https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/blog daily 0.75 2021-05-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1620071362853-J4JXNQIO0GZ76GFZXP2D/SNYWULogo.png Blog https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/home daily 1.0 2023-10-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3e84f960-98d3-4455-8ce1-291b8fde6d0e/New+York+City+044.jpg Home NYC Harbor and Statue of Liberty https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/64b08dcc-0ef1-4179-bef1-6d6aa4c7a260/DSCF0660.JPG Home Niagara Falls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d185e611-56f0-44a4-b557-3ee6bf9adb6d/100_2235.JPG Home The Adirondacks https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8ae3a5f4-1a50-45a3-b5e0-1726dbf95a26/IMG_1761.JPG Home Lake Placid - Bobsled Track https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/e7294a83-dc58-4311-9fc6-d9dddcac5dd4/DSCF3232.JPG Home Mirbeau - Skaneateles https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1617813378471-1NE41CO173J4GLP8QZKQ/IMG_0787.jpg Home Letchworth Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/da35374c-cb4b-4b6c-87f2-389986da9e0b/IMG_2376.JPG Home Rockettes in NYC https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3a9c698c-9132-4cb5-b364-3c7e41da599a/100_2141.JPG Home Cruising on the Erie Canal https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/4545ec94-57ce-433c-ab5c-35a2338e6571/P1040895.JPG Home Steamboat on Lake Ontario https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/834395a8-3416-4061-bc5a-9668d2c0c64d/NewCarrierDome.jpg Home Syracuse Carrier Dome https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ce2314e1-2d46-412d-882b-1950eb1ed166/IMG_2439.JPG Home Manhattan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8dd0c909-3d55-4953-9773-1a836aba8688/P1040957.JPG Home High Falls in Rochester https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes daily 0.75 2023-01-02 https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/central-nyalbany daily 0.75 2021-03-10 https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/nyc-area daily 0.75 2021-03-10 https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-good-eats daily 0.75 2023-01-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1618242522543-E9H3QEJZ9BTZ6LPFCD1P/TournedosPic.jpg Finger Lakes - Good Eats - The 5 Best Fine Dining Restaurants in the Finger Lakes…. The Best Fine Dinging in the Finger Lakes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619710424182-ULFFP31XL8GGP149JKRX/AvvinoPic.jpg Finger Lakes - Good Eats - Great Food at a Reasonable Price Great Restaurants for a Reasonable Price https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1618242602625-I5BTNS9XAIKVEQW46HPJ/StevesDiner2.jpg Finger Lakes - Good Eats - Great Dives and Diners Greasy Spoons and Breakfast Joints - Our Faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631747498227-CMUKUQVPIHRYITJSBOIJ/lento.jpg Finger Lakes - Good Eats - Other Restaurants you have to check out https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-things-to-do daily 0.75 2022-01-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1620762952161-N7P7Y93FRYI4N0JC2QQB/seabreeze-amusement-park.jpg Finger Lakes - Things To Do - Outdoor Activities https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1620761259927-6QYV401GIPT6C87LQWIX/079.JPG Finger Lakes - Things To Do - Golf https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1620763338834-PEAPGJ3RFW0KOHDXXPHJ/RedWings.jpg Finger Lakes - Things To Do - Live Sports https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1620765052798-YE6UWT99BEFOM9H2PPRH/biking.jpg Finger Lakes - Things To Do - Hikes and Bikes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1620761761055-XPCRJ53X2GTDV3EWJZ1E/EastmanHouse.jpg Finger Lakes - Things To Do - Museums and Theater https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1632417295239-KWHZ8P3X88MI6BA0AUYA/DelLagoResort.jpeg Finger Lakes - Things To Do - Other Things to Do https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/about-us daily 0.75 2021-03-31 https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/subscribe daily 0.75 2022-01-24 https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-libations-1 daily 0.75 2022-02-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619813331741-4LUP7IIVSQZ96LXRFDTX/Ravines-970x350.jpeg Finger Lakes - Libations - The 10 Best Wineries in the Finger Lakes are… The 10 Best Wineries in the Finger Lakes are… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1632494095385-QMPTFES2NUTCCWDRAF8D/breweryArdennes.jpg Finger Lakes - Libations - The Best Breweries in the Finger Lakes are… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1632432416936-JGFAICYKRUFGLBGWMD0M/1911Cidery3.jpg Finger Lakes - Libations - Here are the 5 Best Cideries in the FLX The 5 Best Finger Lakes Cideries https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619797917783-9QNIO4QBY5CCF3RI2YXA/IMG_1130.JPG Finger Lakes - Libations - Seneca Lake Wine Trail: 34-Wineries, 4-Cideries, 4-Distilleries, 6-Breweries The Basics - the Lake is 37 miles long with 22 of the wineries on the West side and 12 on the East. Unless you are very selective with your stops, it is best to only attempt one side in a day. The southeast section of the Lake has a concentration of very good wineries with primarily dry wine options, and the Northwest section has great wineries as well. Geneva and Watkins Glen are good towns to stay in before/after your wine tour. Most popular Wine Varietals - Reisling, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay Best Wineries - Herman Weimer (Reislings, best Chardonnay in the FLX), Damiani (Saperavi, Sparkling Brut), Boundary Breaks (Sparkling Gewurztraminer, Dry Rose), Ravines (Reisling, Pinot Noir, Ampersand Port) Fun Destinations - 3 Brothers Winery - with 3 Wineries, a cidery, and a brewery it covers all of the beverage bases. With a pirate themed, love themed, and standard winery, it is meant to have a great, fun vibe. Glenora Winery - monthly summertime jazz concerts in the vineyard and the Leaves and Lobster in the fall make it more than just a place for a taste. Belhurst Estate Winery - Housed in a beautiful castle built in 1885, the winery is a small part of the great things to do. Lodging in the castle comes with complimentary wine that flows from a spigot in the 2nd and 3rd floor hallways! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619990155195-FCDYJKIGIZYGIKAS173T/KeukaLake.JPG Finger Lakes - Libations - Keuka Lake Wine Trail: 20-Wineries, 3-Cideries, 1-Distillery, 2-Breweries The Basics - Keuka is called the Crooked Lake because of it’s Y shape. It is 18 miles long and 45 miles to drive around the entire Lake, so you can definitely do the entire trail in a day. Penn Yan and Hammondsport are both great places to stay for your trip. Most popular Wine Varietals - Reisling, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay Best Wineries - Dr. Konstantin Frank (Reislings), Heron Hill (Rose, Blaufrankish), Macgregor Winery (Sparkling Reisling, Dry Rose) Fun Destinations - Bully Hill Vineyard - Founder Walter Taylor’s family owned Taylor Winery that was purchased by Coca-Cola in the 70’s. Walter was quite a character and the story about his fight with the corporate behemoth is very funny. He painted all the labels as well. Domaine Leseurre and Weis Wineries are a mile away from each other and the French and German inspired wineries make you feel like you are in those countries when you are tasting the wines. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619992699464-JA7USF89V5WLOLTAJ9YO/IMG_1637.JPG Finger Lakes - Libations - Cayuga Lake Wine Trail 16-Wineries, 9-Cideries, 3-Distilleries, 4-Breweries The Basics - Starting near Seneca Falls and ending in Ithaca, Cayuga Lake is the longest of the Finger Lakes at 38 miles. There are numerous apple orchards around the lake, hence the higher ratio of cideries to wineries than any of the other FLX trails. Most of the wineries are in the central part of the west side of the lake, which is only about 20 miles from Ithaca. With Cornell and Ithaca College within its borders, Ithaca is a thriving and eclectic city with numerous good restaurants that make it a perfect place to crash after your Cayuga wine/cider tasting experience. The Cornell Cooperative Extension is a research center based on farming which has helped wine growers in the region hone their craft and improve the quality of the wines and ciders produced throughout the state. Most popular Wine Varietals - Pinor Noir, Reisling, Rose Best Wineries/Cideries - Heart and Hands Winery (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Rose), Hosmer Estate Winery (Reisling, Rose), Blackduck Cidery (Dry Ciders) Fun Destinations - Have you ever tried Mushroom Flavored Vodka? Yes, it does sound gross, but the Mushroom Spirits Distillery in Seneca Falls makes it, and it is good. Finger Lakes Cider House - with over 20 different ciders on the menu along with a tasty restaurant serving foods made from locally sourced farms, it is a good place to hang your hat for a sandwich, listen to a band, and have a glass of cider or a cocktail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631496553263-5WHIC7RB9SAOXULTNB0K/IMG_2958.JPG Finger Lakes - Libations - Canandaigua Lake Wine Trail 6-Wineries, 1-Distillery, 3-Breweries The Basics - This is the smallest and newest of the Finger Lakes wine trails. Since Canandaigua is the smallest lake in the Finger Lakes and appropriately so, has the least wineries, you can easily hit all six of the wineries in one day. Heron Hill has the best wine of any of them, but it is only a tasting room. Save your trip to Heron Hill until you visit their actual winery on Keuka Lake. Stop in Canandaigua for lunch, dinner or both. It is a beautiful town with a lot of great food options. Most popular Wine Varietals - Reisling, Rose Best Wineries - Arbor Hill Winery (Reisling, Noiret), Inspire Moore (Dry Rose, Meritage Blend) Fun Destinations - Hazlitt Winery has the biggest selling wine in the Finger Lakes - Red Cat. As part of your tasting, you get to say the Red Cat chant in unison with your fellow tasters. “Red Cat, Red Cat, its an aphrodisiac!” The wine is very sweet, but the winery is a fun experience. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-placestostay daily 0.75 2022-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631492949203-3RXOJVN6EKP37ET0IX9Q/DSCF3232.JPG Finger Lakes - Places To Stay - Mirbeau - Skaneateles This is the most unique and best place to stay in the Finger Lakes region! From the moment that you step onto the property, you feel as if you have been transported to 16th century France in a luxury setting that immediately dissolves any stress that you may have. A trip to the on-site spa that has a waiting room with a foot bath and soothing music whilst you wait for your massage evokes those same qualities. The outdoor heated pool that is attached to the spa provides year round warmth and relaxation as well. And no great hotel would be complete without a great restaurant and bar, right? Check and check. Your stay here isn’t cheap, but it is well worth it to experience this magical destination. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631493398584-QTG6FUO1YPUZ9ZZH5AFF/Belhurs3.jpg Finger Lakes - Places To Stay - Belhurst Castle - Geneva Originally built in 1820, Belhurst Castle has an amazing history as a glorious mansion, speakeasy and casino during prohibition, and finally a beautiful hotel, spa, and winery that is a close 2nd to Mirbeau as the Best Place to Stay in the Finger Lakes! One unique perk of staying in one of the rooms in the Castle is that there are spigots in the hallway that dispense wine for free any time of day or night. In all of our travels, that is something we’ve never seen before. Besides staying in the castle, there is a less expensive hotel that is on the property that still gives guests all of the amenities that the castle does. The grounds have a beautiful view of Seneca Lake and after a great day in the Finger Lakes, you can have a glass of your favorite libation as you sit around the outdoor patio fireplace to soak in the sights and sounds while recounting the experiences of your Seneca Lake day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631482447289-HMK5P92E3MS3775HT6W3/Strathallan.jpg Finger Lakes - Places To Stay - The Strathallan - Rochester The Strath as people here call it is Rochester’s premier upscale hotel. With all of the trimmings that you would expect from a place of this caliber - fine dining at Char, rooftop cocktails and sushi at Hattie’s, a spa, and wonderfully appointed rooms, it is the place for upscale tourists and businessmen alike to stay when they are in Rochester. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631491018132-5SOOXR6TG73R5KOJFRYZ/harborhotel.jpg Finger Lakes - Places To Stay - The Harbour House - Watkins Glen Seneca Lake has a lot to see and do, and when you get to the end of the lake, the Harbor House is the perfect place to lay your head. With a back patio that has a beautiful view of the lake as you sip a great glass of wine that was made 5 miles away, it is the ultimate destination a traveller in need of relaxation. If that isn’t enough, the indoor hot tub or pool might call your name. We’ve stayed here many times and it has always been suberb. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1632421878380-PHZSO3ODMJ7TB06MEVWK/LakehouseHotel.jpg Finger Lakes - Places To Stay - The Lakehouse on Canandaigua - Canandaigua This newly renovated Inn on Canandaigua Lake has been turning heads with the accommodations and views from the north end of Canandaigua Lake. The Sands family, of Constellation Brands, bought the hotel to make it the best lodging in the upscale area that they live in. This is truly an impressive place to stay with all of the upscale trimmings that guests want - a spa, pool, fine dining restaurant, and a outdoor bar right on the Lake. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631491848309-R9NUAIEFOP2OI3YF5QM5/InnOnBroadway.jpg Finger Lakes - Places To Stay - The Inn on Broadway - Rochester In 1909 this boutique hotel started as the University Club of Rochester where the college elite could congregate in downtown Rochester. Over 100 years later it still retains its historic charm and elegance with luxurious amenities and fantastic rooms. The restaurant at the Inn, Tournedos is one of the five best restaurants in the Finger Lakes region as well. The charm and character of this hotel makes it a must stay when you are in the Finger Lakes region. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/cb91d5bb-7cc5-4ccc-a38b-b4e4f99a063c/DelLago4.jpg Finger Lakes - Places To Stay - del Lago Casino & Resort - Waterloo If you want to stay at a place that is a hotel, casino, spa, concert venue, high-end shopping plaza, and restaurant, there is only one place in the Finger Lakes Region to find that - Del Lago. The goal is for you to never have to leave the property during your stay, but if you decide you want to do something else like a wine tour or see the actual Finger Lakes, they are not that far away and they have excursions to take you so that you don’t have to worry about driving. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/7ee9a04c-dd09-4110-a42a-c0a1edb485db/Woodcliff.jpg Finger Lakes - Places To Stay - The Lodge at Woodcliff - Victor Woodcliff is another upscale resort that has a lot going on. As one of the highest points in the Rochester area, the view from their gourmet restaurant, Horizons, is breathtaking. With the heated outdoor whirlpool, on-site spa, 9 hole golf course, exercise facility, and events center - you have the entire gamut of things to do under one roof. With its location on the east side of the Rochester suburbs, you are a short drive to the Finger Lakes and all of the activities there. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-gallery daily 0.75 2021-11-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/7266a0f5-e9f0-4513-bc2d-cc86dd471bef/P1040638.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery A Waterfall in Watkins Glen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/e56e5ce4-fdd9-4dac-918d-3cb057dc4cc1/P1040649.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Seneca Lake View https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/4bd379f0-6b18-47bc-99c3-62d8fb379514/DSCF3210.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery The Courtyard at Mirbeau Inn https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ae09bcd4-7da6-4b7c-b8c6-be4aded6750f/100_2122.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery A Steamboat on the Canal in Pittsford https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a9bc860c-3934-43a6-8f99-746f81ff4355/100_2395.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Dansville from a Hot Air Balloon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/4dec586e-8628-4daf-b246-b2efdc2490db/P1040968.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery The High Falls in Rochester https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/5cba9480-94e0-4360-89d3-424a966b10de/100_2372.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Hot Air Ballooning Outside of Dansville https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/0e9f3105-6b87-4430-83b6-a396c997796e/P1040652.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery The Finger Lakes Wine Trail https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/c87f60bf-78e3-47da-a87c-555e456f8a53/IMG_1024.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Seneca Lake Winery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/4fb593fa-bd77-4f45-95dd-ea1ed58a4ba1/PSX_20210828_171242.jpg Finger Lakes - Gallery Grapes on Keuka Lake https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a845ba20-91a9-40d2-8044-fd4990117183/IMG_1033.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Dr. Frank's Winery on Keuka Lake https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/097e72d0-b11a-4950-b078-3718a08b3250/IMG_1143.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Salmon Sculpture at Dr. Franks https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/4bc9547e-ddbf-4057-819b-ed2efb03a5a1/PSX_20210831_160736.jpg Finger Lakes - Gallery Can't EVER get enough FLX Wine! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8c6acfb9-01a2-43ce-980d-14292fe97a9d/IMG_0978.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Seneca Lake Winery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1b173355-3618-460e-bc48-a5b62947cdd0/IMG_2970.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Canandaigua Lake from a Plane https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/c112073d-b887-4847-ac19-cadfb3fc3f8d/IMG_1332.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Letchworth Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/bbd9c4c5-4d7d-4c1c-98fb-af7c5778d7d3/IMG_0797.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Rainbow on the Falls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/fb8989bc-469a-41e9-8e86-30a0aea944b4/070.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Seneca Lake Picturesque View https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/b3902309-2fe4-407e-a081-c7ac5b5a3b93/100_2125.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Erie Canal Lock in Pittsford https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/9b7a71ea-ca66-4e7a-bad5-19e57e08ae28/100_2132.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Downtown Rochester https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/599c676d-6a56-40c9-af8f-959773e259ef/P1040956.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Kodak Headquarters in Rochester https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ce62ec90-a839-4d7b-bcd7-858418e28c08/IMG_1130.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Keuka Lake Sunset https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/edaf5cc2-1ccb-4966-b95d-decd8c521b4c/IMG_1131.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Keuka Lake Sunset II https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/10b73329-0976-4260-871a-8683f4ce8d4d/DSCF3196.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Mirbeau Gardens https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/dd9cc364-f21e-4309-9d96-448682da4ea6/DSCF3156.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Skaneateles Lake https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/dda7bd57-6134-4eb1-a234-4df0e6835383/IMG_1165.JPG Finger Lakes - Gallery Christmastime at The Skaneateles Pier https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/aaf287f7-6b77-4249-a60d-548efe1aa691/IMG_0244.jpg Finger Lakes - Gallery Watkins Glen Ice Festival Carving https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a6e8b9b2-3b7a-4079-8819-56e0b62bfd5d/JoshGeneseeRiver.jpg Finger Lakes - Gallery Genesee River in Downtown ROC (photo by Josue Carruba) https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-diners daily 0.75 2023-02-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619707624588-W9QU6339FILHOYJZEIGQ/StevesDiner3.jpg Finger Lakes - Diners - Steve’s Diner - Rochester Pancakes as big as a dinner plate? Cannoli and Cheesecake stuffed pancakes? Nutella French Toast? Are you kidding me? There is a reason that they now have three locations around the Rochester area instead of just the original in Penfield - because their food is FANTASTIC! There is a 45 minute or more wait at the original location on the average weekend, so our recommendation is that you check out the Whitney Road location a few miles away if you don’t have the time to wait in line. After many Sunday morning treks to breakfast havens in the Finger Lakes region, we couldn’t find one better than Steve’s. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1617811455020-9O5YKIST7I306KSLUH80/BluewaterGrill.jpg Finger Lakes - Diners - Bluewater Grill - Skaneateles You can’t really count the Bluewater as a Diner because the food doesn’t make you want to immediately grab a bottle of Tum’s. But we had to put this restaurant in the list because for over 20 years, you can’t beat the view, and the great food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Coronarita that comes with a pony sized bottle of Corona beer face down in the Margarita is a great “Hangover Helper” on a Sunday morning. Wings, nachos, and popcorn shrimp are the diner fare, but they up their game with Sushi, Scallops and Corn Chowder Soup, and Grilled Salmon all at affordable prices. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619707491249-QLF1AG1MLA28NCS5322J/Durf%27sInside.jpg Finger Lakes - Diners - Durf’s Family Restaurant - Fairport On most Saturday and Sunday mornings, Durf’s has a line out the door. Why you ask? Because it has all the greasy deliciousness that anyone could ask for, with a pinch of gourmet and a hint of crazy goodness. The best pancakes that we have ever had were the Custard Stuffed Stack of Pancakes on a lazy Sunday at Durf’s. OMG - picture the perfect marriage of Buckwheat Pancake and his lovely sophisticated partner, Vanilla (Not Ice) Custard! This couple should have a long and happy marriage longer than the 45 year marriage that Durf’s has had with great food. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631495755078-UHTGB9TIEYDTXTZGU58A/AuburnDiner2.jpg Finger Lakes - Diners - Auburn Diner - Auburn Look at that picture. You cannot possibly find a Diner that looks more like the stereotypical 1970’s Diner than this! But you know what? The food was delicious. When the waitress came over to take our order, the inner monologue that I was having with myself went exactly like this - “I’ll have the Western Omelete, no, how about the Auburn Diner Big Breakfast, or Sausage and Gravy. Yes, the Sausage and white gravy - when is the last time I had that?” And so it was. I had the Sausage and Gravy, and it was fantastic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631746068335-UYK3WC38AU73VFWTVWMP/NickTahoes.jpg Finger Lakes - Diners - Nick Tahoes - Rochester This isn’t a diner, but it is the world famous Rochester dive that put the Garbage Plate on the map. It also puts a 2 pound slab of granite in your stomach when you wakeup in the morning after eating one the previous evening, but the pain is worth it. Comedian Jim Gaffigan came to Rochester for a show and hasn’t stopped talking about the culinary concoction of a Garbage Plate ever since. Since 1918 - yes, over 100 years of delicious heartburn has been doled out one Styrofoam container at a time. Unfortunately, they close at 7 p.m. now, but back in the day when they were open until 3 a.m., you would see the cook flipping a 12 inch high by 2 foot wide pile of home fries with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. There would be college students, businessmen in suits, prostitutes, and other miscellaneous riff-raff standing elbow to elbow waiting for their 2 a.m. post-bar treat. Good times, good times. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/541ea000-0fa0-4433-a9d6-5f6a285c8277/PennYanDiner.jpg Finger Lakes - Diners - Penn Yan Diner - Penn Yan You cannot get a more quintessential diner than this one. There are tables, but whenever we go there we feel compelled to sit on the circa 1960 stools, just because. They have all of the breakfast standards of omelets, french toast, and pancakes, but they throw in some clever combinations like the Loaded Tater Tots that are topped with ham or bacon, 2 eggs, hollandaise sauce, and cheese. Your arteries will hate you if you eat this, but your taste buds will lllloooovvveee you! https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-great-food-great-price daily 0.75 2026-01-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ed48de92-5118-431c-8af3-e37dc96a638f/Chortke.jpg Finger Lakes - Great Food Great Price - Chortke - Rochester Chortke - Rochester We were truly Wow’ed at this restaurant on a night out in Rochester. It was hard to choose all of the courses because there were so many great apps, mains, and desserts. No matter what your pallet is like, you have to try this restaurant, you will be happy that you did. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619388392929-K9XG1FJU3M9UV26W4VLO/IMG_1123.JPG Finger Lakes - Great Food Great Price - Ports Cafe - Geneva From the outside you would think that Ports is just a smidge above a diner in the food and ambience categories. But when you step inside you a surprised by the cool vibe and incredible food that awaits you. We have been there numerous times and it never disappoints. Great food, drinks, and a view of Seneca Lake right across the street - it is like the old reliable friend that never lets you down. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1628217924498-GYVHL8836V4I8WSYZ3I7/AtlasEats.jpg Finger Lakes - Great Food Great Price - Atlas Eats - Rochester In a world where many restaurants take the easy way out and cook the same tried and true meals each night, Atlas Eats stares them down and says, “that’s not how WE roll!” Every week the chefs here create food from a different country, so that you get a different culinary experience every time you visit. Book in advance though, because the restaurant only seats a couple of dozen people at any one time. But to have a 5 course French meal one week, German the next, or a themed dinner from anywhere in the world, it is worth coming back many times because it is never the same menu twice! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1633285906290-HV17SM2ZCBIUTDYH7V6W/Avvino2.jpg Finger Lakes - Great Food Great Price - Avvino - Rochester Avvino is one of those understated places that has what we all want the most from a great restaurant - unequivocally awesome food at a good price. Although it is not as expensive as the “fine dining” places on our list, the quality of the food is definitely right up there. The ambience is nice as well, making it a great Saturday night out kind of place that never disappoints. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619709531371-9Y0AXEMZBU418P645W2S/BadApples.jpg Finger Lakes - Great Food Great Price - Bad Apples Bistro - Spencerport This unassuming strip mall location in Spencerport may not look like a culinary treat from the outside, but once you step inside you feel an upscale hominess that sets the mood for some fantastic victuals. It is so good that we have gone back multiple times to sample different menu offerings, but each time we come to the same conclusion - for the price, quality of food, and atmosphere this is the Best Mid-Priced restaurant in the Finger Lakes Region. Everything is good, but try the Fried Aranchini balls for your appetizer, the Chicken Carbonara as a Main Course, and the Chocolate Lava Cake for dessert. The menu changes seasonally, so it keeps giving us and excuse to keep going back to try new things. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1628219001231-IHEEC43IAF62BJLLOA8J/Revelry.jpg Finger Lakes - Great Food Great Price - The Revelry, Rochester Owner Josh Miles is a part of 4 or 5 restaurants in the Rochester area, and this is our 2nd favorite (after Velvet Belly). Signature cocktails served by a 1940esque bartender sporting a vest and a handlebar moustache, food that runs the gamut from Nashville Fried Chicken to Oysters on the Half Shell, and a glass floor that gives you a view into the wine cellar that can be rented out for special occasions. If you are tired of the same old, same old, then The Revelry is a place you definitely have to check out. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/9c0733bf-96f9-4060-8aba-d9701cd2c3b5/Rooney%27s.jpg Finger Lakes - Great Food Great Price - Rooney’s - Rochester It is Valentine’s Day and you want to take your special someone to quiet, intimate place with great culinary creations. Rooney’s is your place! It usually books up a couple of weeks in advance for Cupid Day, so book early. The menu changes daily and the specials are creative and very tasty. For an appetizer I recently had Portuguese Clams with Chorizo - mind blown. The combination of the clams, tomato broth, garlic, and the chorizo was heavenly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3d7bc20d-7ccf-4ba3-8a43-ac198012b38e/TheParkInn-Food.jpg Finger Lakes - Great Food Great Price - The Park Inn - Hammondsport The quaint looking building on the Main drag in Hammondsport hides a fine gem of a restaurant that any gourmand in the area has to check out - The Park Inn. Both the chef and Sommelier have extensive experience in fine dining restaurants and it shows with the quality and creativity of the dishes. Peking Duck Confit and Beef Bourguignon are things you might find on the menu of a chic restaurant in NYC, but you will also find them here! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/0cb1e8f8-2693-44f0-8982-9c08510ebf8e/IMG_5794.jpg Finger Lakes - Great Food Great Price - Fiamma Centro You know when you see Primi and Secondi as categories on the menu that you will be getting authentic Italian Food! That is because fine dining establishments in Italy have a small pasta based dish as the first main dish and typically a meat or seafood option as the second main course. For primi, we had Paccheri allo Scoglio which is lobster meat, clams, mussels and cherry tomatoes with sauce over pasta. Secondi was a very tasty breaded Veal Chop that was baked with mozzarella. There are a lot of great Italian Restaurants in the Rochester/FLX region, but this is probably the best! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/c8cae6fc-e7d2-4c86-a27c-0f7d837fb7b4/WarfieldsRestaurant.jpg Finger Lakes - Great Food Great Price - Warfield’s - Clifton Springs Since the mid-90’s this unassuming restaurant in the small town of Clifton Springs has been making amazing food. On my fifth or sixth time there, we went for lunch and had a lobster roll that had an entire lobster tail in it and the soup of the day that was phenomenal. Dinners are crazy good here as well. Escargot, oysters, Filet Mignon, Crab Cakes, and Lobster Mac and Cheese are just a few of the many uber good choices on this delish menu. It is definitely worth the trip from Rochester or any of the Finger Lakes. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-other-restaurants daily 0.75 2022-01-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619704698503-KTO2LOYKSTD5PB76T4GV/P1040970.JPG Finger Lakes - Other Restaurants - Genesee Brew House - Rochester The Genesee Brewery is the 6th oldest brewery in the U.S. with a born on date of 1857. The building that houses the Brew House has been part of the brewery campus for over 100 years. In 2012, it was repurposed to house the flagship restaurant that sports upscale Bar Food, a tasting room featuring Genesee standards, and limited production beers that you won’t find anywhere else. It also serves as a history museum for Genesee’s 170+ year existence and brewing in Rochester. The third floor deck is a great place to sit and drink a Genny beer on a sunny summer day while admiring the beautiful view of the brewery’s namesake Genesee River and the High Falls area of Rochester. We highly recommend getting a table on the 2nd floor outdoor patio for your eating experience so that you can admire that wonderful view. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631468674916-7EYNSHBU045YFTYSV8PU/NYKitchenClass.jpg Finger Lakes - Other Restaurants - New York Kitchen - Canandaigua Sitting at the North end of Canandaigua Lake is a unique eatery that allows you to sample many of the best Upstate NY originals with locally sourced ingredients. The outdoor seating on the second floor comes equipped with a beautiful view of the lake while you have a FLX crafted beer, cider, or wine. The added bonus here is that it is also the place to go if you want to learn how to cook a gourmet meal or become a Sommelier! We took a cooking class here and it was a blast. They divide you into 5 groups which are each tasked with making one course of the gourmet 5 course pairing meal. The instructors help and give pointers, you can sample some of the wines and beers that are a part of the pairings, then you sit down and eat the meal while you learn how the meal was put together by the expert chefs. It is a great wintertime or anytime thing to do. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619449678436-F0CJYF103ZRGJ5XQ8WRY/chengarden.jpg Finger Lakes - Other Restaurants - Chen Garden - Rochester It makes me feel old to say that I have eaten here in 3 different decades, but with the quality and price of the food, it is a mainstay in our restaurant roster. There is much more than the traditional Chinese menu offerings here including Clay Pots, Thai offerrings, and an entire page of different soups. But all are fantastic. The Wasabi Shumai - delish. Although if you wolf them down as quickly as we did, the wasabi does provide a complimentary decongestant for your nostrils. Ask the waiter for their signature Zombie served in a Tiki glass and depending on your alcohol tolerance - you may turn into one. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1620071059893-UB3JNYCWMIGAIWBQGP5N/Hatties.jpg Finger Lakes - Other Restaurants - Hattie’s - Rochester A brew, a view, and great Sushi, too. Nine stories above the ground in the heart of Rochester is a place with the best sushi in Rochester and craft cocktails that feature spirits from local breweries and distilleries. And if you have one too many cocktails, you could always stay at the hotel below, The Strathallan, which is one of downtown Rochester’s best hotels. On a Friday afternoon in the summertime you can see suits, shorts, and Sangria as vacationers, business folks, and locals all ride the elevator to the top floor for some Chillaxin’ time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631467004131-EZFBNEQ7WTTT0D8H9VRP/HH-BluePointGrill.jpg Finger Lakes - Other Restaurants - Blue Point Grill - Watkins Glen The Harbor House at the South End of Seneca Lake is not only a great place to stay, the restaurant there is the perfect end to a day of wine tasting or leaf peeping in the fall. They serve many of the best Finger Lakes wines and have great fine dining entrees that run the gamut of steak, seafood, and vegetarian options. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631743308503-IG487AT912DC3H3BXZF8/RioTomatlan.jpg Finger Lakes - Other Restaurants - Rio Tomatlan - Canandaigua If you like really good Mexican food, you have to make a trek here. In our opinion, this is the best Mexican restaurant in Upstate NY. The Margaritas are to die for, and yes, I know that every Mexican restaurant HAS to have great Margaritas, but these are one of our faves because they use Tequilas from Mexico that most people have never had. The freshness of the food and other ingredients helps to make it a fantastic experience, too. Most food is grown locally and the fish dishes are great because it is all fresh. The decor here has a lot of character as well. Cool murals line the walls to add to the authentic feel. Canandaigua has a lot of nice restaurants and things to do, but this is a must have meal if you stop there. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631744346877-EWMCW4WMKVOP64K2ILUP/SimplyCrepes.jpg Finger Lakes - Other Restaurants - Simply Crepes - Pittsford/Canandaigua Crepes aren’t just for breakfast anymore since Simply Crepes came to Pittsford back in 2003. The Heroux family now has 4 of the fantastic Creperies in the Rochester area and one in Raleigh, NC. The key is that they make crepes that are great any time of day. Our favorite is the Chicken Corden Bleu Crepe which is panko crusted and stuffed with smoked ham, chicken, and spinach. Top it off with melted Gruyere and Alfredo sauce and you have one tasty dinner! And the Poutine?!? We can’t stop Poutine it in our mouths because it is so tasty. And if someone in your party is a lame eater, they do have non-Crepe options, too. