Travel Guides Archive | Finger Lakes Wine Country

Those last few weeks before summer in the Finger Lakes are worth showing up for. The waterfalls are still running strong, the wildflowers haven’t finished yet, and the wineries are fully open without the summer crowds. The weather can still swing cool in the mornings, but afternoons settle into something genuinely pleasant. It’s a good window, and it’s not over yet.

This itinerary is built for four days, but each stop can be extended. That’s the point. (For an even more intimate experience, check out our Romantic Getaway Travel Guide here.)

Day One: Arrive in Corning, Steuben County

Start in Corning. It’s the western gateway to wine country and one of the most walkable small cities in upstate New York. Check into an inn within walking distance of Historic Market Street and give yourself the afternoon to wander. The Gaffer District is eight blocks of galleries, glass studios, restaurants, and craft beverage stops that invite unhurried exploration.

Head to the Corning Museum of Glass before dinner. Admission covers two consecutive days, so today can be a first pass: a live glassblowing demonstration, a walk through the galleries, time in the Hot Shop, and a visit to the Innovation Center. Kids 17 and under are always free.

Dinner in the Gaffer District. The culinary scene in Corning has quietly become one of the best in the Southern Tier. Small restaurants, local ingredients, kitchens that care. Walk back after. Downtown Corning on a late May evening is a quiet, good thing.

Check the Rockwell Live schedule before you go. The Rockwell Museum’s terrace concert series typically runs through late spring into early summer, with music paired with cocktails and the museum’s collection as backdrop. It’s one of the more distinctive evenings the region offers.

Day Two: Keuka Lake, Steuben and Yates Counties

Rise early and drive Route 54A south from Hammondsport along the western shore of Keuka Lake. British Airways once named it one of the top 15 scenic drives in the world, and in late May, the hills are fully leafed and the morning light on the water before 9 a.m. is worth the early alarm.

Stop in Hammondsport for breakfast. The village at the southern tip of Keuka Lake has a square, a gazebo, lake views from the main street, and a pace that encourages lingering. The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum is here too: an excellent museum honoring the aviation and motorcycle pioneer born in this town, consistently overlooked by visitors focused on wine.

Mid-morning, work north along the Keuka Lake Wine Trail. Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery is essential: this is where the Vinifera Revolution that transformed American wine began in the 1960s. Heron Hill Winery has panoramic views and a tasting room that rewards a full hour. Neither requires advance reservations in late May.

For lunch, bring a picnic. Keuka Lake State Park in Branchport has a beach and picnic area that feels genuinely private this time of year.

In the afternoon, continue north to Penn Yan in Yates County. The Keuka Lake Outlet Trail runs seven miles toward Dresden through late-season wildflowers. Cascade Falls and Seneca Mills Falls are still running well in late May. Shoreline Rentals in Penn Yan has bicycle rentals if you didn’t bring one.

If you’re there on a Saturday, the Windmill Farm and Craft Market opens early and fills with vendors by 9 a.m. For dinner, ask locally. The dining along the Keuka shore has improved considerably, and the best spots don’t always have the biggest signs.

One more thing for the morning: Keuka is the warmest and calmest of the major Finger Lakes. Before the motorboat season fully arrives, morning kayaking or paddleboarding here is as close to a meditative water experience as you’ll find in New York State. Keuka Watersports has rentals.

Day Three: Watkins Glen and Seneca Lake, Schuyler County

Arrive at Watkins Glen State Park by 8 a.m. The Gorge Trail is 1.5 miles one way, passing 19 waterfalls through carved stone stairways and the spray of Cavern Cascade. Late May still offers good water volume without the peak-summer crowds. Walk slowly. This is not a distance hike.

After the gorge, drive seven minutes to Montour Falls and walk to Shequaga Falls behind the village. Free, open, and the kind of place that produces a reliable quiet in people seeing it for the first time.

Lunch on Franklin Street in Watkins Glen or at a lakefront spot. In late May, the restaurants are on full spring menus without summer waiting lists.

For the afternoon: Route 414 along the eastern shore of Seneca Lake is a slow-drive wine corridor through Hector, with Hector Falls visible from the road. Pull over. Watch the water. Keep going. Alternatively, the Captain Bill’s Legacy narrated boat tour gives you Seneca Lake from the water, with the vineyard hills rising behind you. People consistently describe it as a different kind of beautiful.

Evening back in Watkins Glen. Rooster Fish Brewing, New York State’s first farm brewery, is a reasonable anchor for the night. The evening can be structured around a local pint as naturally as a glass of Riesling.

Naturalist note: Bring binoculars. Late May is still an active spring migration in the Finger Lakes. The marshes at the northern end of Seneca Lake and the meadow sections of the Finger Lakes National Forest are excellent territory for warblers, thrushes, and sparrows during migration weeks.

Day Four: Tioga County and the Drive Home Tioga County

Drive southeast into Tioga County along the Susquehanna River corridor. The landscape shifts from glacial-lake geography to river-valley farmland and forested ridge country. Owego, on the Susquehanna’s north bank, is having a quiet cultural and culinary revival that most visitors haven’t caught up with yet.

Walk the Owego Riverwalk in the morning. The Court Street Bridge frames a view down the Susquehanna that, in late May with the trees full and the river still running high, is worth stopping for. Bald eagles are a routine sighting along this stretch. Follow the path, stop often.

Browse Early Owego Antique Center on Front Street: two floors, 21,000 square feet, more than 90 vendors. The kind of shop where you go in for twenty minutes and surface ninety minutes later. That’s the discovery economy that slow travel runs on.

Lunch at one of Owego’s independent restaurants. MJ’s Bar and Restaurant on Fifth Avenue has a river view deck, a menu with a genuine range, and the kind of creative cooking you don’t expect to find in a town this size.

If time allows, stop into the Tioga County Historical Society Museum on Front Street. It sits right on the Susquehanna River, adjacent to downtown, and holds exhibits and artifacts from across Tioga County’s communities. Admission is free, and it’s open Tuesday through Saturday. It’s a low-key, genuinely interesting hour, and a good way to understand the place you’ve been driving through all day. Or skip it and just drive the back roads.

Take the back roads home. The Finger Lakes region from a car window in late May, low light, open country, the smell of turned earth through an open window, stays with you for a while.

What to Pack

Late May mornings can still drop into the 40s. Afternoons reach the mid-60s to low 70s on good days. Rain happens and is welcome: gorge trails after rainfall are some of the most atmospheric places in the region.

Waterproof hiking boots or trail shoes, a layering system, and a rain jacket are non-negotiable. Bring a bag for picnic provisions: farm stores, bakeries, and cheese shops across the region make excellent trail food. And binoculars: genuinely worth it in May for birds, wildflowers, and waterfall-spotting from a distance.

Where to Stay

Late May is still shoulder season. Booking two to three weeks out is wise for smaller properties, but you won’t face the scramble of summer.

In Watkins Glen (Schuyler County), the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel is the AAA Four-Diamond lakefront option, within walking distance of both the state park and Franklin Street. Along the Keuka shore in Penn Yan (Yates County), B&Bs and farm vacation rentals through the Finger Lakes Countrysides network are good options, with more availability than you’d find in July. In Corning (Steuben County), several hotels sit within walking distance of the Gaffer District. In Tioga County, the Fainting Goat Island Inn in Nichols is a genuinely atmospheric property on the Susquehanna.

A Few Practical Notes

Most wineries on the Seneca, Keuka, and Cayuga wine trails are fully open by late May. A handful may have slightly limited hours earlier in the month, so it’s always worth a quick look at individual winery websites before visiting.

Watkins Glen State Park’s Gorge Trail opens seasonally in mid-April, depending on conditions. Check the current status at parks.ny.gov before you go.

Spring wildflowers in the gorges include white trillium, trout lilies, wild columbine, and jack-in-the-pulpit. The peak window for spring ephemerals runs from late April through mid-May, depending on elevation, so late-May visitors will catch the tail end and the transition into early-summer bloom.

Dogs are welcome on most trails and at many wineries on leash. Confirm individual property policies before visiting.

You’ve heard about Finger Lakes Wine Country. Maybe a friend came back raving about the Rieslings. Maybe you saw a photo of Seneca Lake at golden hour and started building a tab. Maybe an article called it America’s best wine region, and you filed it under “soon.”

Soon is now. Here is how to actually plan the trip.

BOOKMARK US

Before anything else, bookmark our website: fingerlakeswinecountry.com and follow our social media. It is the official wine country planning hub: wineries, restaurants, lodging, events, trail maps, itineraries, and the kind of local-knowledge editorial content that turns a good trip into a great one. Everything you need to plan your visit lives there.

Understand the Region First

Finger Lakes Wine Country is not one lake. It is five counties, three primary wine trails, and eleven lakes, with Seneca, Keuka, and Cayuga doing most of the heavy lifting for wine tourism.

Seneca Lake is the largest and most winery-dense, anchored at its southern tip by Watkins Glen. More than 35 producers line its shores. This is where you go if wine is the primary mission.

Keuka Lake is shaped like a Y and ringed by some of the region’s oldest and most storied estates. It is quieter, more intimate, and rewards slow exploration.

Cayuga Lake is the longest of the Finger Lakes and home to a diverse trail with strong culinary and farm culture alongside its wineries.

The towns matter too. Corning, home of the Corning Museum of Glass, anchors the region’s western side and makes an excellent base. Watkins Glen offers gorge hiking steps from tasting rooms. Penn Yan sits at the head of Keuka Lake and has a strong local food scene. Hammondsport, at Keuka’s southern tip, is one of the most charming small towns in New York State.

When to Go

Every season has a case to make. Here is the honest breakdown.

May and June are the most underrated. Waterfalls run at full force from snowmelt, wildflowers line the gorge trails, and the wineries have just opened for the season without summer crowds. Shoulder season pricing applies.

July and August are peak season: full tasting rooms, boat rentals, outdoor concerts, and long lake days. Book accommodations well in advance.

September and October are the seasons locals love most. Harvest is underway this time of year. The hillside vineyards turn gold and amber. The air is cool and clean. Fall foliage usually peaks in mid-October and is genuinely spectacular over the lakes. Recently, we have seen a surge in visitors this season as well, so be ready for higher-than-normal lodging prices, similar to summer crowds… but trust us when we tell you, everyone should experience foliage season in Finger Lakes Wine Country!

November through April offers a quieter, more contemplative visit. Several wineries stay open year-round, lodging rates drop significantly, and the snowbound landscape over the lakes has its own stark beauty. Shoulder, or “mud season,” remains one that few venture to discover, but those who do are truly missing out!

Choose Your Wine Trail

All three major trails are accessible through fingerlakeswinecountry.com, with maps, member listings, and itinerary suggestions.

Seneca Lake Wine Trail — the largest and most varied. Strong for first-time visitors who want maximum options.

Keuka Lake Wine Trail — best for those who want depth over breadth. Fewer wineries, but many are destination-worthy on their own.

Cayuga Lake Wine Trail — the original organized wine trail in the country, established in 1983. Good balance of wine, food, and farm experiences.

Build Your Itinerary

A weekend visit works well, structured as two focused days rather than trying to cover the whole region. Pick one lake, give it two full days, and you will leave feeling like you actually saw something rather than drove through it.

For a longer visit of four to five days, base yourself in Corning or Watkins Glen and make day trips to different lakes and towns. fingerlakeswinecountry.com has curated multi-day itineraries organized by travel style: wine-focused, outdoor adventure, family, and culinary.

Plan Around the Food

The Finger Lakes has a culinary scene that consistently surprises first-time visitors. Farm-to-table restaurants, bakeries using local grain, cheesemakers and cider producers alongside the wineries, and a growing craft beverage culture that includes distilleries and craft breweries. Wine is the anchor, but food is the reason many visitors come back.

Local Tips Worth Knowing

These are the things the visitors who come back every year already know. Consider this your head start.

Always check hours before you go. This is one of the most important things we can tell you. Outside of peak summer season, many restaurants, shops, and even some tasting rooms are closed on Sundays, Mondays, and/or Tuesdays. Hours shift with the seasons, and a spot that was open on your last visit may keep a different schedule now. Check websites and call ahead. It saves real disappointment.

Call your favorite wineries for tasting reservations. During the busy season, especially on summer weekends and during the fall harvest, the most popular tasting rooms fill up fast. If you are traveling with a group of six or more, a reservation is not optional; it is essential. Many wineries require them regardless of group size during peak weekends. A quick phone call goes a long way.

Cell service is limited in parts of the region. Once you leave the main corridors and head down into the lake valleys or rural county roads, service can get spotty. Download your maps and save addresses offline before you head out for the day. It is a small thing that prevents a lot of frustration.

Pace yourself on the trail. Most wine trails have ten, fifteen, or twenty-plus stops. You are not meant to hit all of them in one day. Pick three to five, go deep, have real conversations, and actually taste what is in the glass. The visitors who try to run the full trail in a day usually remember very little of it.

Bring cash for small farm stands and producers. Some of the best finds in the region are roadside farm stands, small-batch jam makers, and the farmhouse selling eggs and honey at the end of a vineyard road do not take cards. A little cash keeps you from having to pass on something good.

This is a place that moves at its own pace. Match it. Visitors who get the most out of Finger Lakes Wine Country are the ones who let go of the schedule a little. If the person pouring your wine wants to tell you about the harvest, listen. If a side road looks interesting, take it. If a restaurant is slower than you are used to, settle in. The people who live and work here genuinely love this place, and that feeling is contagious when you are not in a rush. Kindness and patience go a long way, and they always come back to you doubled.

The One Thing to Remember

Finger Lakes Wine Country rewards slowing down. The best experiences here are when you take your time: a long tasting with a winemaker who knows every row of vines, a gorge trail that ends at a waterfall, a meal at a farmhouse restaurant with the kitchen garden visible through the window — do not happen on a rushed schedule. Build in a margin. Follow the side road. Ask the person pouring what they love about living here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Finger Lakes Wine Country? Finger Lakes Wine Country is the official regional tourism and branding organization for a five-county area of upstate New York encompassing Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, and Yates counties. Its website, fingerlakeswinecountry.com, serves as the primary planning resource for visitors.

Where is Finger Lakes Wine Country located? Finger Lakes Wine Country is located in south-central New York State, roughly between Rochester and Binghamton. The city of Corning, NY, serves as a western gateway. The region is approximately 4.5 to 5 hours from New York City and 1.5 hours from Rochester.

What is the best time to visit Finger Lakes Wine Country? Late spring (May-June) for waterfalls and uncrowded wineries, summer (July-August) for lake activities and peak season, and fall (September-October) for harvest season and foliage. Each season offers a distinct experience. fingerlakeswinecountry.com maintains a current events calendar for all seasons.

Do I need tasting reservations at Finger Lakes wineries? During peak season and fall harvest weekends, reservations are strongly recommended, especially for groups. Many popular tasting rooms fill up quickly on summer and fall weekends. Call ahead or check each winery’s website before visiting.

How many wineries are in Finger Lakes Wine Country? The five-county Finger Lakes Wine Country region is home to more than 100 wineries across three primary wine trails: the Seneca Lake Wine Trail, the Keuka Lake Wine Trail, and the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail.
Where do I start planning a Finger Lakes Wine Country trip? Start at fingerlakeswinecountry.com, the official regional planning hub with winery listings, itineraries, lodging guides, event calendars, and editorial travel content for the full five-county region.

The wine trails. The gorges and waterfalls. A sunset tasting on a winery patio with a view that doesn’t feel real. If you’ve already done these things, you already know Finger Lakes Wine Country delivers. Every time.

But here’s what seasoned visitors eventually discover: this region has layers. The more you explore, the more it reveals. Beneath the well-loved classics is a whole second Finger Lakes, one that locals navigate quietly, returning to the same farm stand every Saturday, the same tucked-away gorge every summer, the same small producer whose wine never makes it to a retail shelf.

Consider this your invitation to go deeper. Not instead of the classics, but beyond them.

Start Small. Start in Burdett.

Most visitors blow straight past Burdett, and that’s exactly why locals love it. This village of roughly 300 people sits on the east side of Seneca Lake, six minutes from Watkins Glen, and it has quietly become one of the most satisfying little clusters in all of wine country.

Start your morning at Overlook Coffee Company on Main Street. This husband-and-wife-owned specialty roaster brews its own beans and sources locally baked sweets and local milk. There is outdoor seating next to a small waterfall, the kind of detail that feels almost embarrassingly perfect. It’s closed on Tuesdays. Go any other day.

