Top Things to do in Finger Lakes
Top Hotels in Finger Lakes
- 1. Holiday Inn & Suites Syracuse Airport - Liverpool, an IHG Hotel
- 2. Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel
- 3. Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Rochester-Pittsford/Brighton, NY
- 4. Hampton Inn & Suites Syracuse North Airport Area
- 5. The Statler Hotel at Cornell University
- 6. La Tourelle Hotel, Bistro, Spa
- 7. Best Western Brockport Inn & Suites
- 8. Hampton Inn & Suites Syracuse Dewitt
- 9. The Craftsman Inn & Suites
- 10. Comfort Inn & Suites
10 Outdoor Activities in Finger Lakes That You Shouldn't Miss
New York’s Finger Lakes region takes its name from 11 freshwater lakes placed like a handprint between Lake Ontario and the Pennsylvania border. Skiing, hiking and biking trails traverse the landscape; visitors can also indulge in various wine, cheese and beer trails. The area offers a culinary bounty, with an emphasis on farm-to-table cuisine. Rich history and culture are found throughout the region, with one attraction more inviting than the next.
Restaurants in Finger Lakes
1. Dinky Doos Petting Zoo
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
Dinky Doos Petting Zoo has lots of fun little critters that kids of all ages are sure to enjoy. We also offer pony rides and have a picnic area on site.
2. Cranx Indoor and Outdoor Bike & Sports Park
3. Overland Morgan Horse Farm
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 15 reviews
4. Shadow Hills Maple Syrup Farm
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 18 reviews
Reviewed By R8665TQcherylk - Ocala, United States
Love this place! Great pancakes served with their homemade syrup. The new buildings are beautiful!love this place! first, their buildings are new, and beautiful! they have wonderful maple products to choose from. from maple hot sauce, maple donuts, cotton candy, maple nuts, and, of course maple syrup! you can sample all goods, then take your favorites home! if its a nice day, take a walk through the woods on one of the many trails. a great family outing! and don't miss the pancakes! all you can eat, $9.00
5. Seneca Lake Wine Trail
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 637 reviews
Seneca Lake is known for its diverse offering of world-class wines. Our wineries are dedicated to increasing quality and serving as exceptional stewards of the land and lake. Seneca Lake Wine Trail members pledge to exceed your expectations when you visit to taste wine and experience the Finger Lakes. You don’t have to travel to far-away places to experience fantastic wines. They are right here on Seneca Lake!
Reviewed By 491cindyr - Harrisburg, United States
You have two options for this excursion. Wing it and stop at wineries at random or look up what they have to offer and plan your trip. We stopped at 6 wineries and bought at all but one so random worked for us. There are so many choices it’s mind boggling! We started at the wine center in Watkins Glen and got a handy map which was definitely worth it. Many of the locations now offer predetermined flights rather than tastings. If you are trying to get in several wineries this can be a lot of wine to drink. At some locations they allowed us to split a flight which we appreciated since we drove ourselves. The drive has great views of the lake. Very pleasant and we will go again.
6. Rosamond Gifford Zoo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 880 reviews
Founded in 1914, the Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park is home to more than 700 animals representing 275 species, many of them endangered or threatened in the wild. As an accredited member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), we are among only 236 zoos and aquariums in the nation proven to meet the highest standards of animal care, conservation and guest experience. We are dedicated to connecting people to the natural world by providing engaging experiences, exceptional animal welfare, and unparalleled conservation education. The zoo is co-operated by Onondaga County Parks and the Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo with the mission to provide guests “the best day ever,” ensuring experiences that excite, memories that endure, and knowledge that inspires world wildlife conservation.
Reviewed By dianewA8715AR - Liverpool, United States
We visited the zoo yesterday and were very fortunate to see animals playing, eating and enjoying their environment. The elephants, bears, tiger with her 3 month old cubs, birds, panda, flamingos, and all the animals made the afternoon observing and reading the posted information about them, definitely a wonderful and educational experience. If you live in the area, visiting or just passing through, stop and visit the Zoo!