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631745524882-JX2IZ9GJKGOPBEJRNKU0/lento.jpg Finger Lakes - Other Restaurants - Lento - Rochester Lento is a cool vibe hipster restaurant in the Village Gate in downtown Rochester that just so happens to have really good food. Best Oysters in Rochester - check. Great signature cocktails - check. Flavorful and unique Entrees like Chicken Roasted under a brick - check. We have gone there many times and it never disappoints. Oh yeah, those signature cocktails that I mentioned - The Beets by Dre is great, but also the most interesting - Gin, beet juice, cynar, and bitters. Sounds gross, tastes great! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/30f431a4-e9c2-46c6-895e-3d91cb5af286/agitinas.jpg Finger Lakes - Other Restaurants - Agatina’s - Gates Covid has forced this restaurant to cut their menu down a bit from the 132 entrees and 35 appetizers that they used to have, but if you want great Italian food with a great variety of selections like veal, seafood, traditional pasta, and the best greens and beans in the area - then this is the place to go. The prices are very reasonable, and we feel that it is the best Italian Restaurant in the Rochester area. You could have dinner here every day for 2 straight months and never have to order the same thing twice. Besides the G&B (our vernacular for Greens and Beans, which we highly recommend that you have them add Prosciutto to at no extra charge), the Frog Legs appetizer is great, as is the Veal. But what is our favorite, you ask? Definitely, the Seafood Provencial. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-fine-dining2 daily 0.75 2023-02-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ec0b6679-9ce9-4816-a134-1ec06465a204/MaillardClub.jpg Finger Lakes - Fine Dining - Maillard Club - Corning We have eaten at many fine dining establishments and had 3, 4, or 7 course pairing meals, but our experience at the Maillard Club set the bar much higher! We had a 13-course pairing meal that started with Caviar and Creme Fraiche and ended a couple of hours later with a full belly and a big smile on our faces! Chef Chris Bates is not only a phenomenal cook, he also kept us entertained and informed about the endless courses that just kept coming! Of course there were great wine pairings from around the world that were perfect with each course. We have to say that this is one of the best meals that we have ever had. If you like fine dining, you definitely have to put this on your “must do” list! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619452780304-CJI7KALAXHIU311OBZLR/IMG_4811.jpg Finger Lakes - Fine Dining - Tournedos - Rochester Besides the elegance of this fine dining restaurant and bar that is nestled into an upscale boutique hotel in downtown Rochester, something else awaits - the best steaks in the area and perhaps all of New York. The steaks are dry aged on premises or prime Waygu Beef. Not to downplay the dry aged, but the Waygu Beef is like biting into a slice of heaven. Meals are served ala carte and the wonderful sides include our fave - an amazing Creamed Spinach. For the tame ones or those preferring a comfort food for a side, we suggest the Pancetta Home Fries or the Parmesan Seasoned Onion Rings with Cajun Mayonnaise. The beverage pairings for each course appropriately high-end, but if you order the 40 year-old Port to pair with your Creme Brulee, be prepared for a bit of a sticker shock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619703552224-N3V5YON9VWXXDN12LU9T/FlxTable.jpg Finger Lakes - Fine Dining - FLX Table - Geneva Imagine sitting with 12 total strangers at a communal table for a 5 Course Pairing meal that ends 6 hours later at the bar next door with 12 friends who you have pledged to have dinner again with soon. That was our experience at FLX Table. With only two serving times each evening, the experience is unlike any other meal that we have had. A camaraderie and comfort with your co-diners and staff develops quickly as you are all immersed in a culinary bubble with incredible food, exquisite wines, and great conversation. The meal is different every week, with five courses of savory treats that are unique to the evening. Seasonal vegetables topped with a loaf of bread for each couple along with 3 butter choices to slather on the homemade treat, Japanese oysters with a tasty sauce to alleviate any fishy flavor, and mousse topped with Pop Rocks to finish the experience. Those were three of the highlights of the best meal we have ever had in the Finger Lakes area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1626224324233-5I78UXBYOKEH4P3PRI7Y/BlackandBlueRoc2.jpg Finger Lakes - Fine Dining - Black & Blue - Pittsford In 2005 the first Black and Blue Restaurant opened in the wealthiest suburb of Rochester - Pittsford. Right from the beginning it was a very upscale dining experience with great options for Steak and Seafood (hence the name Black and Blue). We have eaten there numerous times and the crab is the best in the Finger Lakes region and the steak is a close 2nd behind Tournedos. It isn’t cheap, but it is worth the price. Oysters, lobster, crab, shrimp - yes, yes, yes, and yes. All very fresh, all very good. In fact, the only place that we’ve had better crab was at a restaurant in Seattle that had the crab flown in from Alaska that day. Black & Blue’s success has allowed them to open additional restaurants in Buffalo, Albany, and Burlington, MA, but we will only put them in the “Best of” list for Rochester because that is where it all began. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/7e1142d4-1751-414a-807b-6508e7ca4eff/VelvetBelly2.jpg Finger Lakes - Fine Dining - Velvet Belly - Rochester This is truly a unique and fantastic restaurant. The best way to characterize it is gourmet Seafood Asian Fusion. The ambience here is fresh and modern just like the food. Like most great restaurants, the wine and digestif options were spot on. The sushi had a twist - the perfect amount of wasabi already added to our Specialty Roll that we simply dipped into the soy and saved a step. For the fresh seafood lovers out there, raw oysters, shrimp, and crab are all on the menu (and the oysters were awesome). You can also get a small plate featuring oysters with charred jalapeño, bourbon, parmesan, bacon, ritz cracker crumbs. Every course we had kept getting even better and the Port that we had with the pumpkin cheesecake dessert was the perfect finish for a perfect meal. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-outdoor-activities daily 0.75 2022-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1620765522246-PPKXRUTFC9Q9O55851D4/P1040950.JPG Finger Lakes - Outdoor Activities - High Falls, Rochester In the early 1800’s, the 96 foot High Falls were the center of Rochester’s burgeoning economy as their power was harnessed to run wheat mills which eventually earned Rochester the nickname, the Flour City. As time passed, the High Falls area became the home to the Genesee Brewing Company, was the scene of the tragic death of Daredevil Sam Patch who’s attempt to dive from the top of the falls in 1829 failed, and is still an area that people can see the natural beauty and power of the Genesee River that starts 160 miles away in central Pennsylvania and ends at the mouth of Lake Ontario. The view of the falls from the 114 foot high Pont De Rennes bridge is the best vantage point to see the size and power of the falls. You can also have a Beer and a bite at the Genesee Brewhouse on the east end of the bridge that has an equally beautiful view of the falls. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1632415234703-HML8X4BNBCI1RGMECVIM/captain-bill-s.jpg Finger Lakes - Outdoor Activities - Captain Bill’s Cruises, Watkins Glen At the southern end of Seneca Lake you can take an hour long cruise on the 618 foot deep lake that never freezes over due to it’s depth. The lake also provides you with great scenery and history that you learn about during the tour. One fact that you learn as you pass a restricted area in the middle of the Lake, is that the U.S. Navy still has a Sonar testing station there. Who knew? The boat cruise includes options for a dinner or sightseeing cruise and it is definitely something that should be part of your Seneca Lake trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/9556b0fe-b3f2-4b0c-816a-c82f127ddd02/BristolMtn6.jpg Finger Lakes - Outdoor Activities - Bristol Mountain, Canandaigua At 1200 feet, Bristol Mountain has the highest vertical rise between the Adirondacks and the Rocky Mountains. With 38 trails that range from beginner to Expert, skiers of all ages and ability level can enjoy hitting the slopes. The restaurant/bar is perfect for the Apres ski libations where you can talk about the powder that you carved and/or faceplanted into. In the summer they also have Zip Lining, Hiking, and hard core mountain biking trails. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/f1c0179f-a8ec-4c8e-9d0a-384ab5647707/ErieCanalAdventures.jpg Finger Lakes - Outdoor Activities - Erie Canal Adventures, Macedon If you have a Captain’s hat tucked away in the dark recesses of a closet somewhere, but you never have a reason to wear it - we have an opportunity for you! Imagine being the Captain of your own vessel with over 350 miles of a tranquil sea (well, canal) to navigate over 7 days with numerous stops and day trips along the way. The best part of the adventure is that the boat that you rent has a kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and a great top-side vantage point for your aquatic stroll through history one a waterway that is close to 200 years old. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/e39e61b0-bf8b-4bae-9b3e-8a6ecd2b88c2/SenecaParkZoo.jpg Finger Lakes - Outdoor Activities - Seneca Park Zoo, Rochester Lions and Tigers and Bears - Oh my! Sorry about the cheesy intro there, but it seemed like a good starter. Since 1893, the zoo has been entertaining kids and adults with the widest variety of animals in the area. The “Step Into Africa” exhibit features numerous animals from the African plains, and you will find everything from Elephants to walrus’s within the boundaries of the zoo. Over 90 different types of animals are on display. Kids and adults will both find things here to enjoy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/0daf9c56-87f1-4eee-a843-f92f47231ca9/ColonialBelleFairport.jpg Finger Lakes - Outdoor Activities - Colonial Belle - Fairport If you want to have a relaxing summer afternoon on the water, one of the best things to do in the Rochester area is to take a relaxing trip on the Colonial Belle. Starting from the beautiful Packett’s Landing in Fairport, the standard trip takes you on a scenic journey through a lock in the neighboring town of Pittsford. Along the way you will see historic buildings and pastoral scenery that will take you back in time to a simpler era. This is a great 2 to 2 1/2 hour tour in the summer. There are also dinner cruises if you want to fill your stomach while you are clearing your mind! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/2d736b30-cc32-4956-a88d-4be89f24baef/FingerLakesRailRiders.jpg Finger Lakes - Outdoor Activities - Finger Lakes Rail Riders - Penn Yan We’ve all hiked, biked, ridden on a boat, or in a car. But here is a “way to travel” that you’ve never done before - pedaled on a railroad track. This 5 mile tour near Keuka Lake takes you through working farmland, beautiful scenery, and a Mennonite schoolhouse. It is very easy pedaling and if you or your partner decide to rest for a while, the other person can keep you moving. This is one of those cool things that you have to do just to say that you did it! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1620765367578-7U0SOSCYSEUQHP6C72A7/SeabreezeCoaster.jpg Finger Lakes - Outdoor Activities - Seabreeze Park, Irondequoit Founded in 1879, Seabreeze is the oldest continuously running amusement park in Upstate NY, with 5 generations of family owned history. Much has changed in almost 150 years, but the original mission of providing families in the Rochester area with a fun venue to get away from it all despite being right in their backyard has been constant throughout it’s history. Even though the Jack Rabbit roller coaster is over 100 years old, it has been renovated so that it can still provide its riders with the thrills and stomach dropping descents that children and teens crave. With over 70 attractions that include rollercoasters and six waterpark rides, there are plenty of thrills and opportunities to cool off there on a hot summer day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/df292def-a0f7-4192-bc8d-3c7bbd4a0c79/KeukaLakeBoating.jpg Finger Lakes - Outdoor Activities - East Bluff Harbor Boat Rentals, Penn Yan Don’t own a boat or want to trailer yours up to the Finger Lakes? No problem. You can rent a boat for a day or a week at East Bluff Harbor. Whether you want to fish for Atlantic salmon, go tubing, waterski, cruise the lake slowly on a Pontoon Boat or just see the sights of the lake, they make it quick and easy to get out on the water. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/best-cideries daily 0.75 2021-09-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631500801256-WFFZOO776BWBC2MOU1LX/1911Cidery2.jpg Finger Lakes - Best Cideries - 1911 Cidery, Lafayette This is our favorite cidery. They have a few traditional ciders that are fantastic. Cider purists might scoff at this next statement, but on a hot summer day, I prefer a flavored cider to a traditional one. 1911’s Tropical flavored cider is perfect for a 90 degree day. The Raspberry and Black Cherry? They go down very quickly sitting by a lake as well. One of the other reasons that we love going there is that 1911 isn’t just about cider. They have a Chai Vanilla Vodka distilled from apples that is a really good start for a summer cocktail. They also have a liquor distilled from Maple Syrup. Gotta give them creativity points. The last thing that makes the trip there so much fun is that the food there is really good too. Definitely make that your lunch spot! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631501766607-9YYPHIK1ARB26G2QK4E6/O%26A.jpg Finger Lakes - Best Cideries - Oak and Apple Cidery, Penfield This is a classic traditional cidery that decides to throw us a curve ball every now and then. The Core semi-dry Cider is a tasty traditional cider, but they aren’t afraid to experiment either. The Bairille Dair is a pineapple jalapeno cider?!? And it is good. A blend of old and new, traditional and non-traditional, and a beautiful view outside to boot. Can’t beat it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631502242875-S6IZ0K9ALCWDF7UJO9CC/applesatsunset.jpg Finger Lakes - Best Cideries - 2021 Top 10 Cideries - Coming Soon We have 40 cideries to check out that are in a 100 mile radius. Stay tuned and we will let you know our favorites…. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/hikes-and-bikes daily 0.75 2022-02-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631468934858-ENCG2RXX3Z82LJYB1LY9/IMG_0782.JPG Finger Lakes - Hikes and Bikes - Letchworth State Park - Castile Nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the East, Letchworth is a must see for any visitor or hiker in the FLX Region. With over 60 miles of trails and a 550 decent from the ridge to the gorge, there are many different hiking options for all levels of hikers. There are companies that run whitewater rafting and kayaking excursions in the gorge on the Genesee River, as well. The river is one of the few rivers in the country that flows north. It starts in middle Pennsylvania and ends in Rochester where it flows into Lake Ontario. There are also cabins, campsites and RV sites available to rent in the park. It is a good home base to explore other parts of the Finger Lakes from. Also, a local hot air balloon company has a summertime excursion that allows you to ride in a balloon over the park. That is really fun! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631473799517-7GZUAJKKD44S1YBN8J2R/WatkinsGlenPic.jpg Finger Lakes - Hikes and Bikes - Watkins Glen State Park - Watkins Glen Watkins Glen is known for 2 things - the gorge that descends 400 feet with beautiful views of the creek that carved through it, and the world renowned Car Racing track track nicknamed “The Glen”. There are over 800 steps up the gorge that you hike up Watkins Glen, but the scenery is beautiful and you can hike any of the 3 trails. It also connects into the 800 mile long Finger Lakes Trail. It only takes an hour or two to hike the gorge which leaves you plenty of time to see the other sights in Watkins Glen or to sample wine at any of the 40+ wineries on Seneca Lake. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a3dd7c4a-adb2-49c5-a0b3-376cc4c50434/ErieCanal.jpg Finger Lakes - Hikes and Bikes - Erie Canal Trail, Buffalo to Albany Hiking, biking, boating - they are all options on the 362 mile canal that was originally built in 1825 as a means of transporting goods from Lake Erie to New York City. Nowadays you see an occasional pleasure or dinner cruise boat in the Rochester area, but 95% of the traffic that the canal sees is from people walking, running, and biking on its banks. The Rochester suburbs of Pittsford and Fairport have a lot of restaurants and other sites along the trail that are great for the aforementioned exercise activities. And if you stop and get dinner or ice cream after your trek it will be guilt free due the calories that you just burned off! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631477558764-J3UNWUKHD0JFKSYI46DR/TaughannockFalls.jpg Finger Lakes - Hikes and Bikes - Taughannock Falls State Park - Trumansburg Want to see the highest single drop waterfall east of the Rockies? Don’t go to Niagara Falls for that sight. Instead you have to go about 10 miles north of the town of Ithaca and it’s famous Cornell University to see Taughannock Falls! The park itself only has about 4 miles of trails, but seeing the highest falls in the East makes it worth the time. Ithaca is a great town with plenty of good things to see and do, so the couple hour stop on the way there to see the falls is worth it. There are also a lot of great cideries on the west side of Cayuga Lake that you can go to on your way back up the Lake so that you can intake all of the calories that you burned hiking at the falls. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8b32d0f5-10cc-48df-8b8c-e8e344fc6eed/MendonPondsPic2.jfif Finger Lakes - Hikes and Bikes - Mendon Ponds Park, Pittsford This 2500 acre park just south of Rochester has over 21 miles of trails, canoeing/kayaking, fishing, horseback riding, and picnic options. This multitude of activities makes it a great place to bike, hike, and visit any time of year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/98f32f7d-71f8-434b-a370-59556de1a38f/conklinsgully.jpg Finger Lakes - Hikes and Bikes - Conklin’s Gully, Naples With almost a 1200 foot vertical rise, this hike isn’t for everyone, but once you reach the top and see the view in the picture to the left, it is definitely worth it. There is a gorge next to the trail most of the way so you have some beautiful photo ops coupled with a couple of “just stare down at the trail” moments as you see a 200 foot drop a few yards from the trail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/6be76486-b769-4609-9719-2d437641cbd4/IMG_1340.JPG Finger Lakes - Hikes and Bikes - Grimes Glen, Naples For the faint of heart who don’t want to attempt Conklin’s Gully a mile away, this is a nice one mile hike that ends at the waterfall on the right. It is a refreshing swim near the falls on a hot summer day. It gets pretty crowded on the weekends and the parking isn’t that great, so we advise going during the week or off-peak season if you can. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/326c2d32-7e45-42d0-8c16-c77fb6d3ab12/FingerLaksTrail.jpg Finger Lakes - Hikes and Bikes - The Finger Lakes Trail, The Whole Darn State! At 580 miles long with an additional 412 miles of spur trails, the trail covers most of the state that isn’t the NYC area. There are many places in the Finger Lakes that you can find a trail head and hike as many miles as you choose. If you want to join the prestigious “End-To-Ender Club”, you need to have a couple of months of free time and be in really great shape, but there are over 500 certified End-to-Enders. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3a010dda-e615-4a87-a025-8ee0033ec3bd/abrahamlincolnpark.jpg Finger Lakes - Hikes and Bikes - Abraham Lincoln Park, Webster Right off of the very busy retail street, Empire Boulevard in Webster, you can surprisingly find quiet and peaceful hiking trails that give you beautiful views of Irondequoit Bay. After the first 1/4 mile of the hike you look around and say - “what is wrong with this picture? 5 minutes ago I was in retail Hell and now I am in the middle of nowhere! I love it!” We said that exact same thing the first time that we hiked here. At the end of the 3 mile trail north is a beautiful Lodge that can be rented for special occasions, but if you just want a couple of hour getaway from the suburban jungle, this is the place to go. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3f08dab9-63bc-431f-9c54-157b4e1518c2/DryerRoadPark.jfif Finger Lakes - Hikes and Bikes - Dryer Road Park, Victor Even though you can hike, snowshoe, or cross country ski here, this park is made for Mountain Bikers. With 15 miles and 29 trails specifically made for mountain biking, all levels of riders can feel at home. During my first time here as a novice mountain biker, I met up with a park regular who showed me the ropes on various levels of trails. The 2nd time I went over my handlebars and into the dirt on an advanced trail he looked at me and said, “you are certainly resilient”! Inside he was saying, “the dumb-ass should stick to the novice trails”, but I caught his drift. At any rate and skill level of biking and hiking, it is a great place to check out. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/748776cc-f1d6-4216-b7c7-858d64bbd82c/CummingNatureTrails.jpg Finger Lakes - Hikes and Bikes - Cumming Nature Trails, Naples With 6 miles of walking trails, 15 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails, and 3 miles of snowshoe trails on 900 acres, the Cumming Nature Trails has things to do in all 4 seasons. There is also a visitor center in the park that is a quasi-museum providing information about the animals you will see and their habitats as well as the history of the Seneca Tribe which were the first inhabitants of the area. It is a great place to spend a few hours with beautiful views of Canandaigua Lake nearby. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a86fe1af-846d-4b40-867e-92f2a02818b4/GeneseeValleyGreenway.jpg Finger Lakes - Hikes and Bikes - Genesee Valley Greenway - Rochester to Hinsdale This 90 mile trail through the Finger Lakes Region allows hikers and bikers to experience a wide variety of sights and trails. A majority of the trail is an old railway bed that is a straight, level surface, but the Greenway also passes through woodlands, wetlands, river and stream valleys, and historic villages in sixteen towns. This is a great way to discover the Finger Lakes with a multi-day trip with hiking/biking by day and experiencing the small town charm of Upstate New York at night. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-golf daily 0.75 2022-02-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1620760748637-LV9FJQNNZ5QIBO7ZJ87Y/greystonelinks_large.jpg Finger Lakes - Golf - Greystone Golf Course - Walworth This is the most immaculately groomed public course in the area. It has a feel more like one of Rochester’s $30,000 a year membership country clubs than a $44 for 18 course. Stoney’s Pub and Restaurant is a great place to unwind over an adult beverage while you scheme about how you could have shot 6 strokes better. Our only issue with this course is that there are about 5 recessed tee boxes that give you a blind shot to the fairway. Since it is a links course and there is heather in the rough on many holes, you better have at least 10 balls in your bag if you have a tendency to slice off the tee! Course Stats - Par: 72, Blue Tee Slope: 131, Blue Tee Yardage: 6594 yards Cost - Summer Weekday - $44 Walk, $53 Ride, Weekend - $68 Ride Only Food/Drink - Available at Stoney’s Pub Website - www.greystonelinks.com/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1620758377516-JENJE0861IUCUPEHIHK9/Ravenwood.jpg Finger Lakes - Golf - Ravenwood Golf Course -Victor This immaculately maintained course has only been on the golf scene since 2003, but it is the best public course in the area. It is a links style course with a lot of hills that make it very challenging, but even a low 50’s for 9 holes golfer can enjoy the course without throwing clubs or wanting to quit the game after 6 holes. Course Stats - Par: 72, Blue Tee Slope: 126, Blue Tee Yardage: 6190 yards Cost - Summer Weekday - $55 Walk, $65 Ride, Weekend - $65 Walk, $75 Ride Food/Drink - Available at Restaurant and bar Website - www.ravenwoodgolf.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1627771417338-8MQ1G8SP6VWZXKPTVMEX/IMG_0335.JPG Finger Lakes - Golf - Mill Creek Golf Club - Churchville We love playing this course. The clubhouse is at that highest point in the area so you can see for miles and the course layout is challenging, but incredibly unique. Hole #9 is a 160 yard par 3 that should be pretty easy except for the fact that the green is about 80 feet above the tee. But don’t worry, hole 10’s green is over 100 feet below the tee. Course Stats - Par: 72, Blue Tee Slope: 131, Blue Tee Yardage: 6535 yards Cost - Summer Weekday - $33 Walk, $40 Ride, Weekend - $38 Walk, $50 Ride Food/Drink - Available at Tavern and restaurant Website - www.millcreekgolf.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1633288964985-0OLP7RL1A6NZ5XGRLO7E/WayneHillsGolf.jfif Finger Lakes - Golf - Wayne Hills Country Club - Lyons Most people from the Finger Lakes haven’t heard of this golf course, but do yourself a favor and take a trek out to Lyons and play it. It has some unique and beautiful holes and it is incredibly well maintained. Course Stats - Par: 72, Blue Tee Slope: 129, Blue Tee Yardage: 6629 yards Cost - Weekday - $37 Ride Only, Weekend - $40 Ride Only Food/Drink - Available at The Clubhouse and Restaurant Website - www.waynehillscc.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1626546692384-LGMFV6HDS0362J6QWOTS/DeerfieldCC.jpg Finger Lakes - Golf - Deerfield Country Club - Brockport Since new owners took over the course in 2015, the facilities and the 27 holes have both seen some major improvements. The clubhouse is a major events center with some “Kodak moment” photo spots for wedding receptions and parties, but more importantly, the course has received a facelift and improved irrigation to keep it lush in case of a dry Rochester summer. All three of the 9 hole settings have a unique feel to them. The East is the shortest and easiest with less hazards to blow up your round. The South is a bit tighter and has more water and hazards to get you into trouble, and the North, well, add a few strokes to your usual score because it has a lot of holes that can turn into blow-ups pretty easily. All-in-all, it is a fun course that is reasonably priced and the 19th hole at the Clubhouse is a great place to talk a better game than you shot on the course. Course Stats (North/South Courses) - Par: 72, Blue Tee Slope: 138, Blue Tee Yardage: 6736 yards Cost - Summer Weekday - $29 Walk, $39 Ride, Weekend - $39 Walk, $49 Ride Food/Drink - Available at the Clubhouse and Centerpost Grill Website - www.deerfieldcc.com/ https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-museumstheater daily 0.75 2022-02-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1620765946946-712491ES917IH190EXQE/StrongMuseum.jpg Finger Lakes - Museums/Theater - The Strong Museum of Play, Rochester Any museum that includes a Toy and Video Game Hall of Fame is definitely worth a visit. Even though there are a lot of exhibits here that are geared for kids, there is plenty of things for adults to do as well. It is a trip down memory lane for middle aged people who used to play Space Invaders or Tetris, but there are many interactive activities that will have the youngins’ tucked out and smiling after a handful of hours. The butterfly and aquarium exhibits are really cool as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1620766257908-YPJFVA3H2SDSQ32IT9KG/GeorgeEastmanHouse.jpg Finger Lakes - Museums/Theater - The George Eastman House, Rochester In the early 1900’s, Kodak’s founder, George Eastman, was one of the wealthiest people in the U.S. At one point, Eastman Kodak employed over 50,000 people in Rochester when the manufacturing and processing of film photography was in it’s heyday, and the 35,000 sq. foot house is a testament to the success that Eastman achieved. A separate 73,000 sq foot climate controlled vault that is located on the grounds of the house preserves over 400,000 photos that have been taken since Eastman invented the camera in 1888. The museum also includes a beautiful garden in the backyard which becomes a music venue a few times each summer for people to hear music, unfold a lawn chair, and consume a beverage of their choice in the pastoral venue. This is a must see for anyone visiting Rochester and the Finger Lakes region. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1627567571297-ULVWVKVWRVB6L7KYZ4EY/SusanBAnthony.jpg Finger Lakes - Museums/Theater - Susan B. Anthony House, Rochester Nestled in a quaint neighborhood that was built in Rochester during the 1860’s is an unassuming house that was owned by the visionary woman who was instrumental in getting the right for women to vote in the United States. The house is now a museum that details her vigilance and persistence to break through the rules that restricted voting to white men in the mid-1800’s. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1627571956595-5BFM796UOHE6DUU51YGY/CurtisMuseum2.jpg Finger Lakes - Museums/Theater - Glenn Curtiss Museum, Hammondsport Everyone thinks of the Wright Brothers as the pioneers of aviation, but Glenn Curtiss was the first person in the U.S. to get a pilot’s license and his planes beat those of the Wright’s in the first international aviation events. He also pioneered the motorcycle and held world speed records for years. All this happened in the small town of Hammondsport, NY at the end of Keuka Lake. This must see museum contains many of the early prototypes for Curtiss’s motorcycles and planes that revolutionized transportation in the early 1900’s. This is a fun trip to add to a Finger Lakes wine tour weekend, or a relaxing stay in an AirBNB on Keuka. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1627572435776-WLF5AMEVYXYLBGDZTWOF/museum-of-the-earth.jpg Finger Lakes - Museums/Theater - Museum of the Earth, Ithaca While Ithaca is best known for being the home of Cornell University, there is a lot of things to see and do in this eclectic small town. The Museum of the Earth is one of them. With over 7 million fossils, numerous dinosaur remains, and details of 4.5 million years of the Earth’s history, this is a great place to spend a day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/9659b2e4-e776-4434-8882-69f699419496/o.jpg Finger Lakes - Museums/Theater - Corning Museum of Glass, Corning This museum is a must see for any traveler to the FLX. We never realized how much we use Corning products in our every day life. The glass on your cellphone, your lightbulbs, the fiber optic cable that gets you the Internet, the windshield on your car, and the glass pans you cook in - thank 170 year old Corning, Inc. for all of that. Still based in Corning, NY, the company started a museum in the town in 1951. During a stroll through the museum you can make your own glass creation, watch people hand blowing glass, see 3500 year old glass objects and learn a ton of fascinating things about a substance that we take for granted every day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/e83c47ad-d643-41f2-99bb-8c04e065d999/WilliamSewardHouse.jpg Finger Lakes - Museums/Theater - William Seward House, Auburn Most people don’t think about Alaska when they are visiting the Finger Lakes, well maybe a bit in January, but Alaska wouldn’t be a part of the United States if it wasn’t for William Seward. At the time, the purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million in 1867, was called Seward’s Folly, but now that seems like a steal! The tour of the house is incredibly interesting. Most people don’t know that Seward almost died the same day as Abraham Lincoln because he too was targeted by the same assassination plot. His life was very fascinating as a man who grew up in Auburn, but later became the New York Governor, a U.S. Senator, and finally the Secretary of State under Lincoln. All that and more is covered in the tour of his house which is definitely worth the trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/41ae16e6-d93d-4681-826e-5aaca0c3cc1d/GevaTheatre.jpg Finger Lakes - Museums/Theater - Geva Theatre, Rochester With seating for 700 between the two stages at Geva, it certainly isn’t the biggest venue, but for great productions, cutting edge plays and unique comedy performances it is definitely the best. We have seen numerous productions here and that are always entertaining, thought provoking, and well produced. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1540ba26-4710-4d01-a65d-4a71b3edb83f/EastmanTheater.jpg Finger Lakes - Museums/Theater - Eastman Theater, Rochester The beauty and grandeur of this timeless theater is reason enough to visit, but many top name acts perform here during the course of each year. The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra is the primary show, but Tony Bennett, Jennifer Hudson, Dave Brubeck and many more famous artists have performed here over the years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/7984272b-3f76-4a29-a532-7e12f17ed586/HarrietTubmanHouse.jfif Finger Lakes - Museums/Theater - Harriet Tubman House, Auburn Over a period of 11 years, it is reported that Harriet Tubman freed over 300 slaves and guided them on the Underground Railroad from Maryland to Canada. Her home, which sits on 7 acres of land that William Seward sold her in 1860, still stands and the museum on the property tells the story of a courageous woman who put herself in harm’s way many times to free her family members and other slaves. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/0ed6b35f-49d1-488b-94ea-cb16880e3e40/memorialArtGallery.jpg Finger Lakes - Museums/Theater - Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester With over 12,000 pieces that were created from 0 to 5000 years ago, the Memorial Art Gallery is the best Art Museum outside of NYC. They frequently have new exhibits and special events so there are always new things to see with every visit you take. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3da3dc50-57dd-4a62-85de-72fe5c65dccb/GeneseeCountryMuseum.jpg Finger Lakes - Museums/Theater - Genesee Country Museum - Mumford This historic 19th Century village consists of 68 buildings from that time period. It is one of the largest working country villages in the entire United States. As you stroll through the village, you can see live demonstrations of pottery making, barrel making Coopers, a tinsmith, and blacksmith. It is a full day adventure that gives you in-depth knowledge of what life was like in the 1800’s. As you stroll the village, you will notice that you are progressing through three time periods, from 1800 to 1900, with lifestyles growing more sophisticated as time moves forward. There are even restaurants and pub that are reminiscent of that era. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ee03d3cd-7942-4f75-904d-c5d60877e005/RevTheatreCompany.jpg Finger Lakes - Museums/Theater - REV Theatre Company - Auburn Auburn is a small town with a lot of fun things to do. If you are looking to take in a theatrical performance at night when you are there, the Merry-Go-Round Theatre hosts good off Broadway shows in the summer. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffaloniagaralibations daily 0.75 2025-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/e1ddbc01-1cdd-4ddc-a148-9b02c1a7b4a1/JohnsonEstate.jpg Buffalo/Niagara - Best Libation Makers - Johnson Estate Winery, Westfield In 1908 Frederick Johnson purchased land in Westfield where he planted fruit trees and Concord grape vines. Now Johnson Estate Winery is now the oldest continuously operating estate winery in New York State. Not only is the oldest, it is also one of the best wineries in Upstate NY. Their location near Lake Erie helps them to extend the growing season allowing them to make excellent wines. With a mix of European and French/American hybrid grapes coupled with their winemaking expertise makes for phenomenal wines. Every varietal that we tasted was fantastic. It is worth a trip there no matter where you live! Trust us, you won’t be disappointed! