Snow boots?  Check.  Hat and gloves?  Check?  Mug of hot chocolate?  Check!

Winter in Upstate New York means snowy mornings shoveling and chill evenings spent warming up from a day in the snow. Because of this, hot chocolate and hot cocoa move to the top of the list of the #1 most beloved beverage.  To cradle a mug of it in your cold hands after skiing, sledding, snowboarding, or just a day full of shoveling snow, well, it is just what the doctor called for. It's the perfect warm drink, beloved by children and adults alike.

But, today's mugs are filled with something very different than the hot chocolate your mom used to make for you.  As you will see in this list, a mug of hot cocoa now comes in a variety of exciting new flavors and is served in very creative ways! They have fun different toppings and creative ingredients to tailor to your specific liking. From the good old traditional cup of hot chocolate to the newest trends and additions, this list has all your hot chocolate dreams.

And what about those new, hot chocolate bombs that are all the rage?  I love them.  And so we added a couple to this list of places to find a good hot mug of hot chocolate in Upstate New York.

Warning:  These photos will make your mouth water! Might want to make yourself a warm mug of hot chocolate to get you through the list!

These 14 Upstate New York Hot Chocolate Destinations Are Warm, Cuddly, and Ready For You To Stop By!

There is just something so comfortable, so familiar, so down right nostalgic about cradling a mug of hot chocolate on a cold Upstate New York day. Here is a list of 14 great purveyors of delicious hot cocoa and hot chocolate. But, it is not the hot chocolate of your youth! Today's mugs are filled with exciting flavor combinations and a variety of options to choose from. These places are cozy cafes and chocolate shops from the Hudson Valley to Western New York. (Psst: we included some delicious cocoa bombs in here too!)

Some of these concoctions are real works of art!

Gallery Credit: Chuck D'Imperio

18 Top Upstate New York Bakeries: From Bread to Cannoli's!

Everybody has a favorite bakery shop. Big city or small map dot, we gravitate to a place that creates superb sweets, artisan breads, and awesome cookies and cannoli's. There are hundreds of bakeries scattered around Upstate New York and we think these are some of the best! If your favorite bakery in Upstate New York did not make our list, please visit our Facebook page and give it a shout out. We really do want to hear from you!

Gallery Credit: Chuck D'Imperio

Believe It Or Not! Here Are 19 Great Upstate NY Halls of Fame!!

When it comes to Halls of Fame, New York State has a tone of them. And many of them can be found in Upstate New York.

Sure, we all know "the big ones," like the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but there are many others to visit. Some are big, such as The National Toy Hall of Fame in Rochester or the Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, but others are located in teeny, tiny towns across the region. They are in hard to find places, with populations of perhaps less than 500 people. But they sure are interesting!

Here are 19 of the best Halls of Fame in Upstate New York. What is the D.I.R.T. Hall of Fame? And what about the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame? And the Convenience Store Hall of Fame? These are all fun to look at and visit. In each "hall" we have included a website link so you can check on dates, times, events, directions, etc. Like I said, some are way off the beaten path. One of them is deep in the forests of the Adirondack park. It is quite a ride trying to find it, but when you do you will be glad you visited it. Very unusual, totally fascinating, and very "tuneful."

Gallery Credit: Chuck D'Imperio

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