From there, wander. The Elf in the Oak does homemade scones, breakfast sandwiches, and chicken and waffles that have no business being this good in a town this small. Hungry Burd handles the casual end. Solera Taphouse has live music and trivia if you’re staying into the evening.

And Burdett is right in the middle of some of the best east-side Seneca wineries you’ll find anywhere: Atwater Vineyards, Osmote Wine (low-alcohol, terroir-driven, the winemaker will genuinely make you feel at home), and Hillick and Hobbs for Riesling lovers who want the full lake-view experience. You won’t need a long itinerary. Just stay in the pocket and let the day unfold.

Then Stop in Hector for the Best Breakfast You Didn’t Know You Were Looking For

A few miles up Route 414, there’s a place simply called Here. After 25 years, the former owners of the beloved Just a Taste restaurant in Ithaca found their way to a small roadside spot in Hector and set up something genuinely special. The menu changes weekly and centers on scratch cooking using local ingredients from farms such as Muddy Fingers Farm, Crosswinds Farm and Creamery. The focaccia French toast is a destination unto itself. So is the smoked bologna egg sandwich, which sounds like a dare and tastes like a revelation.

It’s open Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Worth the drive. Worth planning your entire weekend around, honestly.

Eat Where the Farmers Eat

Skip the Waterfront Restaurants. Find the Farm Stands.

The Finger Lakes sit inside one of the most fertile agricultural belts in the Northeast, and most visitors drive straight past the best food it produces. From late spring through fall, the roadsides along Routes 89, 414, and 96A are lined with farm stands selling produce, eggs, honey, maple syrup, and baked goods that will make you question every grocery store you’ve ever shopped in.

What to look for: stands with hand-painted signs and no credit card reader. Those are the ones run by actual farm families, not produce resellers. Grab a dozen eggs, a jar of raw wildflower honey, and whatever fruit is in season. This is your breakfast. It costs about six dollars.

Hit a Farmers Market Before You Do Anything Else

The region has genuinely great markets, and they’re the single best way to orient yourself before a day of exploring. The Corning Farmers Market (Steuben County, Thursdays in season at Centennial Park) draws loyal locals every week for fresh produce, baked goods, and artisan vendors in the heart of the Gaffer District. The Bath Farmers Market (Saturdays and Wednesdays, May through October) is a classic small-town market with the kind of friendly, unhurried energy that reminds you why you left the city.

In Schuyler County, the Montour Falls Farmers Market is one of the most community-rooted markets in the region, bringing together 35-plus vendors, prepared-food providers, and nonprofits. It’s the kind of market where the vendors know your name by your second visit. Look for Plow and Star Farm’s hand-cut bouquets, Aurora Bath and Beauty‘s locally made soaps, and the Montour Falls Tea Company, which recently closed its storefront, but is still offering made-to-order cold drinks with local ingredients at the market. It’s not a tourist attraction. It’s a town gathering with good taste.

The Watkins Glen Farmers Market in Schuyler County is small, curated, and perfectly located for stocking up before a day on Seneca Lake. Grab what looks good, find a picnic spot near the water, and you’ve already won the morning.

Then There’s Montour Market

Unlike the farmers market, Montour Market is an everyday community food hub in Montour Falls, open Tuesday through Saturday (though we recommend checking Google for any schedule updates) and built with a mission to connect Schuyler County residents with local farms and producers. From Wide Awake Bakery bread to Hawk Meadow Farm mushrooms, if you’re staying in the area for more than a day, this is where you stock your kitchen.

Diner Culture Is Alive and Real Here

Chain restaurants exist in the Finger Lakes, and you should ignore all of them. The region is dotted with old-school diners, lunch counters, and family-owned spots that have been feeding locals for decades. The Diner in Horseheads (Chemung County) is exactly what it sounds like: unpretentious, consistent, and the kind of breakfast that actually fuels a full day of wine tasting and waterfall hiking.

Rule of thumb: if the parking lot has pickup trucks and locals at 7 a.m., you’re in the right place.

Go to a Farm That Actually Feeds You

Dean Lane Food and Farmstead, Dundee

Down a quiet country road off Route 14 near Dundee sits one of the most quietly exceptional farms in the entire region. Dean Lane is a three-generation family farm run by chef Michael Dean and pastry chef Lisa Dean, and what they’ve built here is the kind of farm-to-table experience that isn’t using that phrase as a marketing line. The breakfast at their bed and breakfast is the real thing: lobster benedict on house-baked bread, curried carrot soup, butternut squash in the dessert, in a way that makes you reconsider everything. They also do catering and pop-up events throughout the Finger Lakes spring and summer. If you can time a stay here, do it.

LaBarr FarmS

Just off Seneca Lake in the little hamlet of Himrod, LaBarr Farms is a family-run operation doing exactly what a good farm stand should do: seasonal produce, vibrant cut flowers, and a genuine commitment to sustainable growing that goes beyond a label on a sign. The u-pick flower field opens in late July and runs through October, and it is the kind of place you stumble onto once and then put on the calendar every year after. Rows of zinnias, sunflowers, dahlias, and a rotating cast of seasonal blooms. Kids picking alongside parents. No rush, no crowds, just open fields and good light. The farm stand runs Monday through Sunday from June through October, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Come for the tomatoes, stay for the flowers, leave with both.

Drink Wine Without Paying Tasting Room Prices

Here’s what most visitors don’t know: many of the smallest, best wineries in the Finger Lakes sell bottles directly at prices that never make it to retail. Some don’t even have formal tasting rooms, just a barn, a sign, and a winemaker who will pour you a glass and talk your ear off about the vintage for an hour if you let them.

Look beyond the well-marked wine trails for smaller, family-run operations on back roads. These producers make tiny quantities, get little press, and offer some of the most honest, terroir-driven wine in the region. A bottle that would cost $35 at a polished tasting room might be $18 here, sold by the person who grew the grapes. A great initiative to follow for events that bring winemakers like these together is Wineries Without Walls.

The Wine and Cheese Picnic Formula

Locals don’t pay for winery lunches. They stop at a farm stand, grab some artisanal cheddar Shtayburne Farm Creamery, pick up a loaf of fresh bread, add some smoked fish or charcuterie, and then pay the $5-$15 tasting fee at a winery with a great lawn and lake view. That’s the move. That’s a $25 afternoon that feels like a $150 one.

Best Picnic Spot You’ve Probably Never Heard Of: Champlin Beach Park, Hammondsport

Depot Park in Hammondsport gets most of the attention because it sits right on the water at the southern tip of Keuka Lake with lifeguards, docks, and a great town square nearby. But just a short walk away is Champlin Beach Park, a low-key lakeside spot with picnic tables, a small swimming area, and a public boat ramp. There’s an airplane sculpture rising out of the lake honoring Glenn Hammond Curtiss, the aviation pioneer born right here in Hammondsport. The park barely advertises itself. That’s the point.

Hammondsport’s village square itself is the kind of place that makes you feel like you wandered into a Gilmore Girls set, complete with a gazebo, historic buildings, and leafy side streets. It was voted America’s Coolest Small Town by Budget Travel, and locals will not argue with that.

The Trails Nobody Geotags

Watkins Glen gets all the attention, and it deserves it. But this region has a network of lesser-known trails, gorges, and waterfalls that locals treat as their own private backyard.

Start with the crown jewel most visitors don’t even know exists: Finger Lakes National Forest in Schuyler County, the only national forest in all of New York State. Over 16,000 acres of trails, ravines, gorges, open pastures, and woodland stretch across a ridge between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. The Interloken Trail and Burnt Hill Trail are the locals’ favorites. Fall foliage from the overlooks here rivals anything in New England, and on a weekday, you may share the trail with nobody but free-ranging cattle and the occasional Henslow’s sparrow. Camping is available, and it feels like the American West dropped into the heart of upstate New York.

In Schuyler County, don’t miss Havana Glen Park in Montour Falls, where a short trail leads through a gorge to Eagle Cliff Falls, a 41-foot plunge into a natural stone amphitheater that genuinely stops people in their tracks. It’s free, stunning, and most people drive right past it on the way to the famous stuff.

Over in Tioga County, Waverly Glen Park and Two Rivers State Park together offer miles of easy-to-moderate trails through the woods, along creeks and a reservoir, and on hilltop fields with sweeping valley views spanning the New York-Pennsylvania border. Waverly Glen Falls, a hidden 40-foot waterfall tucked just north of the PA line, is the definition of an off-the-radar find. The Waterman Conservation Education Center in Tioga County has well-maintained gorge and creek trails that feel more like a secret nature preserve than a public park.

None of these require more than a state park day pass, or are simply free. All of them are legitimately breathtaking, and none of them has a wait for parking.

The Events Locals Actually Go To

Owego in the Summer

The village of Owego in Tioga County is one of those places that rewards the visitor who pays attention. In summer, the Tioga Arts Council runs Concerts in the Park every Wednesday evening at Hickories Park, free music, real community, no cover charge. The Owego Strawberry Festival is now in its 40s as an annual tradition and draws everyone: block parties, fireworks, a parade, arts and crafts. It’s exactly what a small-town summer festival is supposed to be. The Tioga County Fair happens every August at Marvin Park in Owego, and it is as genuinely local as county fairs get: 4-H shows, demolition derbies, homemade pies, apple dumplings, and the kind of energy you can’t manufacture for a tourism campaign. And this is just one small town of many with fun things happening!

Concerts in the Park and Markets in Montour Falls

The farmers market and the Montour Market aren’t just places to buy things. They’re where the community shows up. If you’re in the area on a market day, go, linger, and talk to people. The vendors aren’t performing local color. They’re just local.

What a Real Weekend Costs

For travelers who’ve been priced out of wine country weekends elsewhere, the Finger Lakes is a genuine revelation. A decent lakeside Airbnb or inn can run $120-$180 a night outside of peak fall weekends. Tasting fees are typically $5-$15 per winery and usually applied toward a bottle purchase. A full day of eating, drinking, hiking, and exploring, done right, can cost well under $100 per person.

That’s not a budget compromise. That’s just what it actually costs here, because the region hasn’t yet decided to charge you for the privilege of enjoying it.

Go Before Everyone Else Does

Finger Lakes Wine Country is well-regarded enough to have real infrastructure and quality. It’s not yet overrun enough to have lost its soul. The locals know what we have. Now you know too.

Your Town-by-Town Guide to Finger Lakes Wine Country.

Real places, real food, real finds. From Corning to Owego and everywhere in between.

Here’s the thing about Finger Lakes Wine Country: the wine trails are the headline, but the towns are the story.

You can drive the wine trail, hit your three wineries, and get back on the highway. A lot of people do. But the ones who come back every year, who know the region like a second home, they’re the ones who figured out which diner opens at 6 a.m. in Penn Yan, which brewery has the best sunset view in the county, which Hammondsport shop is worth a longer look, and which Owego back street leads to the best dinner you didn’t see coming.

This is that guide.

Corning, NY (Steuben County)

America’s Crystal City and a lot more than glass

Corning is where most people enter the Southern Finger Lakes, and the first instinct is to stop at the Corning Museum of Glass and keep moving. Don’t. The museum is genuinely world-class: 3,500 years of glassmaking history, live hot glass demonstrations, and make-your-own workshops. But the Gaffer District earns equal time.

Historic Market Street punches well above its size. Three Birds Restaurant has been a locals’ institution for over 20 years, offering fine dining with steak, seafood, and a wine list that takes the surrounding region seriously. The Cellar has anchored the block with Finger Lakes bottles alongside international finds and fusion cuisine that surprises people who weren’t expecting food this good in a town this size.

The newest arrival is already getting talked about. Ellen and Michael Lanahan, the same couple behind The Cellar, opened Ellen and Michael’s Osteria at 68 West Market Street in early 2026, taking over the address that Sorge’s Restaurant had held for over 70 years. The concept is rooted in Michael’s Italian upbringing: handmade pasta, locally sourced ingredients, and the kind of Sunday dinner warmth that’s hard to manufacture and impossible to fake. Early reviews call the cacio e pepe exceptional and the gelato life-changing. Reservations are strongly encouraged.

For something more casual, Hand and Foot has carved out a loyal following since 2014. A bar and restaurant named for a family card game, with creative comfort food and a relaxed setting, a couple of blocks off the main strip. Liquid Shoes Brewing and Iron Flamingo Barrel House on Market Street are both great spots for craft beer.

For gifts and local finds, stop into Finger Lakes Unique for artisan goods. The old-school Palace Theatre still screens films. And if you have kids, or simply appreciate irreverent fun, the Kids Rockwell Art Lab at 36 East Market Street connects to the Rockwell Museum, the only Smithsonian Affiliate in Upstate New York, housed in a beautifully restored 19th-century Old City Hall.

Local Tip: Take the pedestrian bridge over the Chemung River to reach the Gaffer District. It’s one of those small regional details that make a city feel like itself. You can take the free shuttle to and from the Rockwell Museum and Corning Glass Museum, too!

Hammondsport, NY (Steuben County)

The village at the bottom of Keuka Lake that looks like a movie set

Hammondsport has a population of around 620 people. It also has a town square with a Victorian gazebo, a lake close enough to hear from most of the village, the oldest winery in New York State, and a culinary scene that has no business being this good for a place this small.

Pulteney Square is the center of everything: boutique shops, outdoor dining, and summer concerts on Thursday evenings in July and August. Cinnamon Stick is worth a stop for local gifts, gourmet food items, and jewelry. Browsers carries Keuka Lake gifts and apparel. And Opera House Antiques, inside the historic Frey Opera House on Shethar Street, is the kind of multi-dealer spot you walk into for 15 minutes and emerge from an hour later.

New to Shethar Street is Poppysea Floristry, a small, carefully considered shop that combines floral artistry with a curated mercantile of sourced goods and vintage finds. Owner Kelsea Winchell’s arrangements lean earthy and moody, with a nostalgia-inspired sensibility unlike anything else in the village. She also offers seasonal workshops for bouquet-making and arrangements. Worth checking the calendar before you visit.

For food: The Park Inn is the anchor for farm-to-table dining in Hammondsport, locally sourced, thoughtfully executed, and one of the most consistently praised restaurants on this end of Keuka Lake. It also operates as a cozy B&B right in the center of town. The Village Tavern on the square serves upscale comfort food, with a century-old bar, a vine-covered veranda, and an atmosphere that the word “cozy” doesn’t quite capture. Vern’s Bakery, opened in 2022 by a retired pastry chef, is the place for flaky croissants, cinnamon rolls, and desserts made with local seasonal ingredients. A morning stop that sets the tone for the day. Come early as pastries sell out fast!

For beer: Steuben Brewing Company and the Brewery of Broken Dreams are both within easy reach. And for one of the most dramatic views you’ll find at a brewery anywhere in the region, Abandon Brewing in its reconditioned 1800s barn overlooking Keuka Lake is worth the drive.

Worth knowing before your next stop on the trail: Dockside Wine and Spirits, formerly Parkview Wine and Spirits, reopened in January 2026 with a new name and a sharper focus. The shop is built around a love of Keuka Lake and the local producers that surround it, carrying Finger Lakes wines, distillery bottles, and a well-priced selection that makes it a natural first or last stop in the village. Small town, big taste, as the sign says.

Hammondsport is also the home of the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum, which traces the life of the aviation and motorcycle pioneer who grew up here. The annual Wings and Wheels event in September at Depot Park is one of those small-town gatherings that people travel for hours to attend.

Depot Park, at the lake’s edge just steps from the square, is where the village and the water meet. Swim in summer, watch the sunset any time of year.

Local Tip: Come here to relax. The town is a little slower during the off-season, with many shops operating seasonally. Yet it remains a favorite place to slow down year-round.

Watkins Glen, NY (Schuyler County)

Where gorges, racing, and Seneca Lake converge

Most people come to Watkins Glen for the State Park: 19 waterfalls, ancient stone gorges, and trail bridges that feel borrowed from another world. That’s the right instinct. But the village at the southern tip of Seneca Lake has built a dining and drinking scene that keeps people around well past the day’s last hike.

Nickel’s Pit BBQ on North Franklin Street is a regional institution. Locally sourced, wood-smoked meats, and a casual, convivial atmosphere that works equally well for lunch between wine trail stops and dinner after a full day in the gorge. 3812 Bistro, a short drive north on Route 14 along Seneca Lake, is the intimate counterpoint: fireplace, lake views, seared salmon and scallops, and a carefully selected local wine and cider list. It’s a small spot. Reservations are smart.