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a794e402-66c1-4e00-bdec-f47785bc99d6/SchultzeWinery.jpg Buffalo/Niagara - Best Libation Makers - Schulze Winery, Burt Since its inception in 1969, with Concord grapes that were sold to Welch’s for juice, the owners of Schulze’s have amassed a lot of knowledge about the grape growing process. Now it is one of the best wineries in the Buffalo/Niagara region! Their location close to Lake Ontario lends a hand by giving the grapes a longer growing season and great soil, but the knowledge of the proprietors and the winemaker deserve most of the credit. They have numerous great tasting wines, sparkling wines, and ice wines that appeal to different palates, but they were all well made and very tasty. Our favorite was the Siegfried Reserve which is a German hybrid Riesling. We came in for a tasting and walked out with a case - that shows just how good the wines are. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1626228835382-XLYD5V1EJ2FZYT506RUW/BlackbirdCidery.jpg Buffalo/Niagara - Best Libation Makers - Blackbird Cider Works, Barker Anyone who can make a great tasting cider that blends Ghost Pepper and Pumpkin Spice is a place that we need to spend time at! The Cider Master, Phil, was at his home with the 37 pepper plants he had planted, which gave him the inspiration for Ghost Lantern Cider. This combination created a cider that had a start of pumpkin pie with a finish of warmth from the hot pepper. The Cidery also crafts many traditional style dry and semi-dry ciders that are smooth with unique yet flavorful profiles. But the thing that struck us the most was their passion for their craft and the area around their cidery. Most of the apples for the ciders they make are estate grown and are fermented in a variety of different barrels from traditional French Oak to barrels that previously contained 60 gallons of Gin when they were in use at a local distillery. This cidery is growing very rapidly because Phil and the owner Scott make great ciders and they aren’t afraid to step outside the box to create unique blends that keep you coming back to taste the next creation! It is the Best Cidery in Western New York and one of the best in the entire state! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1626229509337-6PBURPMG7ED6Q6QM3KV7/ChateauNiagara.jpg Buffalo/Niagara - Best Libation Makers - Chateau Niagara, Newfane We have been to this winery numerous times and each time it gets better. The owner, Jim, could do a side gig as a stand-up comedian and he keeps visitors laughing with his Wine Tasting jokes and puns that lighten up the mood during a tasting. But, the wines here don’t need comedy to make them taste better! When we went there a few months back, we told him that “this is now the best winery in the Buffalo-Niagara region!” I have had Cabernet Franc (the most planted New York red varietal) at about 40 New York wineries and theirs is the best! They also have a Saperavi red. You just said to yourself - “Saperavi? Never heard of it!” That is because they are one of only a few wineries outside of Georgia (the country next to Russia, not the state where Coca-Cola comes from) that make it. They can grow it here because of those warm winds off Lake Ontario in the fall that extend their growing season. BTW - try the Saperavi, it is a great hearty Red Wine with a flavor profile that is like no other wine. We’ll keep coming back and you should too, because it is the best winery in the Buffalo/Niagara region. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8529390c-e93e-4c06-82c4-981e6f1a5d5d/ArrowheadSprings.jpg Buffalo/Niagara - Best Libation Makers - Arrowhead Spring Vineyard, Lockport The Niagara Wine trail doesn’t have the cache that Seneca or Keuka have in the Finger Lakes, but there are still a lot of good wines to be had there. Arrowhead Springs is one such place to get those wines. Their best wines are the cold climate standards - Meritage, Reisling, and Chardonnay, but surprisingly, their best was their Port. Cleverly named Lock Port, after we tasted it we looked at each other and said, “this is one of the best ports in the entire state!” That alone made the trip worth it, but we ended up taking buying 4 other bottles of wine and had the Meritage with pizza for dinner that night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/bd4841bf-9649-4d0b-9a0a-2480d257d324/FreedomRun.jpg Buffalo/Niagara - Best Libation Makers - Freedom Run Winery - Lockport In an area that is not known for bold robust Red Wines, Freedom Run is showing that the terroir and growing conditions on the Niagara Escarpment can produce some good red wines. We went on a tasting there recently and we were surprised how good the Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and the Meritage were. On the lighter (or whiter) side of their wine portfolio their sparkling wine called the Estate Seanpenoise was tasty as was the Estate Reisling. They also have a freeze distilled apple wine that is aged in bourbon barrels called Apple Jack which is a great after din-din drink. It is like a port that is made from apples instead of grapes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/659ba706-7a19-406b-a3f9-0e1381e907e1/IMG_5521.jpg Buffalo/Niagara - Best Libation Makers - Clarksburg Cidery, Lancaster We were looking for a good place to try after a 4 mile hike near Buffalo and we found Clarksburg’s web-site. After 15 or so belly laughs reading it, we decided that we had to go there because if their site is that funny, they must have great cider, right? Ok, that logic is a bit flawed, but we were indeed correct - their ciders are awesome, and the food is good too. The Pineapple Hibiscus, Savory Citrus and the Double Hopped were our favorites, but all of them were excellent. It is definitely worth the trek, and we had already burned off the cider calories on our hike. Win-win! https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-other-attractions daily 0.75 2022-02-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1632416232493-5I9GBNEFS3Q05ADSDELP/DelLagoResort.jpeg Finger Lakes - Other Attractions - Del Lago Casino and Resort - Waterloo Del Lago is the only casino in the Finger Lakes that has all of the attractions that you typically get from a Vegas style casino. Slots, table games, great restaurants, an events center with top name acts, hotel, and spa. The goal of the property is to give you everything that you need so that you never have to leave the resort, but they do have excursions for Finger Lakes wine tastings and other off premises activities in the area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a4ec4bc1-cc5f-42ef-b412-fe3323219884/NYKitchenClass.jpg Finger Lakes - Other Attractions - Make a Gourmet Meal at NY Kitchen - Canandaigua Don’t worry, even if your only talent in the kitchen is putting leftovers in the microwave, you will be able to handle one of the many cooking classes that they have at NY Kitchen! There are different classes just about every night to hone your culinary prowess. And if you still don’t think you can cut it, when it comes to cutting carrots for your supper, don’t worry, there is a great restaurant here along with a tasting room of numerous New York wines, beers, ciders and spirits. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/e5fa8f20-eb16-4813-afe4-a00a9050234b/WatkinsGlenRacingPIcture.jpg Finger Lakes - Other Attractions - Watkins Glen International Raceway - Watkins Glen For those with a need for speed that want to channel their inner Mario Andretti, the Watkins Glen International Raceway allows visitors to drive their own vehicles on the 3.45 mile race track. You could also attend any of the premier Nascar and Formula One races that are hosted here. Foodies and wine aficionados can also attend the Finger Lakes Wine Festival is held here the 2nd weekend in July. It gives you a great opportunity to sample wines from the 100+ FLX Wineries, have some great food, and listen to music all in one venue. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/10637bd5-9024-48f0-8ab1-717e2b23d840/SonnenburgGardens.jpg Finger Lakes - Other Attractions - Sonnenburg Mansion and Gardens, Canandaigua The mansion was built in 1887 by a wealthy NYC banker and his wife. The 300 acre plot was developed into beautiful Italian, Victorian, and Japanese gardens by 1919. The property is now owned by the NYS Park System and they have done a fantastic job to restore the mansion and the beautiful gardens to their original design. This is a great tour to take on a summer afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/349cc428-476e-402d-99d3-bdf484569b9d/IMG_2957.JPG Finger Lakes - Other Attractions - Fly The Finger Lakes, Canandaigua If you already seen the Finger Lakes from a car, boat, bike, and a hike, we have one more option for you - why not see it from a plane? Up to 3 people can ride together in a small plane that takes off from the Canandaigua Airport and tours the area from the air. You may even get the opportunity to take the controls yourself (with the actual pilot still able to retake control) and try your hand at flying. It is a great trip to get a unique view of the area that everyone should try. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ae4cf6cf-cc10-49d0-b49b-d06079fd3fcc/FingerLakesSeaplanes.jpg Finger Lakes - Other Attractions - Finger Lakes Seaplanes - Hammondsport Since the seaplane was invented in Hammondsport in 1911, this has to be something that you do during your Finger Lakes Adventures! You can fly for 30 or 60 minutes with up to 3 adult passengers. The trip takes you over Seneca and Keuka Lakes and gives you a great aerial perspective of the area. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-sports daily 0.75 2022-02-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3d4c69ba-d246-409d-9e2a-f1f91b9ba51b/WatkinsGlenInternational.jpg Finger Lakes - Sports - Watkins Glen International, Auto Racing, Watkins Glen Both of the major NASCAR and Formula One Races that are held here each year attract huge crowds to the area. The stands hold almost 40,000 people but many more find other ways to watch the races which bring many more people to the area than those who actually live here. Jeff Gordon, Mario Andretti, Tony Stewart and many other world famous Indy and NASCAR drivers have been here over the years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631478867958-ACCYE5BRZNLS7HXNMGKF/FrontierField.jpg Finger Lakes - Sports - Rochester Red Wings, Triple A Baseball, Rochester Since 1929 the Red Wings have been a Triple A franchise. They have been the Triple A team for 4 different Major League teams, but people in Rochester love going out to see a ball game. Little known factoid - the Red Wings played in the longest game in professional baseball history in 1981. The game went 33 innings and took 8 hours and 25 minutes before they lost to the Pawtucket Red Sox. The stadium that they play in, Frontier Field, holds over 13,000 people, but for most games there are plenty of available seats! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1631480281771-BDPSMWWWYM22FFR9X6BF/RochesterAmerks.jpg Finger Lakes - Sports - Rochester Amerks, American Hockey League - Rochester The Amerks are the farm team for the Buffalo Sabres who play in the NHL a scant 60 miles away. Since their founding in 1956, they have won the Calder Cup 6 times and they consistently have a competitive team in the league that helps to feed the Sabres good players. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/e1a30cc6-4593-44df-aee1-c4b7f08c83aa/RochesterKnighthawks.jfif Finger Lakes - Sports - Rochester Knighthawks, National Lacrosse League - Rochester Since the sport of lacrosse was invented in New York State, it is not surprising that there is a local team in the National Indoor Lacrosse league. The Knighthawks have played in the Blue Cross Area since 1995. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/25be386f-3e3b-4eb2-aa1b-7d55ee0ef4ee/FingerLakesRaceTrack.jpg Finger Lakes - Sports - Finger Lakes Race Track - Farmington If you like to watch the ponies, do some betting, and play some slots, Finger Lakes Gaming has you covered. The horse races go from April to November, but the race-sino (as they call it because they don’t have table games) is open all year. If you are in Rochester and you want to get your gamblin’ on, this is the closest place to do it. The Thoroughbred racing in the summer is a fun afternoon activity as well. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-good-eats daily 0.75 2022-01-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1626022626733-BPA6EEUHOQBEPRZYY5TB/Left-Lionel.jpg Buffalo/Niagara - Good Eats - The 5 Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Buffalo/Niagara…. The Best Fine Dinging in the Finger Lakes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1626534660187-ZP0E6VPTE2E25SJN7W8L/RoycroftInn.jpg Buffalo/Niagara - Good Eats - Great Food at a Reasonable Price Great Restaurants for a Reasonable Price https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d5e6db02-9b65-49f7-b0da-fec2ec18f11f/MythosBuffalo.jpg Buffalo/Niagara - Good Eats - Great Dives, Diners, and Delis Greasy Spoons and Breakfast Joints - Our Faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619389086514-OZT9GCGCQH3YQA9RBI13/MariachiInside.jpg Buffalo/Niagara - Good Eats - Other Restaurants you have to check out https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/libations daily 0.75 2025-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a9c2775e-bf94-4b5d-bcfd-2a16f233620a/JohnsonEstate.jpg Buffalo/Niagara - Libations - The Best "Libation Makers" in the Niagara region are… The 10 Best Wineries in the Finger Lakes are… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619990553711-RKBCQTU2ST976ROJD6DK/IMG_2997.JPG Buffalo/Niagara - Libations - Niagara Wine Trail 23-Wineries, 4-Cideries, 1-Distillery, 3-Breweries, 1-Meadery The Basics - This is the only upstate NY Wine Trail that isn’t around a Lake. It starts in the western suburbs of Rochester and goes all the way to Buffalo. Most of the wineries are within 10 miles of Route 104. Medina or Lockport are the best places to start and end from because the are both fun towns that are near most of the libation stations. Most popular Wine Varietals - Cabernet Franc, Blaufrankish, Rose Best Wineries/Cideries - Chateau Niagara (Saperavi - very unique), Leonard Oakes (Port, Vignoles, Ciders), Blackbird Cidery (great dry, hopped, and flavored ciders) Fun Destinations - Leonard Oakes - every summer they have a Steampunk Festival that is a lot of fun. Most people dress up in weird mechanical costumes, or like the 2 people to the right. The festival has bands, acrobats, food, and of course Steampunk Cider. Marjim Manor - the wines aren’t that good, but the house that the winery is in supposedly is haunted and many people have felt a presence when they are there, Flight of Five Winery in Lockport is named after a set of 5 locks in the original Erie Canal, and within a 1/4 mile of the tasting room you can go on an underground boat ride which used to be where the diverted water from the locks flowed or you could Zip line across the 85 foot high gorge. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-fine-dining daily 0.75 2022-02-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1626023126333-9MVQIN2LENPKOD10SPVP/HarvestInside.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Fine Dining - Harvest - Medina Adding to this Culinary Small Town Mecca, Medina’s newest and best restaurant puts it over the top as a town that anyone who likes good food must visit. We started with a signature cocktail, their customized Amaretto Sour with a splash of red wine that was beautifully layered. The Crab cake appetizer was the best crab cake we’ve ever had, and the Waygu Steak was delicious and cooked perfectly. We also recommend the Apple Cheesecake with a chocolate crust for dessert. The ambience and service were first rate and the Head Chef who hails from Strasburg, France came to our table and talked with us for 5 minutes to make sure everything was as expected. We left thinking that this was one of the best meals that we have ever had and that this is the Best Restaurant in the Buffalo/Niagara Region. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3df7d8e4-4eed-4af0-a663-0b166c312242/OliversRestaurant.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Fine Dining - Oliver’s - Buffalo Fine Dining isn’t just about the food, it is about the experience. Ambience, great service, valet parking - you want to feel pampered from the moment you walk in, to the time that you leave with a full belly and a smile on your face. That was our experience at Oliver’s! Yes, the food was exquisite from the appetizers through dessert, but the restaurant itself and the service throughout the meal was just as fantastic. The Elk Carpaccio appetizer was amazing, as was the Lobster Risotto, Steak, and Sorbet for dessert. This was probably the best meal that we have had in Buffalo and it definitely should be a place you go to when you want the best! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/5d4943b2-8e66-48eb-9bff-26ac3d17e45a/Hutchs.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Fine Dining - Hutch’s - Buffalo You know that you are at a Fine Dining establishment when you see Steak Tartare on the menu! The couple of times that we have been to Hutch’s definitely did not disappoint. Hutch’s is best known for their steaks that come from the renowned Allen’s Brothers in Chicago. With other gourmet options like Sesame Seed Crusted Tuna, Rack of Lamb, and Jambalaya Pasta, you definitely won’t be disappointed if you aren’t a meat lover. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1632967724636-R5E6FU1D73C3QK23OIAZ/LeftBankAhiTuna.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Fine Dining - Left Bank - Buffalo Flavors and sauces. It is a culinary art to mix the proper amount of different flavors that compliment each other to make a dish that is much greater than the ingredients in it. We found ourselves complimenting the incredible sauces here with every dish that we shared. The bread didn’t come with butter, but instead had a Sun Dried Tomato, garlic, basil and olive oil sauce that was fantastic. Filet Mignon is great on its own, right? But top it with a creamy mushroom ragout, horseradish cheese, and smoked bacon and you have one fantastic meal. Pan seared duck with mushrooms and cream sauce - heavenly! At the end of the meal when I asked my dining compadres if this restaurant was Top 5 worthy, I got a resounding “Yes” across the board. I agreed wholeheartedly. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/9647bd64-f989-4239-8939-ccc8198fe163/PanoramaOn7.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Fine Dining - Panorama on 7 - Buffalo Perched on the top floor of the downtown Buffalo Marriott is a great restaurant with an amazing view of the city. But the view isn’t the only reason to come here. The food and cocktails are unique and incredibly tasty. For the Bourbon and Whiskey drinkers, they have micro-fire creation devices to make Smoked Cocktails right at the bar. The Bourbon aficionado sitting next to us said that he would never drink it any other way now. Does a martini that is made with Pickle Juice sound just as gross to you as it did to us? Maybe, but it was darn good. On the food side, the Crab and Watermelon salad was creative and tasty as was the Carbonara as a main course. If you want to step outside of your comfort zone and try some unique and delicious offerings, then this is the place for you. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-main daily 0.75 2023-01-02 https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-things-to-do daily 0.75 2022-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/fe1b09d7-33e8-42a5-937e-7a9e5b6df436/MaidoftheMist.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Things To Do - Outdoor Activities https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/26fdecb5-287f-4a46-b1bf-6b5809be3dc2/BuffaloGolfImage.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Things To Do - Golf https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/eb561e47-490e-4729-af30-63c7e69bb80e/BillsGame.jfif Buffalo Niagara - Things To Do - Live Sports https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/9e29db40-619d-4c84-90c6-6fbcf3158ebd/IMG_5507.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Things To Do - Hikes and Bikes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/fabc4ea4-eafb-4ad6-a28d-a1653135eedd/IMG_0783.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Things To Do - Museums and Theater https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a80501f5-5581-491d-aff9-800b04db1952/IMG_0727.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Things To Do - Other Things To Do https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-places-to-stay daily 0.75 2022-01-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/957e76dc-54ce-4655-a491-1db2b00cfa91/MansiononDelaware.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Places To Stay - The Mansion on Delaware - Buffalo Built in 1869 for a wealthy grain elevator owner, the mansion was opened as a luxury hotel in 1991 The mansion’s 28 guest rooms are all very luxurious. Staying here is far better than a typical hotel. After check-in you are given a complimentary beverage (boozy or non-boozy) in the bar and pool table room in the front of the house. There is also a free chauffeured vehicle available to all guests to take them to area restaurants and attractions along with complimentary breakfast in the front sitting room. This is our favorite place to stay in Buffalo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a2260392-e13e-4601-9d31-7a45a2285944/BentsPicture.jfif Buffalo Niagara - Places To Stay - The Boutique Hotel at Bent’s Opera House - Medina After a 2 year renovation, the 1865 built Bent’s Opera House has achieved a level of grandeur like never before. The 10 uniquely themed and decorated rooms are the perfect place to stay on a weekend getaway in the quaint town half way between Rochester and Buffalo. We have rated restaurant at the Opera House, Harvest, as the Best Fine Dining restaurant in the region and the hotel is fantastic as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/afd31c10-e6d4-4240-9fd0-a7736ea579e7/CurtissHotel.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Places To Stay - Curtiss Hotel - Buffalo This 100+ year old building was completely renovated in 2017 to become a luxury hotel with a lot of unique amenities. Check out the “Urban Hot Springs” on the roof of the building where you can relax in warm, peaceful, tranquility even if it is 10 degrees in January in the middle of a major metropolitan city. In the middle of the upscale restaurant in the hotel is a bar that revolves 360 degrees each hour. Don’t worry, you won’t get seasick. The 68 room boutique hotel is well appointed with an on-site spa and a roof top bar. If you want a luxury hotel in western NY this is the place to go. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/287deaae-70ec-4c50-8b6b-a4b11ff77542/hotellafayette.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Places To Stay - Hotel at the Lafayette - Buffalo This historic hotel has numerous amenities and is a great place to lay your head when you are staying in downtown Buffalo. With an on-site brewery, restaurant, and elegant decor of an era gone by, it is a nice retreat in the big city. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/2ddee9be-cc7e-4dfd-b36a-fe02641daa14/RoycroftInn.jfif Buffalo Niagara - Places To Stay - Roycroft Inn - East Aurora This historical landmark, which opened in 1905, has grandeur of an era gone by. As part of the Roycroft Campus, the Inn was built in the style of the American Arts and Crafts movement with simple yet beautiful carvings and decor. After spending time at the Roycroft Campus across the street and a meal at the Inn, a good night’s rest awaits you in your well-appointed luxurious room! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/c3ce6da7-0b53-4a54-9d2f-6de1dfa59bf9/InnBuffalo.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Places To Stay - InnBuffalo - Buffalo This 9 room elegant B&B was built in 1898 for Herbert Hewitt, owner of a Brass manufacturing company in Buffalo. It has been immaculately restored by the current owners who are very gracious hosts. The rooms harken of an era gone by, but still have the amenities that an upscale traveler likes. The morning breakfast included homemade granola which was the best that we ever had. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-gallery daily 0.75 2021-11-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a0ebb339-f32b-4797-b84c-60fcd2a370c0/IMG_0724.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Gallery Buffalo Botanical Gardens https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/50f35432-478b-450a-8ddd-523962c01ceb/IMG_0765.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Gallery Pierce Arrow Museum https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d6b9e1d8-e70a-4e2c-b2f7-be54d8b753e2/IMG_0783.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Gallery Pierce Arrow Museum https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/193b3adc-d67e-4759-807a-91f2843fe955/IMG_0790.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Gallery Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/502916bf-7dbb-4945-b9d9-cab7963eb4dd/IMG_0792.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Gallery Roycroft Campus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d19b4702-8a6a-4052-9883-1a373bc5c8af/IMG_2097.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Gallery Historic Buffalo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/e81db845-49a0-49b4-bf57-2ebffa98d863/IMG_2100.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Gallery Downtown Buffalo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/7f1baffb-1c26-4b24-8cd0-b3de517907cc/IMG_2106.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Gallery Floating Tiki Bar on the Buffalo Canal https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/11ca72e3-5f46-49fd-ac90-800037216a3a/IMG_2105.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Gallery Buffalo Canal https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/bd8d04c3-9d11-4c7d-83ff-3de5059731fd/DSCF0614.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Gallery Niagara Falls Aquarium https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/de50a864-b218-4c45-8fe5-3e0ad7ed2ce6/DSCF0661.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Gallery Niagara Falls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3922a0a7-43af-442c-91b4-1bf26aa8ab2e/DSCF0667.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Gallery View of the Falls from Goat Island https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/88e35cd9-af9d-4237-b84b-489a6ac32976/DSCF0689.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Gallery Downtown Buffalo at Night https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/517258ea-cb83-4f5a-9f50-ec5642a96b3a/OQBY2933.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Gallery The Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/affa2705-de95-40e6-94c3-d3b38ebc4bb7/IMG_2751.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Gallery Flight of 5 Locks in Lockport https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/55033e7b-584d-4c82-9758-eb42fff6fbd1/IMG_2748.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Gallery The Lockport Cave Tour https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/02a76498-f94a-4a8d-9e90-58d96ad2768c/IMG_0219.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Gallery Iroquois Wildlife Refuge https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d35c4d6b-c339-47b8-a469-b27880e1463e/IMG_0172.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Gallery Batavia Downs Rainbow - Bettors Delight https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/6fbe2dcd-ec1f-4623-b6c6-1190eecc30ac/IMG_5507.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Gallery The Eternal Flame in Orchard Park https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/833997ce-b1f8-4804-8b18-785ce9170a17/OakOrchardLighthouse.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Gallery Oak Orchard Lighthouse on Lake Ontario https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-great-food-great-price daily 0.75 2023-02-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/2cf19a4a-8f9b-4d7d-8ff4-18e68d07312c/VillaCoffeeHouse.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Great Food Great Price - Villa Coffee House - Lewiston From the outside this restaurant appears to be your standard Breakfast and Coffee place, but there is a Crazy Good twist! On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights the chef, who used to be the Chef at a fancy French restaurant in Buffalo, prepares gourmet meals with great wine options that are as good as any Fine Dining restaurant in the Buffalo/Niagara Region. I had the Braised Oxtail and Lentil Soup as a starter and it was one of the best soups that I have ever had. For the main course, the Beef Brisket Ragu over homemade pasta was phenomenal. Everything that the rest of our group got was just as good. The only reason that this restaurant isn’t near the top of the 5 Best Fine Dining list is because ambience and high-end amenities are part of the Fine Dining experience. But if you like amazing food and great wines, put this place on the top of your list for an incredible Gastronomic experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1626037945164-X3WGZFRQ72L295VQIFWT/ShamusRestaurant.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Great Food Great Price - Shamus Restaurant - Lockport The restaurant has been in business for over 70 years and we now know why - great food, great service, and an ambience of a well appointed late 1800’s building. The menu here runs the entire food gamut from comfort food to gourmet. You can get a Cheeseburger and Lobster and Shrimp Pasta and both are fantastic. I hadn’t seen Potato pancakes on a menu in a while and I am glad that I got them. They were very tasty. The ice cream stuffed cream puff for dessert was a great way to finish off a great meal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619708590594-GLFM240QMDW1BZ6DJR86/Zambistro3.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Great Food Great Price - Zambistro - Medina This boutique restaurant on Main Street in Medina gives you Big Time culinary treats in a small town environment. Our favorite appetizer in the Buffalo/Niagara region can be found within these doors - the Tuna Package! Crusted Ahi Tuna cooked perfectly medium rare with a spicy cherry sauce drizzle is dEEElish! It is so good that we have tried to duplicate it at home, but we cannot quite get it right. For the carnivores out there, the Filet Mignon is always perfectly cooked with the accompanying Yukon Gold Mashed potatoes. Feeling Fishy? The Lobster Pasta with asparagus, mushrooms, and a Brandy Cream Sauce never dissappoints. Finish it off with the Ice Cream topped French Cream Puffs and you will be loosening the belt a notch with a smile on your face. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1626531778505-8XBUVNVGXNO4Q97WN7XA/RoycroftInn.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Great Food Great Price - The Roycroft Inn - East Aurora Touring the Roycroft Museum is a great experience in it’s own right, but having a meal at the Inn is definitely a stop that any foodie should make. The menu has a lot of gourmet options at prices that don’t break the bank. For appetizers, we had the Shrimp and Lobster bisque and it was fantastic. We hadn’t seen homemade Potato chips on a menu before, so we had to try the Truffle chips. The combination of Black Truffle Oil, Gorgonzola Cheese, and sea salt made for the best chips we have ever had. This is what we call a “Can’t Go Wrong” Restaurant because everything on the menu is Uber tasty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1626533915937-WS8MDSUYRX2TOWGYSHIM/Kuni%27s.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Great Food Great Price - Kuni’s - Buffalo Good sushi is one of those foods that you just need to have when you have a hankerin’ for something different. And if you want the best Sushi in the Buffalo/Niagara region, Kuni’s is the place to get it. The Spicy Tuna was perfectly spiced and cooked and the Sushi rolls are particularly good. We always love the nostril clearing joy and flavor of Wasabi Shumai and there was definitely no stuffy nose after that appetizer! The Miso is another of our Sushi restaurant standard appetizers and that didn’t disappoint either. Sitting outside at a table on a quaint street in the middle of the city took us back to a simpler time when people would walk down the road to their neighborhood joint for some great food and great conversation as well. Two thumbs up for Kuni’s from us. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a3826c8e-cca8-4f0c-b8a3-7e1d8d0cce7f/WebstersBistro.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Great Food Great Price - Websters Bistro & Bar - Tonawanda Don’t let the name fool you, this isn’t a corner Beer Joint! The ambience is very elegant and with Appetizers like Oyster’s Rockefeller, Chicken Crepes, Pork Belly with Spätzle, the food is upscale and very tasty. They also have great signature cocktails and great wines by the glass and bottle. All of our entrees were very tasty as well. Our dinner guests had been there over 20 times and said that they had never gotten a bad meal there. After our great experience there, we agree even though we were 19 meals behind them… https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-best-wineries daily 0.75 2024-06-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1630531564167-CVOSD349MW9NNWTIFNQH/IMG_1043.JPG Finger Lakes - Best Wineries - Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, Keuka Lake, Hammondsport In 1957, Dr. Frank planted his first vinifera grapes in the Finger Lakes and became one of the first wineries in the area. The quality of their Rieslings and other wines paved the way for a region that is now regarded as one of the best winemaking areas in the world. They still make great Rieslings and over 40 other wines including a Sparkling Riesling made in the Champagne style which is fantastic. For wine quality and to see where the FLX wine movement started, this is a must see on your wine tour experiences. Their Brut Sparkling Wine and the Saperavi were our two favorite of the wines we tasted. Click here to see our Interview with Fred Frank https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1630532935585-6LF8KCQKP3ZNQAZKM0AM/PSX_20210829_123301.jpg Finger Lakes - Best Wineries - Damiani Wine Cellars, Seneca Lake, Burdett Our host, Jeremy, was both incredibly knowledgeable and a fun ambassador for the winery. Damiani has always been one of our favorite stops because the overall experience is not only a lot of fun, but the wines are all top notch. Jeremy shared a touching story about their 2019 Rhysling - a Reisling named after the winemaker’s son Rhys. Rhys was born with a congenital heart defect and spent a lot of time in the hospital during his first year. The vineyard sends 20% of the proceeds from every bottle to help research pediatric cardiology. Great time, great wines, great experience. Our two faves were the Brut Methode Champenoise and the 2019 Saperavi. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1630538102617-UIMWNM8NRWVBVL7SX7XM/PSX_20210829_131304.jpg Finger Lakes - Best Wineries - Hermann J. Weimer Vineyard, Seneca Lake, Dundee It is of no coincidence that the two of the best wineries for Rieslings in the FLX have German roots. Germany has been making Rieslings for almost 600 years! At Weimer, they have 10 different Reislings to taste. When we were there, our Tasting Master shared a story about how the previous day they had been working on a 2021 Reisling and they tested numerous blends of 40 different Reisling samples in various ratios in order to make the best wine. Weimer also has very sustainable vineyard practices with minimal pesticides in the process of growing grapes. This winery is always a pleasure to visit because every wine is great. Their 2019 BIO Reisling was excellent along with the 2020 Rose, and the 2019 Chardonnay. