Simply Wanderfull
Are you looking for the perfect weekend getaway filled with breathtaking waterfalls, scenic hiking trails, incredible wineries, and local craft brews? Then it’s time to put the Finger Lakes on your travel list!
Located in beautiful Upstate New York, the Finger Lakes region makes for an easy road trip from so many nearby cities, approximately 4 hours from New York City, 3 hours from Toronto, and about 5-1/2 hours for us coming from Windsor, Ontario.
Over three days, we chased waterfalls, sipped our way around Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, wandered through charming little villages, discovered some fantastic craft breweries and ended our getaway with one of the most unique wine experiences we’ve ever had a winery tour by boat on Cayuga Lake. We barely scratched the surface during our visit. I honestly can’t wait to return and discover more!
I also have to mention how incredibly welcoming the local people were. So many people we met were genuinely happy to hear that we had travelled from Canada to visit the Finger Lakes, especially since they told us they’ve noticed fewer Canadian visitors lately. We were thanked more than once just for coming to explore their area, which really surprised us and made us feel so welcome. We certainly felt the love from our American neighbours and we loved them right back!
Why The Finger Lakes?
I first heard about the Finger Lakes while browsing an Art in the Park event in Naples, Florida. One photograph stopped me in my tracks it showed these incredible waterfalls surrounded by stone pathways winding through a beautiful gorge. I remember asking the artist, “Where is this?” When they said Watkins Glen, in the Finger Lakes New York, I was so surprised! I had no idea a place this beautiful was actually within driving distance from home. Right then and there, I knew we had to visit this place.
Did you know?
The Finger Lakes region is home to more than 1,000 waterfalls and gorges, nearly 150 wineries, and over 80 breweries, cideries and distilleries all tucked among 11 beautiful lakes. And right in Watkins Glen State Park, you can experience an incredible 19 waterfalls in less than two miles!
A quick overview on our itinerary: 2 nights in Watkins Glen + a visit to the tiny village of Hammondsport and Keuka Lake + 1 night in Aurora & Seneca Lake.
Day 1: Watkins Glen – Waterfalls, Wine & Our First Taste of the Finger Lakes
Where We Stayed: The Benjamin Hotel
We stayed at the lovely boutique hotel called The Benjamin, right in the heart of Watkins Glen. The location honestly couldn’t have been better! We were able to walk right from our hotel to Watkins Glen State Park, and we were also just steps away from restaurants, shops, and the waterfront. I love when you can park the car and explore a destination on foot it makes the whole experience feel so relaxed. I would recommend this hotel for couples. If you are looking for a larger hotel and located on the water check out the Watkins Glen Harbor hotel. We like to stay in quaint smaller hotels so that is why we decided to stay at the Benjamin. We were very pleased with our stay at the Benjamin.
Hiking Watkins Glen State Park
Hiking Watkins Glen State Park was definitely one of the highlights of our trip, and it completely lived up to my expectations. After first discovering Watkins Glen through that beautiful photograph at the Naples Art Show, it felt pretty special to finally be standing there and seeing it with my own eyes. The waterfalls, stone pathways, and the towering gorge were even more spectacular in person!
There are 4 trails in the Watkins Glen State Park, however the Gorge Trail is the most popular and the one that has all of the waterfalls.
Along the Gorge Trail, you’ll pass 19 beautiful waterfalls and climb around 800 stone steps. That might sound like a lot, but honestly, you’re stopping so often to admire the waterfalls, take photos, and soak in the scenery that it doesn’t feel nearly as daunting as it sounds. Although, I will admit, that last half-mile definitely started to feel like a bit of a workout! If you love discovering waterfalls and travel, you might enjoy more of my articles of my trips to the Azores, Iceland or Sardinia!
The Gorge Trail is about 1.5 miles one way, so keep in mind that you’ll need to make your way back down once you reach the top. I would also give yourself at least 2-3 hours for this hike especially if you don’t want to be rushed. If your legs have had enough by then, there is a shuttle that can take you back to the main entrance. The shuttle costs $6 per person, which might sound pretty tempting after all those stairs!
Our First Finger Lakes Wine & Brewery Experience
Our first day we visited two breweries and one winery. It is truly overwhelming to pick your stops as there are so many that are around the lake! We decided to stay fairly close to Watkins Glen so we chose to start at the Grist Iron Brewery, then we popped over to Two Goats brewery and then a final stop at the Damiani Wine Cellars for a wine tasting. All three of these places were very close together.
We really enjoyed all three stops! There’s just something about sitting outside with a glass of wine or a cold beer in hand, taking in those beautiful views of Seneca Lake. The staff everywhere we went were so friendly and welcoming, and we loved chatting with other visitors and meeting people from all over. It’s all part of what made the experience so much fun!
Day 2: Road-Tripping Keuka & Seneca Lakes
Today was all about getting out and exploring more of the Finger Lakes. We had met a lovely local couple who recommended checking out the tiny village of Hammondsport, just a scenic drive from Watkins Glen. We always love a good local recommendation, so we decided to make Hammondsport the first stop on our road trip adventure for the day! Hammondsport is one of the region’s most picturesque small villages.
