Owego offers plenty of reasons to stay: local history, walks with river views, activities in the park and events. The Tioga County Historical Society and the Tioga County Courthouse, built in 1879, provide a historical focus. The Owego Riverwalk and Hickories Park offer different ways to enjoy the outdoors. Owego Porchfest and the annual Strawberry Festival add events to the mix. When planning, it’s worth considering opening hours and festival dates, as well as the activities you’d like to make a priority.
Discover Owego’s History
The Tioga County Historical Society in the historic Village of Owego includes a museum, research library, genealogical archive and historic carriage house. The exhibits make for a museum visit, while the library and archive add research and genealogy to the historical focus.
The society is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. No reservation or appointment is required. Admission to the museum exhibits is free year-round. Check the opening hours before you arrive if you plan to schedule a museum visit.
The Tioga County Courthouse provides another historical highlight. Built in 1879, the courthouse is listed on the National Register and is the oldest continuously operating courthouse in New York State. Its historical significance can also be considered in the context of Owego’s wider architecture: self-guided tours pass various public and private buildings.
Owego’s historic downtown is lined with 19th-century storefronts that invite relaxed shopping and browsing. This lets you combine a look at historic buildings with time downtown, without limiting your walk to a single structure.
Walks and Outdoor Activities
The Owego Riverwalk is a scenic path with views of the Susquehanna River. If river views are your main focus on a walk, it offers a different experience from Hickories Park, where visitors can walk, run and bike on paved roads.
Hickories Park also has a public boat launch and fishing access. Information about the paved roads, public boat launch and fishing access is current as of September 2026; check before your trip. The activities differ in specific ways: the Riverwalk is characterized by its views of the Susquehanna River, while the park offers roads for walking, running and biking, as well as a boat launch and fishing access.
When planning, you can weigh a path with river views against the recreational options mentioned for the park. Activities at Hickories Park include several ways to get around, while the Riverwalk offers its own scenic focus.
Events and Travel Dates
Owego Porchfest is a free music event celebrating local music, local businesses and the historic Owego community. Event details may change. If you’d like to plan your trip around the festival, check the dates in advance.
The Owego Strawberry Festival is held annually; dates and programming may change. Planning a visit around a festival therefore requires different timing than visiting the Historical Society, which has set opening days. Check event details before your trip if a festival is the deciding factor in your travel dates. This lets you choose between a visit focused on the museum, time outdoors or an event, rather than trying to fit everything into a fixed schedule.
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