At the Harbor Hotel on the water, Blue Pointe Grille offers lakeside dining from breakfast through dinner, with filet mignon, seafood, and a fire-pit patio when the weather cooperates. Rooster Fish Pub, one of New York’s first official farm breweries, serves small-batch housemade ales alongside a pub menu that includes creme brûlée nobody expects but everyone remembers.

Graft Wine Cider Bar has its own devoted following for cider and wine in a setting that feels more like a tucked-away Brooklyn find than something on Route 14. Tobey’s Donut Shop has lines that tell you everything you need to know before your morning hike. And Lucky Hare Brewing Bar and Grill, with its Seneca Lake marina location, is one of those stops where a planned quick drink turns into a two-hour afternoon – but it’s also a wonderful brunch spot!

Local tip: The marina at the harbor is also where you board Captain Bill’s Seneca Lake Cruises for dinner cruises on the lake. A different angle on a landscape you’ve already fallen for on foot.

Penn Yan, NY (Yates County)

The town at the crossroads of two wine trails that serious visitors love

Penn Yan sits at the northern tip of Keuka Lake, a few miles from Seneca Lake, at the heart of Yates County. That makes it the unofficial base camp for anyone running both wine trails in a single trip. The town is compact, genuine, and increasingly interesting.

Outlet 111 is Penn Yan’s most talked-about restaurant: a farm-to-table dining room and bar tucked under the bridge on Liberty Street, right on the outlet that connects Keuka and Seneca Lakes. The wine list is a deliberate celebration of Finger Lakes women producers, and the staff are the kind of people who make out-of-towners feel like regulars within five minutes. Call ahead.

Seneca Farms is something else entirely. A beloved local institution at the north end of Keuka Lake serving fried chicken, corn fritters, and an ice cream counter with more than 50 flavors that has been drawing people back for over 50 years. It’s seasonal, roughly spring through fall, and it is worth the trip. The ice cream cake flurry has its own fan base.

For coffee: Amity Coffee on Main Street is a proper third-wave shop with pour-overs, lattes, and a quiet, unhurried atmosphere. Blue Heron Bakery adds organic sourdough, croissants, and daily specials to the mix.

Main Street has had a remarkable stretch of new openings. Plants on Main at 17 Main Street is exactly the kind of shop a town like this earns over time: houseplants, gardening supplies, thoughtful gifts, and workshops, all built around owner Sarah Habersroh’s belief that everyone deserves a connection to living things. Habersroh is a Navy veteran who found healing in plants after years of traveling the world, and that intention comes through in the space. Just down the block, WaxPax Records opened in March 2026 at 112 Main Street. Owner Mark Collier is a Penn Yan native who relocated his Pennsylvania shop back home, bringing with him new and used vinyl, vintage media, local art, and a no-judgment, discovery-first philosophy. The bins are alphabetized. The DVDs deliberately are not. He wants you to wander. It opened to a line out the door and is an official Record Store Day location.

The Windmill Farm and Craft Market, just south of Penn Yan on Route 14A, runs Saturdays from late spring through late fall, with over 175 indoor and outdoor vendors, including Amish produce, artisan crafts, local wineries, and food, making it a destination in its own right.

Local Tip: We would recommend committing two or three days to exploring this area – not included on this list are the multiple wineries and antique shops found around the lake, just a short drive from town, and many more cute shops to visit right on Main St.

Elmira, NY (Chemung County)

Mark Twain country, a world-class performing arts scene, and craft beer that surprises people

Elmira doesn’t always make the wine country itinerary, but it should. Chemung County is where the Southern Finger Lakes meets the Southern Tier, and the combination produces a city with more going on than most visitors expect.

Mark Twain spent over 20 summers here. He wrote some of his most important works, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and Life on the Mississippi, in a study on the campus of Elmira College. His grave is in Woodlawn Cemetery. The Mark Twain Study and Exhibit is open seasonally and is one of those places that feels unexpectedly moving in person.

The Clemens Center is Elmira’s performing arts anchor: a legitimate regional theater hosting Broadway touring productions, concerts, and dance performances that draw audiences from across the region. The lineup is consistently more ambitious than visitors from larger cities expect.

For food and drink: The Rye Bar runs a well-regarded happy hour every evening from 4 to 6 p.m., with a Saturday steak night that has developed its own following. Upstate Brewing Company has been the craft beer cornerstone of the area since 2011, a production microbrewery with a taproom worth lingering over. Horseheads Brewing, just minutes away, is a family-owned complement: hand-crafted, unpretentious, and priced to make a flight an easy decision. Their satellite location at the Watkins Glen marina operates seasonally.

Tanglewood Nature Center and Museum sits on the edge of a landscape that transitions from the city to the open countryside in a way particular to this part of the region. Worth a slow walk.

Owego, NY (Tioga County)

The riverfront antique capital at the southern gateway

Owego is the kind of town people stumble into by accident and return to on purpose. Sitting on the banks of the Susquehanna River at the southern edge of the Finger Lakes, it has the best-preserved 19th-century downtown in the region: brick storefronts, walkable blocks, and the kind of independent retail mix that bigger towns spend millions trying to engineer.

The Owego Kitchen is the go-to for breakfast, lunch, and light fare, with a menu generous to vegetarians and gluten-free diners and a setting that locals treat as their neighborhood anchor. Owego Donut and Beer is exactly what it sounds like and delivers on both counts. For dinner, Barstow House, a ten-minute drive from downtown, has built the kind of quiet reputation that only spreads by word of mouth: locally sourced, beautifully prepared, reservations strongly encouraged.

Early Owego Antique Center is a two-floor, 21,000-square-foot multi-dealer operation with over 90 vendors. The rare antique mall where serious collectors and casual browsers both walk out with something. Bostwick Antique Mall and Auctions and Black Cat Gallery contribute to an antiques-and-arts scene that makes Owego a real destination for such a weekend. Riverow Bookshop and Spellbound Books serve the readers and bookshop lovers.

For coffee and art in the same room: Carol’s Coffee and Art Bar has built a following for exactly what its name promises. The Tioga Arts Council and Ti-Ahwaga Performing Arts Center anchor an arts scene that punches well above its size.

If visiting during the fall season, Iron Kettle Farms in Candor draws families with its greenhouse, farm animals, and gift barn. Tioga Downs Casino Resort brings a full-scale gaming and entertainment operation to the county, with nine restaurants on-site, including P.J. Clarke’s.

The Owego Riverwalk along the Susquehanna is worth a slow afternoon. Bald eagle sightings over the tree line happen more often than you’d think.

The Big Picture

Finger Lakes Wine Country is five counties, three wine trails, and more than 3,000 square miles of hills, lakes, gorges, and small towns that most of the country hasn’t discovered yet. The wine brings people. The communities keep them coming back.

Pick a town you haven’t been to. Walk down its main street. Order something local. Ask someone where they’d eat if they only had one night. The answer will be better than anything on this list.

Check out our many other travel guides and itineraries for more travel inspiration!

Here’s a season nobody puts on a brochure: mud season.

Late March into April in Finger Lakes Wine Country, the last frost has lost its grip and the first green is just beginning to push through the vineyard floor. The roads through wine country are quiet. The lakeshores smell like cold water and turned earth. The tasting rooms are open, warm, and almost entirely yours.

The crowds don’t come until May. They don’t know what they’re missing.

What Is Mud Season, and Why Is It Actually Great?

Mud season is the shoulder period between winter and spring — the six or so weeks when the snow has gone soft, the ground hasn’t quite firmed up, and the Finger Lakes are doing the quiet work of becoming themselves again. It’s not Instagram-perfect. The vines are bare sticks. The hillsides are brown and gold and getting greener by the day. The roads leading to hilltop wineries sometimes earn their reputation.

But here’s the thing: some of the most interesting moments in wine country happen in mud season. The winemakers are finishing their barrel work. New vintages are being bottled. The tasting room staff have time — real time — to talk about what’s in the glass, where it came from, and why this particular valley’s drainage produces Riesling with that particular character.

You won’t get that conversation in July.

Is the Finger Lakes Open During Mud Season?

Yes — and this is worth knowing, because a lot of people assume the wineries close down after the holidays and don’t wake up until Memorial Day. They don’t. The three wine trails — Seneca Lake Wine Trail, Keuka Lake Wine Trail, and Cayuga Lake Wine Trail (America’s oldest, established in 1983) — all have wineries open year-round, including during the shoulder season.

What changes in mud season: hours tend to be slightly reduced on weekdays, and calling ahead or checking a winery’s site before you go is smart. What doesn’t change: the wine is excellent, the views are extraordinary, and you’ll almost certainly get a more personal experience than any other time of year.

The Case for Mud Season: Five Reasons Worth Knowing

*The absolute best time to visit waterfalls!*

1. You get the winemakers. During peak season, tasting rooms run at full tilt. In mud season, you’re more likely to end up in conversation with the owner, the winemaker, or someone who has been farming this land for decades. That conversation is part of what people come back for — it just usually takes multiple visits to find it. In mud season, it finds you.

2. The value is real. Accommodations along the lakes — boutique inns, lakeside B&Bs, farmhouse rentals — are at their lowest rates of the year during the shoulder season. Wine country on a weekday in April is wine country without the weekend premium.

3. The waterfall timing is extraordinary. The gorges and waterfalls of the region — Watkins Glen State Park, Havana Glen, Eagle Cliff Falls near Montour Falls — run at their most dramatic in spring, fed by snowmelt and April rains. Watkins Glen’s famous gorge trail reopens in mid-May, but the overlooks are accessible year-round. Catching a Finger Lakes gorge in full spring flow, before the crowds arrive, is genuinely memorable.

4. New vintages are coming out. Late winter and early spring is when many Finger Lakes producers release the previous year’s wines. Being in the tasting room when a new vintage of dry Riesling or Cabernet Franc is making its debut — and being one of the first to taste it — is the kind of thing wine lovers specifically seek out. In mud season, that’s just what’s happening.

5. The landscape does something unusual. Late March and April in the Finger Lakes is the season of contrast: bare vines against pewter-colored lakes, the first green pushing through brown hillsides, the air carrying that particular combination of cold lake water and warming soil. It’s dramatic in a completely different way from autumn foliage. Photographers and painters have known about mud season for years.

Where to Go During Mud Season

Start on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail, where you’ll find over 35 wineries running the length of the largest of the Finger Lakes. Watkins Glen, at the southern tip, makes an ideal home base — the village itself is compact, charming, and walkable, with good food options even in the off-season.

For a quieter, more intimate wine trail experience, the Keuka Lake Wine Trail — the Y-shaped lake tucked between Seneca and Canandaigua — has some of the most scenic winery drives in the region. Hammondsport at the lake’s southern tip is one of those small American towns that punches well above its size in character, dining, and historic architecture. And it’s worth noting: Hammondsport’s own Weis Vineyards is the reigning New York Wine Classic Winery of the Year — named the best winery in the state in both 2024 and 2025.

The Bigger Picture

The Finger Lakes was named Wine Enthusiast‘s 2025 American Wine Region of the Year — the highest profile recognition an American wine region can receive, awarded to a community of more than 140 wineries across 10,000 acres of vineyard. The judges called it a “hotbed of innovation,” praised its cool-climate Riesling, Cabernet Franc, and sparkling wines, and singled out the collaborative, family-owned culture that makes the region genuinely different from larger, more corporate wine destinations.

All of that is true in August. It’s also true in April — with 80% fewer people, open tables at your first choice of restaurant, and a winemaker sitting across from you with time to talk.

That’s mud season. Go anyway. You’ll be glad you did.

You’ve probably heard people talk about the Finger Lakes the same way they talk about that restaurant you keep meaning to try. It’s always on the list. Never quite happens. But here’s the thing: if you’re in New York City and you’ve been putting off this trip, spring 2026 is the season to stop procrastinating.

Four hours north of the city, tucked between eleven glacial lakes and rolling hills that look almost impossibly green when they wake up in April, Finger Lakes Wine Country offers something no weekend trip to the Hamptons or a flight to Napa can replicate: world-class wine, genuinely warm hospitality, stunning scenery, and a pace of life that actually lets you exhale. And the accolades have started to catch up with what locals have always known. In 2025, Wine Enthusiast awarded the Finger Lakes its prestigious Wine Star Award for American Wine Region of the Year — recognizing two centuries of innovation, sustainability, and cool-climate excellence. That honor landed on top of multiple USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice wins for Best Wine Region in America, a reader-voted title the Finger Lakes has claimed more than once against competition from regions with far bigger marketing budgets and far more name recognition. This is not a hidden gem anymore. It is a legitimately world-class wine destination. And spring is the best time to experience it before the summer crowds catch on.

Here’s how to do it right.

Start Where American Winemaking Began — Keuka Lake

*Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery’s 1886 Experience*

If you want to understand the Finger Lakes, start at Keuka Lake. It is where American winemaking was born. In 1860, Pleasant Valley Wine Company was established on its shores and became the first bonded winery in the United States. Nearly a century later, Dr. Konstantin Frank planted the first vinifera vines in the eastern United States, here, sparking what became known as the Vinifera Revolution — the moment the Finger Lakes stopped being a regional curiosity and started being taken seriously on the world stage. That history is still alive and pourable today.

The Keuka Lake Wine Trail is the most intimate of the region’s trails, and that’s its greatest strength. You can drive the entire lake circuit in just over an hour, so a full day of tasting feels leisurely rather than rushed. Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery is the essential first stop — their Rieslings set the benchmark for the entire region, and the tasting room overlooks some of the oldest vinifera vineyards in America. The 1886 Wine Experience pairing, consistently ranked among the best winery tours in the country, is worth booking in advance if you want to go deep. Heron Hill Winery, whose vaulted tasting hall was named one of the most spectacular tasting rooms in the world by Travel + Leisure, produces seven distinct styles of Riesling alongside a Cabernet Franc that rewards the patient taster. And Keuka Spring Vineyards, perched on a hillside with sweeping lake panoramas, has built four decades of quiet excellence into a welcome that feels like visiting a family who genuinely loves what they do. It’s precisely that cool-climate precision and generational commitment to craft that earned the region its Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Award — and one afternoon on the Keuka Lake Wine Trail makes the case more convincingly than any award citation could.

Time Your Trip Around Keuka in Bloom

Spring on Keuka Lake has its own signature event, and it is one of the most charming things happening anywhere in New York State in May. Keuka in Bloom sends ticketholders on a self-guided tour of all the trail’s wineries, where each stop pairs herb-inspired food with a featured wine and sends you home with a flower and an herb in a 4-inch pot, ready to plant — from every winery you visit. By the time you’ve made the full circuit, you have a weekend’s worth of memories, a case’s worth of new favorite bottles, and enough plants to start a respectable garden. It sells out every year without exception. Buy tickets the moment they go on sale.

The Seneca Lake Wine Trail runs its own themed spring weekends through March and April — chocolate, cheese, and pasta pairings that turn a self-guided trail into something closer to a progressive dinner party. And March brings New York State Maple Weekends across the region, when local farms open their sugarhouses for tours and tastings. A Finger Lakes Gewürztraminer with fresh maple candy is one of those combinations that sound unlikely until you try them.

Don’t Skip the Museums — Seriously

This might be the most underrated part of a Finger Lakes spring trip, especially if you’re traveling with someone who isn’t a dedicated wine enthusiast.

If you’re basing yourself on Keuka Lake, the charming village of Hammondsport at the southern tip deserves at least a morning. It’s a beautifully preserved small town with lake views, independent shops, and the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum — a world-class aviation and early motorsport collection that tells the story of the man the region’s own called the “Father of Aviation.” It’s an unexpectedly fascinating few hours and pairs well with lunch on the village square before an afternoon of tasting.

A short drive south, the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning is one of the genuinely great museums in the northeastern United States — full stop. It houses over 50,000 glass objects spanning 3,500 years of human history, and the live glassblowing demonstrations are mesmerizing in a way that’s difficult to explain until you’re standing there watching a molten gather transform into a vessel in under two minutes. Spring is an ideal time to visit because the museum is far less crowded than summer, and you can book a hands-on glassblowing class that makes for an unexpectedly memorable afternoon. Right around the corner, The Rockwell Museum — the only Smithsonian Affiliate in upstate New York — explores American art and identity through an exceptional permanent collection housed in a beautifully converted Victorian-era building.

Both museums sit in Corning’s Gaffer District, a walkable historic downtown full of independent shops, galleries, and restaurants that feels genuinely alive rather than tourist-groomed. Plan a full afternoon here.

