Named after Chandler Bing, the Bing search engine, and definitely Carmella Bing, the city of…read moreBinghamton is one of the most underrated places in NY state.
I'm not trying to string you along. If I was, it'd be Stringhamton.
My personal experiences here range from the awful - getting a ticket while my travel buddy was in the car, in a "no parking" zone, with the flashers on, with the engine running: dear cops, waiting is not parking. Learn your rules. And then getting an abusive message about that story from a Binghamton local...
To the naughty... I once had a little rendezvous here. That night, it was Flinghamton.
To the sublime - my only concert in Binghamton so far was an outrageous success. The owner of the venue not such a sweet dude, but the crowd absolutely wonderful. Massive, maybe 100 people or so which is a very big one for me, and one of my biggest ever crowds in NY state or indeed NE USA. And I met some great people that night, including Nicole C, who I hung out with after the concert and talked to long into the night, and have kept in touch with ever since.
I guess for that night only, it was Singhamton.
It's an old industrial town, in the pretty hills, and it's somewhat the land that time forgot. It does feel like it's still in the 70s or 80s. It is dreary, but there is a beauty to its dreariness. It's not the friendliest town in the world, but it's real. It has a little Pittsburgh about it.
If it was like Buffalo, it'd be Winghamton.
In terms of food, what you want to do is head over to the Spiedie Hut & Rib Pit, and order a Greek Chicken Spiedie. It's the signature meal in town, and it's absolutely delicious.
And you shouldn't come here in Winter. Instead, try Springhamton.