Located in Upstate New York, wine lovers flock to this area for the beautiful scenery and delicious wine. The Finger Lake region stretches from Syracuse to Rochester to the Pennsylvanian border, and has 11 lakes—each one as beautiful as the last. With a short drive to major cities and the Canadian border, this area is a great escape to relax and sip wine.
This is not a sponsored post.
The Finger Lakes
They are called the Finger Lakes because each one is in a long, thin shape which resembles fingers.
Canadice (The smallest lake)
Canandaigua
Cayuga (The longest lake)
Conesus
Hemlock
Honeoye (The shallowest waters )
Keuka
Seneca (The deepest lake)
Skaneateles
Otisco
Owasco
Where to Stay
Through a mutual friend, I found an amazing bed and breakfast in Hector, NY. For a reasonable price, you can stay in a gorgeous house that is a renovated fruit packing house from the 1800s. Surrounded by fields of grape vines and views of the lake, it is the perfect spot to drink coffee with the rising sun and sip wine with the sunset.
Not only was the house within walking distance to dozens of vineyards, breweries and restaurants, but the couple that run the Bed and Breakfast were attentive to our needs. Waiting for us when we arrived was a complimentary bottle of wine and a block of local goat cheese. When we opened our welcome packet, the hosts gave us complimentary tickets for wine tastings to three vineyards in the area—each one they sell their grapes to!
Sip, Sip
It does not matter if you are a red/wine, sweet/dry lover. There will be a wine you will fall in love with at the Finger Lakes. After our time in at the vineyards, we left with 16 bottles in our trunk.
Some of my personal favorites include:
Hazlitt 1852 Wine
Penguin Bay Winery
Hector Wine Company
Chateau La Fayette Reneau
Damiani Wine Cellars
Although the Finger Lakes are one of the top five wine regions in the United States, the cost of the wine tastings and bottles are not expensive. Most tastings are roughly $5 per person, and on average, a bottle of wine is $10-15.
Some other recommendations include:
Hermann J. Weimer
Glenora Wine Cellars
Done Tasting Wine?
So, you had your fill of wine and are slowly sobering up. Now what do you do? There is so much to do in this region! Not only is there great food and wine for all you foodies out there, but activities and nature trails for you adventurers.
Just a short drive way, there are a few stops you can make between each glass of wine.
Taughannock Falls State Park – At the end of the trail is a stunning waterfall. The Taughannock Falls stands 215 ft tall, which makes it taller than the Niagara Falls.
Lively Run Dairy Farm and Creamery —As a cheese and goat lover (check out my goat yoga post: Naaaaaaamaste Goat Yoga), I wanted to check out the Lively Run Dairy Farm. There are tours that include meeting the goats, learning about the cheese making process, and tasting all the delicious cheeses made on the property.
Kayaking/Sailing – What to spend more time on the Finger Lakes? Consider taking a kayaking or sailing tour. It is a great activity to get out on the water and see the surroundings. I would recommend this in early Fall when the leaves are changing colors.
Watkin’s Glen – Do not listen to TLC. You can go chasing waterfalls at Watkin’s Glen. The nature trails lead you through gorgeous waterfalls, and each one is more unique than the last.
Corning Museum of Glass – Just a short drive towards the PA border is the Corning Museum of Glass. The intricate designs and displays, as well as the interactive activities are great for the family.
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Have You Enjoyed a Glass at the Finger Lakes?