Where to Eat Well

The farm-to-table movement didn’t arrive in the Finger Lakes as a trend — it’s just always been how people eat here, because the farms are right there.

In Hammondsport, The Switzerland Inn — known locally as “The Switz” — is a beloved casual spot with an irresistible waterfront deck on a warm spring evening. It’s the kind of place where you order something simple and leave wondering why you don’t live here. NOTE: It reopens for the season at the end of April.

For a genuinely special dinner, Stonecat Café in Hector on Seneca Lake is a must. Housed in a renovated farmstead with sweeping lake views and a menu built almost entirely on local sourcing, it’s the kind of restaurant that makes you understand why people move to the Finger Lakes. They carry an excellent regional wine list that puts the Wine Enthusiast’s award picks front and center. Book ahead. NOTE: It reopens for the season end of March.

In Watkins Glen, GRAFT Wine + Cider Bar has earned a devoted following for its rotating seasonal menu built around local producers. Chef and owner Orlando Rodriguez treats regional ingredients with genuine creativity, and the beverage program — local wines, ciders, and craft spirits — is one of the best curated lists in the region. Small enough that dinner there feels like an event rather than a transaction. (See our other Romantic Restaurants to Visit in FLWC!)

For a perfect Saturday morning before a day on the trail, visit a farmers market (most run on weekends starting in April!). Some recommendations are: The Windmill Farm & Craft Market (Penn Yan), which reopens for the season on the last Saturday in April. This is a massive market with 200+ vendors, including local produce, wineries, and baked goods. Indian Pines Farm Market (Penn Yan), which is a seasonal roadside stand that opens in early spring for produce, pies, and baked goods.

The Logistics That Make It Easy

The drive from New York City to Keuka Lake takes approximately four hours, making it a genuinely doable weekend without the stress of a flight. Hammondsport, at the southern tip of the lake, is the most historically significant and logistically convenient base — it puts you within walking distance of the village, minutes from the southern trail wineries, and an easy drive to Corning and the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum. For another scenic spot on the northern end of the lake, Penn Yan offers small-town charm, a Saturday farmers’ market, and easy access to the eastern shore wineries and the Keuka Lake Outlet Trail, with waterfall views.

Spring weekends — particularly April and May — hit the sweet spot of mild weather, blooming hillside vineyards, and tasting rooms that are open and fully staffed but not overwhelmed. Accommodation prices are also meaningfully lower than the summer and fall peaks, which means you can justify staying somewhere considerably nicer.

The Bottom Line

Wine Enthusiast doesn’t hand out Wine Star Awards to regions that are merely fine. USA Today readers don’t vote the same destination Best Wine Region in America multiple times because the marketing is good. Finger Lakes Wine Country keeps earning its recognition the hard way — through exceptional wine, genuine hospitality, and a landscape that holds its own against any wine destination in the country. Start at Keuka Lake and let the rest of the region unfold from there. Spring 2026 is your window. Check out our other Itineraries and travel guides to help with your planning.

There’s something about the Finger Lakes that makes hearts beat faster. Maybe it’s how the evening sun turns the water to gold, or the way vineyard rows seem to go on forever. Or maybe it’s simpler than that—a quiet table, good wine, and the person you love sitting across from you.

The Finger Lakes Wine Country spreads across five counties covering 3,065 square miles of rolling hills, deep glacial lakes, and small towns where nobody’s in a hurry. Three wine trails wind through the landscape, but it’s the restaurants hidden among the vines that really steal your heart. Here are four places where dinner becomes something more.

Main Deck Restaurant, Penn Yan, NY

Right on the edge of Keuka Lake in Penn Yan, Main Deck feels like the kind of place you’d want to keep secret. The dining room looks out over the water, and they’ve done this clever thing with the design—the bar is shaped like a boat, the booths remind you of boat seats. It works without being cheesy.

Chef Jeff Monsour knows what he’s doing with local ingredients. Their house cocktails are inventive without being overly fussy. If you want something a little more laid-back, head downstairs to the Tunnel Bar, where during warmer weather the garage doors open onto a patio with fire pits. Either way, you’ll want to time it for sunset.

Tanino Ristorante Italiano, Horseheads, NY

Tanino’s doesn’t need to try too hard—it just gets Italian right. The dining room has that warm vibe that feels special without being stuffy, and the kitchen turns out classics that make you remember why you love this food in the first place. Their veal dishes are consistently excellent, the homemade bread with olive oil arrives warm at your table, and desserts like tiramisu and panna cotta are made fresh daily in their bakery. It’s the kind of place where you can linger over a bottle of wine without anyone rushing you, which is exactly what a romantic dinner should feel like. The staff strikes that perfect balance of attentive without hovering, so you actually get to focus on each other.

Graft Wine and Cider Bar, Watkins Glen, NY

Watkins Glen is famous for racing, but Graft feels like the opposite of fast. It’s walk-in only, no reservations, which somehow makes it feel more genuine. The menu changes based on what’s available, and the chef infuses Dominican flavors in surprising ways.

Farm-to-table ingredients are prominently featured. The wine and cider list is all Finger Lakes, served by people who actually care about what you’re drinking. It’s cozy without being cramped, nice enough to feel special but comfortable enough to relax. After dinner, walk down Franklin Street while the evening’s still warm and quiet.

The Cellar Restaurant & Lounge, Owego, NY

Along the Susquehanna River in historic Owego, The Cellar Owego (not to be confused with another great, The Cellar in Corning, NY) has been serving fine steaks and fresh seafood since 1982. The location is part of the charm—sitting right on the river in a town that feels like it stopped rushing decades ago.

The menu draws from global flavors but stays grounded in what’s good. They’ve got a wine list worth exploring and craft cocktails that show somebody’s paying attention. The atmosphere hits that sweet spot between elegant and comfortable—you can dress up or not, and either way feels right. Get a table by the window if you can, where you can watch the river while you eat. The outdoor seating in warmer months makes it even better.

The Journey Itself

Here’s the thing about eating your way through the Finger Lakes—it’s not really about checking restaurants off a list. It’s about the drive between them, the farm stand where you stop for strawberries, the waterfall you weren’t looking for but found anyway. Stay somewhere small and personal, where breakfast means local coffee and pastries still warm from the oven.

The Finger Lakes doesn’t push you to hurry. Take your time. Linger over dinner. Sleep in. Let yourself fall in love again—with the place, the food, the wine, and especially with each other.

Pack light. Stay longer. Let it work its magic.

No matter the season, Finger Lakes Wine Country is the perfect setting for a romantic getaway, whether for the weekend or more. Here are some ideas to help you plan a Lover’s Escape to wine country. For more information about our wine trails and the year-round events they host to enhance this experience, click here.

In Corning, NY

Start with our list of lodging, whether you’re looking for a cozy boutique stay or want a more resort-like feel.

The Hilton Garden Inn is steps from all the happenings in Corning, NY. Book one of their spacious rooms, relax in the hotel’s heated pool, or grab a drink and food at the hotel’s in-house restaurant and bar. Take a sunset stroll across the walking bridge into Centerway Square and explore the local shops, bars, and restaurants along Market St.

Reserve a table next to the window or a cozy corner booth at The Cellar for a romantic farm-to-table dinner, cocktails, or wine. Don’t miss out on dessert—it’s always a delightful treat!

For a casual, year-round brunch experience, visit Ella’s Acres Homestead, a popular breakfast spot with its locally sourced menu and espresso drinks. Note: There is often a longer wait time during weekend brunch.

A stroll up and down Market St. will introduce you to many more options for a complete day and night out.

Purchase a combination museum ticket at The Rockwell Museum, and take the free shuttle to the Corning Museum of Glass, just steps from your hotel. Reserve a make-your-own-glass experience for a personalized souvenir of your visit.

Pamper yourself at Safala Medical with a facial and massages. Take an easy hike through Spencer Crest Nature Center (2.3 miles) or Houghton Land Preserve (1.6 miles) for a leisurely outdoor bonding experience.

For more on what to do in Corning, NY, check out our small-town guide here.

IN ELMIRA, NY

Stay in a cozy vacation rental at Rye Bar and Restaurant. With three different room styles, you will surely find one that fits your vibe. Perks of staying here include the restaurant and bar right downstairs, offering big-city-style Sunday brunch, jazz night on Thursdays, and Happy Hour every night, Wednesday through Sunday, from 4-6 PM. The Garage, a favorite coffee shop in town, is located right next door and is open every day, Monday through Sunday, to get you started with a perfect cup of jo and freshly baked pastries and breakfast sandwiches.

For a more private and “regal” stay, book at the Castle by The Glen. Tucked in a hillside neighborhood in Elmira, NY, it offers all the comfort and aesthetics of a weekend of pampering.

Speaking of pampering, book a Couples Massage at Namaste Spa for a 60- or 90-minute relaxation experience.

Another romantic dining option is Hill Top Inn (open March through December), which, on warmer days, offers outdoor seating reservations overlooking the Elmira cityscape and Jerusalem Hill’s natural landscape.

Spend an afternoon exploring the Arnot Museum and hiking the trails of the Tanglewood Nature Center.

For more on what to do in Elmira, NY, check out our small-town guide here.

In Owego, NY

The Village of Owego makes for the perfect laid-back romantic getaway, starting with a stay at the historic Belva Lockwood Inn. This beautiful bed and breakfast has several beautifully decorated rooms and a delicious continental breakfast, and it is within walking distance of all the main sights in town.

The Cellar Restaurant and Lounge (not affiliated with the above-mentioned Cellar in Corning) is an excellent spot for a romantic dinner and drinks. The dark wood and leather decor create a warm, intimate dining experience, and their globally inspired menu makes for a perfect date night.

*Photo credit: The Cellar Lounge and Bar, Owego*

Other favorite local spots are Owego Beer and Donuts for the sweet tooth, Riverrow Bookshop for the curious bookworm, or Spellbound for those who prefer a fairytale, fantasy, and folk tale bookstore – that also serves coffee! Carol’s Coffee and Art Bar will surround you with paintings by local artists (for sale). Try your luck at the nearby Tioga Downs Casino, and then treat yourself to a massage at their Serenity Spa .

For a romantic time outdoors, stroll along the Owego Riverwalk or take a more committed hike along the Oakley Corners State Forest trails.

For more on what to do in Owego, NY, check out our small-town guide here.

In Penn Yan, NY

This lake town has so much to offer, from the long drives along scenic plains to afternoons spent on the Keuka Lake shores. It’s no wonder it is a popular spot for vacation travelers. But it also offers many cute, intimate experiences for a little love-fest getaway.

Stay at The Laurentide Inn right in the heart of the Village of Penn Yan. This bed and breakfast has stunning, comfortable rooms and little nooks in the public sitting areas for reading or enjoying a glass of wine after a day of exploring. The food served is top-notch, and the adjacent Laurentide Beer Co. is a great place to enjoy some brews and live music during the warmer months.

Walk along Penn Yan’s Main St. to explore antique stores, cafes like Amity, and cute shops and craft stores. Make a reservation for cocktails and dinner at 18th Amendment, or stop in for wine tasting and bites at Burnt Rose Wine Bar. For dining and drinks with lake views, head over to Main Deck, and for a more casual affair with views of the Keuka Lake Outlet Trail, stop into Outlet 111.

Rent a bike or hike along the Keuka Lake Outlet Trail (7 miles), or take a dip into the lake and set up a romantic picnic at the Keuka Lake State Park. Want to make sure the picnic experience is unique and catered to your visit? Check out Finger Lakes Picnic Co..

For more on what to do in Penn Yan, NY, check out our small-town guide here.

In Hammondsport, NY

Designated the Coolest Small Town in America, Hammondsport is a postcard-perfect destination. With its sweet little gazebo in the park, where bands play live in the summer, and its pedestrian-friendly streets, it is the spot for lake-life lovers in the summer and quiet escape seekers in the colder months.

Stay at the Park Inn, which has snug rooms and a cozy ambiance. Make a reservation for the downstairs restaurant. Have breakfast (or ice cream!) at Crooked Lake Ice Cream, pastries at Vern’s Bakery, and coffee at the newly opened (in April of 2025!) Service Station cafe.

Plan leisurely strolls to Depot Park for quiet conversations by the lake. Set up a picnic, swim, or rent a boat to enjoy all Keuka Lake has to offer. Visit the historic, quaint public library, or go antiquing at the many shops in town.

For more on what to do in Hammondsport, NY, check out our small-town guide here.

In Watkins Glen, NY

Along the shores of Seneca Lake is the town of Watkins Glen. For many, this is where one comes for high-speed fun and water adventures, but it is also a place to rest your head before venturing along the Seneca Lake Wine Trail or to take in the views from Seneca Harbor during sunset. During the colder months, the town is especially calm, making it a wonderful romantic retreat for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle.

Stay at the luxurious Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel, and if you can book a room with a lake view, that would be even better. The hotel offers services from an in-house bar, restaurant, and a newly installed workout facility, and often hosts events for the community and visitors.

Or reserve a room at the newly opened Benjamin Hotel for a more intimate stay.

Start your romantic evening with a stroll along Franklin St., with a stop for cocktails at J.R. Dill Wine Bar, downstairs from The Benjamin.

Then, walk further down the street for a romantic dinner at Graft Wine and Cider Bar. Walk-ins are only greeted by a friendly team of servers and a beautiful selection of local ciders and wines. The primarily farm-to-table menu is delightful, often complemented by the chef and owner’s Dominican heritage and its spices and flavors.

While the lower trails in Watkins Glen State Park are closed, the upper trails remain open, providing access to the park and waterfall views. For more winter fun for two, visit the ice skating rink at Clute Park during the winter months.

For more on what to do in Watkins Glen, NY, check out our small-town guide here.

In Dundee, NY

Dundee, NY, is not far from Watkins Glen but is more centered between the Seneca Lake and Keuka Lake Wine Trails. It is the perfect spot for those who want to spend their time traveling to the wineries and their surrounding restaurants.

Stay at the historic Victorian Manor, 1897 Beekman House Bed and Breakfast, for a truly intimate and romantic stay. This B&B offers five elegant guest rooms, each with a private bath, to choose from, and your stay comes with a gourmet, three-course breakfast served daily.

If you’d like to do more than explore the nearby wine trails and wineries, check out the Dundee and Himrod, NY Small Town Guide here.

Finger Lakes Wine Country offers some of the most beautiful landscapes in New York State. The region is also a haven for waterfall chasing. One might assume that waterfall viewing is best in the warmer months, but waterfalls truly come to life and are spectacular to see in the winter. Enjoy sparkling snowy scenes when you visit these five magical waterfalls this winter.

For more ideas on how to spend this season in wine country, please read our guide to outdoor activities to enjoy in the winter in the Finger Lakes. Bookmark our complete waterfall guide for future visits!

Watkins Glen State Park

The famous waterfalls of Watkins Glen State Park attract visitors from near and far every year and every season. While the famous Gorge Trail, which takes you directly through the gorge and past 19 cascading waterfalls, is closed in the winter for safety due to icy conditions, the South Rim Trail is open year-round. It offers a glimpse of a true winter wonderland from above, overlooking the gorge and its waterfalls.

The South Rim Trail passes the scenic stone-arched Sentry Bridge, which offers visitors a glimpse of the canyon and Keyhole Falls.

What’s great about visiting this popular natural attraction in the winter is not only the stunning scenery, but also the fact that it’s less popular, allowing you to take in the surrounding beauty with fewer people.

As with any winter hike, use caution, as there may be ice.

Seneca Mills Falls

Located just outside of Penn Yan along the 7-mile Keuka Outlet Trail that connects Keuka Lake to Seneca Lake, you can find another gorgeous waterfall in any season. A sight to see with a layer of snow at Seneca Mills Falls, located in the ruins of a former mill.

This 40-ft waterfall can be accessed by foot along the Keuka Outlet Trail or by enjoying other winter activities such as snowshoeing, horseback riding, and snowmobiling.

If you’re looking for the quickest way to visit Seneca Mills Falls, you will want to find the small parking area on Outlet Road, around three miles outside of the town of Penn Yan. From here you can enjoy the easy walk along the trail for about .3 miles before approaching the scenic waterfall.

Aunt Sarah Falls

Another roadside waterfall in wine country that is especially beautiful in winter is Aunt Sarah Falls, located on State Route 414 just north of the village of Montour Falls.

This is one of the region’s waterfalls that is highly dependent on water flow. During a dry summer, you won’t be able to see Aunt Sarah Falls, but luckily, in the colder days of winter, the flow freezes and makes for a stunning frozen waterfall and giant icicle scene.

