Top 10 Budget-friendly Things to do in Chautauqua County, Chautauqua County

Explore a half-mile long ridge of 60-foot high rock forming crevices, passageways, and caves hidden in an ancient forest! Located just 15 minutes from Chautauqua Lake, Panama Rocks is one of the top-rated attractions in Chautauqua County based on independent reviews on TripAdvisor. The Panama Rocks formations are surrounded by a one mile long hiking trail, but most guests enjoy going off of the main trail to explore! Visitors spend anywhere from one hour to the entire day having fun and exploring the park. Picnic tables are available. The trail is relatively easy to hike (Class 1) and guests of all ages enjoy it, but there are roots, rocks, and uneven ground; it is still a hiking trail! Plan your trip to explore one of the most fun and popular "things to do" in Western New York today! Try axe throwing with Axcellent Adventures at Panama Rocks! Reservations recommended!

The National Comedy Center is the United States' official cultural institution and museum dedicated to presenting the vital story of comedy and preserving its heritage for future generations. Recently named the “Best New Museum” in the country by USA Today, and one of the "World's Greatest Places" by TIME magazine, the Comedy Center offers a visitor experience filled with laughter – featuring state-of-the-art technology, interactivity and personalization to create a one-of-a-kind, immersive museum environment perfect for the entire family. Based on the vision of Jamestown, NY native Lucille Ball for her hometown of Jamestown, NY to become a destination for comedy, the National Comedy Center showcases comedy's great minds and unique voices in ways that engage, inspire, educate and entertain. The Center’s award-winning LaughSafe program will keep everyone laughing safely, touch-free and worry-free throughout their socially-distanced experience in its expansive 37,000-square-foot museum.

Lucille Ball's hometown of Jamestown, NY honors the legacy of "The First Couple of Comedy" with the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum. The museum attraction is open seven days a week, and features replica sets, Lucille Ball's Emmy awards, costumes, rare memorabilia, and much more.

The museum opened its doors in 1951 in Chautauqua County's first brick mansion. The house was built in 1818 by pioneer James McClurg, the wealthy son of a Pittsburgh industrialist. Its grand salons and formal rooms stood in sharp contrast to the rugged homes of neighboring frontier settlers. The house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. Today the 24-room Federal-style mansion is the home of the Chautauqua County Historical Society. The museum features period displays on three floors. Displays include some of the earliest artifacts and archival materials relating to the settlement and development of the county. The society's collections feature fine art, antique furnishings, textiles, mastodon bones, a First Nations exhibit and much, much more. Guided tours and group rates are available.

Southern Chautauqua County's history lives at the Fenton History Center. Visit the house museum in the 1863 Italianate Villa home of Reuben E. Fenton, 22nd New York State Governor and our Research Center in the historical Hall House that was built in 1846.

The Robert H. Jackson Center has been established to advance the legacy of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Jackson through exhibitry, and by pursuing the relevance of his ideas for current and future generations. Robert H. Jackson first gained recognition as a country lawyer from Chautauqua County. He went on to serve as Solicitor General of the United States, U.S. Attorney General, U.S. Supreme Court Justice, and Chief American Prosecutor at the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg at the end of World War II. Guided tours are available from 10 am to 2 pm, Monday through Friday, and Saturdays by appointment only. Calling to schedule a tour is highly encouraged. Admission is free, but donations are gladly accepted.