Alton Travel Guide

The area was once home to many families of the Shaker religious sect. The area around the hilltop where the Alasa Farms is located was once a Shaker center and today there are preserved artifacts and buildings on the site.

The small museum and gift shop is open during the summer months, but hours depend on available staffing. See the phone number below to call in advance of a visit.
They also host an outdoor picnic and camping event in mid-September.
There are also marked trails for hiking or horseback riding.

Shakers were noted for their unique woodworking and handicrafts. Objects of these crafts are available for viewing and some replicas are available in the gift shop.

A quick bite of toast and a cup of coffee here and then onto fishing at Sodus Bay.

Friendly little small-town diner where you can dress like a fisherman and not get stared at.

$5 covered everything.

There are no public transportation means in Alton. You will need to have your own car or rent one from one of the larger towns nearby (Sodus or Lyons). The major highways are few: route 104 (now designated the SeaWay Trail), Ridge Road (the old route 104) and route 14.

Anything that is worth seeing is on or very near one of those highways. The rest of the roads pass through farm country except for Shaker Road which gives access to some of the new housing projects. Most of the mapped roads are paved but not necessarily in the best repair; especially those roads that cross the railroad tracks.

This farm market has some of the best local fruits and vegetables, all grown with a minimum of chemical controls. Besides the produce, there is a nice variety of annuals and perenials available in season. They can make a nice gift for the people that are hosting you on your vacation. Amish furniture has been added to the items available in the summer; honey and syrup are available in the spring and apple cider is there in the fall.

You can spend an hour just browsing around the place. There is no pressure to buy and the proprietor can fill you in on local history and gossip.

The area around Alton is mostly farm fields and a few new housing projects (upscale developments) along Shaker Road. There is very little crime of any sort and no crimes that
affect tourists. There are no registered sex offenders in Alton. The area rates in the top 10% of safe places to visit in New York State.

You will need to do a minimum of things to be safe in this area. Just behave like you would at home and your visit should be a pleasant one.

The Cracker Box Palace is a farm. But not your average agriculture farm; it is an animal sanctuary farm. Injured, neglected, about-to-be-put-down farm animals of all sizes are welcomed here for rehabilitation and sanctuary. It is completely run by donations and is non-profit. You can get a tour of all the animals by appointment (See the website below). Goats, horses, pigs, sheep, chickens, geese, manure, smell..... they got it all. If you see an animal that you like, you can even adopt them (after careful scrutiny). There are special events and fundraisers (see the website for details).
CAUTION: this is not a petting zoo; some of the animals are not very friendly but most will respond well to a pat and a rub.

to get there:
6540 Shaker Road
take route 104 (Seaway trail) to the intersection with route 14. take route 14 north a jog to intersection with old Ridge Road. straight across the intersection is Shaker Road... go north on Shaker and see farm signs

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This is one lovely golf course with panoramic views of Sodus Bay and Lake Ontario as seen from the rolling fairways and elevated greens. It is a nightmare for duffers like me. The fairways are mostly doglegs with mature trees along the perimeter to catch your ball as it passes by and newer trees placed nearer the main lines of the fairway to cause you problems.

The amentities (pro shop, club house and snack bar) are all tip-top quality.
And its going to cost you plenty to play here: $45 for 18 holes with a cart (and on this course a cart is necessary for most of us retirees).
The short course is a long 5300 yards and the long course is a rigorous 6700 yards.

Bunkers, sand traps, water hazards, trees and thick rough are all out there to frustrate the heck out of you. So come on down and have a go at it for a couple hours.