Howe Caverns vs. Secret Caverns: Take Our Cave Person Quiz!
Howe Caverns or Secret Caverns? Which type of cave person are you? Both of these Upstate New York caverns make super-fun, memorable, family-friendly adventures. Both promise otherworldly landscapes, fascinating tours, and incredible water features near the Schoharie County town of Cobleskill. However, they’re really geared toward different types of people. What’s your cavern personality? Take our quiz and find out!
Follow the signs to Secret Caverns, a psychedelic experience in Upstate New York.
Question 1: Do you own any tie-dye?
If the answer is yes, chalk up one point for Secret Caverns. If not, that’s a point for Howe Caverns.
Everything is a little more groovy at Secret Caverns, especially the psychedelic hand-painted signage leading up to the attraction in the town of Howes Cave, NY.
Secret Caverns vs. Howe Caverns: Which one should you visit?
Question 2: Do you prefer the American Museum of Natural History, where the exhibits are guarded from human touch, or the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia, where everything is hands-on?
If you can keep your hands to yourself, that’s a point for Howe Caverns. If you (or your offspring) need to rub their little paws on everything in sight, add a point for Secret Caverns.
Howe Caverns is a hands-off cave to preserve the delicate cave walls and formations which could be damaged by the oils in human hands. At Secret Caverns, they scoff at that rule. I support cave conservation, but I have to admit—after so many childhood visits to Howe Caverns, where I had to keep my hands to myself, I deeply enjoyed the sensation of pressing my palm against the cool, damp walls at Secret Caverns.
Spoiler Alert: The 100 foot underground waterfall at Secret Caverns is even more incredible than the signs imply.
Question 3: Do you prefer a smooth ride at well-oiled theme park like Disney World, or the rickety rawness of the Cylcone at Coney Island?
Disney fans give a point to Howe Caverns. Cyclone lovers mark a point for Secret Caverns.
At Howe Caverns, the tour is scripted and the guides are cute, preppy, and uniformed. They’re making the same jokes that we heard when we were kids, and I love the nostalgia, the friendliness and goofiness.
At Secret Caverns, our tour guide had a long beard, silver rings on every finger, and seemed to like bats a LOT for someone who wasn’t a Vampire… hmmm… Well, in any case, I loved hearing about our guide’s personal connection to the caves, and for me, the Secret Caverns tour felt like a behind-the-scenes tour from a serious cave-lover.
At Secret Caverns, you get to the gift shop and front desk through the mouth of a bat.
Question 4: When traveling into the bowels of the Earth, would you rather take a safe but spooky-on-purpose elevator, or climb down a steep, wet staircase?
If you chose elevator, give a point to Howe Caverns. If you’d rather take the (slightly treacherous) stairs, give a point to Secret Caverns.
Howe’s elevator, wider walkways, and colorful spotlights make the caverns feel as welcoming as a ride at Epcot. If you are traveling with a small child, have your own movement issues, are worried about squeezing through small spaces, or just feel anxious in general, Howe Caverns is probably your better bet. Plus, Howe Caverns offers a variety of more challenging tours (for a higher price) with the same level of safety precautions.
Now, I don’t think there’s anything unsafe about Secret Caverns, but when the people behind me were huffing and puffing on the stairs, I did start to worry. What if someone had a heart attack or a stroke? What if they collapsed and blocked the narrow walkways? What if we were trapped in the cave unless we climbed over someone’s lifeless body? NOTE: This did not happen and everyone was fine. But as a worrier by nature, Secret Caverns felt a little scarier to me.
Secret Caverns was “discovered” by a couple of unfortunate cows who tumbled into a pit in 1928.
Question 5: Are you on a tight budget?
If you’re big on saving money, chalk up a point for Secret Caverns. If you don’t mind spending a little extra, mark a point for Howe Caverns.
Your money goes a little further at Secret Caverns, with 45-minute tours costing $18 per adult and $10 per kid aged 6-12 (that’s $56 + tax for our family of 4). At Howe Caverns, tours are 90 minutes (which is a long time in a chilly cave) and cost $25 per adult and $15 per child aged 5-12 (that’s $80 + tax for our family of 4). Warning: Both have gift shops in which your children will want to buy every souvenir.
Any other Dark Crystal nerds just waiting for a Gelfling to pop out of this scene? If so, you really need to go to Secret Caverns (and maybe take me with you).
Question 6: Would you rather take a ride on a boat or see a spectacular waterfall?
Boaters get a point for HC, and waterfall lovers get a point for SC.
Both caves have amazing features, and both have water. I love the boat ride in Howe Caverns, but it’s got nothing on the 100-foot underground waterfall at Secret Caverns. Our guide said he brought his daughter’s Girl Scout Troup on a tour and they all ran through the waterfall in their clothes. My kids were not interested, but as I stood there, imagining the girls’ giggles echoing through the cavern, I felt as though I’d discovered the most magical place on earth.
HOLY MOLY! The waterfall at Secret Caverns is a sight to behold, and this photo doesn’t begin to capture its majesty.
Tally up, your points, friends!
And keep in mind that this is a close race and a very subjective victory. If you’ve never been to a cave before, do Howe Caverns first. It’s a classic Catskills destination, and it’s ideal for little kids and anxious folks. But if you want a weird walk through a touchable cave, Secret Caverns is more suited to you. Wherever you go, bring a sweatshirt! The cave temperature stays in the 50s year-round.
As for me, I’m all about tie-dye (SC), a Museum of Natural History nerd (HC), a lover of Coney Island (SC), a bit of a safety nut (HC), loose with my travel budget (HC), and a major waterfall aficionado (SC), so it’s a tie! That said, the more I think about the magical Secret Caverns waterfall, the more I want to go back there.
All the photos in this post are from our trip to Secret Caverns, but you can check out our visit to Howe Caverns here. Follow me on Instagram for more behind-the-scenes photos and videos of the caverns.
Howe Caverns is located at 255 Discovery Drive, Howes Cave, NY. Check out their website for hours and info and follow them on Facebook for updated information.
Secret Caverns is located at 671 Caverns Road in Howes Cave, NY. Check out their website and follow them on Facebook for updated info.
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