Whether you're digging for hidden treasures, kicking back in a cabin, or getting a bite to eat, there's a little bit of everything at the Herkimer Diamond Mines.

“Think about this: This was a lagoon. We would be underwater a half a billion years ago, but now it's a formation of quartz crystal,” said Renee Scialdo Shevat, the owner of Herkimer Diamond Mines. “The Herkimer diamond, geologically, is not a diamond. It looks like a diamond. It feels like a diamond. But essentially, geologically, it's classified as a quartz crystal, but is the most unusual quartz crystal in the world."

Whether using a hammer to unearth gems or using a screen and water to sift through a prepared bag of treasures, everyone can participate regardless of age.

“And if you really don't want to go into those mines because you don't feel like negotiating the rocks, you can actually do a soft prospecting, which means we're going to give you a diamond dirt bag, a bag that's filled with Herkimer Diamonds, and you can pan for those,” said Shevat. “People come back to our trading post and shop for gems and gift products from all over the world.”

Beyond gems, visitors can stay the night at the KOA resort, with lodging options ranging from tents and RVs to cabins and a lodge. One cabin, Shevat added, includes a large telescope.

“The experience of taking a vacation these days is really all about the memories, and we take pleasure in gifting that,” said Shevat.

There's a newly landscaped garden area next to the pool with food and drink options. For sit-down dining, the Miner’s Table has made-to-order wood fired pizzas and "mine to table" drinks.

“Why is it called mine to table? Because we use vodkas that are distilled with our own diamonds,” said Shevat.

The property offers other options like a barn event space, a pool to take a dip and a treehouse cabin to climb and get away from it all.