There is a parking area right next to the falls, making it a straightforward and quick stop, even on the coldest of days!

She-Qua-Ga Falls

Towering above the village of Montour Falls at 156 feet, She-Qua-Ga Falls is another scenic gem of the region and absolutely gorgeous in the winter. Situated between residential homes and the village of Montour Falls, you can witness this stunning waterfall from the viewing platform, driving through the town, and from Main Street.

The name of She-Qua-Ga Falls means ‘tumbling waters’ in the Seneca language,e as this site was formerly a Seneca Tribe village.

During an arid season, it’s hard to see this waterfall, but in the winter, you not only get water flow but also all the frozen beauty around it.

Honorable Mention

Hector Falls

Catch a glimpse of one of the most well-known waterfalls in the region while driving along State Route 414. The cascading Hector Falls is truly stunning every season of the year – and it can be viewed right from your car!

In the winter, you are rewarded with a view of the cascading water, dusted with snow and ice. From this spot, you’re witnessing the upper falls. What you won’t be able to see from this vantage point are the series of waterfalls below the bridge you’re driving on, flowing into Seneca Lake.

Please note: the highway where this waterfall is located is fast-moving and can be very dangerous. If possible, avoid exiting your car. If you do, please watch out for oncoming vehicles – some of which are not easily visible around the bend.

The holiday season in Finger Lakes Wine Country is one of the most festive and exciting times in the region. As the weather cools and the days become shorter, the holiday spirit fills the air and the region bursts with merry surprises!

Here’s the scoop on celebration-worthy wines, local arts and hand-crafted products perfect for gifting, and festive decorations and traditions. We’ve created this guide to help you enjoy the best of the holidays in Finger Lakes Wine Country.

Safety Notice: This holiday season may require advance planning when visiting many of our region’s restaurants, museums, wineries, and more. Call in advance to find out our business’s latest guidelines or to book reservations. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing wherever you may visit in the region.

Wines Perfect for the Holiday Season

The holiday season is the perfect time to pop open a bottle of sparkling wine to celebrate with those closest to you. Finger Lakes Wine Country offers a variety of great bubbly options for your holiday festivities. For the perfect pairing anytime of year, check out the recommendations on our website!

Try J.R. Dill Winery Cayuga White Rise or Glenora Wine Cellars Brut for sparkling white wines. If you’re looking for a bit of color in your sparkle, try Heron Hill Winery Lady of the Lakes Bubbly Blush or Dr. Konstantin Frank Célèbre Rosé.

For wines that pair well with your holiday dinners at home, try one of our region’s dry red wines, like Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon or Ravines Wine Cellars Pinot Noir. Our region’s celebrated white wines, such as Gewürztraminer, Grüner Veltliner, or Pinot Gris, pair perfectly with white meat like turkey. And no Finger Lakes-inspired holiday is complete without Riesling, the region’s shining star. Wagner Vineyards offers a variety of Rieslings, ranging from dry to sweet. We love the Semi-Dry Riesling, which is always a crowd pleaser.

Don’t forget dessert! Pair your sweets with one of our region’s fortified wines like Ravines Wine Cellars Ampersand Port. Want to sip something on the sweeter side? Try Riesling Ice Wine from Wagner Vineyards or a fruit wine from Glenora Wine Cellars.

We also recommend following your favorite wineries on social media for their latest releases and holiday specials!

Local Gift Ideas

Finger Lakes Wine Country is home to many independent shops selling unique items that make perfect, thoughtful gifts for loved ones. Check our small towns for great gift ideas and locally made products. The region is also full of quaint antique shops for those who love collecting valuables and items from the past.

Staving Artist Woodwork in Penn Yan offers handmade artwork and furniture made from wine barrel staves. For the wine lover or Finger Lakes fan on your list, Staving Artist Woodwork is a must-visit! They also offer online shopping and quick shipping options. Other special spots in Penn Yan include the Potter’s Gallery for unique pottery items made by local potters and artisans, and Plants on Main to choose among an array of selections for the green thumb in your life.

Just south of Hector is Watkins Glen, home to antique shops, Famous Brands, and Watkins Glen International’s The Shop, which is sure to please any race fan in your life. Franklin St. Galleryoffers artwork by local artists, photography for purchase, gift cards, and other items to commemorate your visit.Ivy Lane Flowers is the spot to pick up a floral arrangement to decorate your holiday table, as well as small gifts. Bonus: it is located right at J.R. Wine Bar, so you can enjoy a nice glass of wine or cocktail between your shopping!

Spend an afternoon in Corning’s Gaffer District, where you’ll find many shops on Market Street. Check out Heathered Grey for beautifully curated home goods and thoughtful gift items, or Connors Mercantile for fun and seasonal gifts for anyone on your list. Crystal City Olive Oil is perfect for the foodies in your life, who will surely delight over specialty holiday gift baskets. Stop into Dimitri’s Confectionery for some sweet treats and sugary gifts!

Visit The Rockwell Museum, the only Smithsonian Affiliate in upstate New York, where you can find unique gifts in their shop. Just across Centerway Bridge, you’ll find The Shops at The Corning Museum of Glass for one-of-a-kind, artisan glass products and gifts, many of which are handmade, blown glass. You can also find household staples like Corelle ware and Pyrex.

Give the gift of pampering with a certificate to Safala Medical for a menu of personalized, specialized treatments, or to Ageless Spa for massages and facials.

In general, we recommend planning a day at Corning because the list of shops and sweet little spots to explore will definitely be worth your time!

If driving from Corning to Elmira, stop in at Antiques Revival to browse their incredible collection from every era.

Spend an afternoon exploring the quaint shops in Owego. Stop into The Laughing Place for the kiddos on your list. And don’t miss Katie’s Kreations or Early Owego Antiques while in town.

Most of our wineries in the region offer small retail areas filled with gifts perfect for wine lovers, as well as locally sourced products to fill stockings.

Stop in or call any of our restaurants, shops, wineries, breweries, cideries, distilleries, or museums to purchase gift certificates for loved ones. Gift cards are the perfect way to share Finger Lakes Wine Country if you’re not able to join us this holiday season. Read our complete Small Holiday Gift Guide for more inspiration.

Holiday Festivities & Activities

Our small towns get decked out for the holidays, so plan a drive or stroll through the region’s charming towns of Owego, Elmira, Corning, Hammondsport, and Watkins Glen to enjoy the holiday decorations.

Twinkle Town at Bradley Farms in Elmira offers a drive-through holiday lights-and-music spectacular. An unforgettable experience for the whole family; Twinkle Town even makes a sweet romantic date. While you’re in Elmira, make a reservation at Hill Top Inn on Jerusalem Hill, where you not only enjoy sweeping views of the valley below, but also witness the world’s largest lighted Christmas wreath.

Don’t miss holiday activities at The Corning Museum of Glass, where you can participate in a hands-on workshop making your very own blown glass ornament or snowman. While you’re there, make sure to get your photo in front of their 14 glass ornament tree. Also in Corning, delight in confectionery amazement at the Gingerbread Invitational at The Rockwell Museum.

Book a wine tasting appointment at any of our region’s 130+ wineries to decide which wines will pair perfectly with your holiday meals or should feature at your holiday celebrations. Whether you check out Cayuga, Keuka, or Seneca Lake Wine Trails, take advantage of discounted shipping and online offers when shopping from home. Read our full list of Holiday Events for more information.

Find the Perfect Christmas Tree

Nothing says holiday more than cutting down your own Christmas tree. We recommend visiting a few local farms and bringing the family together for tree hunting and fun. Towner Tree Farms in Addison, NY, sells fresh Christmas trees precut and displayed, or you can take your family into their field and cut your own! They also feature wreaths of different shapes and sizes: standard round, crosses, hearts, snowflakes, swags & more! VanDerZee Christmas Tree Farm in Trumansburg offers both pre-cut and cut-your-own trees, as well as wreaths. Head to Bradley Farms for their pre-cut trees and drive through their Twinkle Town, November 22, 2024, through December 28, 2024, 5-10 PM. Cabins in the Clouds Christmas Forest in Campbell, NY, is a tree farm that offers trees, wreaths, and other arrangements. Tree species include Douglas Fir, Concolor Fir, and Blue Spruce. Hober Tree Farm in Wayland, NY, offers a variety of competitively priced Christmas trees. Their selection of premium firs includes trees of all sizes, including Douglas, Fraser, Concolor, Balsam, and Grand Fir. Highland Tree Farm in Branchport, NY, has trees to choose from, hosts a sweet holiday market, and is home to real live Highland cows!

Happy Holidays from all your friends in Finger Lakes Wine Country! Cheers!

‘Tis Giftgiving Season, and there’s no better time to shop small and locally. This updated Shop Small Holiday Gift Guide highlights some of Finger Lakes Wine Country’s best local businesses and boutiques. We also thought outside the box and included gift certificates, community memberships, and places to consider gifting donations to.

Looking for gifts for the Travel Lover on your holiday shopping list? How about some Romantic Gift suggestions? Not only are we telling you what to gift the Foodies, Artists, and Activists in your life, but we’re also telling you where, making this not just a great shopping guide but also a wonderful way to explore our small towns and support their small businesses. Happy shopping!

Corning

Start your experience in Corning, just one of the quaint towns in Finger Lakes Wine Country, which makes you feel like you’re in a Hallmark Holiday Movie. The town hosts a series of events to celebrate Crystal City Christmas, which kicks off with Small Business Saturday and is followed by the Parade of Lights and Sparkle. Check out the website here for more information and to plan your visit.

Hostess Gifts

Don’t arrive at a holiday party empty-handed. Stock up on small hostess gifts from Connor’s Mercantile in the Gaffer District. You can also purchase other household items from Mackenzie Childs or a box of sweets from their in-store chocolate counter. Can’t decide? Pick up a gift card online to shop locally virtually. Of course, this is just one of many shops to visit, such as Heathered Grey, Sudha’s Emporium, Pure Design Home Furnishings, and Bethany’s Jewelry and Design.

Treat them to some sweets from Dimitri’s Confectionery, which is enough to make any inner child’s heart gleeful.

Help create a feminist future with socially progressive books, gifts, and apparel from Card Carrying Books and Gifts. Find something for the activist on your list who is inspired to make a difference.

If you’re searching for a gift with taste, visit Crystal City Olive Oil and enjoy olive oil in an experience like no other, sampling varieties from around the world. Grab a bottle or two for your favorite Foodies this holiday season. Selections range from oils from Italy, Spain, Tunisia, Argentina, Chile, and the United States.

Last but not least, visit the Twin Tiers Antiques Plaza in search of some vintage treasures, including the Pyrex that this “Crystal City” is known for. This is the Finger Lakes’ ultimate antique destination, with over 50 dealers spread across 8,000 square feet on two floors.

History Buff

A museum membership is a great gift for the history buff in your life and a fantastic way to support the community. The Rockwell Museum is a unique community center that explores the evolution of being American through the eyes of American artists. The Rockwell Museum is the only Smithsonian Affiliate in Upstate New York.

The Corning Museum of Glass explores 3,500 years of glassmaking history in the world’s largest glass collection. With over 45,000 pieces of classic and contemporary glass art, there’s something everyone can see, including live, narrated glassmaking demonstrations and workshops, all in their newly renovated Glass Studio!

Glass Act

It should come as no surprise that “America’s Crystal City” has many glassy places to visit and create custom glass gifts. From holiday tree sculptures and snow people to hot glass work, fusing, and sandblasting, the Corning Museum of Glass offers a variety of workshops.

You can also support these small businesses by gifting gift cards or scheduling a shared glass-blowing experience. The whole family can experience glass-blowing at the Hands-on Glass Studio, creating keepsake ornaments, paperweights, or pumpkins.

If you’d rather gift some great glass art, visit the Vitrix Hot Glass Studio, which is located in the historic Hawkes Crystal building. Unlike many studios, you’re invited to watch these artists at work. Then, head to the gallery and shop for gifts like vases, ornaments, and perfume bottles.

For The Crafter

In addition to all the glass-making opportunities mentioned above, there are many other ways for the crafter in your life to express their creativity! Purchase a crafting class from Eleven Lakes Market or high-quality knitting and sewing gifts from Rabbit Row Yarns and Haberdashery (you can also join a knitting class and other fun gatherings). If you’re shopping for the plant lover, check out Pixie Moss Meadows for plants, classes, and small private events.

Owego

Owego is the perfect place for family-focused holiday shopping. We’ve shared places where you can find something for every family member.

Since 1973, The Goat Boy Gift Shop has offered a wide selection of gifts in Finger Lakes Wine Country, from women’s clothing and accessories to home goods and, of course, Baby Gifts.

Independent toy store The Laughing Place has been providing toys and games for over 20 years. From puzzles and plush animals to building sets and craft kits, there’s a special toy here for Kids of All Ages.

Local Utopia is the go-to shop for the Tweens and Young Adults on your list. From cute lollipops and bath bombs to crop tops and candles. These affordable items are great options for the little humans growing up before your eyes. There are even waste-free options for eco-conscious kids, along with local products from brands like the Owego Soap Company.

The Early Owego Antique Center has over 90 vendors and gifts for the hardest people to shop for.

The Book Lover will enjoy a gift from Riverrow Books for new and used books of every kind. If they are more into the mystical, Spellbound Books is a folk, fantasy, and fairy tale-themed bookstore cafe right in town.

Hammondsport

Antiquing is a way of life in Hammondsport. We’ve handpicked the best antique shops in the area and provided some gift suggestions for the Travel Enthusiasts in your life. Near beautiful Keuka Lake, you’ll find your source for vintage toys, antique chests, art deco, heirlooms, and more at Crooked Lake Antiques. In downtown Hammondsport, you’ll find Opera House Antiques, a multi-dealer shop within the historic Frey Opera House.

Looking for unexpected treasures? Stop in at Patina to shop unique wares from artisans and collectors across the region. There’s always something new to find at prices that don’t break the bank.

For more modern options, head to Browsers in the Hammondsport Square. Here, you can find gifts for Wine Lovers, jewelry, cards, candles, and the area’s largest selection of regional souvenirs, T-shirts, and sweatshirts. Stop into Stony Brook Gift Company seasonally for holiday wreaths, locally made gifts, accessories, and statement tea towels.

Open year-round, the Cinnamon Stick Gourmet and Gift Shop has a bit of everything. From coffee and tea to gourmet jellies, jams, and sauces, owner Terry Pennise provides a wide variety, including music boxes, Crocs, candles, cookbooks, and more.

Give the Travel Enthusiast a glimpse of history with certificates from the Curtiss Museum and Finger Lakes Boat Museum. The Curtiss Museum houses a priceless collection of artifacts relating to early aviation and local history. Enjoy exhibits of aircraft, motorcycles, bicycles, boats, and cars at this museum dedicated to the accomplishments of pioneer aviator and “Father of Naval Aviation,” Glenn H. Curtiss. The Finger Lakes Boat Museum is home to more than 115 boats, including canoes, rowboats, row outboards, outboard runabouts, inboards, ice boats, and sailboats. As well as many related artifacts and ephemera.

Penn Yan

Head to Penn Yan for sweet nostalgia, the perfect greeting card, and upcycled woodwork.

Take a nostalgic trip down memory lane to The Keuka Candy Emporium and walk away with gifts perfect for those stuck in a Time Warp. Remind them not to drink the vintage soda after eating a packet of Pop Rocks. A Bit-O-Honey, A Sugar Daddy, and even Bubble Gum Cigarettes make great stocking stuffers! With over 100 varieties of candies, 24 flavors in the ice cream parlor, cotton candy, handmade chocolates, candy gift baskets, and fresh roasted and glazed nuts, this store has the sweetest gifts for anyone on your list.

Located in downtown Penn Yan, Long’s Cards & Books is more than just a bookstore. They’re your local source for office supplies, souvenirs, watches, wallets, greeting cards, and gifts for all ages.

Finger Lakes native Dan Mitchell has been crafting with wine barrel materials since 2005. For rustic and modern upcycled furniture and fixtures, home accessories, small gifts, accessories, stickers, and more, head to Staving Artist Woodwork.

Elmira

Searching for gifts for the Artist, Activist, or Book Lover in your life? Elmira has exactly what you’re looking for.

You can never go wrong with the gift of the theater! Give the Thespian in your life season tickets to performances at the Clemens Center. From blockbuster Broadway shows and dazzling dance performances to classical and contemporary concerts, the Clemens Center presents a variety of performance experiences for audiences of all ages.