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1630538664665-EBAP8FYLXK5RR22PKPRP/IMG_1095.JPG Finger Lakes - Best Wineries - McGregor Vineyard, Keuka Lake, Dundee McGregor is a great vineyard with a lot of terrific wines! Their Black Russian Red is a mix of Saperavi and Sereksiva Charni varietals which are both very rare in the U.S., but grow well due to the FLX climate and soil. The Reislings are good as well. We had a great conversation with the owner, John McGregor, during which he shared a story about how his father left Kodak and started the winery in 1980. It was touching to hear him also state that his Mom was just as important to the winery as his Dad during it’s early days because she would do all the packaging, baking, and the million other little things that you have to do in order to run a successful business. The view of Keuka Lake from their patio is breathtaking! The Dry Rose and the 2019 Sparkling Reisling were our faves! Click here to see our interview with John McGregor, 2nd generation proprietor of McGregor Vineyard https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1630538812726-3QD9OAUSUZM7PYMJ6ZB9/IMG_1140.JPG Finger Lakes - Best Wineries - Heron Hill Winery, Keuka Lake, Hammondsport Sitting majestically on a hill overlooking the west side of Keuka Lake is the most beautiful winery in the FLX. It reminded us of something you would see on a hill in Sonoma. Blaufrankisch sounds like a character from the movie Young Frankenstein, but it is actually a hearty red wine that Heron Hill makes very well. Every time that we go on a tasting there, it is the first wine that I taste. Their other wines are great as well, in fact superb works here, but the 2019 Blau as hipsters call it, is our fave. Reds can be tougher to perfect in the FLX due to the shorter growing season than California and other warm climate wine making regions, but Heron Hill has a slate of good reds. The 2020 Dry Reisling was our other Top Pick. Click here to see the Video of our Heron Hill Interview with COO Eric Frarey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1630539317714-D1EWYWZBLZ85TYTYTAPZ/PSX_20210831_160225+%282%29.jpg Finger Lakes - Best Wineries - Boundary Breaks Vineyard, Seneca Lake, Lodi We had never been to Boundary Breaks in the past, but we quickly realized what we were missing out on! The consistently smooth and tasty wines in our flight were a perfect compliment to the gorgeous view of Seneca Lake. We started our tasting with the 2019 Sparkling Gewurztraminer, and after just one sip we all looked at each other and said - Wow! It was one of the best wines we had on our 2021 Best of FLX Wineries tour. The Dry Rose was delish as well. When you are driving down the east side of Seneca, definitely add Boundary Breaks to your wine tour. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1630541129150-1GBUT2ZR5IMQOLOQLIK6/IMG_0994.JPG Finger Lakes - Best Wineries - Ravines Wine Cellars, Seneca Lake, Geneva The owner of Ravines, Morten Hallgren trained extensively in Europe before he opened his winery in 2001. Their wines are consistently among the best of any winery in the Finger Lakes and they consistently score 90+ ratings in national wine publications. They also have monthly food and pairing meals at the winery which feature incredible foods paired with their various wines. We have attended a few and the food has always been fantastic. Their 2018 Pinot Noir, and the Ampersand Port are our faves, but you can’t go wrong with any of their wines. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619812026439-2EPXTV9P3024OIRJ5WEA/HeartAndHands.jpg Finger Lakes - Best Wineries - Heart and Hands Winery, Cayuga Lake, Union Springs Cayuga Lake doesn’t have as many great wineries as Seneca or Keuka, but Heart and Hands definitely makes the grade. Like most Finger Lakes wineries, the Reisling and Pinot Noir are the best. They also have a dry rose that is quite tasty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1626054299188-7140X4YGXT4UF9GJOGM7/Lamoreaux.png Finger Lakes - Best Wineries - Lamoreaux Landing, Seneca Lake, Lodi The Lamoreaux Landing winery has a simple elegance in the design of the winery that also is evident in the light and sophisticated wines that they produce. Located on the East side of Seneca Lake in what is called the banana belt due to the curve of the lake on the Southern end, the microclimates in this region make for great tasting wines. Their Dry Rose is quite tasty as is the Chardonnay and Reisling. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/05d09d4f-df7f-46c1-bd7e-31653ec71876/LongPoint2.jpg Finger Lakes - Best Wineries - Long Point Winery, Cayuga Lak, Aurora On a recent Daycation to the Finger Lakes, we stumbled upon a winery on Cayuga Lake called Long Point Winery that we had never been to. The property was beautiful with a magnificent view of the the lake, but the best part was waiting for us in the tasting room! OMG on the wines. We are rarely Wowed when we do tastings, but here each wine that we tasted was spectacular! Finger Lakes Reds can sometimes be iffy, but the winemaker here got it perfect. Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, Merlot - all really good. They even brought in Zinfandel grapes from California and made a couple of really good wines with them. And yes, the whites were very good as well. This is a “must go” when you are in the area. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffaloniagara-other-restaurants daily 0.75 2023-02-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ef0b2fdf-f9b8-4f0d-9b5c-0f716304fbe5/VillaCoffeeHouse.jpg Buffalo/Niagara - Other Restaurants - Villa Coffee House - Lewiston From the outside this restaurant appears to be your standard Breakfast and Coffee place, but there is a Crazy Good twist! On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights the chef, who used to be the Chef at a fancy French restaurant in Buffalo, prepares gourmet meals with great wine options that are as good (or better) as any Fine Dining restaurant in the Buffalo/Niagara Region. I had the Braised Oxtail and Lentil Soup as a starter and it was one of the best soups that I have ever had. For the main course, the Beef Brisket Ragu over homemade pasta was phenomenal. Everything that the rest of our group got was just as good. The only reason that this restaurant isn’t at the top of the 5 Best Fine Dining list is because ambience and high-end amenities are part of the Fine Dining experience. But if you like amazing food and great wines, put this place on the top of your list for an incredible Gastronomic experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619449052051-883U7ACXI7IUU2RGJAY0/MariachiInside.jpg Buffalo/Niagara - Other Restaurants - Mariachi De Oro - Medina How can you not want to go to a restaurant that has huge murals of a Mexican band on the wall and saddles on a post for barstools? And the food, you ask? Uh, the best Mexican Cuisine in upstate New York - IOO (in our opinion). And the drinks? Superb Margaritas (of course) and some homemade concoctions that are Heaven in a glass. We got take-out from there one time and the Margaritas that they handed us were the 32 ounce containers that you would get at a Chinese restaurant if you ordered a quart of Wonton Soup to go. Needless to say, the conversation flowed a tad bit better than normal after our liquid tongue relaxer. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/b72f30c8-03de-45ca-942e-27e35053920d/o.jpg Buffalo/Niagara - Other Restaurants - Alex’s Place - Batavia The décor here may scream 1970 inside and out, but great food is timeless! We have eaten here many times and we have never had a bad meal. We are partial to the Clams Casino appetizer and the steaks for dinner even though their claim to fame is their award winning Baby Back Pork Ribs. With Batavia Downs racetrack within walking distance, a lot of people head down to the track right after dinner to see if they can win back the money that they spent on a delicious meal! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/b2de0291-6058-4605-ad0e-767c33060614/SaigonBangkok.jpg Buffalo/Niagara - Other Restaurants - Saigon Bangkok Restaurant - Buffalo As the name of the restaurant suggests, this restaurant can serve both your Vietnamese food cravings as well as Thai. The hardest part about eating here is choosing which cuisine that you are in the mood for! Pho or Pad See Ew? Pad Thai Seafood or Tamarind Duck? Decisions, decisions. But the good thing is that for matter what you choose, it is all good. It is also has nice decor and ambience to compliment the fantastic food. We keep going back and have different meals every time because they are all so good! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/06605b03-2a14-4e34-961d-923652dd8493/SavorRestaurant.jpg Buffalo/Niagara - Other Restaurants - Savor - Niagara Falls This elegant restaurant that is a stones throw from the Falls, makes a perfect finish to a day. The Squash soup was so good that my wife said that “she wished that she could swim in it”. Even though the restaurant is part of the Niagara Falls Culinary Institute and it allows students to perfect their culinary skills, in our opinion, everything was perfect and perfected! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ca753f85-e3e6-44b3-a867-c77c5a9639b7/IslandsHawaiianGrill.jpg Buffalo/Niagara - Other Restaurants - Islands Hawaiian Grill - Batavia We had never been to a Hawaiian restaurant in upstate NY, so of course we were intrigued. We stopped in for lunch after a 4 mile hike 10 miles away with a “what the heck, let’s try something different” attitude. Since it was lunchtime we split 5 appetizers, and I kid you not - everything we ate was amazing! Most of it was fried, so how can you go wrong with that, but the flavors and creations were all sssoooo tasty. Lumpia, Crispy Wontons with Crab and Cream Cheese, the best fried rice we’ve ever had, and something that is much better than it sounds - Panko Fried Spam Musabi! We hadn’t had Spam in decades, but the flavor combination with the Panko crust, rice, spam, and spicy mayo was surprisingly amazing! https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/fingerlakes-best-breweries daily 0.75 2021-10-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1632423526265-NOYRBKJ5M6AAVXUN4S7Q/GeneseeBrewery.jpg Finger Lakes - Best Breweries - Genesee Brewery - Rochester I know that all the “Craft Brew” aficionados are going to give us slack for this, but c’mon - it was started in 1878 and it is doing better than ever! Besides their mainstays of the Genesee line that they have been making for 150 years, they have an award winning Chocolate Scotch Ale, a Schwarzbier that is very good, and many other craft style offerings that make it worth the trip. Besides - the view of the High Falls from the 3rd floor of the Brewhouse and the great “gourmet bar food” make the experience even better. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1632424429202-N9ZKSZFQNEALJTNZAJ62/SteubenBrewing.jpg Finger Lakes - Best Breweries - Steuben Brewing - Hammondsport Not many New York breweries can say that their beers use 100% New York ingredients, but Steuben can. Their 2 IPA’s, Pilsner, and Double IPA in the Local Liquid line all are all Empire State! Since brewing in the U.S. first occurred in New York in the 1650’s when the Dutch brought their brewing prowess here, it seems fitting that all NY ingredients would have a home at a New York brewery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1632430583698-6QZPHD75C5PB4MDDFE3Q/LuckyHareBrewing.jpg Finger Lakes - Best Breweries - Lucky Hare Brewing Company - Hector One of the things that we love about Lucky Hare is that they don’t stick to the traditional IPA’s and Pilsners. They have some very unique beers that Wowed us. Cucumber Kolsch, Milk Stout, Extra Special Bitter - they have all 3. The Harvest Lunch Blonde Ale and the U Sabro Hazy IPA were our faves, but the unique options and quality of all of their offerrings in general is the reason they are one of our favorite breweries. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1632424232960-BMV6JRF4KO6IEUTZCW80/ThreeHeadsBrewing.jpg Finger Lakes - Best Breweries - Three Heads Brewing - Rochester Back in the early 2000’s before craft brewing was the convoluted phenomenon that it is now, the owners were making “west coast” beers that were barely known in the area. With numerous award winning beers under their belt, they launched their brewery and the rest is history. “The Kind IPA” is their most popular beer, but we personally prefer the “Two Kind Double IPA”! It packs another 2.1% ABV than The Kind and some good pine and citrus flavors https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1632430938643-5MFI2YMFC35Y8Q3K1GYI/IthacaBrewingCompany.jpg Finger Lakes - Best Breweries - Ithaca Beer Company - Ithaca Ithaca Beer Company isn’t a little kid anymore! A while back they had only a 7 barrel brewhouse, but now they make of 20,000 barrels a year and the beers can be purchased in 14 states. Pretty impressive. Flower Power is one of their most popular beers. It is a 7.2 ABV IPA with a Honey Hue and Pineapple Finish. The Fuggly Sweater Dark Lager is a Christmastime beer with a Gingerbread finish. We had to give them props for the creativity on the name. After drinking it the first time, I thought about my sweater collection and went into my closet and purged a few of the semi-Fuggly ones. They also have a good bar food menu if you are in need of some sobering up eats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1632493996453-5GE2HBCE9RQTS4SH66ZO/breweryArdennes.jpg Finger Lakes - Best Breweries - Brewery Ardennes - Geneva This Belgian inspired craft brewery is one of our favorites. Not only is the beer really tasty, but the owners have also created a fun almost whimsical vibe with at the brewery. Their two dogs - Barley and Hops attend a weekly Happy Hour (at Five Thirsty P.M.) that features a beer of the week. The NY Farm Saison was our favorite along with a Cherry Sour Ale. They have a few different sour varieties that are all very good. And Brewery Ardennes has some good eats that have a Belgian flair. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-daycations daily 0.75 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1633311526621-0XUV36ZNJ7BMQKF5HWBF/GeorgeEastmanHouse.jpg Daycations - Rochester - History and Museum Tour https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1633314522030-RD5W0Q229BSN0SA7K7B6/Belhurst2.jpg Daycations - Geneva - City Tour and a Wine Tasting https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1633313926953-BKNWZX5BIL64TNBCHZFV/WilliamSewardHouse.jpg Daycations - Auburn -Lincoln’s Secretary of State and Tiffany’s Adorned Church https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1633315431076-J47JFSP8JAAIZ2C74484/KeukaLake.JPG Daycations - Hammondsport and Keuka Lake https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/46284d0e-a305-46b9-9ab9-2952257917fc/IMG_5904.jpg Daycations - Corning - Glass Museum and City Tour https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/47a6d16d-6b0f-42ca-800e-5e4ee5a47c3f/TremanPark.jpg Daycations - Ithaca - Daytrip and Adventure https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1633314390999-BZGUF85HUCDWRVGQY4Y9/Lake-House-on-Canandaigua-Adirondack-chairs.jpg Daycations - Canandaigua - Lake Tour and Cooking Class https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1633314839728-B1MFYXZN7CA1Y8QNLMCC/WatkinsGlenPic2.jpg Daycations - Watkins Glen - City Tour and Gorge Hike https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-daycation-rochester-museum-tour daily 0.75 2022-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/4aa1f8f7-7a01-4ad1-918f-55acb528769e/InnOnBroadwayFront.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Rochester Museum Tour - Best - $$$ The Inn on Broadway https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/00f5beeb-585d-43cb-9f82-39f7c4b2d887/Strathallan.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Rochester Museum Tour - Great - $$$ The Strathallan Hotel https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/0c5e6579-ec6a-49c6-90bd-f45b28b9e938/HyattRegency.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Rochester Museum Tour - Great - $$ Hyatt Regency https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/4557fb6f-325c-4570-83c3-e736ffa9aeae/EastmanConservatory.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Rochester Museum Tour - George Eastman House Get your Museuming on with a tour of the 35,000 square foot former home of the man who made modern photography possible as the founder of the Eastman Kodak Company. At one point Kodak employed 55,000 people in the Rochester area and the cameras, film, and chemicals to develop the photos and motion pictures were all made in the area. The exhibits in the house include the history of photography and George Eastman’s life as the most prominent Rochesterian. The house also has over 8 acres of well manicured gardens which you can stroll through during your visit. In the summer the museum has bands play in the back garden and you can bring your own food and beverages or buy them on the premises. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily but is closed on Mondays. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/0f7d1753-c4ae-40c5-a2ac-5fc836191d6d/MemorialArtGallery2.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Rochester Museum Tour - Memorial Art Gallery The MAG is never the same place twice. The exhibits rotate every few months and there are always 7 or 8 different types of exhibits to see. You can also sign up for painting lessons at the gallery, and they have Happy Hours and concerts in the gallery each month. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/c5cede83-ffd1-418b-b0ad-6f3324a47b08/StrongMuseum2.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Rochester Museum Tour - The Strong Museum of Play The Strong Museum is designed as a place to bring the youngin’s, but there are plenty of things for adults to do that will help you reminisce back to when you were younger. The Toy Hall of Fame and Video Games that were popular when we were kids are on display and they provide a great trip down Memory Lane for adults. The butterfly conservatory is fantastic as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/20d096ad-342e-44f1-85a4-c9c93a5007a1/SusanBAnthony2.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Rochester Museum Tour - Susan B. Anthony House Susan B. Anthony played a critical role in women getting the right to vote. She spent most of her life in Rochester, working on the suffrage movement that was eventually successful in achieving her goal. The museum is the home that she spent most of her life and and has many of the original writings and furniture from the late 1800’s. It is definitely a great place to spend a couple of hours in downtown Rochester. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/50146479-4a09-4664-a4cc-b050630f068d/Tournedos3.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Rochester Museum Tour - Best - $$$$ Tournedos Steakhouse https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/15748381-db75-4567-bc05-ea6e9ab27cf5/Avvino3.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Rochester Museum Tour - Great - $$$ Avvino https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/4ae9703e-e5dd-46db-aed4-ab2dbf42582d/Lento2.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Rochester Museum Tour - Great - $$$ Lento https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/0fadd105-5636-4e6d-b8a5-a49042b383a9/GevaTheatre2.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Rochester Museum Tour - Geva Theatre In its 49th Season, Geva Theatre has been entertaining patrons with original plays throughout the year. With 2 separate stages, Geva has approximately 16 different plays each year that range from heart wrenching dramas to LOL Comedies. Both stages hold under 1000 people so the performances are easy to hear, follow, and see. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/c140a452-6ad7-475d-8c7e-500611a75e6e/ComedyAtCarlson.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Rochester Museum Tour - Comedy @ The Carlson In the heart of downtown, the laughs are a plenty at Rochester’s newest comedy venue - Comedy @ The Carlson. Normally from Wednesday to Sunday there are shows with local and national headline talent performing at the 350 seat venue. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ee9e5bb0-622d-44a8-b699-84df170476c1/AuditoriumTheater.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Rochester Museum Tour - The Auditorium Theater For the performances of Hamilton and big name music and comedy acts when the weather gets cold, the Auditorium Theater is the place. Holding just under 4000 patrons, The Aud is a great place to see quality comedians, off-Broadway Shows, and top quality musical acts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/639f1131-a348-4689-a149-4167fc10fbb1/KodakTheatre.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Rochester Museum Tour - Kodak Hall at The Eastman Theatre The grandest of all Rochester performance venues is the Eastman Theatre, built in 1922 as a gift to the city from George Eastman. Most of the shows are orchestral in nature including the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, but occasionally other types of musical acts perform there as well. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffaloniagara-area-map-1 daily 0.75 2021-11-21 https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-museums-theater daily 0.75 2022-03-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/518dd099-e188-42dd-9b9a-4ff097846b00/NationalComedyCenter.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Museums/Theater - The National Comedy Center - Jamestown We don’t throw this phrase around lightly, so here goes. This is the one of the 3 best Museums in all of New York State, especially if you like to laugh! Since it is a newbie to the Museum world with a born on date in 2018, the technology and interactive exhibits are top notch. Before entering the museum, you use a kiosk to program your comedy preferences and everywhere you go in the museum, the performers and comedy stylings are customized to your tastes. You can perform your own video replication of some comedy masterpieces like the Abbott and Costello “Who’s on First” routine and have it automatically emailed to you. You can even try your schtick on stage and receive a video of that as well. You have to visit this museum if you need a good laugh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/23e21a7d-d20f-4e1a-9b53-fc0aefdbfacf/IMG_0793.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Museums/Theater - Roycroft Campus - East Aurora Founded in 1895, the Roycroft Campus and its founder, Elbert Hubbard, is a fascinating story. After making a lot of money working for the Amazon of the era, the Larkin Soap Company, Elbert struck out on his own with the Roycroft Press and wrote the short story, “A Message for Garcia” which went on to sell millions of copies. It was said that at one time more paper was used at the Roycroft Campus than anywhere else in the country. The campus and the tour was incredibly intriguing and fun. The buildings are still used by artists today and the Roycroft Restaurant and Inn is both right across the street and one of our top restaurants in the Buffalo/Niagara region. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/78421f47-3886-4135-a1c6-64644eeed944/IMG_0772.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Museums/Theater - Pierce-Arrow Museum - Buffalo In the early 1900’s, the cars that U.S. Presidents and wealthy Americans drove were made in Buffalo, NY by the Pierce Arrow Motor Car Company. The museum contains many original models along with the bicycles that the company made prior to cars. Even if you aren’t a “Car Person”, you will like this museum. The story about the company and the display of over 200 bikes, motorcycles, and cars is very interesting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1b7f69fa-e8ca-4bfd-8725-4b72e49f31cb/NiagaraPowerVista.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Museums/Theater - Niagara Power Vista - Lewiston You are probably wondering why we are touting a power plant as a time to spend a few hours on a Saturday afternoon, but trust us on this one. Niagara Falls is where the first electric power generation plant in the U.S. was built in 1881. Having abundant electricity available was part of the reason that Buffalo was the 10th largest city in the U.S. in 1910. Now the power plant has a lot of interactive displays, a thrill ride that takes you through the turbines at the power plant where 748,000 gallons of water goes each second, and allows you to build your own Dam. It is actually a really interesting place to go for kids and adults. Niagara Falls has a lot of interesting things to see/do on a warm summer day, but this is a great place to go and the “Not-So” great days. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/b291f9a7-bf39-4270-a004-3535ffc6992b/IMG_0791.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Museums/Theater - Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House - Buffalo If someone asked you to name an architect who designed unique fantastic homes, the first name that most people would think of is Frank Lloyd Wright. This 30,000 sq. foot home that was built in 1905 shows the unique and masterful architectural stylings that brought Wright his incredible fame. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/136d68c2-6d80-43d4-955f-f8ae1d60797b/CobblestoneMuseum.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Museums/Theater - The Cobblestone Museum - Albion The Cobblestone Museum consists of ten different buildings that were built between 1830 and 1870. Building structures using Cobblestones during this era was commonplace because Route 104 was the shoreline of what is now Lake Ontario during the last ice age 13,000 years ago which left large amount of small round stones in the soil that were used as the exterior for buildings. The 1834 church (pictured on the right), the 1847 schoolhouse that was still used as such until 1952, and the Ward House are all Cobblestone buildings that are still in amazing condition considering that they were built over 170 years ago. Other buildings that are part of the museum include a Print Shop, Blacksmith and Harness Shop that harken back to earlier days when this road was the main thoroughfare for Stagecoaches which transported people from Niagara Falls all the way across the state. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/fc26b353-3347-45a8-b9ec-6cfd51da471d/TRInaugurationSite.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Museums/Theater - Theodore Roosevelt Inauguration Site - Buffalo After the shocking assassination of President McKinley at the Pan-American Exposition in 1901, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt hurried to Buffalo to be sworn in as the new President of the United States. He stayed at a wealthy friend’s elegant mansion while all of the other top officials in his cabinet began arriving there so the local U.S. District Judge swore him in as the 26th President of the United States. That house is now a fascinating trip through history to one of the harrowing episodes in American History. The house also hosts speakers, dinner events, and even TRivia (Teddy Roosevelt) Nights to test participants knowledge in a competitive environment. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ea9a330e-6087-438f-9b4e-c274250050c9/LuciDesiMuseum.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Museums/Theater - Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz Museum - Jamestown One of the reasons that the National Comedy Museum is also in Jamestown is because one of the funniest women in history, Lucille Ball, was born and raised there. Most people remember her from the great TV show, "I Love Lucy”, but most people don’t know that the studio that she and Desi started produced Star Trek, Mission Impossible, The Untouchables, and of course the 4 or 5 versions of the Lucy Shows. Because of her talent and business prowess, she was worth $125 million in today’s dollars. Who knew? The museum is a must see when you are in the area. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-hikes-and-bikes daily 0.75 2023-06-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/78409b8e-0c0f-4a3e-ae1b-ccedf6fb99e6/SUKM7223.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Hikes and Bikes - Niagara Gorge Trail - Niagara Falls This is a fantastic hike for all levels of ability. If you want a simple walk along the top of the gorge, the 6.2 mile trail will give you a beautiful views down into the 200 foot gorge with flat terrain the entire way. The real fun starts if you descend the 500 steps into the gorge trails which get you up close and personal with the Niagara River that speeds by you at 22 mph! There are about 5 miles of trails in the gorge that are just yards away from Devil’s Hole and the Whirlpool Rapids. This is a great hike to see the power and speed of the river that carved the 7 mile canyon. Just remember, once you go down those 500 steps, gravity is not your friend on the way back up! Click here to see the video of our Winter Gorge Hike! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3f8ed602-bffe-4059-bcdd-154bc4a364cc/IMG_5507.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Hikes and Bikes - The Eternal Flame - Orchard Park The seemingly benign 1200 acre Chestnut Ridge State Park has miles of moderate terrain hikes that are great for all levels of hikers. But the real attraction here is caused by a small fissure in the bedrock that allows natural gas to constantly leak into the air underneath a waterfall of all places. That provides hikers who brave the 150 foot steep descent down to the river bed to see the star attraction of the park - The Eternal Flame! It is only about 18 inches high, but seeing a continuously burning flame behind a 50 foot waterfall is freakin’ cool and well worth the trek. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/11694017-2caf-4522-8e5c-ec1b7b1993ac/IMG_5441.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Hikes and Bikes - Bike the Canal Path Lockport to Buffalo The 30 mile ride on the Canal Path from Lockport to Buffalo only has about 4 miles in which you are not riding on the “Bikes Only” path. If you start at the locks in Lockport you can have breakfast or lunch at one of the many great restaurants near the path before you shuffle off to Buffalo. It will take you 3 to 4 hours depending on your speed, but you get to ride through scenic parks in Amherst and Tonawanda, then take the 90 degree turn shown in the picture as you head south to Buffalo along the Niagara River. The trek ends at Canalside in Buffalo with a beautiful view of all the sights to see there. There are plenty of places to stay and things to do near Canalside so you could spend the night and ride back in the morning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/63984295-9d14-4e55-89c2-4f7245110f6c/GreenHeronIroqious.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Hikes and Bikes - Iroquois Wildlife Refuge - Basom This 15 square mile park is pretty flat, but the variety of animals and scenery that you can take in here makes for a good hike. Bald Eagles perching in a tree overhead, herons fishing in the pond next to the trail, or some wild berries right next to you on the walking path. During the bird migration season, it is crazy to look out at a swamp in front of you and see thousands of birds swimming in the marshes to get the food that they will need to make the long trek to their other seasonal residence. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/2f375bce-8cde-4a98-ba82-5322258fe363/LockportNatureTrail.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Hikes and Bikes - Lockport Nature Trail - Lockport This 2 mile loop trail has some medium grade inclines, but all in all is very manageable for hikers of all levels. The 250 year old and 180 year old oak trees along the path are good photo opps, along with the 10 foot high waterfall that is pictured on the left. About 1/3 of the trail follows the stream that the waterfall is on, so the scenery is good. There is also a lot of exposed bedrock and large flat stones throughout the park from the days when the town had planned to use the area as a quarry before finding out that the rock was too soft. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/30b99cdf-31f1-4aaf-8473-8655d4531d27/LakesideBeachStatePark.jfif Buffalo Niagara - Hikes and Bikes - Lakeside Beach State Park - Waterport Hiking next to a 30 foot cliff on the shore of one of the 15 biggest lakes in the world is pretty cool. Walking through someone’s frisbee golf game in the summer is fun to watch. And feeling a constant breeze off the lake every day of the year is nice and relaxing. It is a pretty flat hike through the park, but walking the 5 miles of trails throughout the park is a great way to spend an afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/736d8263-2594-4f7b-812c-f4a9ec4f94fd/18MileCreek.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Hikes and Bikes - 18 Mile Creek - Hamburg With 5 miles of trails and a 60 foot waterfall, this is a pretty cool place to hike. The creek gets its name from the distance that the water flows from the beginning to the creek until it flows into Lake Erie. Seeing the falls is a great Kodak moment, but the trail itself is pretty fun as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/aeea53f8-6410-470e-a11c-0033ce087003/WestShoreTrail.jfif Buffalo Niagara - Hikes and Bikes - West Shore Biking Trail - Grand Island This 9 mile trail is a relaxing bike/walking only trail with beautiful views of the Niagara River. The trail takes you from Beaver Island State Park to Buckhorn State Park which are both summertime destinations on their own. With picnicking, protected wildlife preserves, and beaches after your ride. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/71c73a0d-ef2c-4ac7-94b0-4d8de5a60ed2/BeaverMeadows.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Hikes and Bikes - Beaver Meadow Nature Center - North Java This 350 acre nature preserve with 36 well marked trails is a year round hiker’s delight. With its location in the Lake Erie snowbelt, you see a lot of snowshoers in the winter and nature lovers in the summer surveying the myriad of wildlife and birds. There is also a dark sky astrological observatory with a 20 inch telescope that allows guests can see remote parts of our universe. There are cabins for rent if you want to extend your stay here for more than a few hours of hiking. This is one of our favorite hiking and snowshoeing places in all of New York. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/dff27f55-6c7d-41bd-ba98-1e323658ddf5/IMG_5713.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Hikes and Bikes - Art Park Gorge Trail - Lewiston The other beautiful hike on the Niagara Gorge takes you from Artpark in Lewiston to the U.S. hydro plant. Along the way you pass numerous cliffs, beautiful lookout vistas, and see the U.S. and Canadian power plants that supply electricity to over 4 million people. You also walk under one of the 3 bridges from the U.S. to Canada. It does have some up and downhill treks that require spikes in the winter, but it is easy enough terrain that the average hiker will have no problem with it. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ac6bf993-f407-480b-83a8-e5a4f0038cd3/CarltonHillHiking.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Hikes and Bikes - Carlton Hill - Dale (15 minutes from Batavia) This is a fun hiking with a beautiful view for miles at the top of the last hill, but the first hill - that is a doozy! We’ve climbed small mountains before and this was comparable. It was 450 feet of fairly steep incline to start the hike, but if you are in good shape, it isn’t much of a problem. And after that, the rest of the trail is pretty moderate. But it is all worth it the see miles and miles in every direction when you get to the top. It is a loop trail, so you don’t have to go back down the initial steep incline, but we highly recommend doing this hike. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-outdoor-activities daily 0.75 2022-02-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d203e0df-3915-4a81-827b-8063a7e02883/MaidoftheMist.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Outdoor Activities - The Maid of the Mist - Niagara Falls Over 6 million cubic feet of water passes over Niagara Falls every minute falling 160 feet as it does so. That makes for a lot of mist that floats through the air 24x7x365. Since 1848 people have been boarding the Maid of the Mist to travel close enough to the magnificent falls to get a really good shower. It is a fun ride on a hot summer day to see how crazily powerful and big Niagara Falls is! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/13d7cca6-ae81-42dc-b98e-ff0dbe816ac4/BuffaloWaterfront.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Outdoor Activities - The Buffalo Waterfront - Buffalo Change is something that cannot be stopped. For cities, sometimes change is good, and sometimes the opposite. In the late 1800’s Buffalo’s water access to the midwest and cheap power from Niagara Falls made it the primary processing location for most of the grain in the east. By the 1990’s, most of that had changed. Many grain silos that were 15ft thick poured concrete were abandoned and had no new use. That all changed with the revitalization of Buffalo’s waterfront in 2017 and now it is a great destination year round. Wanna see the river with 7 friends on a fully stocked floating tiki bar complete with the bartender? No problem! Zip lining, kayaking, a Children’s Museum, a Naval Park, a historical boat tour of the area, concerts, festivals, and numerous restaurants and entertainment options await you at Canalside - Buffalo’s best waterfront fun spot. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/2f7453c1-ec18-46b0-9f34-2116abfabcaf/WhirlpoolJetBoatTour.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Outdoor Activities - Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours - Niagara Falls Imagine a 1500 horse engine screaming up a river that has rocks, rapids, and a lot of speed. You may get bounced around quite a bit, but it is safe for a 10 year-old and an 80 year-old! They even have a boat that has a plastic roof so that you don’t get wet. We highly recommend that you include this in your Niagara Falls visit because it is a lot of fun and gives you a great perspective of the falls and the incredible power of the Niagara River. