but the Utica/Rome area is hardly the same. Those cities are trying to stage something of a comeback, but it's an uphill struggle: The biggest success story has been the reopening of the gorgeous Hotel Utica.You won't want to spend much time in the cities -- there's just not much there -- but the countryside is very pretty. For nature exploration and outdoor fun try Howe Caverns and gorgeous Oneida Lake.