Celebrate the Arts with a membership to The Arnot Museum! This world-class institution of fine art displays its permanent collection of 17th- to 19th-century European paintings, 19th-century American art, and a renowned, growing collection of contemporary works.

A gift certificate to the Harris Hill Soaring experience is the ultimate immersive gift. Allow the Adventure Seeker on your list to experience the thrill of soaring firsthand at a complex that Amelia Earhart proclaimed the “finest gliding and soaring facilities in the country.”

Know someone who prefers to explore on land? Begin on scenic trails at the Tanglewood Nature Center and Museum. A membership here is the perfect gift for the Young Explorer in your life. Tanglewood is the local leader in environmental education, offering programs that include live animal presentations, outdoor experiences, and hands-on activities. The 12,000-square-foot building features a museum with 43 live animal species, interactive exhibits, and a comfortable library for bird-watching and reading.

Stop by the Chamberlain Acres Garden Center & Gift Shop year-round for local products like ornaments, salsas & chutneys, goat milk soap, handmade baskets, tooled leather products, and more.

The Social Activist or Young Revolutionary in your life would appreciate a gift donation to the John Jones Museum. John W. Jones was an active agent in the Underground Railroad and aided in the escape of more enslaved Americans than Harriet Tubman. This is a great opportunity to give back to the community and learn about the John Jones Museum and its impact on the region.

Pick up home decor and antiques at The Pine City Post, outside Elmira in Pine City, NY.

Watkins Glen

Franklin Street Gallery in Watkins Glen represents over 50 regional artists and authors, including artists with developmental disabilities. Shop here for special mementos like original paintings, photographs, prints, ceramics, jewelry, fiber art, glass, metal, and wood sculptures, greeting cards, and more.

Craft Fairs and Markets

Craft Fairs and Markets are great ways to spend the day with the family, shopping for gifts while being well-fed and entertained. Not only will you find gifts for all ages, but there will also be activities to keep everyone engaged.

The Windmill Farm and Craft Market is home to nearly 200 local shops and craftsmen. Midway between Penn Yan and Dundee, it is a great place to find gifts for everyone on your list.

Local Finds

The Finger Lakes Soap Company makes its products in small batches to deliver high quality at low prices. It specializes in gentle, natural body soaps, lip balms, and ointments. The lakes and the region inspired many of its products, like its Seneca Moon Soap and Wine Trail foaming soaps.

This cute hand-lettered coffee mug features seven of the eleven Finger Lakes. The 16-ounce mug was created with Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters and New York-based artist AnnaParade.

Stop into Ivy Lane for florals, plants, and other specialty gifts, and while there, why not grab a drink at JR Dill cocktail bar? It’s a wonderful overall experience.

Although she’s not originally from Finger Lakes Wine Country, New York native Catherine LaPointe Vollmer takes great pride in her state. Her company, Lionheart Graphics, has a collection of beautiful vintage-style travel posters featuring the Adirondacks, the Hudson River Valley, the Finger Lakes Wine Country, and more. This is the perfect trio for the Travel Lover on your list.

On a budget? Shop these Affordable Gifts from FLX Goods. These stickers make a great stocking stuffer, and a Finger Lakes Cutting Board is the perfect gift for the host who loves a charcuterie board.

Memorable Experiences

Treat someone special to a soothing massage, exfoliating body scrub, or rejuvenating facial at one of the Incredible Spas in the region. Namaste Spa in Horseheads, New York, offers massage services, cupping, body treatments, and spa day packages, including up to four hours of pampering.

Give the gift of floatation therapy at Inner Peace Floats in Watkins Glen, New York. This relaxing treatment allows you to tune into your heartbeat and breathing, resulting in deep calm and other benefits.

The animal lover in your life can saddle up for a wintery horseback riding adventure at Painted Bar Stables. Located just outside Watkins Glen, NY, Painted Bar Stables offers horseback riding experiences at all levels, year-round by appointment only.

The best way to explore Seneca Lake is by boat. Give the unforgettable gift of a two-hour sunset experience on the historic schooner “True Love.”Consider a Fall Glider Ride with Harris Hill Soaring Corporation for the thrill-seeker on your list. Conde Nast Traveler named it the Best Fall Foliage Adventures in the U.S. The passenger weight limit is 245 pounds. Another adventurous option is to experience the region from a hot air balloon with Southern Tier Balloon Tours. The Passenger weight limit is 235 pounds per person; call for details.

As the weather cools and the days become shorter, the holiday spirit fills the air, and Finger Lakes Wine Country transforms into the set of a Hallmark holiday movie.

To help plan your trip, we’ve created this guide highlighting everything from holiday shopping events to Santa sightings and holiday performances so you can enjoy the most wonderful time of the year with us!

Holiday Shopping Events

The Thanksgiving Sale at The Shops

When: Now through December 1st, 2025

Time: 9 PM – 5:30 PM

Location: Corning Museum of Glass, 1 Museum Way, Corning, NY

Cost: Free

Visit The Shops at CMOG for the best deals in town during our annual Thanksgiving Sale! Choose from handmade glass and thousands of other gifts this holiday season—only at The Shops. This event is hosted by The Shops. Guests do not need to pay Museum admission to attend this event or benefit from discounts.

Holiday Market at Arnot

When: Now through December 27th, 2025

Time: 10 AM – 5:00 PM

Location: The Arnot Museum, 235 Lake Street in Elmira, NY

Cost: Free

Visitors are welcome to drop in and shop while the museum prepares the galleries for the upcoming season of exhibitions and the holidays.

Holiday Market at Point of the Bluff

When: Every Saturday from November 8rd – December 20th, 2025

Time: 12 PM – 5 PM

Location: Point of the Bluff Vineyards, 10489 County Route 76, Hammondsport, NY

Cost: Free

Get into the holiday spirit every Saturday through December 21st at Point of the Bluff’s beautifully decorated Pavilion! Enjoy a festive afternoon of holiday shopping, live music, and delicious food, all while sipping on their award-winning wines. Each weekend, you’ll find a unique selection of local vendors, perfect for checking off your gift list while supporting small businesses!

Pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus

When: Saturday, November 29th, 2025

Time: 8 AM – 4:30 PM

Where: The Windmill Farm and Craft Market, 3900 State Route 14A, Penn Yan, NY

Cost: Free

The Windmill will be open on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday! Their vendors will be offering end-of-season sales, and to thank their loyal customers, they will also hold customer appreciation days, including hourly and grand-prize drawings each day! Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Santa’s Reindeer will be there from 10:00 to 1:00! There will also be a caricature artist, balloon artist, and roaming calliope player.

Annual Cookie Walk in Hammondsport

When: Saturday, December 6th, 2025

Time: 10 AM – 2:00 PM

Location: Village of Hammondsport, 47 Shethar Street, Hammondsport, NY

Cost: Free

Bundle up, grab a hot cocoa, and visit each participating business in the village square and around Keuka Lake with your Hammondsport-themed commemorative holiday cookie tin to receive specially made Christmas cookies. Bonus: Santa Sightings!

Parades and Local Celebrations

Downtown Elmira Holiday Parade

When: November 28, 2025

Time: 10 AM

Location: W. Water St. and Clemens Center Parkway, Elmira, NY

Cost: Free

Come celebrate Downtown Elmira’s Holiday Parade on November 28th at 10 am. Bring your family to see all the popular characters your kiddos have come to love, including Bluey and Bingo, as well as our traditional favorites, Mickey and Minnie! This parade is made possible by volunteers.

Hornell for The Holidays

When: November 29, 2025

Time: 5:00 PM- 8:00 PM

Location: Downtown Hornell

Don’t miss the Tree Lighting right after the parade! Santa’s Cottage is open after the tree lighting until 8 PM. Free Hot Cocoa and Cookies will be handed out.

The Parade of Lights in Corning

When: Saturday, November 29th, 2025

Time: 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Location: Corning’s Gaffer District, 1 W. Market Street, Corning, NY

Cost: Free

Experience the Magic of the Parade of Lights in America’s Crystal City Christmas! A beloved highlight of the festive schedule, the Parade of Lights features around 50 participants, including marching bands, meticulously designed floats, and the highly anticipated appearance of Santa Claus on a horse-drawn carriage. Each entry is adorned with dazzling lights, illuminating Market Street as it weaves through our charming historic district. Families from far and wide have made this enchanting holiday tradition a cherished part of their seasonal celebrations.

Village Christmas in Watkins Glen

When: Friday, December 5, 2025

Time: 5 PM – 8 PM

Location: Downtown Watkins Glen, NY

Cost: Free

Kick off the holiday season with a festive evening filled with twinkling lights, a magical parade, fireworks, and the spirit of the season. It’s a heartwarming event that brings holiday cheer to locals and visitors alike!

The 32nd Annual Village Christmas is scheduled for December 5th, 2025! Festivities start at 5 pm. Our Visions of Christmas parade will start at 6:30 pm. There will be vendors, great food, music, Santa & Mrs. Claus, and fireworks off the pier at 7:30 pm.

StarShine 2025 in Penn Yan

When: Saturday, December 6, 2025

Time: 6 PM – 6 PM

Location: Main St, Penn Yan, NY

Cost: Free

Kick off the holiday season in the heart of downtown Penn Yan at StarShine, a beloved small-town tradition that brings festive cheer to the village. This family-friendly celebration is filled with twinkling lights, holiday music, and plenty of seasonal spirit.

Stroll along Main Street to enjoy local vendors, delicious food and beverages, live entertainment, and activities for all ages. From holiday shopping and treats to festive performances and children’s activities, StarShine captures the magic of the season and creates memories for the whole family.

Enjoy activities such as wagon rides, a petting zoo, a magician, face painting, Elf School games, and more! The Lights on Wheels parade will commence at 6:30 along Main Street.

Gaffer District’s Annual Sparkle

When: Saturday, December 7th, 2025

Time: 4:00 pm to 8:00 PM

Location: Corning’s Gaffer District, Market Street, Corning, NY

Cost: Free

Corning’s favorite holiday celebration lights the streets with shimmering decorations, live entertainment, and festive activities, and was just named by Time Out New one of the BEST holiday events in New York State! This cherished tradition unites our community and creates an enchanting atmosphere for families and visitors alike.

Christmas in the Park in Hammondsport

When: Saturday, December 13, 2025

Time: 4 PM – 7 PM

Location: Hammondsport’s Village Square

Cost: Free

Located in the village square. Get your friends and family together and come by the Village Square to take part in the festivities. Enjoy and browse through our many food and craft vendors, and visit our shops and restaurants on the Square!

Family-Friendly Events

Photo Rockwell Museum

The Annual Gingerbread Invitational

When: November 29 – December 31, 2025

Time: Various

Location: The Rockwell Museum, 111 Cedar Street, Corning, NY

Cost: Free

The Rockwell Museum’s Annual Gingerbread Invitational is a fun, artful gingerbread competition for baking enthusiasts and community members of all skill levels. The reception, on December 3, 2025, is open to the public and invites guests to come dressed in their favorite festive attire to enjoy warm beverages and tasty treats. Meet the gingerbread artists and cast your vote for the annual Community Choice Award – the winner will be announced in early January 2026. 

Holiday Open House at CMoG

When: Saturday, December 6th – Sunday, December 8\7th, 2025

Time: 9 AM – 5 PM

Location: The Corning Museum of Glass, One Museum Way, Corning, NY

Cost: Free

Celebrate the season with a fun, family-friendly event the first weekend of December. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be touring the Museum on both days, visiting and taking pictures with visitors. Want to complement your visit? Make Your Own Glass reservations in the museum’s newly renovated Glass Studio are now available!

Twinkle Town at Bradly Farms

When: Friday, November 21, 2025 – January 3, 2026

Time: 5 PM – 10 PM

Location: Bradley Farms, 1543 Maple Avenue, Elmira, NY

Cost: $25 per car or $90 for five visits

View over 200 individually lighted scenes from the comfort of your car as you drive through the one-mile, two-lane road while listening to their Holiday Channel on your radio. Rudolph and his friends will wait to help you in the spirit of the holidays! So, pile in, get cozy, and enjoy this new holiday tradition.

Adult-Only Activities

Holiday Shopping Spree

When: November 21-23 and December 5-7, 2025

Time: 10 AM – 5 PM

Location: Cayuga Lake Wine Trail, 4565 Route 414, Romulus, NY

Cost: Varies

Get ready to sip, shop, and save as you explore the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail! Treat yourself while shopping for others, crossing gifts off your list as you sample before you buy. Your Holiday Shoppers Card unlocks exclusive savings, plus you’ll receive a souvenir wine glass, a set of handcrafted wooden nutcracker ornaments, wine and food pairings, a printed recipe book, and $5 off a $35 wine purchase at every winery.

The Holiday Theatre Series at The Clemens Center

When: November 30 through December 20, 2025

Time: Various

Location: Clemens Center, 207 Clemens Center Parkway, Elmira, NY

Cost: Ticket prices vary per show. Please see their website.

Bring the magic of the holidays to life with Clemens Center’s diverse theatrical performances this holiday season! From the traditional Nutcracker to Cirque Haze Dreams, a Broadway-style production around awe-inspiring contemporary circus arts, and so much more!

The region transforms into a beautiful winter wonderland in the early months of the year. If you enjoy quieter settings and fewer crowds or want to escape the chaos of everyday life, you’ll enjoy a winter retreat in Finger Lakes Wine Country.

Beat the winter blues with a breathtaking getaway to Finger Lakes Wine Country. There are many ways to escape, relax, and rejuvenate in this cozy winter wonderland. From indoor oases to outdoor escapes, we’ve rounded up some unforgettable activities and events you can enjoy this season in the region.

Indoor Oases

Spas

It’s not a retreat if self-care isn’t a priority. Winter is a great time to recoup, revitalize, and re-energize. Is there a better way to relax than to enjoy a pampering service or two at a spa? Your stress and anxieties will melt away after a relaxing treatment.

The Isabella Spa Salon at Belhurst in Geneva, New York, offers various services, including massages, manicures, pedicures, and facials.

Namaste Spa, in Horseheads, NY, will help you find your zen. They offer massage services, cupping, body treatments, and spa day packages, including up to four hours of pampering.

Saphala Medical, in Corning, NY offers bespoke care for weight management and nutrition, microneedling, fillers, massages, and more. They also offer a menu of services specific to men’s care.

K. Rae Salon in Corning, NY, offers a full list of services, from hairstyling to waxing, facials, and more!

Couple massage, hands or spa therapist for relax, luxury or wellness treatment for health, lifestyle or zen at resort. Healthcare, beauty salon or black woman and man for body, skincare or therapy

Treat yourself to a massage, facial, or laser service at Ageless Spa in Corning, New York. Their extensive menu of services has something for anyone looking to indulge in some self-care and cosmetic treatments.

Floatation Therapy is a relaxation treatment that allows you to tune into your heartbeat and breathing, resulting in deep calm and various other benefits. Inner Peace Floats in Watkins Glen offers this unique experience and massage.

Wine Tasting

A winter vineyard visit to the Finger Lakes is breathtaking. Have you ever seen a snow-covered vineyard? Winter is a great time to visit these award-winning wineries if you enjoy a slower, more relaxed pace. The tasting rooms, restaurants, and lodging on all three of our Wine Trails are open year-round.

Check out the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail, Seneca Lake Wine Trail, and Keuka Lake Wine Trail for our winery and restaurant suggestions.

Wondering what to do as a non-drinker in Finger Lakes Wine Country? If you’re searching for wine-free activities in the area, check out our The Non-Drinkers Guide to Finger Lakes Wine Country. This guide will help you create an unforgettable day amongst the vines sans vino.

Local Breweries

Although the Finger Lakes is famous for its wines, take advantage of “hoppy” hour at a local brewery. Most wineries, breweries, and distilleries stay open all year, including Finger Lakes Distilling, Seneca Lake Brewing Company, and The Grist Iron Brewing Company.

Craft brewing has exploded so much in the region in the last decade that there are a variety of breweries offering an array of experiences. Our FLX Breweries, Cideries, and Distilleries Guide breaks down each area’s best breweries, cideries, and distilleries.

Museums

Learn something new with a visit to some of the Finger Lakes’ most fascinating museums, like The Rockwell Museum in Corning, New York. Peruse various intricate art pieces from different American artists or stroll through engaging exhibits.

The Corning Museum of Glass is another must-see attraction. If you’ve ever wondered how glass is made, you can see the process before your own eyes. You can even try a glass-blowing class to make your glass creations. The Corning Museum of Glass is also home to Netflix’s Blown Away, a competition series featuring the art of glassmaking.