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3e394f8e-10d6-435f-838d-294a1115f797/BuffaloRiverHistoryTour.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Outdoor Activities - Buffalo River History Tour - Buffalo This is one of the great things to do on the Buffalo Waterfront. You will see many concrete grain silos which are reminiscent of the days when Buffalo was the largest grain port in the world. Some have been repurposed, but this 90 minute boat tour shows you the history of the area up close and personal. You can also opt to go on a Sunset Harbor or Caribbean Cruise that allows you to experience the beautiful views of the Buffalo River with more of a party atmosphere. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/844964dd-5810-417c-b313-dd5b1c96aca3/CaveoftheWinds.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Outdoor Activities - Cave of the Winds - Niagara Falls There are numerous ways to see Niagara Falls, but the best is the Cave of the Winds Tour. Well, that is if you don’t mind getting up close and personal with a lot of water. They give you water shoes to use, but you can bring your own if you prefer. After you take the elevator 175 feet down to the bottom of the Bridal Veil falls, you walk your way back up the numerous stairs and look out areas to see the power and magnitude of the falls. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/513390b8-dab9-4549-a9ce-6b7ab0580d5a/GriffisSculpturePark.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Outdoor Activities - Griffis Sculpture Park - East Otto The Ellicottville area south of Buffalo is noted for its skiing options in the winter, but a few miles away there is a 450 acre park with over 250 sculptures that is worth the trip. We could have put this in the Hikes and Bikes section because the hilly terrain in the area does make for a good hike through the park, but we will leave it here because looking at the sculptures and learning about the artistic creations is the main activity here. The hiking is just an added bonus! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/dae67335-4c62-4cbf-86d5-bf23e6226c45/LockportLocksBoat.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Outdoor Activities - Lockport Locks Canal Cruises - Lockport When the Erie Canal first reached the area in 1825, the engineers had to figure out how to navigate a 60 foot drop in elevation in the area. The solution was to build a flight of five locks that were each 12 feet high. And that is how Lockport was born! Today, there are only two locks that fill with over 3 million gallons of water to allow boats to pass through. The 2 hour long Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruise takes you through those locks and teaches you a lot about the history of the canal while the boat cruises on the canal just as people have been doing for almost 200 years. It is a fun and informative tour that is enjoyable whether you are 8 or 80! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ec6454f3-a7ba-4e2e-95eb-3c38562717cb/DarienLakePark.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Outdoor Activities - Six Flags Darien Lake Amusement Park - Darien Lake Thrill seekers of all ages love the 11 roller coasters at the park, but many adults come for the Performing Arts Center where you and 21,599 of your soon to be closest friends watch big name musicians and bands. There are also a bunch of water slides, rides, and typical amusement park activities that have something for everyone in the family. It is a great summertime thing for the family or people of all ages. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ceb1fa7f-320a-4899-978d-c69c1ef01d37/BuffaloZoo.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Outdoor Activities - Buffalo Zoo - Buffalo The seventh oldest zoo in the U.S. still has a lot going for it 150 years later. With over 23 acres of land and 320 different animal species, the zoo is a fun experiences for kids and adults all year round. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/175083f7-6c67-4630-a79e-e0169e0edcbd/SunriseIIFishing2.jfif Buffalo Niagara - Outdoor Activities - Sunrise II Sportfishing - Kent Imagine catching a 20 pound Salmon in the morning and having it for dinner that evening. The Lake Ontario fishing charter business is booming and tens of thousands of visitors to the area experience the exhilaration of reeling in a whopper! Captain Bob Stevens has been a licensed Charter Boat Fisherman for 30 years and he knows the how, when, and where to help you bring home a trophy fish for your wall, or dinner for 10! With his expertise, you can be a newbie to the fishing scene, but still catch big fish and have an experience that you will remember the rest of your life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/c7a254ad-99c1-4e18-9b8e-a06edac9db0e/HolidayValleySkiing.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Outdoor Activities - Holiday Valley - Ellicottville Even though it is a year round resort with an aerial park, golf, and mountain biking, winter time is still king here with over 40 trails and abundant snow due to their proximity to Lake Erie and the snow that it brings. With over 40 skiing trails, snow tubing, and a Mountain Roller Coaster, there is fun to be had here for a couple’s weekend getaway, a family vacation, or just a Guys/Gals Weekend. Ellicottville is a great ski town with plenty of apres ski activities as well. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-sports daily 0.75 2022-02-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a947d77d-7d3a-4520-80ff-5d7077996bb9/Billsgame.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Sports - Buffalo Bills, NFL, Buffalo Buffalo has the only two major league sports teams in New York besides NYC. The Bills franchise was one of the founding members of the American Football League in 1960 and they have been to 4 NFL Super Bowls. Their stadium in Orchard Park holds over 71,000 people for football games. We suggest that you spend the extra money to get Club Level tickets especially on the cold Buffalo Sundays in December. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3aae238d-4cbf-4232-a9d5-6a6c14641206/SabresHockey.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Sports - Buffalo Sabres, NHL - Buffalo The other major league sports team besides the Bills plays it’s home games right in downtown Buffalo at the Key Bank Center. The Sabres have been in Buffalo since 1970 when the league only had 14 teams. They have made it to the Stanley Cup finals twice since then, and have had many great years to entertain the die hard fan base. The stadium holds just over 19,000 people and it gets rockin’ during close games. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/0d53f6a8-cf43-4552-a561-2a127cef788e/BuffaloBisons.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Sports - Buffalo Bisons, AAA Baseball - Buffalo The AAA Bisons have played in the next level down from Major League baseball since 1979. They have the largest minor league stadium capacity in the country at just under 16,000 fans, and have been very successful in the league over the years. Watching a Bisons game is a great way to have a low key night in the summertime in Buffalo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a3b4951b-c3f9-4726-af05-0674e04e9daf/BuffaloBandits.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Sports - Buffalo Bandits, NLL Lacrosse - Buffalo In the wintertime, the Keybank Center stadium is shared between the Sabres hockey team and the Bandits indoor lacrosse team. From ice to turf in a couple of hours is no problem for the stadium crew if the teams have games scheduled on back-to-back nights. The Bandits have been in the NLL since it’s inception in 1998 and won the NLL championship in 1996. For those of you who have never seen indoor lacrosse, it is a fast moving and exciting sport that is worth checking out. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/920862a8-6bef-4991-9bbe-8e1c2c7d4724/BataviaDowns2.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Sports - Batavia Downs Race Track - Batavia Watching and betting on the “trotters” as they are called in the horse racing world, is a fun thing to do. The track at Batavia Downs hosts races from July until December at various times. Click on their web-site link for more information. They also have a casino, hotel, and numerous restaurants year round so patrons have a reason to go there throughout the year. They don’t have table games like Blackjack and Craps, you would have to go to Seneca Niagara for that. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/c445ef0e-b2a6-4782-a0c9-4b4af0fd83cd/BuffaloRaceway.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Sports - Buffalo Raceway - Hamburg When Batavia downs doesn’t have racing in January to June, you simply have to travel down the Thruway a bit to Hamburg to get your horse racing fix! They don’t have the casino like Batavia, but you can watch the trotters and get your bettin’ on! https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-other-attractions daily 0.75 2023-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/4da070b7-2697-4bbf-827d-1a8398ccfc55/BuffaloBotanicalGardens.jfif Buffalo Niagara - Other Attractions - Buffalo Botanical Gardens - Buffalo This 11 acre property that was first used as a Botanical Garden in 1897. When it was completed it was one of the largest public greenhouses in the country. Today over 140,000 people visit the property each year to see the amazing indoor and outdoor gardens. During the winter, the massive indoor gardens warm your body and soul as you walk through the 67 foot high domed building which is part of the 40,000 square foot indoor garden complex. This is a great place to visit year round and they have evening Happy Hours in the gardens and many special events and new exhibits to get people to come back many times. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/c34d12ab-32d3-48f9-800f-54e5df45a049/SenecaNiagara.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Other Attractions - Seneca Niagara Casino and Resort - Niagara Falls Seneca Niagara is the largest casino in the Buffalo Niagara region and it has all of the attractions that you typically get from a Vegas style casino. Slots, table games, great restaurants, an events center with top name acts, hotel, and spa. The goal of the property is to give you everything that you need so that you never have to leave the resort.. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/6698ce32-c812-4ec8-990a-4488e0f747e4/BuffaloNavalPark.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Other Attractions - Buffalo Military and Naval Park - Buffalo Located in the downtown Canalside area, this is the largest inland Military Park in the country. It features 4 retired military ships - a Destroyer, a submarine, a patol boat, and a light cruiser for guest to walk through. Touring a 376ft boat is pretty impressive, but knowing that the soldiers on that same boat shot down 8 planes and bombed 2 strategic Japanese towns during World War II shows the history and contribution to the U.S. winning the war that these ships made. There is also a museum on shore for the landlubbers that details some of Buffalo’s history building planes for the Air Force and some other military equipment such as a tank and helicopter on the ground. For military and non-military buffs, it is a great place to spend an afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/2a5f366e-89e5-41d2-83f3-b0e9d5fbaefe/SpiritofBuffalo.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Other Attractions - Spirit of Buffalo - Lake Erie Cruise - Buffalo This is a relaxing opportunity to step back in time aboard a 73 foot schooner. A two hour cruise on Lake Erie is a great thing to do on a warm summer afternoon. Learn about the history and geography of the Great Lakes that made Buffalo the center of commerce in the area for the last 200 years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/5cb9d9ba-d7bd-427e-9901-84a72e718a70/LockportCaveTour.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Other Attractions - Lockport Cave & History Tour/Zipline - Lockport (Temporarily Closed) When the Erie Canal was built in Lockport, a lot of water had to be diverted around the 5 locks in Lockport in order to keep the water low when boats needed to go through the locks. To do this, a 20 foot high tunnel was built around the locks. That 1/2 mile long tunnel still exists and today it is part of a 75 minute tour of the original locks and canal. There is an underground boat ride through the cave and you can see small stalactites that have formed on the top of the cave from water seeping through it for the last 150 years. This is a very unique and fun tour to take when you are in Lockport. They recently added a Zipline that takes you across the Erie Canal gorge 85 feet above the water at speeds up to 40mph. As long as you are there, why not give it a try. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/927e9742-c164-42ac-82c0-7e07a5b3b5ba/OldFortNiagara.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Other Attractions - Fort Niagara Historic Site - Lewiston This area was first settled by the French in 1679 and the Fort that still stands today was built in 1726. Because of it’s location at the mouth of Lake Ontario with Canada just across the Niagara River, this area was very important and this land has been owned by the French, British and finally the U.S. The tour of the site is very interesting even if you aren’t a history buff. From the top of the Fort their is a beautiful view of Canada and Lake Ontario. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d61fa876-27a3-4afe-ac54-7438fc23cbf2/DSCF0613.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Other Attractions - Aquarium of Niagara - Niagara Falls With so much to do outdoors in Niagara Falls, the Aquarium sometimes gets overlooked as something fun to do while you are in town. But with penguins, seals, rays, and numerous other aquatic animals, it is an interesting place to visit during your Niagara Falls trip. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1911ff5a-d99c-4957-8463-a49b0f9f1d90/RollingHillsAsylum.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Other Attractions - Rolling Hills Asylum - East Bethany This has been called the Most Haunted Destination in Upstate, NY and many doubters, believers, and thrill seekers come here each year for the Ghost Tours. Originally constructed in 1898 as a Poor House, the building was once an insane asylum and many people have claimed to have seen or heard ghosts while they were there. But the only way that you will ever know if it is truly haunted is to go there and see (or not see) for yourself. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-golf daily 0.75 2022-01-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/c41bd61b-a44a-4653-8afb-02f2ebcaf8f9/HIckoryStick2.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Golf - Seneca Hickory Stick - Lewiston This is a fantastic, yet challenging course designed by one of the all time best course designers - Robert Trent Jones, Jr. With it’s Links Course design, a miss hit shot can lead to a couple of extra strokes trying to get out of the deep grass, but it is well worth it for the beauty and quality of this great course. The only thing that you could be disappointed by after an afternoon here is your score! Course Stats - Par: 72, Blue Tee Slope: 128, Blue Tee Yardage: 6670 yards Cost - Summer Weekday - $59 Ride Only, Weekend - $65 Ride Only Food/Drink - The Hickory Grill menu has great appetizers, sandwiches and a couple of entrees including a Friday Fish Fry Website - www.senecahickorystick.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/483754e1-963c-48f8-8ca1-36ad3ee26034/DiamondHawkGolf.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Golf - Diamond Hawk Golf Course - Cheektowaga This is a great course that is well maintained. The amenities are top notch as well. The restaurant at the club even coined a new cuisine style for their food called Gastroque. Part Gastro Pub and Barbeque. It is great food. Course Stats - Par: 72, Blue Tee Slope: 123, Blue Tee Yardage: 6267 yards Cost - Summer Weekday - $48 Ride, Weekend - $65 Walk, $52 Ride Food/Drink - Available at Restaurant and bar Website - www.diamondhawkgolf.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/cf87fc0a-a5d0-4dc3-9377-dac52cc6a3ee/HarvestHillGolf.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Golf - Harvest Hill - Orchard Park This is a challenging but fair course that is in great condition and has some gorgeous views. Course Stats - Par: 72, Blue Tee Slope: 106, Blue Tee Yardage: 6433 yards Cost - Summer Weekday - $43 Ride, Weekend - $53 Ride Food/Drink - Rooth’s Sky-Lite restaurant. Serves lunch and dinner with a beautiful view of the course and sunset Website - www.harvesthillgc.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/05b067b3-1488-409e-bf2f-e5258fe98619/LinksAtIvyRidge2.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Golf - Links at Ivy Ridge - Akron The “ridge” in Ivy Ridge is a small ridge that runs through the course, but it and the course in general can put a canyon between the score that you hoped to shoot and what you really shoot. The course is links style and has a creative layout. It is very well maintained throughout the year and is worth the trip to Akron to play. Course Stats - Par: 72, Blue Tee Slope: 130, Blue Tee Yardage: 7002 yards Cost - Summer Weekday - $35 Ride, Weekend - $40 Ride Food/Drink - A snack bar with burger and sandwich options. Website - www.thelinksativyridge.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/9b8fb970-5019-4a7c-bdea-87658155d8d8/DoubleBlackDiamondGolfCourse.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Golf - Double Black Diamond Golf Course - Ellicottville Although this course is pretty short from the Blues at 5603 yards, the hilly terrain on the back nine (it is at a ski resort) is pretty tight so this is still a challenging course. If you want to jack up the difficulty, you can play the Double Black Diamond tees where the yardage goes up to 6493 yards. Besides being a great course, the view on the back 9 is gorgeous and makes it worth the trip. Course Stats - Par: 70, Blue Tee Slope: 115, Blue Tee Yardage: 5603 yards Cost - Summer Weekday - $40 Ride, Weekend - $56 Ride Food/Drink - A snack bar with burger and sandwich options. Website - www.holidayvalley.com/summer/golf https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-diners-1 daily 0.75 2022-01-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a2360371-d6a4-439c-927d-8a0d1596ca0d/BettysDiner.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Diners - Betty’s Diner - Buffalo How many places do you know of where you can get great breakfast and lunch staples, and view an art exhibit at the same time?!? Well, Betty’s is that place. For hash lovers (the food, not the drug), the Smoked Turkey Hash is a great option. They also have a Tofu option for the vegans in the crowd. And how about a Broiled Grapefruit? How many times do you see that on the menu? Grapefruit halves topped with brown sugar and broiled until the sugar is carmelized. Crazy good. After you finish your food you can spend some time viewing the Art Exhibit Du Jour from various artists. The exhibit changes periodically so you can see something different every time you come in! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/61308b3b-2181-4551-8d05-85f7961ae026/IMG_5570+%281%29.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Diners - Wild Flour Deli and Bakery - Albion This is one of those “off the beaten path” gems. If the term ‘gourmet sandwiches’ was ever a thing, this place has them. True to the restaurant’s name, all of the sandwiches are named after flowers, and all of them are fantastic. You can also build your own sandwich with 9 bread options, 8 Meat options, 9 cheese options, and a whole bunch of toppings and sauces. This place isn’t just a "one-trick pony” with good sandwiches, the bakery has amazing cookies and other baked goodies. It is definitely worth a stop if you are in the area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/dd954251-6750-4d62-9f25-5dc0ac7c5a41/MythosBuffalo.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Diners - Mythos - Buffalo Mythos is open 7 days a week, but if you are in town on the weekend, that is when the menu goes from great breakfast options to OMG with their brunch options! N.Y. Strip and Eggs, Greek Yogurt and Berries Parfait (if you are feeling calorie conscious), or an Apple Waffle ala Mode are just some of the options. They even serve Champagne pick me ups for a little hair of the dog, like Mimosas and Bloody Marys! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/62e81231-18ef-4410-a8d6-6da03df98e32/BonjourCrepes2.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Diners - Bon Jour Crepes - Lockport Just a few blocks away from the Erie Canal’s famous double locks is a breakfast and lunch spot that creates the scrumptious French food - Crepes! Proving that Crepes aren’t just for breakfast anymore, their Ham and Swiss Crepe makes a great lunch time meal, while the Nutella and Banana is one of their many great breakfast options. Even though this isn’t technically a diner, we had to add this restaurant in because the food is just plain delish. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8d737814-0e82-476e-8cf0-835c80e84db6/Sophia%27sRestaurant.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Diners - Sophia’s Restaurant - Buffalo Since being featured on Guy Fieri’s TV show a while back, business at Sophia’s is crazy! And the food is crazy good. With all of the traditional favorites along with some local specialties like the South Buffalo omelet (which features Polish Sausage), you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. This is a great breakfast joint and a “Hangover Helper” on a Sunday morning for those who imbibed a bit too heavily the night before. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffaloniagara-daycation-east-aurora daily 0.75 2025-04-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/106999ed-6e4f-4ef4-9d9c-5aeeec786a5c/AuburnSpringsideInn.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Best - $$$ Springside Inn https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/049a0cd0-9030-4195-a01c-5f7259a93ad4/AuburnHolidayInn.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Good - $$ The Holiday Inn https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/de0093a0-45bc-493c-8112-0a261a8b6ce2/AuburnHiltonGardenInn.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Good - $$ Hilton Garden Inn https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3b9bf8b8-8101-49d7-95d3-07bac552c486/WilliamSewardBedroom.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - William Seward House Who knew that William Seward did so much for the U.S.? New York State Senator, Governor, U.S. Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln, orchestrated the purchase of Alaska from Russia, was almost assassinated the same night that Lincoln was, and travelled the world at 68. Other than that he really didn’t do much! His house in Auburn is filled with the original furniture from the 1840’s and provides fascinating details of his life. This is one of our favorite historic houses in New York. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ef0c5291-3b98-465e-abd1-d482ff8eb26b/harrietTubmanHome.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Harriet Tubman House Harriet was one tough woman! The Tour Guide at her former home in Auburn detailed how she freed over 70 slaves during 13 missions that took her from Maryland to Canada despite chronic physical conditions throughout her life due to a traumatic skull fracture at a young age. She lived the last 50 years of her life in Auburn on land sold to her by William Seward. The tour of The Tubman Home and grounds of the property is a great way to spend an afternoon learning about the many amazing things that she accomplished during her life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/7709619a-f206-4d18-bcae-c394bed38f2a/Willard-Memorial-Chapel.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Willard Memorial Chapel If you hear the word Tiffany & Co. you immediately think of expensive jewelry that people with way too much money own or the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s - take your pick. The son of the founder of Tiffany’s, Louis Comfort Tiffany, was a renowned glassmaker when he was commissioned to design the stained glass for the Auburn Theological Seminary in 1892. That stained glass still exists in its original form and location at what is now known as the Willard Memorial Chapel. It is a great trip through time to see the glass creation in its original form 100+ years after it’s installation. It doesn’t take much time out of your day, but it is a necessary stop on your Auburn Daycation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a4080b95-42f6-4fd5-a685-f63cf45110ba/AuburnCayugaHistoryMuseum.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Cayuga Museum of History and Art Built in 1836 as the home for a prominent Auburn Family, the Cayuga Museum of History and Art has been a museum for almost 100 years. The former Research Lab which is part of the museum is where movies with sound were invented. There are exhibits in the building chronicling that feat, along with numerous collections of art, old photographs, and a drum that was used during the Revolutionary War. This is a definite must see in a small town that has a lot of big attractions! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/30943749-455e-49f2-89a4-43d3075da20d/AuburnMerryGoRoundPlayhouse.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - The REV Theatre Company With three venues within it’s purview, the REV is providing quality theatrical performances for both locals and tourists. The Merry-Go-Round Playhouse hosts a handful of Broadway musical productions during the summer, The Carriage House Theater hosts original musicals, and the West End Theater provides an accessible artistic hub for community partners. Taking in a summertime performance at the MGR Playhouse is the perfect way to end your Auburn Daycation. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-daycation-genevawine-tasting daily 0.75 2022-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/9fea8160-5681-45ae-830e-516900799b69/Belhurs3.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Geneva/Wine Tasting - Best - $$$$ Belhurst Castle https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d3840487-d2a4-4319-9ee0-f27c42c3db01/GenevaOnTheLake2.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Geneva/Wine Tasting - Great - $$$ Geneva On The Lake https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a8e3ff83-a292-4a9a-9c95-6ae7ccd3f58f/WhiteSpringsManor.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Geneva/Wine Tasting - Great - $$$ White Springs Manor https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/fa3b0ec6-539d-474c-abf7-6527db4f2b78/RoseHIllMansion.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Geneva/Wine Tasting - Rose Hill Mansion - Geneva This 1839 Greek Revival house that was the home to wealthy farmers for over 100 years shows what life was like during that era. This small but interesting museum 7 miles from the middle of Geneva is a great thing to do while you are digesting your breakfast and don’t want to start drinking wine at 9 a.m! The house and grounds are beautiful and it has a gorgeous view of Seneca Lake. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/b693fdf9-861b-4406-b9cb-a7487254e237/GenevaHistoryMuseum.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Geneva/Wine Tasting - Geneva History Museum - Geneva Geneva has an interesting 200+ year history and this quaint museum in the middle of town teaches you things about the area that you can’t learn anywhere else. It won’t take you more than an hour to go through it, but they have different exhibits relating to the town that give an interesting perspective on the area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/87496622-bcba-4e3d-9c6c-8637f7a531f1/IMG_1107.JPG Finger Lakes - Daycation - Geneva/Wine Tasting - Herman J. Wiemer Winery Tasting - Dundee The Wiemer Winery was ranked as one of the 3 best wineries in the Finger Lakes in our 2021 Ten Best Wineries Tour, and it is the best place to start your afternoon winery tour. They have numerous white, red, and sparkling wines that have won awards in competitions across the country. The BIO Chardonnay, Dry Reisling, and Dry Rose were our favorites. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8c6e32fc-b0b2-4c02-b401-c0c8caea35b0/IMG_1083.JPG Finger Lakes - Daycation - Geneva/Wine Tasting - McGregor Vineyard - Dundee Another of our Top Ten FLX Wineries is a scant 20 minute drive from Wiemer - the McGregor Vineyard. Your short drive will take you from the west side of Seneca Lake to the east side of Keuka Lake, but the drive is worth it because not only is the wine great at McGregor, but the view from their spacious outdoor patio tasting area is fantastic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/239f380e-32f3-4e32-a5ad-968ab41880ed/DomaineLeseurre2.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Geneva/Wine Tasting - Domaine Leseurre Winery - Hammondsport When you are a 6th generation winemaker from a town named Champagne, France (yes, that Champagne where bubbly gets its name) you know that you have a lot of pressure to make good wines. The Domaine Leseurre Winery looks like an authentic French building and the cheese plates that you can pair with your wines make the experience even better! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ff8ddad0-3af8-4084-81a9-f4af8da5387a/WeisWinery.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Geneva/Wine Tasting - Weis Winery - Hammondsport 164 feet from the French Winery, Domaine Leseurre, is a German Winery named Weis Vineyards. Besides Disney’s Epcot center, where else can you learn about two of Europe’s best cultures and taste great wine so close together? Since the Riesling grape originated in Germany and the climate in the Finger Lakes is very similar to that area, you know that you will get some good Riesling’s here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d4407ba9-9cd9-4eee-a5fa-611ed3cea6d8/FlxTable.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Geneva/Wine Tasting - Best - $$$$ FLX Table https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d7f095c2-31f2-40eb-ab7d-1146288d85d3/PortsCafe3.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Geneva/Wine Tasting - Great - $$$ Ports Cafe https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/82f10e05-0854-4c11-9ce1-ef9e97d871e4/BellasSicilianRistorante.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Geneva/Wine Tasting - Great - $$$ Bella’s Sicilian Ristorante https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3d0daf6e-8f0a-46a7-867e-225481fc9392/SmithOperaHouse2.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Geneva/Wine Tasting - Smith Opera House Built in 1894, this 1400 person venue hosts numerous plays, bands, and movies during the year. Inside it beckons of another era with grand decor. Being right in the middle of downtown, it is a great place to go after a nice dinner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3f61f8a8-9025-4e12-bc1d-495b285f5486/BelhurstFirepit.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Geneva/Wine Tasting - Belhurst Outdoor Fire Pit This may seem to be an unusual “must do” for your Geneva Daycation, but trust us on this one. Even if you aren’t staying at Belhurst, there is nothing better on a warm summer night than getting a beverage at Stonecutters Tavern and sitting around the firepit behind the castle. Beautiful view, great conversations with strangers who come from many different states, and a perfect way to wind down after your day in the Geneva area. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/daycations/buffalo-niagara daily 0.75 2022-12-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/89a11354-74f7-4159-aa61-6cf465c39cb0/OQBY2933.JPG Buffalo/Niagara Daycations - Niagara Falls - Sightseeing Tour https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/bfa82f66-5b64-456f-805f-9af366b2d989/IMG_2101.JPG Buffalo/Niagara Daycations - Buffalo - Waterfront and Downtown https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ca8943bb-9873-4ef9-994c-75804aabae5f/RoycroftCampus.jfif Buffalo/Niagara Daycations - East Aurora - President’s House and Roycroft Campus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/dd5bf099-ef39-4569-b69b-e1238e3974ca/OldFortNiagara-ViewFromTop.jpg Buffalo/Niagara Daycations - Lewiston - 1600’s Fort, 1812 War Site, and 100’s of great places https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/b7763231-87f6-45bd-8cc6-ad67178e45ff/IMG_0767.JPG Buffalo/Niagara Daycations - Buffalo - History and Museum Tour https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/18129a91-e0e0-4e88-a588-beb74f315ed0/IMG_2750.JPG Buffalo/Niagara Daycations - Lockport - Erie Canal, Cave Tour, Boat Ride https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a7b7cb7c-b0b0-449e-920a-2337dd1805dd/MedinaNighttime.jfif Buffalo/Niagara Daycations - Medina - Gourmet Food and Beverage Tour https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/bc3b67e4-664e-4a26-a12d-f19a8e1de717/Chautauqua-Lake-BDP.jpg Buffalo/Niagara Daycations - Chautauqua - Lakeside Tranquility and Comedy Museum https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-daycation-niagara-falls daily 0.75 2023-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/128e098f-e33a-49c0-bf59-60922854e360/SenecaNiagara2.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Niagara Falls - Best - $$$$ Seneca Niagara Casino https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/55003c2e-88e7-41f3-b757-98506bcba54a/RedCoachInn.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Niagara Falls - Great - $$$ Red Coach Inn https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/c460fce5-fc7e-445b-83bc-40f49724aaf1/SheratonNiagaraFalls.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Niagara Falls - Great - $$$ Sheraton Niagara Falls https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/31fe12fa-243e-46ff-9c34-3692434d449e/NiagaraPowerVistaImage.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Niagara Falls - Niagara Power Vista - Lewiston Besides being a very impressive thing to see up close and personal, Niagara Falls also provides hydroelectric power for almost 4 million homes in the U.S. and Canada. The Power Vista Museum has exhibits that teach you how electricity is made, how the power plant was built, and numerous other things relating to the dam. The view of the Niagara gorge is pretty cool as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/7e551aed-fc25-4a0c-a6e4-0b6b203fa35e/OldFortNiagara-ViewFromTop.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Niagara Falls - Old Fort Niagara - Youngstown They don’t make ‘em like they used to! Fort Niagara was built in 1726 and it is still in excellent working condition nearly 300 years later. It is a great place to check out on your Niagara Daycation because it gives you a picture of what life was like 300 years ago before the United States was even a country. The view from the top of the Fort that is pictured here is pretty impressive since the fort sits across the river from Canada and Lake Ontario is to your right. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/60bf9d76-3d97-41d9-9ab9-cd94fb5800de/IMG_4766+%281%29.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Niagara Falls - Niagara Gorge Trail - Niagara Falls You won’t have time to do all three things in the morning and make it back to Niagara Falls for your afternoon itinerary, but if hiking is more your thing than the Fort and/or Power Vista, it is 6.5 miles from the gorge trail in Lewiston to Niagara Falls, and you can turn around at any time and take the other trail (upper or lower) back. We do suggest that you stop at the park and get a picture of the gorge from the upper rim trail. Even if you don’t have time/energy to hike the Upper Rim Trail or be more adventurous and take the 200+ steps down to the lower trail that you will have to climb back up at the end of your hike, it is still worth the photo opp! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/61addf5b-fd71-4237-b9f7-f96d998b8d06/DSCF0676.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Niagara Falls - Goat Island/Cave of the Winds - Niagara Falls You can just almost reach out and touch the Falls when you are on Goat Island. On one side of the island is the Canadian Falls and the other is the American. The Cave of the Winds tour is located here as well. We recommend that you get your tickets early. The tour is open year round, but you can only get your tickets on Goat Island and in the busier times, the wait can be 3 or 4 hours. Walking around the island and seeing both sets of falls takes about 30 minutes to an hour. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ea6db111-ffee-4bb3-8531-a314f51e3487/OQBY2933.