Depends on what your definition of "cool places" is. If you're a city dude looking for an urban shooting gallery - well you're out of luck. Unless you hit the Salmon River at Puleski during the salmon runs - then it's a shutzenfest of combat fishing.
But if a short drive to the Adirondaks, fall foliage, ancient mountains, wilderness is up your alley - then enjoy. The Adirondaks in fall and winter is a wonderful thing to behold. The Tupper Lake/Saranac Lake area is cool. The Paul Smith's College area is a wonderful scenic area. Spent lots of time exploring those areas with flyrod in hand. I lived in Platsburgh for 5 years - the opposite end of the Adirondaks from Watertown. I now live in the northern Rocky Mountain area and still miss the Adirondaks.