We spent some time wandering around the village, popping into a few charming antique and vintage shops along theway. Keuka Lake is one of the most unique of the Finger Lakes, thanks to its unusual Y-shape—and here’s a fun fact: it’s the only Finger Lake that flows both north and south, with water from its two upper branches meeting before eventually flowing out through the lake’s outlet.
After spending the morning exploring Hammondsport, we hopped back in the car and continued our road trip north along beautiful Keuka Lake. The drive itself was part of the experience, with gorgeous lake views and wineries dotting the countryside, including the popular Weis Vineyards. We took our time enjoying the scenery before eventually making our way across to Seneca Lake for our next adventure.
Towards the northwest side of Seneca lake was our first brew stop at the Brewery Ardennes Taproom & Kitchen. The Belgian style beer is outstanding! This was our most favourite brewery on our trip. The restaurant has great ratings and apparently the burgers are outstanding. Note that the kitchen doesn’t open until 3:00pm for your planning. We can’t wait to visit again.
Our next stop takes up to the top of the lake passing Geneva and around to the east side of the lake and going south back towards Watkins Glen. Our second stop on the tour was at the 3 Brothers Wineries and Estates. Located on the north east side of Seneca lake. 3 Brothers is worth explaining because it’s unusual: the property combines three different winery concepts with a brewery/cidery. That makes it more interesting than simply saying “we stopped at another winery.”
Our next stop was Wagner Vineyards, a beautiful family-owned winery overlooking Seneca Lake. We enjoyed sampling some of their locally produced wines while taking in the gorgeous lake views, it was another one of those relaxing Finger Lakes moments where you just want to sit back, sip, and stay awhile. I must say that I really enjoyed the Riesling wines. I love dryer wines and they are especially know for their dry Rieslings in the Finger Lakes.
Our day concluded with a beautiful dinner at the Graft Wine & Cider Bar. This farm to table restaurant is situated in the heart of Watkins Glen and across the street from the Benjamin Hotel. The food was delicious, and the service was spectacular. A great way to end a perfect day in the Finger Lakes.
Day 3: Cayuga Lake – Saving the Most Unique Experience for Last
For our third and final day in the Finger Lakes, we packed up and headed toward beautiful Cayuga Lake, but of course, we had to squeeze in a couple more waterfalls along the way! Our first stop was Taughannock Falls State Park, where we took some time to see its incredible waterfall before continuing on to Ithaca. Since we were so close, we couldn’t resist popping into Buttermilk Falls State Park for another quick waterfall fix.
So, what brought us to Aurora? One very cool and unique experience, a wine tour by boat! Bianconi Tours offers a fantastic way to experience the wineries around Cayuga Lake. Captain Matt took us cruising across the water and back and stopping at three different wineries on Cayuga Lake. How fun is that?
At each stop, we were met at the dock by the winery and whisked up to the tasting room by ATV, where we enjoyed a wine tasting before hopping back on the boat and heading to our next destination. This was definitely one of the highlights of our entire Finger Lakes getaway!
Our wine-by-boat adventure took us to three wineries along Cayuga Lake: Goose Watch Winery, Long Point Winery, and Thirsty Owl Wine Company. Each stop had its own personality, and we really enjoyed getting a taste of the different wines produced around the lake. While we had a great experience at all three, Goose Watch and Long Point were definitely our two favourites. We loved the wines, the welcoming atmosphere, and the whole experience of arriving at the wineries from the water. There’s something pretty special about finishing a tasting, hopping back on a boat, and cruising across Cayuga Lake to your next winery—it’s definitely not your everyday wine tour!
And a big shoutout to our awesome captain, Matt, who made the day even more enjoyable! He was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole experience feel relaxed and fun from start to finish. If you’re visiting the Finger Lakes and looking for something a little different, we highly recommend this wine-by-boat experience. It was such a memorable way to explore Cayuga Lake and easily one of the highlights of our trip!
We were also excited to spend our final night at the beautiful Inns of Aurora, a collection of historic properties right along the shores of Cayuga Lake. A fun fact that I loved learning is that the Inns were restored and developed by Pleasant Rowland, the founder of American Girl. She attended Wells College in Aurora and later returned to help breathe new life into this tiny lakeside village. Our room was beautiful and the beds, pillows were very comfortable. I also especially liked the breakfast bars for the guests in the morning near the coffee station. They were delicious! Inns of Aurora is best known for its spa. Note that there is a separate fee to use the spa facilities unless you have treatment booked. We didn’t have enough time to visit the spa during our stay so I can’t comment on the spa experience.
Until Next Time, Finger Lakes!
After three wonderful days exploring the Finger Lakes, one thing is for sure—we barely scratched the surface!
From hiking alongside the incredible waterfalls at Watkins Glen and road-tripping around Seneca and Keuka Lakes, to sipping local wines and craft beers and finishing our adventure with an unforgettable wine tour by boat on Cayuga Lake, every day brought something completely different.
What I loved most was how easy it was to slow down here, take in the beautiful scenery, meet some wonderful people, and simply enjoy where the road took us. The Finger Lakes truly has a little bit of everything—waterfalls, wineries, breweries, charming small towns, gorgeous lake views, and plenty of adventure along the way. Three days gave us a wonderful taste of this beautiful region, but it definitely left us wanting more. Until next time, Finger Lakes—we’ll be back!
That looked and sounded like a great little getaway those falls where beautiful.