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Niagara Falls - Maid of the Mist - Niagara Falls If there is one touristy thing that you absolutely have to do on your Niagara Falls Daycation, it is getting the up close and personal with the falls on the Maid of the Mist tour. Looking up at the 167 foot high and 800 yard wide falls is one of the most awe inspiring experiences that you will ever have. You can bring your own rain poncho or use one that they provide, but you will definitely get wet. The mist from the powerful falls floats through the air 24x7, but on a hot summer day, it is a welcome refreshing cool down that is free of charge. While you are waiting for your Maid of the Mist tour, you can check out the Niagara Adventure Theatre. It is a 30 minute film that takes you on a virtual thrill ride up the Niagara River and teaches you about the history, myths, and adventures of the Falls. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/53464546-9f69-4ae8-bc7f-6e3535afbad7/DSCF0599.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Niagara Falls - Aquarium of Niagara - Niagara Falls With over 1500 different aquatic animals to see, the Aquarium is a good stop for families, rainy days, or some down time from the crowds that flock to the Falls. There are interesting exhibits for people of all ages here and it is a cool learning experience about aquatic creatures from around the world and next door in Lake Ontario. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/cffbb590-09bf-4f33-b318-4d74b49e0946/JetBoatTours.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Niagara Falls - Jet Boat Tours - Lewiston No trip to Niagara Falls for the adventurer type is complete without a ride up the Niagara River on the Jet Boat! Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a crazy 20 something with a death wish to enjoy this ride. A semi-faint-hearted 50 something will be able to handle the trip just fine. It is a really fun way to experience the speed and power of the Niagara River and they have an enclosed boat for those who don’t want to get wet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/fa384c3a-2d00-4f6d-94bc-3dfb27d4c94a/SchulzeTastingRoom.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Niagara Falls - Schulze Winery - Burt Schulze is one of the best wineries in the Buffalo/Niagara region. They have numerous great wines including sparkling wines, Ice Wine, and great traditional dry and semi-dry wines. It is about 30 minutes from Lewiston, but it is the perfect way to end the afternoon on your Niagara Falls Daycation! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ebbecd9e-22bc-47a8-b983-67ded1e47523/VillaCoffeeHouse.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Niagara Falls - Best - $$$$ The Villa Coffee House https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/281901c8-aaef-4e11-914c-8dfb18816ce9/SavorRestaurant.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Niagara Falls - Great - $$$$ Savor https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/6a800a25-b7bc-442a-9ed3-28eb0df24e4e/TheWesternDoor.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Niagara Falls - Great - $$$$ The Western Door https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8ef8ae0c-d249-4456-933f-43492b9d927e/ArtParkConcert.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Niagara Falls - Artpark Concert - Lewiston Artpark is a concert venue and cultural center 6 miles from Niagara Falls. In the summer they have concerts that can hold 10,000 people in the outdoor amphitheater. There are also numerous indoor and outdoor art exhibits that you can peruse at any time. It is a great venue for concerts with a beautiful view of the Niagara Gorge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/e8d12bc1-709b-46af-b62b-776adc796eb4/SenecaNiagara3.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Niagara Falls - Seneca Niagara Casino - Niagara Falls Another concert venue right in Niagara Falls is part of the Seneca Niagara Casino and Resort. The Events Center holds 440 people but they draw big name singers, comedians, and occasional boxing matches. Of course, the resort has many other attractions like the casino, spa, restaurants, bars, and typical Vegas style offerings. It is a great place to unwind after your numerous Niagara daytime activities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/db25c4be-2909-4658-8966-202d40ea68ae/NiagaraFallsAtNight.jpeg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls at Night - Niagara Falls The falls are lit up beautifully at night and the Observation Tower is the best place to see them. For most major holidays like New Year’s Eve, July 1st (Canada Day) and July 4th, there are great fireworks displays as well. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-daycation-east-aurora daily 0.75 2022-12-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/0f284dfa-2b4a-4889-bcbf-04258d4dee11/RoycroftInn.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Best - $$$ Roycroft Inn https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d3840487-d2a4-4319-9ee0-f27c42c3db01/GenevaOnTheLake2.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Great - $$$ Geneva On The Lake https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/cfa85e53-225d-4fd3-8ca6-2b6afde5ffc6/HamptonInnEastAurora.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Great - $$ Hampton Inn East Aurora https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/fa3b0ec6-539d-474c-abf7-6527db4f2b78/RoseHIllMansion.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Roycroft Campus This 1839 Greek Revival house that was the home to wealthy farmers for over 100 years shows what life was like during that era. This small but interesting museum 7 miles from the middle of Geneva is a great thing to do while you are digesting your breakfast and don’t want to start drinking wine at 9 a.m! The house and grounds are beautiful and it has a gorgeous view of Seneca Lake. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/b693fdf9-861b-4406-b9cb-a7487254e237/GenevaHistoryMuseum.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Geneva History Museum - Geneva Geneva has an interesting 200+ year history and this quaint museum in the middle of town teaches you things about the area that you can’t learn anywhere else. It won’t take you more than an hour to go through it, but they have different exhibits relating to the town that give an interesting perspective on the area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/87496622-bcba-4e3d-9c6c-8637f7a531f1/IMG_1107.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Herman J. Wiemer Winery Tasting - Dundee The Wiemer Winery was ranked as one of the 3 best wineries in the Finger Lakes in our 2021 Ten Best Wineries Tour, and it is the best place to start your afternoon winery tour. They have numerous white, red, and sparkling wines that have won awards in competitions across the country. The BIO Chardonnay, Dry Reisling, and Dry Rose were our favorites. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8c6e32fc-b0b2-4c02-b401-c0c8caea35b0/IMG_1083.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - McGregor Vineyard - Dundee Another of our Top Ten FLX Wineries is a scant 20 minute drive from Wiemer - the McGregor Vineyard. Your short drive will take you from the west side of Seneca Lake to the east side of Keuka Lake, but the drive is worth it because not only is the wine great at McGregor, but the view from their spacious outdoor patio tasting area is fantastic. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/239f380e-32f3-4e32-a5ad-968ab41880ed/DomaineLeseurre2.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Domaine Leseurre Winery - Hammondsport When you are a 6th generation winemaker from a town named Champagne, France (yes, that Champagne where bubbly gets its name) you know that you have a lot of pressure to make good wines. The Domaine Leseurre Winery looks like an authentic French building and the cheese plates that you can pair with your wines make the experience even better! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ff8ddad0-3af8-4084-81a9-f4af8da5387a/WeisWinery.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Weis Winery - Hammondsport 164 feet from the French Winery, Domaine Leseurre, is a German Winery named Weis Vineyards. Besides Disney’s Epcot center, where else can you learn about two of Europe’s best cultures and taste great wine so close together? Since the Riesling grape originated in Germany and the climate in the Finger Lakes is very similar to that area, you know that you will get some good Riesling’s here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d4407ba9-9cd9-4eee-a5fa-611ed3cea6d8/FlxTable.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Best - $$$$ FLX Table https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d7f095c2-31f2-40eb-ab7d-1146288d85d3/PortsCafe3.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Great - $$$ Ports Cafe https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/82f10e05-0854-4c11-9ce1-ef9e97d871e4/BellasSicilianRistorante.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Great - $$$ Bella’s Sicilian Ristorante https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3d0daf6e-8f0a-46a7-867e-225481fc9392/SmithOperaHouse2.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Smith Opera House Built in 1894, this 1400 person venue hosts numerous plays, bands, and movies during the year. Inside it beckons of another era with grand decor. Being right in the middle of downtown, it is a great place to go after a nice dinner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3f61f8a8-9025-4e12-bc1d-495b285f5486/BelhurstFirepit.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - East Aurora - Belhurst Outdoor Fire Pit This may seem to be an unusual “must do” for your Geneva Daycation, but trust us on this one. Even if you aren’t staying at Belhurst, there is nothing better on a warm summer night than getting a beverage at Stonecutters Tavern and sitting around the firepit behind the castle. Beautiful view, great conversations with strangers who come from many different states, and a perfect way to wind down after your day in the Geneva area. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-daycation-buffalo-museums daily 0.75 2022-02-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/f024a6c8-6f50-4626-be5c-65a86be34db6/MansiononDelaware.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Museums - Best - $$$$ The Mansion on Delaware https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/c9033b99-7f2d-4d82-9e5d-21a8b63d5fe1/CurtissHotel.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Museums - Great - $$$ The Curtiss Hotel https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/982efc23-e317-450e-a837-a81f4be6d6ab/HotelLafayette.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Museums - Great - $$$ Hotel at the Lafayette https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d6605990-6720-4157-93d5-0ea88f3f62b1/PierceArrowCar.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Museums - Pierce-Arrow Museum From 1905 to 1938, the Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company made upscale automobiles for U.S. Presidents and wealthy Americans at its Buffalo, NY manufacturing facility. Like many other businesses that sold upscale products during the Great Depression, they went out of business, but the museum showcases their automobiles, motorized bicycles, motorcycles, and even firetrucks! The museum as a great tour for Motorheads, and non-Motorheads alike, showcasing the history of motorized vehicles, and a futuristic looking gas station that Frank Lloyd right designed but never built. This museum is definitely a Buffalo Must-See! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/0f3ab65c-5e34-4c05-9356-19f065492ddf/IMG_0788.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Museums - Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House Most Wright followers would say that the Darwin Martin House Complex was one of his best. Darwin Martin was an executive at the Larkin Soap Company which was the Amazon of the 1920’s. He was very wealthy in the day and he commissioned Wright to not only build his 30,000 sq. foot mansion, but also the Larkin Soap corporate headquarters. The home has been immaculately maintained over the last 100+ years and as you walk through the house and grounds you are amazed not only that a house built in 1905 is still standing, but most all of the original structure and furnishings are still intact. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/2eba6bd5-a2d6-4bba-93ec-9e210108c103/IMG_0746.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Museums - Buffalo Botanical Gardens In both the winter and summer the gardens are a great place to go for some tranquility in the middle of a busy city. The 40,000 square foot indoor gardens and beautiful outdoor gardens are well groomed and showcase plants, flowers, and trees from around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/5687d9f9-cb1f-4a74-a197-a5a4f76c9e8f/AlbrightKnox.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Museums - Albright Knox Art Gallery The Art Gallery has numerous rotating exhibits and weekly events that showcase things from centuries past and present day art. It is never the same place twice, but it is always a great place to spend a couple of hours any time of the year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/f1bb6ed8-4446-46aa-8105-9ef4d6b18afd/Hutchs.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Museums - Best - $$$$ Hutch’s https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/aceed20c-8d05-48b2-a2f9-6d277bcd3ee5/leftBankBuffalo.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Museums - Great - $$$ Left Bank https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/51ef664c-5101-4c7b-bd99-2763c1a287e3/Kuni%27sFood.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Museums - Great - $$ Kuni’s https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/6936f4a6-08dc-4283-a1ee-2e9b9ea62c07/Shea%27sTheatre.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Museums - Shea’s Performing Arts Center This theatre Three-fer gives you not one or two, but three entertainment options that host different types of shows to appeal to various theatrical preferences. At just over 3000 person capacity, the Shea’s Buffalo Theatre has been hosting first run off Broadway productions for almost 100 years. Each season they have about 10 different productions. Next door is the intimate Smith Theatre. Holding an intimate 200 patrons, this theatre is geared to comedy shows and travelling productions. Last but not least is the 625 patron Shea’s 710. It is 3 times bigger than the Smith and hosts other noted plays and speakers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/49b67db1-e904-4653-94fe-f8a5c701dc2e/HeliumComedy2.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Museums - Helium Comedy Club Laughter cures whatever ails you. What better thing to do at night in Buffalo than to watch a big name comedian perform as you consume a 2 libation minimum of Liquid Humor Enhancer? Helium normally brings in good comedians Wednesday to Saturday/Sunday, but the schedule on their web-site gives all the details. For locals who would like to try their hand at being a comedian, they also have a Comedian Class on Wednesdays. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8ea707b1-f708-47b7-9805-83fa00c241fb/KleinhansMusicHall.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Museums - Kleinhans Music Hall Even though Kleinhans is mainly known as the venue to see the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, there are many other types of performances that you can attend there during your Buffalo Daycation. Jazz Bands, comedians, even Pink Floyd cover bands are on the event menu there. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-daycation-medina daily 0.75 2024-02-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/83b3b136-c222-4b28-8e28-369daeed1b21/BOH-Color-of-Love-Guest-room.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Medina - Best - $$$$ The Boutique Hotel at Bent’s Opera House https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d6f2be9d-688c-4a1e-ae13-a3b643e0a3f3/HartHouseHotel3.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Medina - Great - $$$ Hart House Hotel https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a81bc715-e95d-4576-9892-fa63c29aa260/garden-view-bed-and-breakfast.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Medina - Great - $$ Garden View B&B https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/4b4547b4-5001-4d75-bcb9-c7f865353bde/IMG_0206.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Medina - Hiking at Iroquois Wildlife Refuge - Alabama (New York) Just 10 minutes from Medina is a 11,000 acre park that is home to 10’s of thousands of birds, mammals, and aquatic creatures. It is common to see Bald Eagles, deer, otters, Blue Herons, Hawks, and 100’s of other animals on your trip here. It is very flat terrain so you don’t have to worry about keeling over half way through, but it is a huge park and you could go 10 miles on a trail and not get to the end. It is a good way to start the Daycation because you can burn off some of the many calories that you will consume during your Medina Daycation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/bd15d356-23ce-4c28-b9e4-787c0b8f914b/MedinaModelTrainMuseum.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Medina - Medina Model Railroad Museum - Medina This 100 year-old former Train Station now houses the largest Model Railroad display in upstate New York. The display is over 200 feet long and 14 feet wide and features hundreds of working model trains. The museum also has a ton of cool railroad paraphernalia and details the history of the railroad industry in Upstate New York. On certain weekends you can take a 30 mile train ride (full-size, not model trains) on the restored locomotives that are parked out back. Check on their web-site for those dates. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/e523d113-29e1-46a0-9913-abea0d9055c7/MedinaMainStreet.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Medina - A Walk Through the Historic Town - Medina Throughout the entire year, the 4 block downtown is full of great things to see and great shops to visit. Starting at the north end of town you can go behind the buildings on Main Street and see one of the widest parts of the Erie Canal and marvel at the 30 foot waterfall where Oak Orchard Creek goes under the canal. After that, a tour of the buildings on each side of the street provides you with a view of the pastoral charm of yesteryear and an opportunity to browse the numerous shops and restaurants. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/5e3ef461-9ee2-40e1-ae40-fb1b49676028/ModernMercentile.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Medina - Modern Mercantile - Medina Amongst the numerous quaint and interesting shops throughout the town, Modern Mercantile is a hidden gem. There are always numerous keepsakes there that fill that space in your curio cabinet, or even a new set of table settings that is a finishing touch when you have guests over for a special dinner. The store is “never the same place twice” as there are always different pieces that find their way into your house! It is always a place that we stop when we are in town. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ef9f5f03-99f2-4985-ad7a-8b983367b2f7/LeonardOaksSteampunk.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Medina - Leonard Oakes Winery/Cidery - Medina In our opinion, this is the best stop on the Niagara Wine Trail! Although you can get wine, cider, beer, liquor, and food here, we usually stick with the wine and cider. Since the owners have been growing apples for over 100 years, it makes sense that they would have great ciders, but they also added wine to their portfolio a couple of decades ago and it doesn’t disappoint. Our faves are the Blanc D’Orleans and the Blaufrankisch. During the fall you can stroll next door to the orchards and choose from hundreds of different apple varieties to hand pick and purchase as a tasty souvenir of your experience. If you are visiting here in the summer they have bands play in their outdoor pavilion as another reason to extend your stay here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/4ebf457d-462b-4396-ba72-0d362b41bc54/ChateauNiagara2.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Medina - Chateau Niagara Winery - Newfane Since the warm fall winds off of Lake Ontario extends the growing season for them, Chateau Niagara has some fantastic wines! Their red wines are the best of any winery in the Buffalo/Niagara region (and their whites are darn good, too). Most people haven’t heard of Blaufrankish and Saperavi varietals, but they grow well in this climate and the vintages here are very tasty. During the summer they have monthly wine and food pairing dinners that are very good as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/25250f3f-27f8-44bd-b63f-6a12ec92f6fc/IMG_0232.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Medina - Blackbird Cider Works - Barker Even though there are over 75 cideries in New York, the Northeast’s best grocery chain, Wegman’s (which is based in Rochester) only stocks ciders at all of their locations from 3 cideries - and Blackbird Cidery is one of the them. It is our favorite cider in the Buffalo/Niagara region and they have tastings of 10 or so varieties year round. They specialize in traditional dry and semi-dry ciders, but they recently have added some unique blends to their line-up like the Ghost Lantern Cider which is infused with Ghost Pepper and Pumpkin Spice. And yes, it is tasty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/4a49c8dd-9a10-4a18-80d8-0fb5ecf0b6e9/BentsOperaHouse.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Medina - Best - $$$$ Harvest at Bent’s Opera House https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3033ca08-a1d5-41b4-ab00-d7f95eb12eff/Zambistro2.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Medina - Great - $$$ Zambistro https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/66f6e2e3-68cf-46a9-8a2b-e88bc057d348/ShirtFactory.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Medina - Great - $$$ The Shirt Factory https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/878c7142-f8f3-481a-8393-35c946f5a0da/IntoTheEnigma.jfif Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Medina - Into the Enigma - Medina Escape Rooms are gaining in popularity across the country. Why? Because we all want to feel that we can solve challenges and mysteries that take us out of our normal day-to-day life. And if we do it as a team with our significant other or 5 good friends, that takes it up a notch and gives us a great story to share the next day. Into the Enigma changes the room every few months, but each time they feature challenging puzzles and riddles with “a helper” just a knock on the door away. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/fec9ac72-6796-489e-a7f3-9ee15e457a4c/FitzgibbonsPublicHouse.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Medina - A Night Cap at Fitzgibbons Public House - Medina Since most of the places that we suggest that you go to during your Medina Daycation are within 3 blocks of each other, there is no better way to end your Daycation than to have one of your favorite beverages at Fitzgibbons while you discuss the many great foods and experiences that you had that day. Not only can you get a Irish or Scottish beer, they also have wines and cider from some of the local places that you visited earlier in the day. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-daycation-lockport daily 0.75 2023-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/f667a163-abad-495d-a327-8c0d5cd678bd/LockportInnAndSuites.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Lockport - Best - $$ Lockport Inn & Suites https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8ad7d3be-3849-4d11-a44d-45647b8bead3/BestWesternLockport.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Lockport - Great - $$ Best Western Lockport https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/b7089621-0034-4e67-bf08-ebfb41f337bd/QualityInnLockport.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Lockport - Great - $$ Quality Inn Lockport https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8836ae5e-90a0-46e4-a880-6c1948821a82/IMG_2748.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Lockport - Lockport Cave and Underground Boat Tour (Temporarily Closed) The cave was built in 1864 as a hydraulic power source to power various manufacturing facilities using excess water from the Erie Canal. It was also used to provide public drinking water and fire protection using a hydrant based system in the town which was invented here by the Holly Manufacturing company. Lockport was one of the first towns to have a system like this and in the next 30 years, over 100 American cities used the system for their water and hydrants. The 2100 foot long tunnel was eventually mothballed, but now you can see the original tunnel then ride a boat through the tunnel. You can even see small stalactites that have formed on the ceiling from the 150+ years of water dripping. For the thrill seekers in your group, after your boat tour, you can go ziplining over the canal gorge for a fun aerial view of the area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/059992b8-b1a9-406e-a4d7-d6187a5165d0/ErieCanalPicture1905.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Lockport - Erie Canal Discovery Center Built in 1843, the building that houses the Erie Canal Discovery Center is an attraction in its own right, but learning the history of the canal is an added bonus. Pictures like the one seen here line the walls of the museum and helps you to imagine what the town was like 150 years ago. The museum includes a 15 minute movie about the construction of the “Flight of 5” locks and takes you on a virtual packet boat ride through them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/4ae700ea-edf4-4c4f-8862-12116dea2f0d/LockportBoatTour.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Lockport - Lockport Locks Canal Cruise There is no better way to learn about the Erie Canal than to take an afternoon cruise through the famous Locks and the surrounding area. Three million gallons of water will fill Locks 34 & 35, the only double set of locks on the Erie Canal, and raise the boat 50 feet. On the tour, you will pass under numerous bridges including the widest bridge in the United States at 399 feet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/7c71faf7-ddff-4464-9967-5b854eedf545/ArrowheadSprings.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Lockport - Arrowhead Spring Vineyard Arrowhead Spring is one of our favorite wineries in the Buffalo/Niagara region, and is one of the Top 5 Wineries on the Niagara Wine Trail. The wines are great and the tasting room is downright beautiful. They also have a great port wine that we always get a bottle or two of whenever we visit there. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/b617af6e-2771-42ea-925a-981ef947cd87/FreedomRunWinery.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Lockport - Freedom Run Winery If you want to taste great Rieslings and have a tasty afternoon snack, then Freedom Run is your place. The soil on the Niagara Escarpment along with the elongated growing season that the proximity to Lake Ontario provides, makes for some great wines in this area and Freedom Run is definitely a place that you have to check out. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8ff34f11-b558-417c-a630-83fbec896e4f/DannySheehansSteakhouse.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Lockport - Best - $$$ Danny Sheehan’s https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/2f45b378-ceea-4e1a-8332-273ae6d95071/Seamus.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Lockport - Great - $$$ Shamus Restaurant https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/268b7715-f8eb-470d-830d-93e2020a9b93/SteakStoneAndSushi.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Lockport - Great - $$$ Steak Stone & Sushi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/16e28558-bd31-4fea-9c9a-516ab2b0565d/KenanCenter.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Lockport - Kenan Center If you want to see a good play after dinner, then the Kenan Center is the place. Besides having great shows and plays, touring the 1800’s mansion and the gardens out back are great for a summer stroll. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/5d5d7b09-46a1-482b-90f2-02c8f56265b2/LakeEffectIceCream.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Lockport - Lake Effect Ice Cream Everybody loves ice cream, right? Lake Effect is a locally owned ice cream maker that has creative flavors like Paula’s Glazed Donut and Big Wayne’s Cake Batter. What better way to end your Lockport Daycation than with a couple of scoops in a waffle cone! https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-daycation-keuka-lake daily 0.75 2022-10-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/49c98ad4-b76a-47d1-8b1c-10dce6c36d1b/TheMansionAtKeukaLake.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Keuka Lake - Best - $$$$ The Mansion at Keuka Lake https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a8be970c-130a-49c2-bab5-9409667aabba/1898BeekmanHouse.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Keuka Lake - Great - $$$ 1897 Beekman House B&B https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ae04a055-7d54-49cd-b531-8fca032bcd3e/1811InnB%26B.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Keuka Lake - Great - $$$ 18 Vine Inn https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/4e2d769c-1260-460e-b29e-6dafd16a5c3b/GlennCurtissPlane.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Keuka Lake - Glenn Curtiss Museum - Hammondsport You would be wrong if you said that the Wright Brothers had the first pilot’s license in the U.S. or were the first Americans to win an international flying event. Those honors go to Glenn Curtiss. He also held the motorcycle speed record, built the first seaplane and was an incredible inventor. You can learn more about his life at one of our favorite museums in the FLX the Glenn Curtiss Museum. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8987f4d9-72fa-4f98-880d-7a07cb65f9de/FingerLakesBoatingMuseum.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Keuka Lake - Finger Lakes Boating Museum - Hammondsport Since there are a bunch of lakes that comprise the Finger Lakes, it makes sense that you would have a Finger Lakes Boating Museum. Located in the former Taylor Winery headquarters that was built in 1886, the museum has over 200 boats on display. You can learn how wooden boats are made while you watch talented craftsmen building them, then peruse beautiful wooden boats from eras gone by. The museum also has a 16 passenger boat tour on Keuka Lake that teaches you about the history of the lake. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/2aa77786-7ea7-445c-8fa1-89184f9c74d5/FingerLakesSeaplanes.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Keuka Lake - Finger Lakes Seaplanes - Hammondsport Unless you ate too much at lunch or have a very queasy stomach, we recommend going to Finger Lakes Seaplanes for a 30 minute aerial tour of Keuka and Seneca Lake for you and one or two of your closest friends. Seeing the lakes from the air gives you a whole new perspective of the beautiful sights and scenery in the area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/b5c5dec9-c0f6-47be-9dcd-f621ea72eca5/PleasantValleyWinery.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Keuka Lake - Pleasant Valley Wine Company - Hammondsport Pleasant Valley was one of our favorite things do to on Keuka Lake because it was “The History of Wine Museum”, the story about the oldest bonded winery in the U.S. that began in 1860, a tour of ornate and extremely large production facilities from the era when Taylor Winery was one of the biggest wineries in the U.S., and - oh yeah - a great wine tasting when it was done. Make sure to book the tour which takes you to 4 different facilities on the compound, then finish with a great tasting with numerous varietals and about 10 different sparkling wines. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/41eaecf4-71c4-424e-ae5f-49eb7c4b7fc8/BullyHill.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Keuka Lake - Bully Hill Vineyard - Hammondsport Bully Hill Vineyard is a must stop on your Keuka Lake Daycation because the story, comedy, and history of the winery is unlike any other in the Finger Lakes region, or anywhere else for that matter. We won’t ruin the story for you, but the vineyard’s founder Walter S. Taylor was the grandson of the founder of Taylor Winery which was sold to Coca Cola in 1977. Coke had a problem with another Taylor using the trademarked name that they owned, so a lot of lawsuits, chicanery, and funny stories evolved from it. We will leave you to find out the rest of the story when you go there. Bully Hill is located on the original vineyard of the Taylor winery and it also has a separate building that holds many of Walter’s original paintings. Some of those were painted using a brush in his mouth, but we won’t spoil the story on that one either. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/08e59a75-7b3b-4283-8a13-d85b4446a198/IMG_1140.JPG Finger Lakes - Daycation - Keuka Lake - Heron Hill Winery - Hammondsport Heron Hill was rated one of the 5 Best Wineries in our 2021 Top Ten Wineries in the FLX. Their winery, property, and wines are all fantastic and this is a must see on your Daycation. The winery has events throughout the summer that are both informative and fun, including special pairing events with in-depth information about the wines. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/bd04bafd-2f45-40dd-ba36-ba955e75e16d/DJI_0052.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Keuka Lake - Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery - Hammondsport Our other must see and also Top 5 Winery in the FLX is Dr. Konstantin Franks Winery. Founded in 1962, Dr. Franks was the first FLX winery that focused on making high quality vinifera wines and is still one of the best wineries in the Finger Lakes and all of the U.S. Their most popular wines are the award winning Reislings, but they have a lot of other great cold climate vintages as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/0c4f8dca-c53c-4802-a725-8dad16ee70f4/TheParkInn-Outside.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Keuka Lake - Best - $$$ The Park Inn https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/fc963b87-6949-447a-8edb-d4753ce90a05/TimberridgeGrill.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Keuka Lake - Great - $$$ Timber Stone Grill https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/66c7586d-2fd4-49bb-ae94-1fa2d0a26ce1/UnionBlockItalian.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Keuka Lake - Great - $$ Union Block Italian https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/12da42a1-b4e4-419b-b531-c9472c162721/OnKeukaBoatTours.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Keuka Lake - OnKeuka! Boat Tours - Hammondsport There is no better way to relax after a great dinner than to saunter around the lake on a pontoon boat guided tour with OnKeuka!. If you want to play your own music, they will give you a bluetooth speaker. If you want to jump in the lake, they have towels. If you want to have a couple of digestif beverages, well you are on your own to provide those, but you can still have them. You can even get a stargazing tour later in the evening. Your knowledgeable guide/driver will tell you everything that you need to know about the area, and if you want to schedule a wine tour the next day, they have you covered with that as well. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-daycation-watkins-glen daily 0.75 2022-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/6b7095d8-e20c-471e-bb10-3c71120e2fb6/HH-BluePointGrill.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Watkins Glen - Best - $$$$ Harbor House https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/166af3f3-2fd5-4e5b-a78b-0be601488167/IdlwildInn.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Watkins Glen - Great - $$$$ Idlwild Inn B&B https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1aed9973-43d7-4dc8-837c-aac6d8d73c4c/AnchorInn.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Watkins Glen - Great - $$$ Anchor Inn https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/b6ea3867-de91-4138-bda8-3311a9fd5280/WatkinsGlenStatePark.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Watkins Glen - Watkins Glen State Park - Watkins Glen This 400 foot gorge was cut into the valley when the glaciers retreated thousands of years ago. But that is good news for you now because it is a fun climb up the 800+ steps to the rim of the gorge with beautiful waterfalls, eddy’s, and rock formations to marvel at the entire way up. There are 3 trails that you can hike in the park in the spring and summer and if you are really ambitious or a die hard hiker, the trails do connect with the 800 mile long Finger Lakes trail that traverses the entire state. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ab83dbe4-d6be-4d35-a287-7a0b6d71af2c/WatkinsGlenInternational.