Discover Massena

If you’re looking for a hotel in Massena, you can plan your trip around the topics that interest you most: commercial shipping and locks, energy, nature, or the town’s history. The visitor centers and trails each focus on different themes, offering a range of ways to shape your stay.

Cargo Ships and the History of the Seaway

At the Seaway Visitor Center, you can watch international cargo ships pass through the lock from observation platforms. Another way to explore the topic is the center’s immersive theater, where the history of the Seaway is shown on 12 seats. Watching ships pass through the lock and learning about the Seaway’s history through film offer two distinct experiences.

If you’re interested in ship traffic, you can focus on the passage through the lock. If you’d like to learn more about the historical context of the Seaway, the theater offers a dedicated focus on that topic. Both experiences are available at the Seaway Visitor Center in Massena.

Energy at the Hawkins Point Visitors Center

The Hawkins Point Visitors Center, also known as the Frank S. McCullough Jr. Visitors Center, focuses on energy. Interactive exhibits cover energy-related topics, and its observation platform offers scenic views of the New York Power Authority’s St. Lawrence FDR Power Project. The center is located in Robert Moses State Park in Massena.

The visitor center also offers educational programs on green technologies and energy conservation. This sets it apart from the Seaway Visitor Center: Hawkins Point focuses on energy and technology, while the Seaway Visitor Center explores cargo ships at the lock and the history of the Seaway. If you’re weighing these topics for your stay, you can use their different subject matter to guide your plans.

Habitats and Trails at the Nature Center

The Eugene L. Nicandri Nature Center features indoor exhibits on habitats in the North Country region. Exhibits include large display tanks with native fish and turtles. The exhibits focus on the region’s nature rather than shipping or energy production.

A 6-mile trail system is also connected to the Nature Center, offering scenic hikes year-round. The indoor exhibits and hiking trails provide different ways to explore the topic of nature: you can learn about the habitats on display or include the trails as a hiking destination in your plans.

Trails for Walking, Jogging, and More

The John Story Trail is a place to walk and jog in Massena. The route of the Richards Landing Dike Trail can be traced using its notable landmarks: it starts at the Massena Intake Dam on Route 131, follows the St. Lawrence River, and ends just past the Massena Country Club.

The Whalen Park Trail is near the Tucker Terrace area in Massena, New York. It is 3.2 miles long, paved, and an out-and-back route; it is used primarily for hiking, walking, trail running, and road cycling. These trails offer different features to choose from: the Whalen Park Trail is described by its surface, length, and route type; the Richards Landing Dike Trail by its route; and the John Story Trail by its use for walking and jogging.

These differences can help you choose a trail based on your preferred activity. The trail system at the Eugene L. Nicandri Nature Center is another option for hiking; the Whalen Park Trail, Richards Landing Dike Trail, and John Story Trail each offer their own opportunities for outdoor activity.

Local History at the Massena Museum

The Massena Museum actively collects and preserves documents and artifacts related to the Town of Massena. Its focus adds a perspective on the town itself to the topics covered by the visitor centers and trails. If you’re interested in local history, the museum’s collecting and preservation work is another aspect to consider when planning your trip to Massena.

Explore more destinations: Norfolk, Potsdam, Brasher Falls-Winthrop, Gouverneur, Ogdensburg.

To the main travel overview: St. Lawrence.