Arnot Art Museum, New York, in Elmira, is housed in a historic Greek-Revival building from 1833, founded by local banker Matthias Hallenback Arnot, who gifted the museum to the city. It has a permanent collection of 17th through 19th-century European paintings, 20th-century American art, and contemporary art from the 21st century. In addition to the permanent and original art collection, you can also experience their temporary exhibitions featuring artwork from all over the world.

Outdoor Escapes

Ice Fishing

Winter is one of the best seasons for fishing in the Finger Lakes. When the lakes freeze over, the region becomes a hotspot for trout, smallmouth bass, bluegills, and numerous pickerel.

The north end of Cayuga Lake is a good place to try for northern pike, pickerel, and panfish. The northern tip of Keuka Lake is a popular area for ice-fishing enthusiasts. Here, you can easily find rentals along the lake to enjoy ice fishing every day of your winter getaway.

Snow Sports

Strap on the cross-country skis or snowshoes and explore our many state parks and trails this winter. The crisp air, picturesque snowscapes, and serene silence are pure magic. On a cold or rainy day, head to an Elmira Mammoth hockey game in Elmira, New York, for fun indoor entertainment.

Tanglewood Nature Center’s trails in Elmira, New York, are open to the public all year long. In the winter, they make for a wonderful snowshoeing experience. Tanglewood has two separate trail systems, Gleason Meadows and Personius Woods. The trail systems are not connected, but they are a very short distance by car drive from each other. See their trail maps here.

The Keuka Outlet Trail offers seven miles stretching between Keuka and Seneca Lakes from Penn Yan to Dresden, NY. Snowmobiling and cross-country skiing are very popular here in the winter.

The Finger Lakes National Forest in Hector, New York, is another great location for snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing.

Ice Skating

Clute Park’s Ice Skating Rink in Watkins Glen, New York, and Corning’s Civic Center Ice Rink in Corning, New York, are great places to enjoy one of winter’s most iconic activities. Don’t own a pair of ice skates? No worries! You can rent them on-site.

Winter Waterfalls

Most assume that waterfall viewing is best done in warmer months, but waterfalls truly come to life during winter. The combined ice and waterfall are truly spectacular. A major bonus is significantly less foot traffic on the trails in the winter. So you can enjoy sparkling snowy scenes when you visit these Five Magical Waterfalls this winter.

Finger Lakes Wine Country is an all-season getaway, we even like to say that there are five seasons of fun here. Winter is easily one of the most underrated seasons to visit the region and one of the quietest, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of outdoor activities for the whole family to enjoy.

Here are just a few of the incredible outdoor activities to enjoy in Finger Lakes Wine Country in the winter.

Snowshoe Rentals

A fun adventurous activity fit for the whole family in winter is snowshoeing on the trails at Tanglewood Nature Center and Museum in Elmira. The trails are open to the public from dawn to dusk, however if you don’t have your own snowshoes or crampons you can rent snowshoes for both children and adults from Tanglewood Nature Center during their hours of operation.

Visitors typically spend anywhere from one to three hours exploring the trails and there are trail options for beginners to advanced snowshoe enthusiasts. Please call ahead of your visit as their seasonal hours are different and the facilities are closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Snowmobile & Cross Country Ski Trails

Two favorite wintertime sports to enjoy after a fresh dumping of snow is snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. The Keuka Outlet Trail offers seven miles bordering the Keuka Outlet stretching between Keuka and Seneca Lakes from Penn Yan to Dresden, NY.

Along the trail, for both winter activities you will be rewarded with the serene nature surroundings as well as gorgeous views of Seneca Mills Falls.

Be sure to visit our small town guide to Penn Yan for before or after your winter adventures where you can grab a bite to eat, shop, or grab a cup of hot coffee to warm you up.

Maple Syrup

Another end of winter time favorite to enjoy in the region is tasting a bit of nature’s candy during maple syrup season! Many of our region’s farms and orchards produce pure maple syrup and you can not only sample this season’s tasty syrup, but also bring it back home to your kitchen.

Be sure to call ahead any of the farms or markets in advance to ensure they are open during your visit, many have special seasonal hours.

Check out some of our farmer’s markets that are open year-round like Parluski’s Farms in Bath, Engelbert Farms in Nichols, Stewart’s Family Farm in Hornell, Chamberlain Acres Farmer’s Market in Elmira, Painted Post Farmers Market in Painted Post, Oak Hill Bulk Foods in Penn Yan, Apple Barrel Orchards in Penn Yan, Thyme Stands Still Farm Stand in Burdett, and Oak & Osage Farm in Hammondsport to name a few.

Winter Wines

Winter in Wine Country is one of the most exciting times to enjoy some of our award winning wines from our region. While enjoying a tasting at one of our wineries requires a little planning ahead as some tasting rooms are only open seasonally and those that do have wine tasting available often have a different schedule for the slower, winter months.

We advise to call ahead to any wineries you plan on visiting before your visit to ensure they are open during that time/day.

You can still enjoy some of our wines without visiting our cellars and wineries by picking up bottles at the winery retail shops or any of our local wine retailers who are open year round.

During the winter months, you may want to enjoy some of our specialty wines from the colder months including ice wines which are a type of dessert wine which are known for being sweeter produced from grapes that have been frozen still on the vine.

Another wintertime favorite for drinking are fortified wines like Sherry or Ports known for their higher alcohol content. Winemakers add a neutral grape spirit, like brandy, to the wine which is where you get the elevated alcohol content from and is often consumed in the colder months.

There’s also something so nice about a good red wine on a cold winter day or night which our region has a great selection of red wines.

Winter Horseback Riding

Just outside one of Watkins Glen you can enjoy winter horseback riding at Painted Bar Stables who offers horseback riding experiences year round by appointment only.

Bundle up and saddle up for a wintery horseback riding adventure.

Visit our small town guide for Watkins Glen for more ideas nearby before or after your winter horseback riding adventure.

Winter Camping

Not for the faint of heart, but another adventurous winter activity in the region for those who love the chilly wilderness is primitive backcountry camping in Italy Hill State Forest in Branchport off of Keuka Lake.

This style of camping offers no amenities and are for the serious outdoor enthusiasts who like to camp with everything on your back and the winter backdrop and crisp cool air make for an unforgettable experience. Anyone participating in primitive camping in the area must follow these guidelines from New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation.

There’s an excitement in the air this time of year in wine country. In part, it’s because of the buzzing energy around harvest, and the busy weekends full of travelers coming to admire the changing foliage and enjoy the seasonal fruit picking at local farms. But for visitors and locals alike, this time of year kicks off Spooky Season and all the festivities it brings. We’ve compiled a little list of some of the best events to look out for when in the region during this fun time of year

Small Town Fun

Days of Incandescence in Corning, NY, was just recently named one of the best Halloween festivals in the U.S. and offers a bit of historical lore and family-friendly fun during the three days of festivities. Bonus: Mingle with the community at their annual Trick or Treat along Market Street on Halloween Day!

Trick or Treat at The Windmill in Penn Yan is a great way to engage with over 150 vendors, shop, and enjoy the season’s festivities.

Owego, NY’s Halloween Fest takes place in the Central Historic District and features a series of events like pumpkin painting, a “Not So Scary Haunted House,” and a costume parade.

The annual Elmira Ghost Walk is a mix of live theater performances and local lore, featuring evening walks through the historic Woodlawn Cemetery.

The Village of Hammondsport hosts its annual Halloween Happenings with a fun, family-friendly “Witches of the Southern Tier” dance followed by Trick or Treating. Bonus: The Witches of the Southern Tier also host a dance at Montour Falls every year!

For Some Extra-Spooky Fun

While this time of year is perfect for apple and pumpkin picking, hayrides, and corn mazes, many of our farms also elevate the spookiness to a whole new level! Just some of the highlights include:

The Coldbrook Curse at Bradley Farms, a popular haunted attraction in Elmira, New York, is open on Friday and Saturday nights in October. It features a walk-through haunted village, zombie paintball, and other scare attractions based on the legend of a cursed village that vanished centuries ago.

Tagsylvania in Big Flats, NY, at the Tags concert venue, features multiple haunted houses as well as carnival games and shows. The attraction operates on select weekends each fall, generally from late September through October.

For more seasonal fun, check out Thrills & Chills, a roundup of all things spooky, cozy, and quintessentially fall in Chemung County.

Don’t Miss The Festivities Along The Wine Trails

For a complete list of all the events happening at the different wineries, it’s best to follow the Seneca, Keuka, and Cayuga Lake Wine Trails. Look for annual celebrations that welcome the whole family, including your four-legged companions, live music, wine tasting, and pairings.

There is no shortage of scenic views in Finger Lakes Wine Country and the best way to cover the most ground and enjoy many of our sweeping and stunning landscapes is by enjoying any of these 5 scenic drives through the region.

These scenic drives will take you past some of our region’s charming towns, antique shops, museums, our lakes, wine trails, breweries, cideries, distilleries and more.

Along the way pay attention to farm stops in the countryside, many of which offer U-Pick experiences, and roadside farm stands to pick up some of the best local ingredients to take home with you.

Seneca Lake Scenic Byway

One of the most well-known scenic drives in Finger Lakes Wine Country is the Seneca Lake Scenic Byway running along the east side of Seneca Lake. This is the perfect drive to get a taste of the Finger Lakes as you’ll be passing wineries, cideries, distilleries, breweries, restaurants, and farms. This makes for great stops along the way as well as many great places to catch one of our beautiful Finger Lakes sunsets overlooking Seneca Lake.

We recommend seeing our small town guide to Watkins Glen for ideas of what to see and explore here before starting off on your scenic adventure up the east side of Seneca Lake up to Lodi Marine State Park where you can picnic, watch a gorgeous sunset, and swim and enjoy the pebble beach in the warmer months. (Just note that you will have to pay an $8 per car parking fee at Lodi Marine State Park.)

You’ll be driving along the Seneca Lake Wine Trail which is dotted with wineries that offer more incredible views and passing by one of the best roadside attractions in New York State, Hector Falls, which cascades right along a bridge you’ll be driving on Route 414.

The wineries close at around 5:00 pm, so for a great sunset view we recommend stopping at Two Goats Brewing or Grist Iron Brewing for views and a drink.

Penn Yan to Dresden

A hidden gem and one of the most scenic drives in the Finger Lakes is the road that follows the Keuka Outlet Trail. This trail follows an outlet that connects Keuka Lake into Seneca Lake.

The Keuka Outlet Trail is a 7-mile path that is easily walkable and bike-friendly. You can drive along the Outlet Road for several different access points. But the drive itself is also pretty, especially during the fall foliage and spring months.

Starting in Penn Yan on East Elm Street which turns into Outlet Road, you will be leaving town and pass through a wooded road that has a few different stops where you can get out and enjoy a section of the Keuka Outlet Trail.

If you’re looking to stretch your legs, be sure to park and walk towards Seneca Mills Falls or Cascade Falls. There is a parking area that gives you access to the trail with signs that point you in the direction for both waterfalls. Seneca Mills is the quickest to access with a 5-7 minute walk.

Continuing the scenic drive towards Dresden you will pass beautiful farmscapes on Hopeton Road.

For more ideas on what to do while you’re in Penn Yan, be sure to read our small town guide to this charming Finger Lakes town.

Owego to Corning

Driving between the charming towns of Owego to Corning offers some picturesque countryside views. Be sure to read our small town guides to both Owego and Corning for ideas of what to do in each of these beautiful destinations. Not only are these great places to stop and stay a bit longer, there are also great opportunities to check out the shops, restaurants, cafes, and cultural attractions.

Leaving Owego on Route 96 you will pass through the rural rolling hills driving along the Catatonk Creek passing some of the region’s most beautiful farmland.

Continuing on Route 96 through Spencer you will continue to pass more scenic farms on Route 223 before getting on the Interstate 86-West with breathtaking views of the Chemung River before arriving in Corning.

Elmira to Jerusalem Hill

One of the shorter scenic drives to enjoy starts in the city of Elmira and wanders up Jerusalem Hill Road where you will be rewarded with views of Elmira’s historic landscape along the Chemung River, continuing into more countryside farmscapes and wooded scenery headed towards Maple Hill State Forest.

For a breathtaking sunset experience with dinner, be sure to make a reservation at the Hill Top Inn which opens for dinner and has a large outdoor seating area and patio overlooking the valley and the town of Elmira and the Chemung River below.

The restaurant at Hill Top Inn doesn’t open until 5:00 pm, so this is only an evening experience. We recommend calling ahead and making a reservation to enjoy the breathtaking views from their prime location.

For more ideas for what to do in Elmira, be sure to read our small town guide for information and activities you can enjoy here.

Along Keuka Lake

Drive around the Crooked Lake for some of the most majestic scenery Finger Lakes Wine Country has to offer. We recommend seeing our small town guides to the villages of Hammondsport and Penn Yan for ideas of what to see and explore here before starting off on your scenic adventure.

Exploring the West side of Keuka Lake you have three different route options to choose from, The Lower Road (West Lake Road/ Route 54A) along the shores of the lake, Middle Road which connects to Route 76 and offers views of the lake and vineyards from a higher point, and The Upper Road (Greyton H. Taylor Memorial Drive).

Along the drive you can stop at many of the region’s spectacular wineries including Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, Heron Hill Winery, and Ravines Wine Cellars. For beer fans there are stops like Keuka Brewing and Steuben Brewing Company.

Exploring the East Side of Keuka Lake you are rewarded with incredible panoramic views from more of the wineries along the Keuka Lake Wine Trail including Keuka Spring Vineyards, McGregor Vineyards, and Hunt Country Vineyards.

For a bite to eat, try stopping at Seneca Farms (open seasonally from the first Friday in March through the end of October) in Penn Yan to take to Keuka Lake State Park where you can picnic with waterfront views.

Did you know that our region boasts some of the best farmland in the state? This means that food and handicraft products are direct from the farmer or artisan to the customer, easily accessible at our various farm stores and stands.

This also means finding the freshest produce of the season, local ingredients, and pantry items like meats, cheeses, honey, maple syrup, and seasonings is easy to do in Finger Lakes Wine Country.

When planning a trip to our region, don’t miss out on the opportunity to try some of our best local, quality ingredients and maybe even bring some of your food finds back home to use in your kitchen.

Note: It’s always best to double-check hours of operation during the specific dates of your visit by calling ahead or visiting each of these farm stores and farmers’ markets’ websites to help you plan your visit.

FARM STORES

Many farm stores in Finger Lakes Wine Country are open throughout the year, making bringing home farm fresh ingredients convenient–even if you miss out on the farmers’ markets season. Here are some of our favorites:

Apple Barrel Orchards in Penn Yan is a family-owned fruit farm that offers U-pick apples and grapes, as well as their small farm store that sells local produce like pears, apples, and grapes. They have a cidery on-site, and often host live music to enjoy while enjoying the cider from their orchard and other fresh fruits from the farm. They are open seasonally from September through February.

The Burdett Exchange, located in the sweet town of Burdett, is a fairly new market to open in the area. They have local produce, crafts, meats, dairy goods, and some home goods. Our favorite is the salted bread and other bakeries!

Indian Pines Farm Market is a roadside market in Penn Yan that sells locally grown produce and products like baked pies, bread, cookies, and other seasonal goodies. As the seasons change, so does the selection. This seasonal stand is open from spring through mid-December, ending its season with Christmas trees, greenery, and poinsettias.

Yesterday’s Roots is a farm market offering a great selection of local produce, meats, dairy products, pantry items, baked goods, gifts, and more. They also have a coffee bar and cafe!!!!

Tomion’s Farm Market in Penn Yan is a family-owned and operated farm market that has been growing strawberries for over 60 years. When in season, it offers U-Pick berries, rhubarb, and tomatoes. The market has a rustic atmosphere and sells home-grown fresh produce, baked goodies, and even gifts. It is open seasonally and will kick off its season in mid-May.

Dave’s Produce Greenhouse and Farmstand in Bath, NY, offers seasonal produce, locally grown meats, and other products. It’s a fun stop for holiday photos and fall goodies. Bonus: they are located next to Emmie’s Ice Cream & Grill!

Stewart’s Family Farm and Creamery in Hornell offers a farm store that is open 4 days a week year-round, selling their dairy products like milk, goat cheese, and ice cream in addition to bulk food and pantry items, including baking ingredients and seasoning, to fresh baked goods and soft serve ice cream. If you’re not able to make it to their farm store on your visit, you have an opportunity to try or buy their products from the Corning Farmers Market in the summer season.