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Watkins Glen - Watkins Glen Speedway - Watkins Glen Imagine channeling your inner Speed Demon and driving your vehicle on a racetrack that almost every famous car racer that you could name has driven on. You can do that at the Watkins Glen International Speedway. Even if you don’t have a need for speed, stopping for a visit to see the 3.45 mile track is still pretty impressive. And if you check the events calendar on their web-site, you may find a Wine, Beer, or Music Festival happening there on the weekend you visit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d4351501-6125-4c2a-bbb0-69a17b113476/IMRRC-FrontImage.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Watkins Glen - International Racing Research Center - Watkins Glen After seeing the famous auto racing track, you should stop into the International Motor Racing Research Center a few miles away to see numerous photographs, documents, and historical archives that chronicle the history of Auto Racing in the U.S. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/618ae030-a500-4234-8d30-2537dcdece40/SummitToStream.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Watkins Glen - Summit to Stream Adventures - Watkins Glen Kayaking, Fly Fishing, Paddle Boards, Lake Fishing Excursions - they are all available from Summit to Stream. Since you are spending the day on a lake, you might as well experience some of the activities that Lake Living affords you. And it will help you to burn off a few of the calories that you have inevitably accumulated by this point in the excursion! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/06a40494-cf33-479d-bd40-df2734ae6b72/PSX_20210829_123301.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Watkins Glen - Damiani Wine Cellars - Burdett One of the highest rated wineries in our Top Ten FLX Wineries is about a 5 minute drive from Watkins Glen - Damiani Wine Cellars. This has been one of our favorite wineries for many years and with each new vintage that they produce, that sentiment continues. Their red, white, and sparkling wines are all fantastic and the view of Seneca Lake from the deck behind the tasting room is gorgeous. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/cf315e10-5948-4507-bbe8-c0ed03aef55b/LamoreauxLanding2.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Watkins Glen - Lamoreaux Landing Winery - Lodi With numerous 90 point plus wines in the last few years, Lamoreaux Landing is also one of our Top 10 Winery picks. They have great Rieslings and Chardonnay with a very classy tasting room. Being in the southeast side of Seneca Lakes helps them to create great wines since this area is noted as one of the best places in the Finger Lakes to grow wine due to the soil and microclimates in the area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/78f9d3d1-2944-43c3-9b3e-b0ae60537ecc/BluePointGrill2.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Watkins Glen - Best - $$$ Blue Point Grille https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/16f1b188-11fd-4943-9447-3a17091e6d37/SenecaHarborStation.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Watkins Glen - Great - $$$ Seneca Harbor Station https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/68e731e8-75c8-4b9c-8cec-c9cad9d5c1d3/ThaiElephants.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Watkins Glen - Great - $$ Thai Elephants https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/cb4ee502-4299-48d7-96d8-c8ba121a645c/captain-bill-s.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Watkins Glen - Captain Bill’s Seneca Lake Cruises - Watkins Glen This is our favorite boat cruise in the Finger Lakes. For almost 60 years, Captain Bill’s runs numerous different cruises throughout the day, but we suggest going on the evening cruise. This cruise covers all of the bases with music, drinks, and food options while the boat saunters up one of the deepest lakes in the U.S. During the trip you will learn about the history of the lake and the area that will be a great memory for the rest of your days. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-daycation-buffalo-waterfront daily 0.75 2022-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ba15f31d-b5de-4fa4-a007-709309870ea5/MarriottBuffalo.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Waterfront - Best - $$$$ Marriott Harborcenter https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/c1b04b69-2a51-4497-a194-c2101ef2f2e3/CourtyardBuffalo.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Waterfront - Great - $$$ Courtyard Canalside https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/c5c07587-1535-4ada-9fed-a1f2119b9baa/WyndhamDowntownBuffalo.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Waterfront - Great - $$$ Wyndham Downtown https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/b8e6a5f9-9858-463a-a864-c1808a49841c/SubmarineBuffaloNavalPark.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Waterfront - Buffalo Military and Naval Park (All Year) The largest inland naval park in the U.S. isn’t just a bunch of decommissioned ships. There are planes, trains, and armored automobiles as well! Ok, maybe not on the trains - but everything else is at the Buffalo/Erie County Naval Park. With double digit quantities of military vehicles and plenty of exhibits and memorabilia to see here, it is a great way to start your Canalside Daycation all year round. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d63d52f6-3f98-406d-b3e9-3f4411ff3350/BuffaloRiverHistoryTour2.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Waterfront - Buffalo River History Tour (May to October) Learn about the history of the 1800’s busiest inland port during a 90 minute boat ride through the Buffalo Canal. Back in the early 1900’s when most all of the grain from the mid-west was processed in Buffalo there were numerous concrete silos that were over 80 feet tall and 2 feet thick to hold the grain. Many of them are still there and the tour shows you “up close and personal” how the area functioned 100 years ago. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/0e8e1fb4-1e68-4a98-916f-2f161e2ee718/IMG_2106.JPG Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Waterfront - Cruise on the Buffalo Canal (Year Round) Since the Buffalo Canal doesn’t have the wind, waves, and fast running water that nearby Lake Erie and the Niagara River have, there are a multitude of ways to traverse it all year round. In the spring to fall you can rent a kayak, water bike, (and winter with the “ice bikes”), or for the partyers in the crowd, you can rent a motorized Tiki Bar, complete with Bartender, to transport you down the river with a cold beverage in your hand! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d07854b4-f943-4891-b902-79d86e5a90f5/SpiritofBuffalo.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Waterfront - Lake Erie Sailboat Cruise (May to October) Afternoon and evening sailing adventures on The Spirit of Buffalo take you on Lake Erie from the Buffalo Harbor. There are a variety of options including Wine Cruises (during which you sample wine and cheeses from the Niagara Area Wineries), sunset cruises, and a craft brew cruise. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/9dfd484b-b5a6-422f-9818-7dcc9cc7801a/BuffaloLighthouse.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Waterfront - Walk/Bike the 3 Mile Waterfront Trail The Waterfront Trail at Canalside stretches over 3 miles with beautiful Lakefront views including the Central Wharf and the Boardwalk. The trail connects with the Lakeside Bike Park and the Seaway Trail as well. You could ride that trail all the way across the state if you so choose, but that would deprive you of seeing all of the other cool things at Canalside and the waterfront. If you want to rent bikes to ride on any of the trails, you can do so at the start of the trail at Longboards Paddle Company. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/cbb3b95d-d731-49ff-ac4f-4d946e02e855/BuffaloChildrensMuseum.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Waterfront - Buffalo Children’s Museum If you have the youngins with you on your Waterfront Daycation, you have to visit the Buffalo Children’s Museum. With numerous exhibits that showcase the history and culture of Buffalo in a way that children can relate to, it is a good way to spend a couple hours of family time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/5966c1a8-602b-40dd-b398-74df693cc1b0/CanalsAtCanalside.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Waterfront - Canals At Canalside (November to March) Back in the day, the Erie Canal that stretched across the entire state, ended right here! Now it is a year round spot featuring Ice biking, ice skating, curling, in the winter and paddle and peddle boats in the summer. It is also a great place to “sit-a-spell” and relax before your next Canalside activity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/76faab33-bb09-401a-a2a3-9c6cd7f70665/PanoramaOn7.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Waterfront - Best - $$$$ Panorama on 7 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/31664f7f-e9c7-46a2-b7c5-af747c289041/LibertyHoundRestaurant.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Waterfront - Great - $$$ Liberty Hound https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a7a6c2a1-c8f4-4ea7-865a-4dcb9209743b/toutant.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Waterfront - Great - $$ Toutant https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/62caf1bc-4571-4e3f-a0b5-a7293653eb20/KeybankCenter2.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Waterfront - Key Bank Center - Hockey, Lacrosse, Concerts The Key Bank Center has large scale sporting and concert events year round. In the winter time, you can watch a Buffalo Sabres hockey game or a Buffalo Bandits indoor lacrosse game there. The stadium seats over 19,000 people so big name musical acts like the Eagles, Justin Bieber, and the Goo Goo Dolls (who are from Buffalo) perform here as well. Click on this link to get the events schedule. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/7a790789-6877-4a12-b562-ebed1fdf9bd3/SenecaBuffaloCreekCasino.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Waterfront - Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino If your fancy for an evening is trying your luck at Blackjack, Craps, or a Slot Machine, then Seneca Buffalo Creek is your place. There are also 3 restaurants there if you are craving a late night snack. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3b14cb5a-d48a-4ea2-bbc0-b5a32b1248eb/WaterfrontConcerts.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Waterfront - Waterfront Concerts at Canalside How many times in your life can you say that you saw a great band and partied in the shadow of a major expressway? Ok, that sounds a bit weird, but the music that you hear from the popular bands playing there drowns out the traffic noise. Bands like Tragically Hip, the Psychedelic Furs, and T-Pain have played there in the past. It is a BYOLC policy - bring your own lawn chair. But don’t worry, within 5 minutes you will be standing up and singing along like everyone else. Here is the calendar for this year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a1633b33-0621-4391-8918-2d319ab21fdc/Riverworks.jpg Buffalo Niagara - Daycation - Buffalo Waterfront - Riverworks Events Riverworks is a year round entertainment center with tons of things to do no matter what the weather is like outside. They have concerts and other events year round (click here for the events calendar) and activities like Axe Throwing, Corn Hole, curling, ice skating, an indoor ropes course, and Can Jam! If you have some leftover energy at the end of your Canalside Daycation, this is the place to burn it off after dinner. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-daycation-canandaigua-lake daily 0.75 2022-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a70677b9-9c69-489e-9cac-bcd9a907df4a/TheLakeHouseHotel.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Canandaigua Lake - Best - $$$$ The Lake House on Canandaigua https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/2dbe505f-a3fd-4f81-9903-83d581b60502/sutherlandhouseB%26B.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Canandaigua Lake - Great - $$$ Sutherland House B&B https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/226fd657-938e-4434-97c4-dd52077399e3/HolidayInnExpCanandaigua.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Canandaigua Lake - Great - $$ Holiday Inn Express https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3584b5ff-7851-4d86-83f8-0fb03f4084c9/SonnenburgGardens.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Canandaigua Lake - Sonnenburg Gardens (May to October) Built in 1887 by a prominent NYC Banker and his wife, this 40 room, 50 acre property and gardens is a wonderful trip into the history of the area. Sonnenburg Gardens is now a state park, and a walk through the house and opulent gardens is a must do in Canandaigua. In the summer there are numerous events held in the gardens including wine and cheese tastings, concerts, and speakers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/b79e44bc-59f6-410b-abd4-b49508ab60be/GrangerHomestead.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Canandaigua Lake - Granger Homestead (May to October) Though it is not as grandiose as Sonnenburg, the Granger Homestead is definitely worth a visit on your Canandaigua Daycation. Built in 1816, this mansion was owned by 4 generations of Grangers who’s patriarch was the Postmaster General for Thomas Jefferson. Throughout the year there are numerous events held at the property including concerts, sleigh rides, and a Christmas decor market. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/27168b9b-a6ef-4610-a3bd-a32de43c63b4/IMG_2953.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Canandaigua Lake - Bristol Mountain Activities Bristol Mountain is just 20 minutes from Canandaigua and it has a lot of great outdoorsy things to do year round. If you are a skier, it has the highest vertical drop between the Adirondacks and the Rockies. Trails are usually open December to March. In the summer, you can take the chair lift up the mountain to see a beautiful view that goes on for miles. In the fall when the leaves are turning, it is even more gorgeous. From there you could Zip Line down, or just take the chair lift if you are risk averse. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/5ee4607a-6d70-4bc3-89eb-7c11a9e72b25/IMG_2957.JPG Finger Lakes - Daycation - Canandaigua Lake - Fly the Finger Lakes Seeing the sites of Canandaigua Lake from the air is really cool. Fly The Finger Lakes allows you to see the Lake 3500 feet in the air! These flights can be customized to fit your needs, whether it's a flight to see your house from the air or one or all of the Finger Lakes! You can book the flight for 1, 2, or 3 people. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/f3318d0f-39ca-47ca-8ac8-dc68b8a71c95/CanandaiguaLadyBoatTour.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Canandaigua Lake - Canandaigua Lady Boat Tour If flying in a plane to see the sights isn’t your cup of tea, you could try the Canandaigua Lady. They have cruises throughout the day on the double decker paddlewheel boat. It is a relaxing way to see the sights and learn about the history of the lake. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/faeb5786-a1f0-4bc1-bb55-9fae0d6ebe81/FingerLakesRaceTrack.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Canandaigua Lake - Finger Lakes Racetrack and Gaming If placing a wager on the ponies is more your style, then a trip to Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack could be on your afternoon agenda. If it is rainy or cold, you could also spend your time testing your luck at the slot machines. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3aef6297-f61d-412f-b640-1bf4c923ec66/RoseTavern.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Canandaigua Lake - Best - $$$$ Rose Tavern https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/303f8dfe-3e21-4508-a508-ac13a327eed9/Nolans.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Canandaigua Lake - Great - $$$ Nolan’s on the Lake https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/71c8d245-3b14-4c85-8d6d-014722dc0c0e/RioTomatlan.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Canandaigua Lake - Great - $$ Rio Tamatlan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1802f8dc-325e-43ba-a349-65cffa13031f/NYKitchenClass.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Canandaigua Lake - New York Kitchen - Culinary Class Since one of the best upscale supermarkets in the U.S., one of the biggest spirits manufacturers, and the Finger Lakes Wine Association all having a stake in NY Kitchen, you know that it has to be extraordinary. The cooking classes are fun regardless of your cooking ability. They do serve wine during the class, and that makes anything more fun. When we went there, our team prepared the dessert that was part of a 5 course wine and food pairing meal that all the participants make, then eat. It was a great experience and great food. If you like really good food, this is a must do in Canandaigua. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/f586e3a3-b07c-4d8c-b8d5-c6d764dd5000/CMACConcert.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Canandaigua Lake - CMAC Performing Arts Center Concert CMAC is one of the biggest outdoor concert venues in Upstate with room for 15,000 people. The bands that play here can range from bands that are popular with 20 year olds, to bands that were in their 20’s fifty years ago, so if you want to plan your Daycation around a concert, you can definitely find one that fits your age group and favorite musical genre. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8152a5eb-69e6-4a27-9b87-509bc21d467a/CanandaiguaBreweryTour.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Canandaigua Lake - Canandaigua Brewery Tour There are 7 breweries in walking(ish) distance in the downtown area of Canandaigua, so if you want to taste some great craft brew options, you won’t be disappointed. Some are open as late as 11 p.m., so you can check out a few different places after dinner with plenty of time to do so. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/fingerlakes-videos daily 0.75 2022-05-18 https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/fingerlakes-area-map daily 0.75 2022-03-30 https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/finger-lakes-daycation-corning daily 0.75 2022-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/7cd33347-7f86-4dfb-97c6-aa91d4e746b5/RosewoodInnCorning.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Corning - Best - $$$$ Rosewood Inn B&B https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ddc47ef0-193d-4d31-a96c-026cc3f0962b/HiltonGardenInn.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Corning - Great - $$$ Hilton Garden Inn https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/f707d6f3-aa1d-4ae8-b2a2-5bd58fa95e3a/RadissonCorning.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Corning - Great - $$$ Radisson Inn https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/724f8e30-6ebf-48b7-8ac7-94384e8f18fb/IMG_5928.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Corning - Corning Museum of Glass - Corning This is a must see museum during any visit to Corning. Even if you have been there in the past, they have new exhibitions and shows that change constantly. Glass blowing demonstrations, huge stained glass exhibits, and a room full of Tiffany’s creations - everything here is spectacular and fascinating as well. Now 1/3 of their revenue is from fiber optic cable and less is from the glassware like it was years ago, but the company has continued to innovate and that is why they have been so successful for the last 150 years. The museum has so many things to see, it will take you the entire morning to see everything. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/f7c5e25e-6a13-4f85-be6f-fbdffca6323f/RockwellMuseum.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Corning - Rockwell Museum - Corning As an affiliate of the Smithsonian, the Rockwell Museum is a great museum that focuses on American art, paintings, and sculptures. There are a lot of western paintings and sculptures that present a historical picture of our country’s past through art. There are frequent changes to the collections that are featured here, so you will always see something new each time you visit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a4eb196f-1a35-4db7-96a9-78c6890ffd92/IMG_5950.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Corning - Walk Through Downtown - Corning Many small towns have the main street in the middle of town that has interesting shops and activities, but Market Street in Corning takes that up a notch. Art and glass galleries, fine dining restaurants, and a central square with a 40 foot high clocktower with a 1400 pound bell are just a few of the things to do. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/408a2034-66bb-44dc-ae8e-f3c725c2a08b/SoaringMuseum.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Corning - National Soaring Museum/Glider Ride - Elmira Flying in an engineless plane at 4000 feet may sound scary to some people, but don’t worry - you will come out of the journey without a scratch and have a sense of serenity from seeing the beauty of the landscape below with no sounds except the wind. If you are scared of heights or just not into flying around with no engine, the museum itself is interesting and it shows you how Elmira became the home of soaring and held many Soaring Contests at Harris Hill. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/28d19086-4a78-4e42-9958-f53327a49f98/QuincyExchange.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Corning - Best - $$$$ The Quincy Exchange https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/331a6d51-f38a-4753-a028-e7ba7d6f1706/ThreeBirdsRestaurant.jpeg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Corning - Great - $$$ Three Birds Restaurant https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/7c1a7139-8515-4e2b-b1e5-843d14edd50b/TheCellarCorning.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Corning - Great - $$$ The Cellar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/60987a8a-bb49-4c40-b4fc-ab6e267dbefa/WineAndDesign.jpg Finger Lakes - Daycation - Corning - Wine and Design - Corning Don’t be afraid of this nighttime activity, even if you have no artistic ability whatsoever, you will still have fun. You don’t have to be channeling your inner Van Gogh to enjoy this, in fact you can paint on a glass, furniture, a wall, or canvas if you so choose. AND - you are drinking wine while you do it, so how can it not be fun? Wine by Design is a great way to have some night time enjoyment even if you have never held a paintbrush in your life! https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/buffalo-niagara-videos daily 0.75 2022-07-13 https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/leonard-oakesharvest-pairing-meal daily 0.75 2022-09-18 https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/schulzeharvest-pairing-meal daily 0.75 2022-09-21 https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/leonard-oaksharvest-pairing-meal daily 0.75 2022-09-20 https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/chateauniagaraharvestpairingmeal daily 0.75 2022-12-03 https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/adirondacks-main daily 0.75 2023-01-26 https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/adirondacks-good-eats daily 0.75 2023-02-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/2938a245-4c8d-43c7-b8f4-7c03f2c60f30/TheViewMirrorLakeInn.jfif Adirondacks - Good Eats - The Top 5 Fine Dining Restaurants in the Adirondacks… The Best Fine Dinging in the Finger Lakes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/e1949ade-aee4-4553-9a01-6a5389ec60f0/TopOfThePark3.jpg Adirondacks - Good Eats - Great Food at a Reasonable Price Great Restaurants for a Reasonable Price https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/56492842-d3f4-4741-a80a-077c8cafba0d/FiddleheadBistro.jpg Adirondacks - Good Eats - Great Dives and Diners Greasy Spoons and Breakfast Joints - Our Faves https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/adirondacks-things-to-do daily 0.75 2023-01-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/6ed50897-9046-47bf-9546-b58dadb344a9/WatertownWhiteWaterRafting.jpeg Adirondacks - Things to Do - Outdoor Activities https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8ed28318-6a36-4205-b720-3d6b8218441b/WhitefaceMountain.jpg Adirondacks - Things to Do - Skiing https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ac0f0fb2-1c2e-4540-aa6a-6609816c0edc/100_2235.JPG Adirondacks - Things to Do - Hikes and Bikes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/5adbac3f-4e2e-4e97-ba39-d781a8a00141/BoldtCastle.jpg Adirondacks - Things to Do - Museums/ Theatre https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/adirondacks-libations daily 0.75 2023-02-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/df394345-a29b-4428-b683-ef59e6677d13/AdirondackWinery2.jpg Adirondacks - Libations - Adirondack Winery - Queensbury The main production facility and tasting room in Queensbury is where it all happens. Not only can you taste their numerous wines at the facility, tour the winery, and for all of you who have a sweet tooth there is another surprise - Wine Ice Cream! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/952a80cd-5102-423a-bb6d-283433f6e77a/RollingHillsEstateWinery.jpg Adirondacks - Libations - Rolling Hills Estate Winery - Westport This is a beautiful winery right on Lake Champlain. The lake helps the growing season and the soil helps to make this one of the best wineries in the ADK’s. Colder climate varietals that you don’t see anywhere else in NY do well here, like St. Croix, Marquette, and Sabrevois. The wines are great and you can eat, drink, and stay on the property. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/e55be048-b4e2-4068-a62d-577d90fe31c2/GrindstoneWinery2.jpeg Adirondacks - Libations - Grindstone Island Winery - Grindstone Island We like when there is a great story to go along with a great wine. The pedigree for the winemaker here, Dominic Carisetti, is pretty impressive. Senior winemaker at Taylor and Great Western wineries in the FLX, then Manager of Wine making for Canandaigua Wines (which is now Constellation Brands, one of the largest winemaking companies in the world). Now he makes the wines at a small winery on one of the 1000 Islands. They make the standards of Chardonnay, Reisling, and Baco Noir, but they also have a Tawny Red with Marquette, Baco Noir, and Frontenac - some great cold climate Reds. You have to go here in the summer because the winery is truly on an island, but the trip there is part of the charm of the experience. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/adirondacks-places-to-stay daily 0.75 2023-01-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/26362824-3972-49a3-93c5-61d54c83a4d1/SagamoreFrontView.jpg Adirondacks - Places To Stay - The Sagamore Resort - Bolton Landing Originally built in 1883, The Sagamore has welcomed many wealthy and influential people as well as families looking for an upscale experience that harkens another era. There is no way to be bored here with a myriad of activity options. From relaxing poolside with a cocktail while overlooking Lake George, a boat ride on The Morgan (the resort’s 72 foot cruiser), a round of golf at their Donald Ross designed course, a spa day, and gourmet dining options - there is plenty to do. There is also a peaceful serenity you feel here that allows you to decompress while experiencing the best of modern conveniences. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/c5476e3d-aa92-4b44-87ef-853623187fee/MirrorLakeInn.jpg Adirondacks - Places To Stay - Mirror Lake Inn - Lake Placid Lake Placid is a four season destination with plenty of options year round and the Mirror Lake Inn is our favorite place to stay there. On one of our winter trips there it was -15 degrees, and even though we didn’t step outside until it warmed up, we still found plenty of things to do. With a great spa, indoor pool, numerous dining options - including a restaurant right on Mirror Lake, or just sitting in front of a fireplace with a hot toddie, all of the experiences here are top notch at this award winning hotel. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/17611754-004c-42b1-9733-20157ba5974e/ThePointInside.jpg Adirondacks - Places To Stay - The Point - Saranac Lake Originally constructed as the Rockefellers summer getaway destination, The Point has all of the charm and elegance that you would imagine that the world’s first billionaire would build. It also comes with a price tag that only wealthy people could afford at over $2000 a night. It is definitely worth the price with nightly 5 course wine pairing meals made by a chef who has worked at Michelin rated restaurants, and in room massage options. So if you can afford it, this is a place that will make you feel like a Rockefeller. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/da4784bb-faf0-492b-8a2f-f97555af4a22/LakePlacidLodge3.jpg Adirondacks - Places To Stay - Lake Placid Lodge - Lake Placid Many people who visit Lake Placid don’t realize that the lake they see in the main retail area is Mirror Lake and Lake Placid is actually a few miles away. But it is worth it to stay a few miles away to experience the wonderful Lake Placid Lodge! The peaceful tranquility of a lake in your backyard, helps you to wash the stress of life away and relax for awhile. When you get hungry, the food at Artisans Restaurant that includes favorites like Oysters, Waygu Ribeye, and Lobster Bisque is definitely upscale dining fare. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d999a2c7-a598-46b2-b725-5206967e0462/BigMooseInn2.jpg Adirondacks - Places To Stay - Big Moose Inn - Eagle Bay The town of Inlet is at the top of the Fulton chain of Lakes, but just 7 miles from there is Big Moose Lake and a quaint hotel that sits right on said lake - The Big Moose Inn. Though it isn’t as upscale as some of the others on this list, but it makes up for it with charm and character. Sitting on the back porch with a glass of wine or going for a canoe ride on the serene lake is the perfect way to wash your stress away. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/6bc77bca-a855-4a93-a136-617f90f0ccf9/GreatCampSagamore.jpg Adirondacks - Places To Stay - Great Camp Sagamore - Raquette Lake This great resort that was owned by the Vanderbilt family for many years, now is available to everyone. With group dining in the beautiful Dining Hall with excellent food, to rustic and beautiful traditional Adirondack rooms, this is a great place to stay on your Adirondack getaway. It is only open from June to October, but if you love the ADK’s, you will love this place. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/adirondacks-daycations daily 0.75 2023-01-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/854890c7-0401-4c5a-8d90-7f5863c5f2cd/IMG_1761.JPG Adirondacks - Daycations - Lake Placid - Olympics History, Skiing, Beautiful Lakes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/e262a3c5-8a8b-43f5-933b-e22ae49a5678/100_1419.JPG Adirondacks - Daycations - Old Forge Area - Waterfront Beauty, Scenic Boat Rides, Hike a Mountain https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3240de4e-efb1-48f7-b64d-e7661c6b4af1/SagamoreOutside.jpg Adirondacks - Daycations - Lake George and Bolton Landing - Lakeside Tranquility https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/73cebfb5-df8e-485c-99cc-8fa8a427ecab/BoldtCastle.jpg Adirondacks - Daycations - Alexandria Bay and the 1000 Islands https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/adirondacks-videos daily 0.75 2023-01-15 https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/adirondacks-gallery daily 0.75 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/67946076-1d20-4999-a3b4-2d127f292048/IMG_0951.JPG Adirondacks - Gallery Lake Placid view from a nearby mountain https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/51d62e24-a489-4461-aa28-02b5a23c1570/IMG_0968.JPG Adirondacks - Gallery Summer View of Ski Hill from a Seaplane https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/2018cf53-5e81-47f6-bb68-cc347e7da893/IMG_0986.JPG Adirondacks - Gallery Things freeze even in the summer in the mountains! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/27775c34-be02-4c70-a5fa-46c5ffac98a4/100_1401.JPG Adirondacks - Gallery Boating in the Fulton Chain of Lakes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1672692722124-4PGVCVGB3MGDAAC6W0A6/100_1423.jpg Adirondacks - Gallery Lighthouse near Old Forge https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/7ffbcd9c-4361-4972-9e5b-f80d102a64e1/100_2235.JPG Adirondacks - Gallery The Fulton Chain of Lakes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1672692773112-CE58Y22JR4K1ZA08MR0T/100_2280.jpg Adirondacks - Gallery Adirondack Town from the Air https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/c8357aa5-cd3b-465f-91ca-df1943f7fd58/100_1368.JPG Adirondacks - Gallery Fulton Chain of Lakes near Inlet https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/9e2270a6-2709-4e5d-a323-7cd79fcc9572/DSCF1718.JPG Adirondacks - Gallery Great Train Ride in Old Forge https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d3b6bc4b-cd12-4134-8f77-720a8db84005/Keuka+Lake-Lake+Placid+021.jpg Adirondacks - Gallery Ausable Chasm https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/6ece9419-a27f-4bb1-aaf2-f297d64685b8/Essex+NY.jpg Adirondacks - Gallery Essex, NY (Photo by Evan Lowenstein) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/4914eaf1-805b-402b-9ece-5ec814228973/John+Browns+Farm-+North+Elba+NY.jpg Adirondacks - Gallery John Brown's Farm (Photo by Evan Lowenstein) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/fa6b63d5-d150-45cd-8c7d-e6fe9520bee9/Lake+Lila-+Whitney+Wilderness.jpg Adirondacks - Gallery Morning on a Lake (Photo by Evan Lowenstein) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/795808f3-935f-4f4d-b3a1-1d851f071fa8/Lake+Placid+NY.jpg Adirondacks - Gallery Lake Placid Ski Jump (Photo by Evan Lowenstein) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/038679a3-88dc-4eaa-b8ef-4cee7306e19c/Piseco+Lake%281%29.jpg Adirondacks - Gallery Piseco Lake (Photo by Evan Lowenstein) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/e34f30b0-c983-4454-bd64-9ac7e306ba5b/Rollins+Pond.PNG Adirondacks - Gallery Rollins Pond (Photo by Evan Lowenstein) https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/adirondacks-area-map daily 0.75 2023-01-15 https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/adirondacks-outdoor-activities daily 0.75 2023-01-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/be69526b-756a-4fc5-a25a-bc827f7b8868/IMG_1761.JPG Adirondacks - Outdoor Activities - Mt. Van Hoevenberg Bobsled Track - Lake Placid Mt. Van Hoevenberg is an incredible place to visit all year round with many great things to do not matter what your age or ability. In the summer you can ride the longest roller coaster in the U.S. and have miles of beautiful views in all directions. This coaster is suitable for young and old, so don’t be a chicken - try it! During the summer you can take a bus to the top of the track and actually walk in it. This allows you to feel first hand what Bobsledders see and feel. You can also hike the 35 miles of trails that were used by Olympians for the cross country skiing events. In the winter you can ride on the Olympic track in a Bobsled up to 55mph as an expert steers you through the course! One of the times we were there just happened to be during an International Bobsled competition. We walked up the hill in the snow following the twists and turns, seeing sleds coming down as we went. When we got to the top and saw the racers starting out pushing the sled before jumping in, it felt like we were at the Olympics. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/2a7d6a3c-5761-4d1f-82e5-966abe9566a3/NorthCreekWWR.jpg Adirondacks - Outdoor Activities - White Water Rafting - North Creek A 16 mile whitewater rafting trip in the Hudson River Gorge is a great way for anyone to get an adrenaline rush, but the Square Eddy Excursion is our fave. Since it is a dam release river, you don’t have to worry about a summer dry spell ruining your trip. With Class II and III rapids, the adventurer in your group will have fun, and the fuddy-duddy types won’t be trembling with fear. Even the scenery around the river is beautiful and pristine. This is a fun and exhilarating way to spend a summer day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3699aebd-67f4-4f32-9d15-ee0a2a645b84/AusableChasm.jpg Adirondacks - Outdoor Activities - Ausable Chasm (in the town of Ausable Chasm) Since 1870, it has been called the most scenic walking trail in the state, Ausable Chasm lived up to that lofty billing. There are 4 miles of walking trails with beautiful waterfalls, ice-age boulders, and scenic views. The standard tour consists of a one mile walk through the gorge with a rafting float back. For the Adventurous folk in your crew, the Adventure Trail adds cable bridges, a cargo net climb, edge walks, and other more challenging terrain. If you can’t make it in the summer, there are winter tours as well that are safe even with a fresh coat of snow on the trails. You can also do tubing floats, rappelling, rock climbing, and even a night time lantern tour. