Jamestown

Jamestown combines riverside trails with comedy experiences and museums that reveal different sides of the town. The Jamestown Riverwalk follows the Chadakoin River through downtown; there’s also the interactive National Comedy Center, collections on entertainment history, and historical insights at the Fenton History Center. When planning your trip, you can choose between activity by the water and culture, rather than focusing your stay on just one theme.

Follow the Chadakoin River

The Jamestown Riverwalk is a 5-mile urban trail system. Its route follows the Chadakoin River through downtown Jamestown. The trail is suitable for walking, jogging, cycling, and rollerblading. If you enjoy outdoor activities, you can consider which of these activities you’d like to include in your stay; the 5-mile length offers a concrete reference point for planning.

Another way to enjoy the water is at McCrea Point Park, at the outlet of Chautauqua Lake. There’s a boat launch and an accessible kayak launch. The two launches offer different ways to get out on the water: one for boats and the other for kayaks. If water activities are important to your trip, you can include this park as a separate stop.

Experience comedy in different ways

The National Comedy Center offers an interactive, immersive, and personalized experience. It’s a way to explore comedy not just through a collection, but through an experience designed specifically around it. The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival offers a different focus: it’s Jamestown’s largest annual event and features more than 50 live events. If you like to plan your trip around a diverse live program, you can keep this festival in mind as a special occasion.

Museums spanning television history and local history

The Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum features replica sets, Lucille Ball’s Emmy Awards, costumes, and rare memorabilia from “I Love Lucy” and other shows. The collection brings together artifacts from television history with displays of sets and costumes. Fans of the shows will find several specific points of interest, while other culture enthusiasts can explore the museum through its varied exhibits.

The Fenton History Center is housed in the 1863 mansion of Reuben E. Fenton, the 22nd governor of New York State. Its exhibits include “Made in Jamestown: How Furniture Built a City.” The history of the house meets an exhibition theme that focuses on the importance of furniture to Jamestown. If you’re interested in the town’s past, this combination offers a different perspective from the comedy and television collections.

Sports history and group visits

The Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame collection includes sports memorabilia from baseball, basketball, golf, bowling, and auto racing. It spans several sports, offering groups with varied interests specific topics to explore. Group tours can be arranged at any time. To arrange one, contact Randy Anderson at 716-484-2272.

When choosing a vacation rental in Jamestown, you can first consider which of these experiences matters most to your trip: the Riverwalk and its four listed activities, the comedy scene, the museums, or the opportunities to enjoy the water. This selection can help you decide what kind of stay you want, without requiring every activity to be equally important.

More destination pages

Other destination pages you can visit include Clymer, Dunkirk, Mina, Cassadaga, Panama, Bemus Point, Falconer, and Mayville.

For the broader travel overview: Chautauqua.