Jamestown (New York)

Jamestown is a city in Chautauqua County, in New York's Southern Tier. The birthplace of actress Lucille Ball, Jamestown is now home to the National Comedy Center, a state-of-the-art interactive museum. You can also enjoy the waterfront of Chautauqua Lake and the Chadakoin River.

Understand

Although Jamestown is a small city, it is the largest in Chautauqua County. It has cold, snowy winters and mild summers, even cool at night sometimes in August.

Get in

By car

Jamestown lies just south of Interstate 86 (New York State Route 17), a cross-state route that runs from I-90 at Erie, Pennsylvania, across the Southern Tier to I-81 at Binghamton. It's the most common way to get to Jamestown.

Coming from the north, you might take State Route 60 from Dunkirk and Fredonia, or U.S. 62 from Buffalo. U.S. 62 proceeds south to Warren, Pennsylvania).

By plane

Get around

You will need a car as public transportation is very limited. Chautauqua Area Regional Transit System (CARTS, soon to be rebranded CHQ Transit) has small buses that travel around Jamestown and into the western suburbs, but the schedules and routes are more suited to residents' needs than those of tourists.

See
  • 🌍 National Comedy Center, 203 W 2nd St (at Washington St), ☏ +1 716 484-2222. Th-M 10AM-5PM. The first major museum in the U.S. dedicated to comedy, the National Comedy Center opened in August 2018 as the culmination of years of effort from major figures in American comedy. The advisory board has included Carl Reiner, Laraine Newman, Lewis Black, Jim Gaffigan, Paula Poundstone, and many others. The museum offers more than 50 exhibits, from start-of-the-art interactive experiences to artifacts and memorabilia. Coded wristbands allow exhibits to customize themselves to visitors' individual preferences. Highlights include a hologram theater, a stand-up lounge, and the adults-only "Blue Room". Personal archives housed at the museum include those of Charlie Chaplin, the Marx Brothers, Phyllis Diller, George Carlin, Joan Rivers, and Jerry Seinfeld. A gift shop offers souvenirs and light café selections; drinks (including alcohol) and snacks are available at the comedy karaoke bar. Adults $35, age 60+ $33.50, college student $30.50, ages 13-17 $28.50, military/veteran $23.50, ages 6-12 $22.50, under 6 free; dual-admission tickets with the Lucy Desi Museum offer a discount off the combined price. (updated Sep 2022)
  • 🌍 The Lucy-Desi Museum, 2 W 3rd St (at Main St), ☏ +1 716 484-0800, . Th-M 10AM-5PM. Operated by the National Comedy Center, this museum celebrates the lives and entertainment careers of Jamestown native Lucille Ball and her co-star husband Desi Arnaz through interactive displays, personal belongings and video screenings. One part of the museum is dedicated entirely to I Love Lucy with artifacts and set recreations. The two parts of the museum each has a gift shop. Adult $19, Age 60+ $18, ages 13-17 $16, ages 6-12 $14, under 6 free; dual-admission tickets with the National Comedy Center offer a discount off the combined price. (updated Sep 2022)
  • 🌍 Lucille Ball Memorial Park, 21 Boulevard Ave, Celoron. This quaint waterfront park is notable primarily for its statue of Lucille Ball, who grew up in Celoron just a few blocks to the south. The original Lucy statue, unveiled in 2009 and depicting the famous "Vitametavegamin" scene, was quickly dubbed "Scary Lucy" for its lack of resemblance to the famously pretty actress. It's since been replaced with the new "Lovely Lucy" statue, a more faithful representation, but Scary Lucy is still at the park in case you want to see it. The park also features a small but picturesque lighthouse. (updated Sep 2022)
  • Chautauqua Lake is a long, thin lake stretching 17 miles northwest from Jamestown to Mayville. Boating and fishing are common.

Do
  • Chautauqua Belle, 14 Jones and Gifford Ave (at McCrea Point Park), . Before the railroads and highways, and into the middle of the 20th century, Chautauqua Lake was filled with steamships carrying both passengers and cargo to the surrounding communities. The Chautauqua Belle, launched in 1976, is one of only five authentic steam sternwheelers left in North America. Although its primary home is at Mayville, from which it cruises Chautauqua Lake, the Chautauqua Belle also offers 2-hour river cruises from Jamestown up the Chadakoin River to the lake outlet; these occur mostly in late summer and early fall. $30 adults, $10 ages 3-12. (updated Sep 2022)
  • 🌍 Northwest Arena, 319 West Third Street. features open ice skating, hockey, concerts and indoor soccer leagues. 
  • Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History, 311 Curtis St. Is a national center for nature education named for the award-winning naturalist and author of a popular series of natural history field guides. Featured are nature exhibits as well as wildlife art and photography. Trails and a butterfly garden are on the 27 wooded acres. Call (716) 665-2473 for more information. 

Buy

Eat
  • Alfie's, 986 Fairmount Ave. Known for great fish and amazing breakfasts. 
  • Forte, 114 East 3rd Street, ☏ +1 716 484-6063. Eclectic American fare. Sushi. Homemade unique desserts. 
  • Johnny's Lunch, 966 Fairmount Ave, ☏ +1 716 664-2881. Local fast food. 
  • 🌍 Lisciandro's Restaurant, 207 S Main St, ☏ +1 716-487-8925. Daily 7AM-1PM. Lisciandro's is a cozy little diner serving hearty comfort food for breakfast and lunch. $5-$15. (updated Sep 2022)
  • 🌍 The Main Landing, 142 Boulevard Ave, Celoron, ☏ +1 716-720-5588. Vary depending on season. This riverfront restaurant – go ahead, dock right outside and walk in – might be considered "homey" if it was farther inland. Instead, it has the feel of a shipboard dining room. The meals (seafood, steak, chicken, pasta, and sandwiches) are hearty and generously portioned. Service is friendly, especially so for the many regulars who stop in. $15-25. (updated Sep 2022)
  • The Pub. 

Drink
  • Wine Cellar, 309 N Main St., ☏ +1 716 483-0599. The epitome of J-town culture. Not to be missed. 
  • The Cherry Lounge, 326 Cherry St., ☏ +1 716 664-4359. Awesome wings, great atmosphere! 

Sleep
  • Holiday Inn, 150 West Fourth St, ☏ +1 716 664-3400. 
  • Best Western, 200 W 3rd Street, ☏ +1 716 484-8400, fax: +1 716 484-8405. 
  • Hampton Inn, 4 W Oak Hill Rd. 
  • 🌍 Chautauqua Harbor Hotel, 10 Dunham Ave, Celoron, ☏ +1 716-489-2800. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. An upscale 135-room hotel right on the southern shore of Chautauqua Lake. The hotel has excellent views and plenty of outdoor amenities for enjoying the lakefront, such as a putting green, an outdoor pool, multiple fire pits, an outdoor lounge with food and drinks, and an octagonal terrace that juts out into the water. Inside is a full-service restaurant, indoor pool, and exercise room. A dedicated concierge can assist with planning and reservations. $150-500. (updated Sep 2022)

Go next
  • Allegany State Park, off Interstate 86, is the largest NY state park outside of the Adirondacks and Catskills
Routes through Jamestown
Ends at W E ←  W  E  → Randolph → Elmira
Dunkirk ← Fredonia ←  N  S  → Ends at N S


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