Oak Hill Bulk Foods in Penn Yan offers a store filled with local products, ingredients, staple bulk food items, and a deli that is open year-round. Additionally, they serve freshly made breakfast and lunch items at Oak Leaf Cafe & Bakery. Everything from hearty soups to sandwiches and wraps is served here, as well as fruit smoothies made from their fresh ingredients. And take home a pie!

Photo credit: Oak Hill Bulk Food

Stoney Acres Country Market in Bath is a farm store open year-round offering everything from in-season produce and products like eggs, honey, and maple syrup from local farmers, kitchen ingredients like spices, jams, and pickled products, to crafts and plants, including hanging baskets to Christmas trees around the holidays.

Bradley Farms in Elmira is a seasonal farm and flower store that opens each spring in May, kicking off the season with spring flowers, hanging baskets, and bedding plants. You can also find fresh, in-season produce from their commercial vegetable farm to bring back home to your kitchen, as well as family-friendly activities in the fall, including a corn maze, haunted attractions, and Twinkle Town during the winter holiday season.

Engelbert Farms in Nichols is the first certified organic dairy farm in the United States since 1984 and offers certified organic products in their farm store and kitchen located in a historic creamery building. Here you can find farm-raised organic meats, cheese, and produce, including eggs, raw honey, maple syrup, and fruit bitters, open year-round, Thursday through Saturday.

Sunset View Creamery in Odessa offers a selection of artisan cheeses made using fresh milk from their family-owned and operated dairy farm, fresh raw milk, and other locally-produced food items in their farm store open year-round, five days a week. They also offer tours, and now they allow visitors to cuddle cows!

The Keuka Trail Farm Market in Branchport offers freshly made baked goods and other locally made products like honey, essential oils, and spices.

FARMERS MARKETS

Photo credit: Elmira Downtown Development

When visiting our small towns, make sure to take part in the fun around our seasonal farmers’ markets. Local vendors sell produce, farm products, baked goods, artisan crafts, gifts, and more, providing visitors and the community with wholesome food and goods to bring home.

It’s best to check each farmer’s market’s social media or website for up-to-date information during your visit, including their hours, as these sometimes change. Most of these markets are seasonal and are held throughout the week; however, the markets that have both summer and winter farmers’ markets usually have different hours once the season changes.

Corning Farmers Market is located at the Riverfront Centennial Park every Thursday from June through October, offering a variety of vendors selling fresh local produce, flowers, baked goodies, handmade gifts, local wine, and a changing selection of goods each week.

Wisner Market in Elmira, NY takes place every Wednesday with more vendors every year. With everything from produce to flowers, popcorn, and goodies from local food trucks, it makes for a lovely afternoon surrounded by local community residents.

Painted Post Farmers Market, located outside the Painted Post-Erwin Museum, is a weekly Saturday market featuring local vendors who sell farm-fresh produce, naturally raised meats, eggs, homemade maple syrup, raw honey, and baked goods. In November through March, you can enjoy their winter market at the Ramada Inn in Painted Post on the first and third Saturdays of every month.

Bath Farmers Market at Pulteney Square Park in Bath during July through October on Wednesdays and Saturdays, offering a variety of local meats and cheeses, produce, handicrafts, and artisanal items by local crafters and businesses, and even food trucks.

Point of The Bluff Farmers Market, in Hammondsport, brings together wine-tasting, live music, and farm fresh produce from Glenn Scott Farm every Thursday from 5 pm to 7 pm, from June through the end of September.

The Windmill Farm & Craft Market is the largest of the farmers markets in Finger Lakes Wine Country, with over 200 vendors in Penn Yan, offering a wide range of products, including local produce, fresh baked goods, wine and spirits, artisan crafts and goods, plus an array of dining options at their indoor and outdoor set up. You can visit on Saturdays only from late April through the end of November.

Penn Yan Farmers Market runs from late May through mid-October, offering in-season and rotating produce directly from local farmers on Saturdays from 8 to 1:30 pm, on the sidewalk along central Main Street in the village of Penn Yan, rain or shine!

Chamberlain Acres Farmers Market in Elmira is a garden center open year-round to the public for their flowers, seeds, and planting needs for home gardens. Every Sunday, they host a weekly farmers market with fresh produce, local meats, baked goods, and other locally made food products like honey, artisanal cheeses, maple syrup, and more.

Owego Farmers Market is held on Tuesdays and Fridays from June through October at the Walgreens parking lot in Owego, selling in-season fruits and vegetables directly from local farmers.

During your visit to Finger Lakes Wine Country, we want to ensure you take in everything our wine trails, small towns, and lakes have to offer. We would be remiss if we didn’t also suggest a unique farm experience to complement your visit. Here are some of our favorites:

Every fall, Apple Barrel Orchard in Penn Yan opens its rows and rows of orchards to residents and visitors looking for a day of apple picking. From Gala to Northern Spy and so many other favorites, you are sure to find the perfect fruit. But apple-picking is not the only reason to visit. They also have their very own cidery where they produce cider from apples that are grown, harvested, and fermented here on the farm! Enjoy a glass in their tasting room, where you can select from 11 different ciders on tap. Other u-pick experiences include cherries and grapes. Visit their website for a full list of events.

Sunset View Farms in Odessa, NY, is an artisan cheese farmstead and production facility. Their on-site creamery doesn’t just serve up some of the most delicious ice cream in the region; they also have 12 varieties of raw and pasteurized milk cheese, thirteen varieties of cheese curd, Cream on Top milk, raw milk, locally sourced beef, pork, and chicken, free-range eggs, and so much more! And if that isn’t special enough, how about cow-cuddling? Hug, rest against, and hang out with the ladies – and in the process, learn something new! Visit their website for more information on this and other farm experiences.

If you are interested in learning more about the conservation efforts happening across the region, an experience at Sweet Farm, a non-profit animal sanctuary in Himrod, NY, gives visitors insight into how they are working towards those efforts. You can book a tour to meet the different animals they have rescued and learn more about their educational programs, which cover topics such as plant-based living and sustainable regenerative agriculture. Want to rest after walking through the farm? Be sure to visit Vineyard View Winery right next door! Tip: You can purchase a wine tasting ticket with your farm tour. Also, for more farm animal rescue goodness, visit the Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY.

For a winter farm experience that you won’t forget, visit the Highland Tree Farm in Branchport, NY! If you are celebrating a holiday stay in wine country, this sweet little farm has gorgeous Christmas trees to choose from. But, if you are simply looking to envelop yourself in holiday joy and visit a Christmas market, with some views of Highland cows for extra cuteness, this is the place to be! They are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Saturday starting November 29 to December 21. Visit their website for more information.

When thinking about summer in Finger Lakes Wine Country, there may be some things that immediately come to mind…the lakes and the wine, for example. But we wanted to share the many other ways to make the most of your visit to Wine Country beyond the top hits!

Don’t Just Visit a Winery, Immerse In It

While we encourage you to visit our many wineries and schedule a tasting to familiarize yourself with the variety of wines produced across the region by our talented winemakers, there are other ways to feel connected to the wineries and the land on which the grapes are grown. Each season, many of the wineries curate activities and events to help you do just that, and the best way to stay informed is to visit the wine trail websites, such as Seneca, Keuka, or Cayuga, or sign up for the newsletters sent out by your favorite wineries. At the time of writing this post, some of the activities offered at local wineries include horseback riding through the vineyards of Living Roots Wine, an activity facilitated by Mountain Rose Farm, a local outfitter located in Savona, NY. Of course, horseback riding through the beautiful natural landscapes is an activity we recommend year-round, not just during the summer months.

Other seasonal activities to look out for at the wineries include Wagner Vineyards Summer Live Music Series, Point of the Bluff’s Thursday Farmers Market, or Vineyasa in the Vineyard at Hosmer Winery.

Mingle with Locals at Small Town Events

While those of us who live here always find something to do all year round, we have to admit that our small towns come alive during the warmer months! Whether we’re celebrating with Pride and Mural Festivals or enjoying all that our farms and small businesses have to offer at local farmers’ markets, it’s a good time to glimpse the many ways locals also enjoy our small towns. To learn more about some of the towns and villages around the lakes, check out our Small Town Guides. When there, be sure to stop by the local Visitor’s Offices and tourism/chamber offices for more information and seasonal updates. And if you can’t find what you are looking for, connect with a local! We are always happy to share some of our favorite spots.

Visit a Farm for Unique Experiences

There are numerous ways to explore our local farms, whether you are partaking in the picking of local fruits, such as cherries in the summer and apples and grapes in the fall at Apple Barrell Orchards, or cuddling cows at Sunset View Creamery, or learning about Sustainable Regenerative Agriculture and meeting the rescues at the sanctuary Sweet Farm. There are numerous ways to connect with local farmers, learn about our farm-to-table culture, and explore other opportunities. Discover more about our local farms and events in Finger Lakes Farm Country.

Camp in New York State’s Only National Forest

The Finger Lakes National Forest comprises 16,032 acres, situated on a ridge between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, and has over 25 miles of interconnecting trails, including the 12-mile Interloken National Recreation Trail and two miles of the Finger Lakes Trail. Hiking views include floral pastures, misty ravines, and diverse forest landscapes.

There are different ways camping lovers can experience the forest via its three campgrounds: Backbone Horse Camp, which is primarily for equestrians; Potomac Group Campground, which is designed for group camping (groups range from 10 to 40 campers, such as Boy Scout troops); and Blueberry Patch Campground, which features nine primitive campsites.

You Know Our Lakes, Get to Know Our Rivers

When people think about Finger Lakes Wine Country, the rivers are not something that comes to mind. And while we do have a few long, narrow, north-south glacial lakes, it is the Chemung River that offers the most scenic views and opportunities for enjoyment. As a tributary of the Susquehanna River, it spans approximately 46.6 miles, connecting to several other waterways across the region, from south-central New York to northern Pennsylvania. This map helps you locate various canoe and kayak launch points. The Chemung River Friends website is a valuable resource for information on river conditions, upcoming events, and local trails.

One visit to Finger Lakes Wine Country is never enough to experience all the region has to offer, but we hope that these tips help you see and experience the area in a new light, showcasing new ways to make the most of your time here.

As a farming community, we appreciate rainy days, but we understand rain may dampen your plans. Here is a little inspo for days better suited for indoor activities. We’ve shared the Finger Lakes museums to visit on a rainy day. Here are even more fun ideas that help you stay warm, dry, and entertained when raindrops fall over Finger Lakes Wine Country.

Attend a Workshop Series or Class

There is no better way to connect with locals and have fun than by joining a class at one of the region’s maker spaces. Here are some fun ways to get creative and even learn something new.

Rabbit Row Yarns & Haberdashery in Corning, NY, is the region’s only sustainably sourced needle and fiber craft product shop. It is tailored for knitters, crocheters, weavers, dyers, spinners, felters, and stitchers. They offer one-on-one and small group lessons for knitting, crocheting, embroidery, mending, darning, and felting.

FLX Studio and Maker’s Space in Montour Falls, NY, offers a variety of classes and workshops throughout the year for all ages and skill sets. Their courses, from fiber arts, drawing, and painting to jewelry and mixed media, are designed to help you express your unique creative voice.

Pixie Moss Meadows in Corning, NY, offers a variety of workshops featuring a new set of classes monthly designed to inspire creativity and community. They also host a unique DIY garden bar with beautiful succulents, decorative pots, dirt, moss, gravel, and sand.

Tioga Arts Council in Owego, NY, presents various artist series throughout the year and workshops on multiple skills, from writing to metalsmithing. They also often showcase artists’ exhibitions and sales. Equally, the Arts Center of Yates County hosts exhibitions, workshops, and a series of classes for those looking to do something creative on a rainy day.

Attend a Winery Event

Rainy days are a perfect backdrop for winery events and gatherings. Follow the Seneca, Keuka, and Cayuga Lake Wine Trails for all the happenings, from holiday-focused events and markets to wine pairing events, private dinners, and live music. Winery events are an excellent opportunity to meet the region’s winemakers and tastemakers and explore the wines that continue to elevate the Finger Lakes as a premier wine destination.

Enjoy a Concert or Theatrical Production

You don’t have to be in a big city to enjoy the performing arts. The Clemens Center in Elmira, NY, hosts a Broadway Series featuring many blockbuster theater productions, concerts, and other family entertainment. A visit to Powers Theater, one of two theater performance spaces, is an experience. The architecturally stunning space has been restored to its vaudevillian-era grandeur, displaying magnificent murals, gold-leaf details, and reconstructed opera boxes, reviving its 1925 glory.

The Civic Music Association has hosted performances in the Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG) Auditorium since 1951. Visit their website for information on concerts in jazz, choral, and other popular music genres.

A Little Something For the History Lovers

On warmer, sunnier days, the Schuyler County Historical Society hosts free walking tours around Watkins Glen’s prominent landmarks. But for days when it’s best to stay inside, definitely check out their open houses hosted at various locations, including the Brick Tavern Museum, Wickham Rural Life Center, and the Lawrence Chapel. The Chemung County Historical Society not only hosts a series of exhibits to walk through, but they also host a variety of programs for adults throughout the year, including book talks, art workshops, and other events.

Visit a Local Library

The Southern Tier Library System is comprised of 48 member libraries, each with its own unique feel and look. Some are large, contemporary buildings, while others are in historic buildings with refined details—such as Tiffany stained glass windows! You can find the complete list of libraries here and check out what family-friendly events they are hosting throughout the year.

Resources Tagged with:

Day One: Arrive in Corning, Steuben County

Day Two: Keuka Lake, Steuben and Yates Counties

Day Three: Watkins Glen and Seneca Lake, Schuyler County

Day Four: Tioga County and the Drive Home Tioga County

What to Pack

Where to Stay

A Few Practical Notes

BOOKMARK US

Understand the Region First

When to Go

Choose Your Wine Trail

Build Your Itinerary

Plan Around the Food

Local Tips Worth Knowing

The One Thing to Remember

Frequently Asked Questions

Start Small. Start in Burdett.

Then Stop in Hector for the Best Breakfast You Didn’t Know You Were Looking For

Eat Where the Farmers Eat

Skip the Waterfront Restaurants. Find the Farm Stands.

Hit a Farmers Market Before You Do Anything Else

Then There’s Montour Market

Diner Culture Is Alive and Real Here

Go to a Farm That Actually Feeds You

Dean Lane Food and Farmstead, Dundee

LaBarr FarmS

Drink Wine Without Paying Tasting Room Prices

The Wine and Cheese Picnic Formula

Best Picnic Spot You’ve Probably Never Heard Of: Champlin Beach Park, Hammondsport

The Trails Nobody Geotags

The Events Locals Actually Go To

Owego in the Summer

Concerts in the Park and Markets in Montour Falls

What a Real Weekend Costs

Go Before Everyone Else Does

Your Town-by-Town Guide to Finger Lakes Wine Country.

Corning, NY (Steuben County)

America’s Crystal City and a lot more than glass

Hammondsport, NY (Steuben County)

The village at the bottom of Keuka Lake that looks like a movie set

Watkins Glen, NY (Schuyler County)

Where gorges, racing, and Seneca Lake converge

Penn Yan, NY (Yates County)

The town at the crossroads of two wine trails that serious visitors love

Elmira, NY (Chemung County)

Mark Twain country, a world-class performing arts scene, and craft beer that surprises people

Owego, NY (Tioga County)

The riverfront antique capital at the southern gateway

The Big Picture

Here’s a season nobody puts on a brochure: mud season.

What Is Mud Season, and Why Is It Actually Great?

Is the Finger Lakes Open During Mud Season?

The Case for Mud Season: Five Reasons Worth Knowing

Where to Go During Mud Season

The Bigger Picture

Start Where American Winemaking Began — Keuka Lake

Time Your Trip Around Keuka in Bloom

Don’t Skip the Museums — Seriously

Where to Eat Well

The Logistics That Make It Easy

The Bottom Line

Main Deck Restaurant, Penn Yan, NY

Tanino Ristorante Italiano, Horseheads, NY

Graft Wine and Cider Bar, Watkins Glen, NY

The Cellar Restaurant & Lounge, Owego, NY

The Journey Itself

In Corning, NY

IN ELMIRA, NY

In Owego, NY

In Penn Yan, NY

In Hammondsport, NY

In Watkins Glen, NY

In Dundee, NY

Watkins Glen State Park

Seneca Mills Falls

Aunt Sarah Falls

She-Qua-Ga Falls

Honorable Mention

Hector Falls