Finger Lakes day tripping, Ithaca and Upstate, NY

A view of Seneca Lake through Damiani’s vineyards at on rt. 414 in Hector

A junket to Hector in the heart of FLX wine country

Hector is a town on Seneca Lake, known for it’s outstanding Finger Lakes wines. The cliffs of the lake are high which allows for warmer air and longer growing season for the grapes. I think of it as Ithaca’s Tuscany - or maybe Provence - with rolling hills peppered with vinyards and orchards, some of the most outstanding wineries in the area, as well as farm to table restaurants, micro breweries and distilleries. On the weekends, grab a coffee or pastry at Gimme Coffee! or the Main Street Market in Trumansburg and head over to Hector - you might spend the afternoon at Lodi State Park for swimming in Seneca Lake, or for more adventurous day trippers, head to Caywood Point on the lake, it’s owned by the Finger Lakes National Forest and has a public restroom at the parking area. It’s a bit of a walk down to the water, but once there, you’ll find yourself in the most idyllic little cove for swimming with lots of trees for shade. If swimming is not your jam, you could take a hike in the Blueberry Patch National Forest - and then hit the long stretch of wineries on route 414.

Stop for lunch at the Elf in the Oak for sandwiches and salads and refreshing drinks on the deck with views Seneca Lake, and find a treasure to take home at Route 414 Vintage in Burdett - an awesome vintage clothing store located in the building out back.

lunch with a view at the Elf in the Oak in Burdett on Seneca Lake

The lovely Nicole and her selection of vintage treasures at Route 414 Vintage, behind the Elf in the Oak in Burdett

Drive through Watkins Glen to the other side of the lake and have lunch at the Finger Lakes Wienery (hotdogs and sausages, shakes, poutine and other goodies). Whatever you decide to do, you should end the day with a cold micro brew at either Luck Hare Brewing (dogs allowed in the garden) or Two Goats Brewing - best view of Seneca Lake from the porch! Finish off your day with dinner at either Danos or the Stonecat Cafe, two of the best farm-to-table restaurants in the area. There’s also an amazing waterfall but it’s a closely guarded secret by locals, and if I told you where it was I’d never be allowed back!

One of 150 local waterfalls. Keeping this one a secret - for now…

Day Trip to Skaneateles

Skaneateles is a cute, boujee little town on Skaneateles Lake with many nice shops, bakeries, cafes and restaurants, some right on the water.. A nice place to wander around. Take a little flat, easy nature walk along the Charlie C. Major Nature Trail which leads to the Skaneateles Brewery - and beer garden in warmer weather. The luxurious Mirbeau Spa is currently open, and for $50 you can spend the day languishing in the hot tubs, saunas and jacuzzis. Eat dinner at Rosalie’s — where Bill and Hillary Clinton signed their name on the wall — or there’s the elegant Sherwood Inn, or, Doug’s Fish Fry if you’re looking for something a bit more low key. In the winter, actors dressed as Charles Dickens characters wander the streets in full costume.

The Monet-inspired gardens at Mirbeau spa in Skaneateles

A day well spent in Aurora, NY

Drive-up the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake to the quaint village of Aurora, NY, home to Wells College and the famous Mackenzie-Childs manufacturers, a gorgeous compound worth visiting even just for window-shopping. Stop along the way at the King Ferry Corner Store and pick up a picnic lunch - it’s one of those cute markets that has everything you could possibly need from deli sandwiches, soups and baked goods to ice cream, candy and the ingredients for s’mores, to locally sourced crafts, candles, cutting boards, jewelry and soaps and gas for your car, and there’s always the adorable Village Market adjacent to the Inns at Aurora once you get to town. You could also stop by the Aurora Shoe Company to pick up a pair of stylish leather moccasins, but check to see their hours because last time I looked they were only open to the public on Fridays..

We’re pretty excited about The Spa at Inns of Aurora, a collaboration between Ithaca’s Rasa Spa and the Aurora Inn - which is pretty magnificent! It’s the kind of place you want to make sure to carve out the entire day - all the food in the cafe is included in the price of your treatment so bring a book to read while you relax and languish around the circuit of pools, saunas, relaxation rooms and walking shoes for the trail system outside. It’s such a great addition to Ithaca’s wellness offerings. I love the chakra energy rebalancing treatment but there are so many unique treatments to choose from.

the famous Cayuga Lake sunset delivers the goods

Along the drive, you could stop for a lakeside picnic and a swim at Long Point State Park, or use the Wells College Swimming Dock and Boathouse area which is open to the public. You might want to stop and taste some local wines along the way at Long Point winery, or, go a bit further north to hike the magical Great Gully Falls in Union Springs, part-woodsy hiking trail and part-creek walk, to the most exquisite waterfall and swimming hole.

one of my new favorite waterfalls: Great Gully in Union Springs

After building up an appetite, venture into the village of Aurora for dinner: for a more low key, casual experience try the Fargo House tavern (which has a great outdoor patio out back) or make a reservation for the patio with a view of the lake at the beautiful 1833 Kitchen & Bar at the Aurora Inn and enjoy a crisp class of Sancerre while nibbling on charcuterie while you watch the sunset. A fancy dinner is nice there too whether you eat outside or in the gorgeous dining room - request a window seat. Read more here on Aurora’s history.

I recommend a casual low-key lunch or dinner at the charming Wheel House restaurant, located on the water at the Hibiscus Harbor Marina in Union Springs.