7. Bristol Mountain Ski Resort
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 133 reviews
Fall Sky Rides Enjoy the beautiful autumn colors of the Finger Lakes from the Comet Express chairlift to the summit of Bristol Mountain. This tranquil 15-20 minute ride is for people of all ages to experience the Bristol Hills and the valley below in all its splendor. On a clear day, a glimpse of Canandaigua Lake is visible from the summit. Winter Activities With a 1200’ vertical rise Bristol Mountain reigns as the highest vertical between the Adirondack/Laurentian Mountains of the east and the Rocky Mountains of the west. There are 138 acres of total skiable terrain, including 3 km of Nordic trails. Views from the summit and the 38 slopes and trails are breathtaking and provide a variety of inclines for every skier and snowboarder from beginner to expert. To assure our skiers and snowboarders of the best possible snow conditions, Bristol Mountain is proud of its state-of-the-art snowmaking system which covers 100% of the terrain.
Reviewed By findthewind14424
My 6th visit this season, tried skiing in 50 degrees sunny and beautiful! Ate waffles at Morning star cafe slopeside view and made great memories with family!
8. Cayuga Lake Wine Trail
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 176 reviews
Reviewed By X9228JUjoanneb - Foxborough, United States
My husband and I are wine lovers and have visited Napa and Sonoma, CA several times, done the wine trails in CT, PA, and VT, and have tasted wines from Italy, France, Germany, and other regions around the world. We decided to take an impromptu trip over the weekend to do the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail in NY. The Cayuga Lake wine trail guide is an excellent resource and can be found online by googling the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail. The guide includes a map of all the wineries with the addresses and hours of operation, restaurants in the area, and places to dine and stay. The guide is very accurate. The wineries are all located along the main highway and are easy to find. Most of the wineries charge a reasonable $5 tasting fee to taste 5-6 wines which are plenty of wines to taste. I found that if you seemed interested in buying wine, they let you taste more for no extra charge. If you are a seasoned wine lover and have a more experienced pallet, most of the wines will fall short of those in Napa and Sonoma with the exception of the wines produced by Lucas and Swedish Hill. The rieslings, pinot grigio, and chardonnay/riesling blends from Lucas and Swedish Hill, we found were up to par with CA, WA, and German producers. Lucas and Swedish Hill also have more experienced wine staff behind the counters who did an excellent job describing the wines and guiding us to the wines we might prefer. At Swedish Hill, you will get to see Doobie, the farm's miniature donkey, and Sven, the miniature horse, both are very friendly. Even if the wines are not so great at the rest of the wineries, it is worth visiting them for some of the spectacular views, unique gift shops, entertainment, and food. Most of the wineries allow you to sit and sip a glass of wine and enjoy the entertainment on the weekends. Americana has a live band on Friday night and a cafe that makes great pizza. The Thirsty Owl has a cafe with outdoor seating overlooking Lake Cayuga. The food was very good and reasonably priced but the service is slow so be prepared to wait. The wine tasting room was very crowded on Saturday so we didn't get to do a tasting. Goose Watch is the sister winery to Swedish Hill. The wine tasting room is located on a hill with a breathtaking view of the Lake. You can sit on their outdoor deck and enjoy a glass of wine will viewing the lake. They also have a brewery onsite next to the wine tasting room where you can sample their beers. The beer was better than the wine. The staff was not as knowledgeable about the wine or beer as the staff at Swedish Hill. Montezuma and Knapp both had nice gift shops with some interesting wine-themed items. There are no major hotels along the wine trail. Only some Bed and Breakfast places. Buttonwood winery has beautiful grounds and has log cabins on the property you can rent for the night. Varrick also has an Inn. We stayed in Seneca Falls at the Hampton Inn which was very nice and came with free breakfast but was grossly overpriced at $259 for one night. More hotel options are available in Ithaca. It is better to plan your lodging ahead of your trip so you are not scrambling to find a place to stay at night like we did. In addition to visiting the wineries, we also stopped at the Muranda Dairy Farm in Senecca Falls for a cheese tasting. What a great place for a function! The barn converted into a tasting room overlooks the fields and is decorated in white lights. The cheese was amazing especially the cheddars and the blue cheese which is the best I have ever tasted. The cheese is made fresh on the farm and is reasonably priced. Definitely worth the stop. Overall the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail is worth visiting.
9. Huckleberry Swamp
10. Wild Wings
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 27 reviews
Reviewed By BillK455 - Spencerport, United States
a great place to help support helping animals while getting close up views of some wonderful creatures All the animals here are rescues and admission goes to helping care for them. The place was set up maze like so we could view the animals safely and social distance at the same time I love places like this as we saw various owls, eagles, falcons, vultures, woodpeckers and other birds as well as a couple of foxes and a bobcat. Well worth the visit
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