Binghamton

[Talksoccer]

Im applying for University over there in America. Can anyone tell me how the area is overall, is it any good? Is it a great place to stay and friendly? What attractions does it have? Also is it like a city or a countryside area?

Thank Yu

[TonyO]

Binghamton is a small city 2.5 hours drive northwest of NYC. First off, it is nothing like New York City so do not expect what you have seen here. It is a small downtown, surrounded by large suburbs. It is more countryside than city. It is a scenic area surrounded by wooded hills.

[Bernie]

Originally Posted by tonyo

Binghamton is a small city 2.5 hours drive northwest of NYC.

My hat's off to you if you can drive there in 2.5 hours. It is 200 miles west of NYC.

Talksoccer -- send me a PM for some Binghamton information. I've been working and visiting there a few times each year since the 1970's.

[TonyO]

Originally Posted by Bernie

My hat's off to you if you can drive there in 2.5 hours. It is 200 miles west of NYC.

I95 (GW) to route 80W, 380N, 81N. 2.5 hours with good traffic, 3 hours max.

[ryan]

I have spent a lot of time in and around Binghamton - it is a beautiful, hilly, scenic area - and I really love it. That said, I don't recommend the area for an international student...

SUNY Binghamton is a very good school, but it is very isolated and surrounded by nothing but strip malls and suburbs. Without a car, you would pretty much be stuck on campus. There is a local bus to get around the area, but there's not much in the way of "attractions." Mostly big box retail, big box movie theaters, and big box chain restaurants. There are a couple quaint blocks and some bars in the city of Binghamton, (which is not walking distance from campus) but most of the area is either bland suburbs, or relatively destitute urban areas.

Transportation to New York City is only via car or bus. Driving to NYC in 2.5 hours is possible, but I've only managed that once or twice. During weekend travel time you'll sit in traffic for an hour or two just to get over the river - in the summer you'll have traffic throughout Jersey. The bus is 3.5-4 hours, and, uh, not very pleasant. Basically, travel between Binghamton and NYC is not convenient or practical, so don't expect to spend much time in the city.

If you had a car, and were interested in the country, it is a very short drive to real, unspoiled rural areas. South into Susquehanna County, PA is especially rural and undeveloped. North and West is the Finger Lake region and Ithaca, a fun college town for Ithaca College and Cornell University. It is a very cheap area to live in, and you could live in a house with land and forest about a 20 minute drive from campus.

Hope that's helpful, and I'm sorry to all the southern tier folks who I may have insulted...

[Jasonik]

Originally Posted by ryan

If you had a car, and were interested in the country, it is a very short drive to real, unspoiled rural areas. South into Susquehanna County, PA is especially rural and undeveloped. North and West is the Finger Lake region and Ithaca, a fun college town for Ithaca College and Cornell University. It is a very cheap area to live in, and you could live in a house with land and forest about a 20 minute drive from campus.

1 hour East on I-88 is Oneonta, a college town which 'boasts' the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Another 1/2 hour East will bring you to Cooperstown, home of The Baseball Hall of Fame.

I grew up in the country outside Oneonta, and if you like to hike, camp, hunt, and/or fish, the area can't be beat. I would tend to agree that it isn't all that exciting, and generally the area is kind of economically depressed and unsophisticated, outside the few cities. There is a fair amount of agriculture, though even this seems to be fading to make way for suburban sprawl, and subdivision.

http://www.greaterbinghamtonchamber.com/

Binghamton does frequently get big name musical tours.

They have REAL winters there.

You won't be very happy without a car.