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8143b4e1-8c5c-4a8a-bb5b-e93434fd08b1/OlympicSkiJump.jpg Adirondacks - Outdoor Activities - The Olympic Ski Jump Complex - Lake Placid We pride ourselves on being adventurous/multi-faceted people, but after we took a gondola ride to the base of the ski jumping platforms, then rode in an elevator 26 stories high, the door opened and we looked down at what a 120 meter ski jumper sees all of the time. In my head the phrase, “you have to be a crazy person to do this”. The picture on the right does no justice to how high you are, and that the ski jumpers are going 60mph on a frozen ice track before they take off! While you are here, you can ride a zip-line back down the hill, or just get back in the gondola while you are still thinking about how crazy ski-jumpers are. The aerial skiers practice here as well, so in the summer you can see Olympic hopefuls doing triple-reverse-backflips and other moves into a pool of water as part of their training for the snow in the winter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/2385b13c-c284-4063-811d-85f345918054/TopOfWhiteface.jpg Adirondacks - Outdoor Activities - The Top of Whiteface Mtn (by Car) - Wilmington Lions and Tigers and Bears - Oh my! Sorry about the cheesy intro there, but it seemed like a good starter. Since 1893, the zoo has been entertaining kids and adults with the widest variety of animals in the area. The “Step Into Africa” exhibit features numerous animals from the African plains, and you will find everything from Elephants to walrus’s within the boundaries of the zoo. Over 90 different types of animals are on display. Kids and adults will both find things here to enjoy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/9a182e7d-4a0b-4967-ae2e-1518cd829418/IMG_E0995.JPG Adirondacks - Outdoor Activities - Helms Aero Service Seaplane Ride - Long Lake If you want to see the Adirondacks from the air, then a seaplane ride is the way to go! The perspective of the mountains, lakes, and small towns that you pass over is amazing from the air! We’ve been on a few different seaplanes in NY, but IMO this is the best one. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d7047697-fed3-45de-b843-ecb67d43e81c/DSCF1717.JPG Adirondacks - Outdoor Activities - Adirondack Scenic Railroad - Thendara (Old Forge) This trip through time on the Adirondack Railroad that runs from Utica to Tupper Lake has numerous options for different excursions throughout the year including Valentine’s Dinner Excursions, Beer and Wine Tasting Trips, and numerous round trips from Utica to Old Forge and back. In this era of planes and automobile travel, it is a great change of pace to travel on a transportation mode of days gone by. Our favorite is from the Thendara station in Old Forge that took us through the beautiful Fulton Chain of Lakes area, but there are many great excursions throughout the year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/b8534d87-e25a-4c3b-92a7-0e55de7a3ef2/ExperienceOutdoors.jpg Adirondacks - Outdoor Activities - Experience Outdoors - Lake Placid Looking for a challenge and some great exercise all-in-one? The name of the place is Experience Outdoors for a reason. Zip lining, suspended rope climbs, repelling, and all out exhilarating natural beauty all around you - that is what Experience Outdoors has to offer. This isn’t for the feint of heart or ‘fraid of heights folks, but anyone in moderate to good shape with a taste for adventure should definitely give it a try! https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/adirondacks-museums daily 0.75 2023-01-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/200c02fa-e7db-46df-8998-f0abb70b8fd8/BoldtCastle.jpg Adirondacks - Museums/Theatre - Boldt Castle - Alexandria Bay The manager of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan had an architectural team start building the 6 story Boldt Castle in 1900 as a present to his wife. Unfortunately, she passed away before the house was completed and he never went there again. This is now preserved as a museum and it is a great way to spend a summer day marveling at the incredible house. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/efb3469b-1e96-4721-91ba-55471a3533a2/OlympicMuseum.jpg Adirondacks - Museums/Theatre - The Olympic Museum - Lake Placid There is only one place in the United States that has hosted the Winter Olympics twice - Lake Placid, New York! In both 1932 and 1980, this quaint Adirondack town played host to the world and featured some fantastic sporting moments like the Miracle on Ice in 1980 when the U.S. Men’s Hockey Gold Medal and Eric Heiden’s 5 speedskating gold medals. With numerous historical videos and memorabilia, this recently renovated Olympic Museum will make any American proud as you relive the history and successes of our Olympic history. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/867731e5-3243-4c55-ac2c-3d4b4cb5bcf4/AdirondackExperienceBuilding.jfif Adirondacks - Museums/Theatre - The Adirondack Experience - Blue Mountain Lake If living in a city in the 1800’s was tough - think about what it would be like in the middle of the Adirondacks? Stagecoaches, boats, horse and buggy - we can only imagine. But, you can get what the experience was like way back when at The Adirondack Experience. It is a great museum with great videos, exhibitions, and views into what life was like in rural NY in days gone by. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/c083ed0f-457f-4812-bc84-2bbb5e4e53f9/SingerCastle.jpg Adirondacks - Museums/Theatre - Singer Castle - Chippewa Bay In the early 1900’s the Singer Sewing Machine company, which was based in New York City, was an extremely successful company. The company’s President Frederick Bourne purchased Dark Island in 1902 and built a 4 story, 28 bedroom mansion as his family’s “upstate getaway home”. The home had a few different owners over the years, but now it is a historic site and it is a great place to visit when you are in the 1000 Islands Area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/426db1f8-a2a7-469f-ae5e-872ee35003e2/FortTiconderoga.jpg Adirondacks - Museums/Theatre - Fort Ticonderoga - Ticonderoga Back in 1758 before there was a United States, the French built this fort at the end of Lake Champlain to keep British soldiers from accessing the waterway. It played a bigger role in the Revolutionary war when a now infamous Benedict Arnold made the British commander surrender control of the Fort. If you are a history buff or just want a beautiful view of the lake, it is a great thing to see on a summer afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/17af23ef-36ae-418c-bcca-9d3028503e90/ClaytonOperaHouse.jpg Adirondacks - Museums/Theatre - Clayton Opera House - Clayton The Clayton Opera House hosts music and theatrical performances throughout the year. With only 280 seats for most performances, it is an intimate venue with great acoustics. It is well maintained and gives the summertime guests in the 1000 Islands area a nice venue for performances. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/596ad1d3-4b6d-4071-b319-a39c99b9e9bc/PendragonTheatre.jpg Adirondacks - Museums/Theatre - Pendragon Theatre - Saranac Lake With five different shows each year and numerous other music and theatrical shows, the Pendragon Theatre is one of the best places in the Adirondacks to take in a show. Any summertime visit to Saranac Lake or Lake Placid should include taking in a show at Pendragon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/49fbcd24-656b-4479-8842-614aff7a501f/SaranacLaboratory.jpg Adirondacks - Museums/Theatre - The Saranac Laboratory - Saranac Lake During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, tuberculosis killed millions of Americans. In 1876, Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau came to Saranac Lake in an attempt to cure the disease. Having been diagnosed with the disease himself, he quickly found that the fresh Adirondack air helped his condition significantly. He continued to research the disease at the “Cure Cottage” and Saranac Lake quickly became a place where people from all over the world came for relief from the disease. The Trudeau institute still exists in Saranac Lake doing high level research on infectious diseases and the Saranac Laboratory Museum is an interesting place to visit to learn about how this small town helped save many lives. Interesting side note - Dr. Trudeau’s great grandson is Garry Trudeau who wrote the comic strip Doonesbury, and he grew up in Saranac Lake. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/196b9b38-5bc3-44d6-b350-ae4fabc8d383/GreatCampSagamore.jpg Adirondacks - Museums/Theatre - Great Camp Sagamore - Raquette Lake Because of the beauty of the ADK’s, many of the richest families in the U.S. had houses there. The Vanderbilt’s were no exception. Great Camp Sagamore. For many years, the rich and famous flocked to this idyllic resort to hob-nob, gamble, and relax with other well to do people. Now it is an education center, hotel, restaurant, hiking, and educational programs focused on the Adirondack history and lifestyle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/6f23aa2c-bdd5-4163-aab3-04b6e8f1d938/LakePlacidCenterForTheArts.jpg Adirondacks - Museums/Theatre - Lake Placid Center for the Arts - Lake Placid Lake Placid Center for the Arts has been hosting travelers from around the globe since 1972. Besides the numerous theatrical performances that the Center puts on each year, there is also an art museum on the property that hosts rotating exhibits and has artwork available for purchase from local artists that portray the beauty of the ADK region in their paintings, drawings, and photographs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3171858c-c1aa-4a4c-9588-880f3696eb71/JohnBrownsFarm.jpg Adirondacks - Museums/Theatre - John Brown’s Farm - Lake Placid A few years before the beginning of the Civil War, a man named John Brown and his followers raided the U.S. armory at Harper’s Ferry and planned to liberate large quantities in slaves in the South. Unfortunately, he was captured in Charlestown, VA and he was eventually tried and hanged. His modest home and farm still stands in Lake Placid and it provides you with a perspective on what life was like in the 1850’s with the well-maintained and historically accurate homestead. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/adirondacks-hikes-and-bikes daily 0.75 2023-01-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/2da82cf0-ff43-4880-bfbb-d23b2756cb10/IMG_0980.JPG Adirondacks - Hikes and Bikes - Whiteface Mountain - Wilmington This is a 5.7-mile hike, one-way, to the summit. From the trailhead you will hike through an attractive open forest along a well-trodden foot trail for 1.2 miles. For the most part, the grade isn't too steep but it is very steady. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/864b04e4-5a79-4b02-b8cf-f574ee86db87/100_2235.JPG Adirondacks - Hikes and Bikes - Bald Mountain - Old Forge This is a fun hike and a great thing to do when you are in the Old Forge area. It is an easy to moderate hike with a 500 foot vertical rise. The best part of this hike is the view of Fourth Lake when you are standing on the huge rock outcropping at the the top of the mountain. It is a great place to have a seat and enjoy the view and tranquility with no sound except the wind. The Rondaxe fire tower at the top of the 2350 foot summit gives you an even better view of the surrounding area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3796ef63-8d56-4e26-922c-b60e89781678/CascadeMountain.jpg Adirondacks - Hikes and Bikes - Cascade Mountain - Keene If you are staying in Lake Placid, this is a great hike starting at the trailhead on Route 73. It is a pretty easy climb with only a couple of spots that you have to climb over some big rocks. The scenery is worth it with a river and waterfall near the trail that are definitely picture worthy. The pay-off at the top of the mountain that you see to the right is the show stopper, though! A beautiful view of miles and miles of the ADK mountains. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/84f7e0af-3daf-4db3-80df-4cbe8691c258/SeventhLakeBiking.jpg Adirondacks - Hikes and Bikes - Seventh Lake Bike Trail - Inlet Get out your mountain bike for this 4 1/2 mile biking adventure near the shore of Seventh Lake in Inlet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8b32d0f5-10cc-48df-8b8c-e8e344fc6eed/MendonPondsPic2.jfif Adirondacks - Hikes and Bikes - Mendon Ponds Park, Pittsford This 2500 acre park just south of Rochester has over 21 miles of trails, canoeing/kayaking, fishing, horseback riding, and picnic options. This multitude of activities makes it a great place to bike, hike, and visit any time of year. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/98f32f7d-71f8-434b-a370-59556de1a38f/conklinsgully.jpg Adirondacks - Hikes and Bikes - Conklin’s Gully, Naples With almost a 1200 foot vertical rise, this hike isn’t for everyone, but once you reach the top and see the view in the picture to the left, it is definitely worth it. There is a gorge next to the trail most of the way so you have some beautiful photo ops coupled with a couple of “just stare down at the trail” moments as you see a 200 foot drop a few yards from the trail. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/6be76486-b769-4609-9719-2d437641cbd4/IMG_1340.JPG Adirondacks - Hikes and Bikes - Grimes Glen, Naples For the faint of heart who don’t want to attempt Conklin’s Gully a mile away, this is a nice one mile hike that ends at the waterfall on the right. It is a refreshing swim near the falls on a hot summer day. It gets pretty crowded on the weekends and the parking isn’t that great, so we advise going during the week or off-peak season if you can. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/326c2d32-7e45-42d0-8c16-c77fb6d3ab12/FingerLaksTrail.jpg Adirondacks - Hikes and Bikes - The Finger Lakes Trail, The Whole Darn State! At 580 miles long with an additional 412 miles of spur trails, the trail covers most of the state that isn’t the NYC area. There are many places in the Finger Lakes that you can find a trail head and hike as many miles as you choose. If you want to join the prestigious “End-To-Ender Club”, you need to have a couple of months of free time and be in really great shape, but there are over 500 certified End-to-Enders. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3a010dda-e615-4a87-a025-8ee0033ec3bd/abrahamlincolnpark.jpg Adirondacks - Hikes and Bikes - Abraham Lincoln Park, Webster Right off of the very busy retail street, Empire Boulevard in Webster, you can surprisingly find quiet and peaceful hiking trails that give you beautiful views of Irondequoit Bay. After the first 1/4 mile of the hike you look around and say - “what is wrong with this picture? 5 minutes ago I was in retail Hell and now I am in the middle of nowhere! I love it!” We said that exact same thing the first time that we hiked here. At the end of the 3 mile trail north is a beautiful Lodge that can be rented for special occasions, but if you just want a couple of hour getaway from the suburban jungle, this is the place to go. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3f08dab9-63bc-431f-9c54-157b4e1518c2/DryerRoadPark.jfif Adirondacks - Hikes and Bikes - Dryer Road Park, Victor Even though you can hike, snowshoe, or cross country ski here, this park is made for Mountain Bikers. With 15 miles and 29 trails specifically made for mountain biking, all levels of riders can feel at home. During my first time here as a novice mountain biker, I met up with a park regular who showed me the ropes on various levels of trails. The 2nd time I went over my handlebars and into the dirt on an advanced trail he looked at me and said, “you are certainly resilient”! Inside he was saying, “the dumb-ass should stick to the novice trails”, but I caught his drift. At any rate and skill level of biking and hiking, it is a great place to check out. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/748776cc-f1d6-4216-b7c7-858d64bbd82c/CummingNatureTrails.jpg Adirondacks - Hikes and Bikes - Cumming Nature Trails, Naples With 6 miles of walking trails, 15 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails, and 3 miles of snowshoe trails on 900 acres, the Cumming Nature Trails has things to do in all 4 seasons. There is also a visitor center in the park that is a quasi-museum providing information about the animals you will see and their habitats as well as the history of the Seneca Tribe which were the first inhabitants of the area. It is a great place to spend a few hours with beautiful views of Canandaigua Lake nearby. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a86fe1af-846d-4b40-867e-92f2a02818b4/GeneseeValleyGreenway.jpg Adirondacks - Hikes and Bikes - Genesee Valley Greenway - Rochester to Hinsdale This 90 mile trail through the Finger Lakes Region allows hikers and bikers to experience a wide variety of sights and trails. A majority of the trail is an old railway bed that is a straight, level surface, but the Greenway also passes through woodlands, wetlands, river and stream valleys, and historic villages in sixteen towns. This is a great way to discover the Finger Lakes with a multi-day trip with hiking/biking by day and experiencing the small town charm of Upstate New York at night. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/adirondacks-skiing daily 0.75 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/fbe99df6-d2d0-468f-b7b9-2b8cf4f9a4c6/WhitefaceMountain.jpg Adirondacks - Skiing - Whiteface Mountain - Wilmington If you have ever go skiing in New York, you have to go to Whiteface Mountain! It has the highest vertical drop east of the Rockies, it is where all of the alpine events were held in the 1980 Olympics, and it has a lot of long/fun trails. Depending on when you go in the winter, you can also see World Cup races up close and personal. With 94 trails that stretch over 24 miles on three peaks, you need more than a day to ski them all. After you are done skiing for the day, the lodge at the bottom of the mountain is always rockin’ with bands, beers, and stories about great wipe-outs! Also, since it is just a 30 minute drive from Lake Placid, you can see two of the best attractions in the Adirondacks in one day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a1091c45-2cc7-4d35-a1e8-5006172b336a/GoreMountain.jpg Adirondacks - Skiing - Gore Mountain - North Creek Gore Mountain doesn’t have the cache’ that Whiteface has, but it is a great skiing destination as well. With 107 trails and 15 ski lifts, you can’t go wrong here. Being that it is only an hour from Albany, it gets a lot more “day-skiers” than Whiteface. It has a great vertical drop at over 2500 feet so you won’t feel like your ski run ended 15 seconds after it started. There are also a bunch of good places to stay near the mountain and after the sun goes down, North Creek bustles with ski-tourists hitting the bars, attractions, and restaurants. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/4861d6df-33d1-4c60-b7d9-84a3965faf77/SnowRidge2.jpg Adirondacks - Skiing - Snow Ridge - Turin If there is one of those rare winters when the ADK’s don’t get much snow, there is one place that you can still ski on fresh powder - Snow Ridge. The mountain averages over 230 inches of snow a year thanks to its proximity to the east side of Lake Ontario where there is almost always snow falling if the temperature is below 32 degrees! The vertical drop is only in the 500 feet range, but it is much closer to the major Upstate, NY cities than the bigger hills and of course there is that snow thing that is kind of necessary for skiing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/11cfd9d9-f070-426d-9dbd-793d3ad99620/TitusMountain.jpg Adirondacks - Skiing - Titus Mountain - Malone Yes, Titus Mountain is closer to Montreal than any major American cities, but it is a good hill with 1200ft vertical that can still give you a fun ski day. And the mountain is open at night unlike the bigger hills, so you have that going for you. It is a challenging hill for a peaceful ski day without the crowds. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/adirondacks-daycation-lake-placid daily 0.75 2023-01-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a36ee004-c714-4c58-a9bd-4296fb3dbea9/LakePlacidLodge.jpg Adirondacks - Daycation - Lake Placid - Best - $$$$ Lake Placid Lodge https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/78a8cae2-6b0c-4b41-bdee-5036af76c5a1/MirrorLakeInn.jpg Adirondacks - Daycation - Lake Placid - Great - $$$$ Mirror Lake Inn https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/0db1c030-eeb0-4e68-8a1b-75dccea965d9/CrownePlazaLakePlacid.jpg Adirondacks - Daycation - Lake Placid - Great - $$$ Crowne Plaza Lake Placid https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3b5d82da-4a52-4d96-ab21-752917ee7a41/LakePlacidOlympicMuseum2.jpg Adirondacks - Daycation - Lake Placid - The Olympic Museum This interactive museum that chronicles the 1932 and 1980 Olympics is a fantastic way to spend the morning in Lake Placid. Even if you aren’t a sports fan, there is so much to see here. Marveling at how simple the speed skates and other equipment from the 1932 Olympics were is fascinating, but thinking about someone going 45mph using wooden skis makes you wonder how the athletes survived much less succeeded. And as many people in our age group remember the successes of the 1980 Olympics with the Men’s Hockey Team winning the gold, Chuck Mangione playing at the opening ceremonies, Eric Heiden’s 5 Gold Medals, and sister Beth’s medal. You can also see the hockey arenas from 1980 and 1932 as well as skate on the speedskating track which is right next to the museum. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/eff548b2-c1d2-4e01-a8a1-711c0cfc45e2/MainStreetLakePlacid.jpg Adirondacks - Daycation - Lake Placid - A Walk Down Main Street No trip to Lake Placid would be complete without the customary walk down Main Street. No matter what season that you go, there are always great things to see as you walk through the town with Mirror Lake a stone’s throw away. In the winter, there is a toboggan run at the end of the lake that let’s you channel your inner 14 year-old self that will take you more than 300 yards onto the lake after you speed down the frozen chute. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/5dc60edf-b8f5-43d3-8c06-424706774c83/SkiJumpingComplex.jpeg Adirondacks - Daycation - Lake Placid - Olympic Ski Jumping Complex - Lake Placid Just two and a half miles from downtown Lake Placid is a fascinating place where you can watch prospective Olympians practice year round. At the base of the mountain you can watch aerial skiers performing their acrobatics on snow in the winter or landing in a pond in the summer. From there you take the Gondola to the base of the ski jumping platform then ride a 26 story high elevator to the top of the platform where you can marvel at an amazing view of the ADK mountains and be amazed with the courage that ski jumpers have to even try their craft. After the elevator returns you to ground level, you can zipline down the mountain or just take the gondola back down if you’re not feeling adventurous. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/5f7ca8f1-79d3-4837-bca7-ef6d553e8825/IMG_0974.JPG Adirondacks - Daycation - Lake Placid - Whiteface Mountain - Wilmington In the summer months the amazing view to the right awaits you with a drive up Whiteface Mountain and a walk to the top from there. In the winter, you can strap on your skis and take the gondola up the mountain to ski the highest vertical drop ski hill east of the Rockies. If you aren’t that athletically inclined https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/07dfa859-4879-440c-8157-2bb02ca2531a/TopOfThePark2.jpg Adirondacks - Daycation - Lake Placid - Top of the Park - Lake Placid All skiers know the phrase - Apres Ski! The dictionary definition is social activities and entertainment after skiing, but we just call it “having a glass of wine or two”. Even if it is summer and it is Apres Hike, Apres Museum, etc. - the perfect Lake Placid apres place is Top of the Park! With tons of different varietals to choose from and a gorgeous view of Mirror Lake on the back patio, it is the perfect Apres Anything prior to dinner on your Lake Placid Daycation. For the non-wino’s out there, they have cocktails and beer as well, but we always have our “that was a great day chat over a glass of wine. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/150c13b6-b6fc-4a71-b477-c25d0ff3f6a4/TheViewMirrorLakeInn.jfif Adirondacks - Daycation - Lake Placid - Best - $$$$ The View https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/099d52a0-9a61-4cf9-9189-ec998b8920a3/SaltofTheEarthBistro.jpg Adirondacks - Daycation - Lake Placid - Great - $$$ Salt of the Earth Bistro https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a922887c-102d-4b00-9e53-db7fd70c1e0d/FiddleheadBistro.jpg Adirondacks - Daycation - Lake Placid - Great - $$ Fiddlehead Bistro https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/6313fef1-6849-46ad-aa53-ea54cb9e0fad/LakePlacidCenter2.jfif Adirondacks - Daycation - Lake Placid - Lake Placid Center for the Arts With numerous productions throughout the year and rotating art exhibits, the LPCA is a great place to go for an artsy evening all year round. Many world-class artists pass through the doors of this 355-seat theatre.. Whether it is music, comedy, contemporary circus or dance - there is plenty of great shows to see here throughout the year. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/adirondacks-fine-dining daily 0.75 2023-02-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/ca274162-fbbf-4e05-9dba-733bb2470dfb/TheView3.jpg Adirondacks - Fine Dining - The View at Mirror Lake Inn - Lake Placid Yes, the view at The View is magnificent and the elegant decor sets a nice mood for a fine dining experience, but it is still the food that is the most important thing. And the food is great. With items like Pate and Foie Gras on the menu, it is definitely a fine dining cuisine. But if “fancy” food isn’t your gig, no worries, Filet Mignon, Salmon, and Pan Roasted Chicken breast is all on the menu as well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/4407f4fd-182f-4fc3-9062-4e2270582ab9/BistroLeRoux.jpg Adirondacks - Fine Dining - Bistro LeRoux - Lake George With a husband and wife Chef team who have extensive experiences at numerous fine dining restaurants, you know that you are in for a culinary treat when you eat at Bistro LeRoux! With entree options like Butter Poached Lobster Risotto and Seared Pork Chop Waldorf you know that you are in for a great fine dining experience when you eat here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/3510270b-f7ac-4c92-af2e-a2cdff80e252/Morgan%26Co.jpg Adirondacks - Fine Dining - Morgan & Co. - Glens Falls Built in 1891, the glamourous house that the restaurant is located in adds another layer of elegance to this fine dining experience. The grass fed beef steaks are what brings most people here, but there are also a bunch of non-Mooing entrees that will please your palate. Seafood Bouillabaisse, oysters, tuna tartare, Texas Brisket Lasagna and escargot stuffed mushrooms are a handful of the great menu options at Morgan & Co. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/0d6e211c-b7d3-456e-98b7-e20d98d49710/AnthonysRestuarantBistro.jpg Adirondacks - Fine Dining - Anthony’s Restaurant and Bistro - Plattsburgh A scant 30 miles from the Canadian border on Lake Champlain is an 11,000ish person town called Plattsburgh. There is fine dining restaurant there that has received the Wine Spectator “Award of Excellence” numerous times. And Anthony’s Restaurant and Bistro is also one of our favorite fine dining restaurants in the ADK’s. The chef and owner has been creating great meals with many locally sourced ingredients for over 30 years. With over 3800 bottles of wine available, and great entrees like filet mignon topped with lobster meat, white asparagus & bearnaise sauce, bacon wrapped pork loin with chorizo & apple Ragout, and grilled fillet of salmon with warm lobster salsa everyone who goes here can find a delectable dinner choice. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/2a9b26cf-0b64-49bd-b41a-303848f571d4/ClubGrillSagamore.jpeg Adirondacks - Fine Dining - Club Grill at the Sagamore Resort - Bolton Landing Like just about everything at the Sagamore, the Club Grill is top-notch. They serve all of the high-end cuts of meat, great seafoods, and exquisite side dishes - all of which are very tasty. The ambience inside keeps the “days gone by” elegance that the rest of the property has. One of the great things about the Sagamore is that if you are looking for a truly upscale experience, you never have to leave the resort! https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/adirondacks-great-food-great-price daily 0.75 2023-02-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/2cf19a4a-8f9b-4d7d-8ff4-18e68d07312c/VillaCoffeeHouse.jpg Adirondacks - Great Food Great Price - Villa Coffee House - Lewiston From the outside this restaurant appears to be your standard Breakfast and Coffee place, but there is a Crazy Good twist! On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights the chef, who used to be the Chef at a fancy French restaurant in Buffalo, prepares gourmet meals with great wine options that are as good as any Fine Dining restaurant in the Buffalo/Niagara Region. I had the Braised Oxtail and Lentil Soup as a starter and it was one of the best soups that I have ever had. For the main course, the Beef Brisket Ragu over homemade pasta was phenomenal. Everything that the rest of our group got was just as good. The only reason that this restaurant isn’t near the top of the 5 Best Fine Dining list is because ambience and high-end amenities are part of the Fine Dining experience. But if you like amazing food and great wines, put this place on the top of your list for an incredible Gastronomic experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1626037945164-X3WGZFRQ72L295VQIFWT/ShamusRestaurant.jpg Adirondacks - Great Food Great Price - Shamus Restaurant - Lockport The restaurant has been in business for over 70 years and we now know why - great food, great service, and an ambience of a well appointed late 1800’s building. The menu here runs the entire food gamut from comfort food to gourmet. You can get a Cheeseburger and Lobster and Shrimp Pasta and both are fantastic. I hadn’t seen Potato pancakes on a menu in a while and I am glad that I got them. They were very tasty. The ice cream stuffed cream puff for dessert was a great way to finish off a great meal. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1619708590594-GLFM240QMDW1BZ6DJR86/Zambistro3.jpg Adirondacks - Great Food Great Price - Zambistro - Medina This boutique restaurant on Main Street in Medina gives you Big Time culinary treats in a small town environment. Our favorite appetizer in the Buffalo/Niagara region can be found within these doors - the Tuna Package! Crusted Ahi Tuna cooked perfectly medium rare with a spicy cherry sauce drizzle is dEEElish! It is so good that we have tried to duplicate it at home, but we cannot quite get it right. For the carnivores out there, the Filet Mignon is always perfectly cooked with the accompanying Yukon Gold Mashed potatoes. Feeling Fishy? The Lobster Pasta with asparagus, mushrooms, and a Brandy Cream Sauce never dissappoints. Finish it off with the Ice Cream topped French Cream Puffs and you will be loosening the belt a notch with a smile on your face. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1626531778505-8XBUVNVGXNO4Q97WN7XA/RoycroftInn.jpg Adirondacks - Great Food Great Price - The Roycroft Inn - East Aurora Touring the Roycroft Museum is a great experience in it’s own right, but having a meal at the Inn is definitely a stop that any foodie should make. The menu has a lot of gourmet options at prices that don’t break the bank. For appetizers, we had the Shrimp and Lobster bisque and it was fantastic. We hadn’t seen homemade Potato chips on a menu before, so we had to try the Truffle chips. The combination of Black Truffle Oil, Gorgonzola Cheese, and sea salt made for the best chips we have ever had. This is what we call a “Can’t Go Wrong” Restaurant because everything on the menu is Uber tasty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/1626533915937-WS8MDSUYRX2TOWGYSHIM/Kuni%27s.jpg Adirondacks - Great Food Great Price - Kuni’s - Buffalo Good sushi is one of those foods that you just need to have when you have a hankerin’ for something different. And if you want the best Sushi in the Buffalo/Niagara region, Kuni’s is the place to get it. The Spicy Tuna was perfectly spiced and cooked and the Sushi rolls are particularly good. We always love the nostril clearing joy and flavor of Wasabi Shumai and there was definitely no stuffy nose after that appetizer! The Miso is another of our Sushi restaurant standard appetizers and that didn’t disappoint either. Sitting outside at a table on a quaint street in the middle of the city took us back to a simpler time when people would walk down the road to their neighborhood joint for some great food and great conversation as well. Two thumbs up for Kuni’s from us. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/a3826c8e-cca8-4f0c-b8a3-7e1d8d0cce7f/WebstersBistro.jpg Adirondacks - Great Food Great Price - Websters Bistro & Bar - Tonawanda Don’t let the name fool you, this isn’t a corner Beer Joint! The ambience is very elegant and with Appetizers like Oyster’s Rockefeller, Chicken Crepes, Pork Belly with Spätzle, the food is upscale and very tasty. They also have great signature cocktails and great wines by the glass and bottle. All of our entrees were very tasty as well. Our dinner guests had been there over 20 times and said that they had never gotten a bad meal there. After our great experience there, we agree even though we were 19 meals behind them… https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/adirondacks-diners daily 0.75 2023-02-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/d6306258-f3e7-4120-a90f-892ed417e472/WaltsDiner.jpg Adirondacks - Diners - Walt’s Diner - Old Forge If you are looking for a “Good Ole’ Fashion Diner” with all the traditional faves, look no further that Walt’s! Eggs, french toast, pancakes - check, check, and check. But there are a few surprises here as well. Since Utica, NY is only 50 miles south of Old Forge, a Utica staple of “Utica Greens” is on the menu here since the owner was originally from there. Most people know it as Greens and Beans, but adding hot peppers and bread crumbs gives Utica Greens it’s own twist from the original. At any rate, it is a tasty dish any time of the day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/61308b3b-2181-4551-8d05-85f7961ae026/IMG_5570+%281%29.jpg Adirondacks - Diners - Wild Flour Deli and Bakery - Albion This is one of those “off the beaten path” gems. If the term ‘gourmet sandwiches’ was ever a thing, this place has them. True to the restaurant’s name, all of the sandwiches are named after flowers, and all of them are fantastic. You can also build your own sandwich with 9 bread options, 8 Meat options, 9 cheese options, and a whole bunch of toppings and sauces. This place isn’t just a "one-trick pony” with good sandwiches, the bakery has amazing cookies and other baked goodies. It is definitely worth a stop if you are in the area. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/dd954251-6750-4d62-9f25-5dc0ac7c5a41/MythosBuffalo.jpg Adirondacks - Diners - Mythos - Buffalo Mythos is open 7 days a week, but if you are in town on the weekend, that is when the menu goes from great breakfast options to OMG with their brunch options! N.Y. Strip and Eggs, Greek Yogurt and Berries Parfait (if you are feeling calorie conscious), or an Apple Waffle ala Mode are just some of the options. They even serve Champagne pick me ups for a little hair of the dog, like Mimosas and Bloody Marys! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/62e81231-18ef-4410-a8d6-6da03df98e32/BonjourCrepes2.jpg Adirondacks - Diners - Bon Jour Crepes - Lockport Just a few blocks away from the Erie Canal’s famous double locks is a breakfast and lunch spot that creates the scrumptious French food - Crepes! Proving that Crepes aren’t just for breakfast anymore, their Ham and Swiss Crepe makes a great lunch time meal, while the Nutella and Banana is one of their many great breakfast options. Even though this isn’t technically a diner, we had to add this restaurant in because the food is just plain delish. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/604130a720a81d18855a6124/8d737814-0e82-476e-8cf0-835c80e84db6/Sophia%27sRestaurant.jpg Adirondacks - Diners - Sophia’s Restaurant - Buffalo Since being featured on Guy Fieri’s TV show a while back, business at Sophia’s is crazy! And the food is crazy good. With all of the traditional favorites along with some local specialties like the South Buffalo omelet (which features Polish Sausage), you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. This is a great breakfast joint and a “Hangover Helper” on a Sunday morning for those who imbibed a bit too heavily the night before. https://www.seenewyorkwithus.com/merchandise daily 0.75 2021-04-27