NEW YORK

About 120 sugar shacks in New York state will participate in open-house weekends March 17-18 and March 24-25, and many are open to visitors throughout the season. On Maple Weekends, farmers demonstrate how maple sugar is made, and most offer free samples and have special events. Details at the State Maple Producers Association, http://www.nysmaple.com/, or the state tourism office, I Love New York, 800-225-5697, http://www.iloveny.com/. Among the state's notable sugar shacks:

· Take horse-and-wagon rides through the sugarbush at the Fred Boberg farm (2298 Edmunds Rd., Delevan, 716-492-3789). After a wagon ride, have an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast at Moore's Maple Shack & Pancake House (10397 Galen Hill Rd., Freedom, 716-492-3067, http://www.mooresmaple.com/).

· Remsburger Maple Farm and Apiary (756 Traver Rd., Pleasant Valley, 845-635-9168, http://www.remsburgermaple.com/) demonstrates both sugaring and beekeeping operations.

· The daughter of the owners of Orebed Sugar Shack (503 Orebed Rd., DeKalb, 315-347-3415) is this year's New York State Maple Sugar Queen. She'll be at the shack March 25 and will give a treat to every child who visits.

SUGAR SHACKS WITH LODGING: South Meadow Farm Lodge (67 Sugarworks Way, Lake Placid, 518-523-9369, http://www.southmeadow.com/) is a maple-sugaring operation with a lodge that includes breakfast. Double rooms range from $100 to $155. Some sugar operations in the state have partnered with nearby B&Bs. Ask the operator of the shack you intend to visit, or find options in eastern New York at http://www.visitbattenkillvalley.com/.

FESTIVALS: Multiple events are planned for the area-wide Maple Festival March 24-25. A special train will operate a shuttle service every 15 minutes between Cortland and Marathon, and train connections to that shuttle can be made from both Syracuse and Binghamton. Details: http://www.maplefest.org/.

MUSEUM: American Maple Museum (9753 State Route 812, Croghan, 315-346-1107) is open from the third Saturday in May through the end of September, but it also offers tours and all-you-can-eat pancake breakfasts on March 24 and 25.