Or, keep going, and drive around the lake:

Drive around Cayuga Lake

The drive takes about 2 hours, longer if you stop at various vineyards along the way for a tasting, or perhaps following the Finger Lakes Cheese Trail. Another good option for lunch is Wolffy’s Gill in Seneca Falls, another good lunch option.

Wolffy’s Grill & Marina in Seneca Falls offers lakeside dining on the deck, a casual lunch spot where you can arrive by boat.

At the north end of the lake you’ll find the Montezuma National Wild Life Refuge, a great place for spotting bald eagles flocks of migrating geese and other species.

Tour the Seneca Army Depot and try to spot the white ghosts!

Every Saturday - summer 2021 - the Seneca Army Depot at Deer Haven Park are offering self-guided auto Majesty and Mystery app tours of Military History and the elusive White Deer. A great thing to do with your grandparents! Pack a picnic lunch to eat along the way or stop right across the street from the entrance and grab something from Dave and Rita’s Farm Market & Bakery.

The tour is $50 per car and takes around 2 hours.

One of the old army barrack buildings you’ll see on the self-guided app tour.

Pack a picnic and head to the spectacular Green Lakes in Fayetteville

Drive to the Syracuse area to Fayetteville and walk around the stunningly spectacular rare emerald green lakes at Green Lakes State Park or chill out on the beach and swim in the designated swimming area. Take a picnic in summer, or drive through Syracuse on your way back and eat dinner or grab take out at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. For mobility impaired folks, the park offers a rugged fat-tire wheelchair that can get you safely down to the beach or around the paved path - it’s first come first serve so check in at the park office when you arrive. Right across the street from Green Lakes is the walking/jogging trail along the Erie Canal - there are lots of places to park and hop on the scenic path, such as the Old Erie Canal Park in Manlius. This is another wonderful option for a flat, paved pretty walk where you can push a wheelchair or stroller.

behold the majesty of the mysterious emerald lakes at Fayetteville.

A day in Naples, home of the famous Finger Lakes grape pie

Naples is a charming village about an hour and 40 minutes drive from Ithaca, on the southern end of Canandaigua Lake, famous for its rolling vineyards and home of the famous grape pie! Spend the day tasting local wines at vineyards such as Heron Hill or Hazlitt’s — or Inspire More located in the village of Naples which also has a cute gift shop.

View from the porch at Roots Cafe in Naples

Remember to pack your water shoes and do a very memorable creek walk through the stunning Grimes Glen - located right in the village of Naples. There are also some excellent preserves and trail systems maintained by the Finger Lakes Land Trust, and I am particularly fond of the idyllic forest trails at the Ontario County Park/campground at Gannett Hill which meets up with the Finger Lakes trail system. Bristol Ski Mountain has an outdoor adventure park with a zip line and challenge courses and the Naples Community Park has an 18-hole disc golf course.

an afternoon break from daytripping at Arbor Hill

Enjoy a casual lunch outside at Brew and Brats at Arbor Hill Vineyards, or stay for a delicious farm-to-table meal at the beautiful Hollerhorn Distilling - the housemate lemon ricotta is pure heaven, and I loved my kombucha teriyaki rice noodles, but sausage and waffles dish was our group’s favorite - an inventive and enjoyable melding of unexpected flavors. You might decide to top it off with a rose cardamon creme brule. Whatever you do, order a cocktail — the Sinner’s Sour was one of the best cocktails we’d ever tasted.

I’m also a fan of Roots Cafe for lunch or dinner, especially if you can eat outside next to the vineyard. There’s often live music inside the bar at both venues, and if you luck out you could hear a set by local musician Aaron Lipp, one of the finest musicians in the FLX IMHO.

the view from the deck of Hollerhorn Distilling

The dining room and bar at Hollerhorn Distilling

For plant lovers, I recommend a visit to the Violet Barn in Naples, owned by a botanist who specializes in African violets, but also offering over 30,000 varieties of plants in their greenhouses in the Bristol Hills overlooking Canandaigua Lake.

Yet, however you spend the day, do not leave the area without grabbing an award-winning pie to take home from Monica’s Pies. (Grape pies are Naples’ specialty, but their raspberry, cherry, strawberry rhubarb and blueberry fruit pies are also to die for and their chicken pot pies are pure bliss. Take one home and pop it in the oven after a long day of adventuring or freeze it for another time.) You’re welcome.

it’s not a trip to the Finger Lakes without a proper creek walk!

Canandaigua

On the northern end of Canandaigua Lake is the town of Canandaigua, home to the performing arts center CMAC. Grab coffee, breakfast sandwiches and hash browns, smoothie bowls or lunch-to-go from the Dalai Java cafe and take it with you to one of several public beaches such as Kershaw Park Beach & Bathhouse which offers lifeguarded swimming areas, a concession stand and kayaks, sup or canoe rentals to get out and explore the lake. Canandaigua features a waterpark for kids called Roseland Wake Park, a fond childhood memory for those of us who grew up in the FLX.

One could easily while away many hours strolling around the magnificent Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park, open seasonally May - October. Or, Onanda Park offers a system of lovely wooded trails, including one that meanders along a riverbed, and across the street there is lifeguarded swimming from 11-7 daily.

Enjoy authentic Mexican food at the mouth-watering Rio Tamatlan — or try their sister restaurant down the street, a Spanish tapas spot called Ferona. If you want to eat on the water, Nolan’s is a nice option and serves seafood, steaks salads and other American cuisine for lunch and dinner and there’s also an authentic German restaurant in Canandaigua called Rheinblick German.

the creekside trail at Onanda Park — like Grimes Glen only you’ll have it pretty much all to yourself.

VisitIthaca.com is another excellent resource for discovering what’s happening around town.