However, I love putt-putt. I'm no Chevy Chase:
But give me a bunch of happy little greens with obstacles surrounded by fountains, and I'm good to go. If there's a theme, even better. And at Eldridge Park, the theme for its new mini-golf course is the Victorian Era.
Where else in the world are you gonna find a Victorian themed golf course?
This gate is from a castle in Belgium.
Plus, you can ponder a different bit of wisdom from our pal Twain at every hole. Because this course is actually two-for-one as far as themes go.
The course's other homage to Twain can be found in the form of a replica of his study.
(Ah, note to prospective putt-putters - do not choose your club color based on your ball color. Doesn't work that way. Different colors of clubs represent different heights. Choose a pretty blue one to go with your pretty blue golf ball, and you might end up attempting to swing a club that only reaches your thigh.)
I cannot look at this and not think of Keats' "Ode on a Grecian Urn." (Keats wrote about 1,009,245 "Ode" poems. Yes, a slight exaggeration, but the man for sure liked his "Odes"). Except that this is, in fact (according to its plaque), an Italian urn.
I managed to conquer this little beast right here with a hole-in-one:
Hey, it's a lot trickier than it looks!
In addition to all this themeage, you've even got a train roundin' about the course. Awaiting your turn? Hop aboard and go for a spin. I thought it was just for kids, but it's actually all-age friendly.
It's a mini-golf course with a railroad crossing.
And if you're looking for a ride of a larger variety, go check out the fantastically restored 1920's carousel.
You buy tickets for the carousel, putt-putt, and the boats. Putt-putt is the most expensive, at only $5, so it's all super affordable.
All of the carousel animals have a name, and many of them have sponsors.
But some? Some don't have sponsors :( And I bet they'd really like one. Carousel residents like:
"Adopt me!"
(That's also pretty much what I imagine every available animal on the SPCA's website saying to me.)
Gruff is looking especially sad not to have a sponsor, if you ask me ;)
All of the animals are really intricate, distinct, and interesting to look at. Plus, this particular carousel has an additional bonus in that turns all of its riders into Gollum.
"My precious."
I think my personal favorite Eldridge activity is taking a ride on Jasper II, the Dragon Boat:
As far as Wikipedia is concerned, you can only try to grab a brass ring on sixteen other carousels in the entire country. And they were used, in part, to get people to sit on the outside row, where folks wouldn't always want to sit because those horses didn't move up and down.
Apparently the outside of the carousel is the fastest-moving (I wouldn't know because I took physiology to get out of taking physics in high school). But that would explain why I was too much of a wimp to try reaching for the ring once the ride picked up speed. In my defense, though, this carousel is really movin'. It's an actual ride; it's not one of those carousels that sort of putter along. My friend Josh, though? Rocked the ring grabbing, and now he gets to ride again for free.
I think my personal favorite Eldridge activity is taking a ride on Jasper II, the Dragon Boat:
What can I say? He won me over.
If you check out http://www.eldridgepark.us/, you'll find some interesting accounts of Eldridge Park memories. Which is where I learned that once upon a time, because this (manmade) lake was widely rumored to be "bottomless," it was kind of spooky for kids to be riding a dragon around on it. But I found the circular trek on Jasper, who roars and blows smoke, to be pretty tranquil.
Jasper shares the water with some dragon paddle boats.
What I think are some very well-fed geese.
The park is open now from 5 to 9 p.m. Fridays, 12 to 9 p.m. Saturdays, and 12 to 8 p.m. Sundays (until June 29th, when it will also start being open on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 9 p.m.).
Be sure to stop by and see Jasper this summer, I think he likes visitors.
Eldridge Park, Elmira, NY
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