The drive from Lancaster, PA up to the Finger Lakes is about a 4 hour drive, so we prefer going for a long weekend. This is the perfect trip for a combo of outdoorsy adventures (think Watkins Glen State Park + Taughannock Falls State Park + water sports on the lake) + day drinking via the FLK Wine Trails.
I’ve been a couple of times, and can say my favorite is to winery/brewery hop independently. Going with a guided tour might be for you if you prefer a small, more intimate experience, with lots of knowledge about growing grapes, the lakes, making wine, tasting wine, pairing with cheese and chocolate, etc.
If you would rather hit a ton at your own pace within the day, I say going by yourself is the way to go. If it’s just you and a friend or partner, driving yourself is totally doable. If you have a larger group, it might be worth it to pay for a driver for the day.
Let’s talk the lay of the land first – then I’ll get into some favorite stops and the best order to hit everything, and finally the best option for you to travel.
Geography:
The finger lakes are comprised of 11 long, narrow lakes that sit in the upstate region of New York. they are called the finger lakes because they literally look like fingers stretching across the map.
They were formed by glaciers thousands of years ago, and that unique landscape actually makes it the perfect environment for growing grapes – hence all the wineries you’ll see throughout the region.
While there are 11 total lakes, most people focus on about 3–5 of the “major” or most well-known lakes – especially for wineries and breweries.
- Seneca Lake – the largest and most popular (arguably the best for winery hopping)
- Cayuga Lake – another top spot with tons of wineries and breweries
- Keuka Lake – smaller, super scenic, and very easy to navigate in a loop
- Canandaigua Lake – a little more upscale, cute towns, fewer but nice stops
- Skaneateles Lake – known for its crystal-clear water and charming town (less winery-heavy)
To give you a better visual: the drive from Watkins Glen (the town at the bottom of Seneca Lake, where Watkins Glen State Park is) to Geneva (the town at the top of the lake) is about a 40-minute drive.
You can drive just 5–10 minutes up either side of the lake and hit around 5 wineries. This trail is loaded with gorgeous wineries, plus breweries and distilleries, all with incredible views of the lake.
That’s a lot to handle! So let’s get into it!
Let’s Map It Out: The Best Route for the Weekend
Seneca Lake is the deepest of the Finger Lakes, reaching over 600 feet at its deepest point. Because of this, the water has a moderating effect on the surrounding climate: it warms slowly in the spring and summer and cools slowly in the fall, which helps protect grapevines from early frosts and extreme temperatures. This makes it one of the best microclimates for growing grapes, especially Riesling, and explains why the majority of the region’s wineries are located along Seneca Lake.
Below is one of my favorite maps of Seneca Lake. My best friend Audrey’s mom saved one for me during one of our trips, and Audrey framed it for me – it now hangs proudly above our bar cart. Every time I see it, it reminds me of all the amazing winery and brewery adventures we’ve had along the lake.
Thursday:
Arrive at Watkins Glen State Park late at night and go straight to bed.
Matt and I usually hit the road after work on Thursday and get in late. Sometimes we pitch a tent, but honestly, when we’re arriving that late, we usually just sleep in the car. For us, that means window netting, a portable fan, and a car-specific air mattress – simple and it works.
Camping Prices: $18-$30. Out of state resident fee for camping, per night: $5. Cabins: Rustic Cabins (3 night minimum). Base Rate: $58.00 per night. Out of State Fee: $7.00 per night
If you’re more of a hotel or Airbnb person, staying nearby in Watkins Glen is a great option. Check out these options.
Friday:
Dawn = hike the trail.
Start your morning early at Watkins Glen State Park – it’s 100% worth it. The main Gorge Trail is about 1.5 miles one way (3 miles round trip) and features 19 waterfalls along the route.
You’ll be walking over stone bridges, behind waterfalls, and up a series of stairs.
It’s one of the most unique hikes in the Northeast and gets crowded quickly – another reason to go early.
The Gorge Trail will typically open for the season mid to late May and typically closes for the season mid to late October depending on the weather. $10 per vehicle (includes pool), or fee with your camping reservation.
Pool time:
The park pool typically opens around noon. Just note: it’s seasonal, so definitely check dates before your trip. Matt and I did not go, but I have read good things.
Brunch/lunch:
Matt and I stopped at Curly’s Family Restaurant.
Wineries (East side of Seneca Lake):
Start working your way up the East side of Seneca Lake, stopping at wineries, breweries, and distilleries along the way. This stretch is packed, so you can easily hit multiple stops without a ton of driving.
Pro Tip: Wineries open first, (~10/11a) and close early, (~3-5p). Breweries and distilleries open later, (~noon) and stay open later (~7/8p). So obviously hit stuff as you drive by, but sometimes it’s worth back pedaling to hit wineries the first half of the day, and breweries 2nd half.
Years ago, you could walk in and pay around $5 for 5 different samples – but like most places, it’s gotten a bit more expensive over time. Now they offer flights instead.
Sometimes you can build your own flight and choose each wine, and other times they have set options like a “sweet,” “dry,” or “mixed” flight. It’s still a great way to try a variety, just a slightly different experience than it used to be.
Ryan William Winery Tasting Barn
Reggae/hippie bar along the way with serious Bob Marley vibes
Food here is fresh from their Garden. Pro Tip: there is a Sunoco close by, to fill up on gas.
At this point in the trip, you can keep cruising up Seneca and making as many winery or brewery stops as you want – but I’d highly recommend a pit stop over to Taughannock Falls.
It’s the tallest waterfall in New York – yes, taller than Niagara, just not as wide.
The falls sit on the west side of the next lake over, Cayuga Lake.
It’s about a 23-minute drive from Seneca Lake to Taughannock Falls State Park. There are a couple ways to experience it:
- The Overview: Park in the main lot and do a quick jump out to the overlook for a great view. Restrooms are here.
- Taughannock Creek Trailhead: Park here and “experience a spectacular stone amphitheater and 215-foot vertical waterfall at the end of the wide and wooded ¾-mile gorge trail. The trail is relatively flat, making it a very accessible and beautiful hike for all ages.” You can actually feel the mist if the water’s flowing strong that day.
Across from this trailhead is the marina and boat launch, so you can watch the boats go by, enjoy a picnic, or even swim in Cayuga Lake before heading back on the road. It’s a perfect little breather in the middle of a busy winery day.
If you have some time, there are other neat waterfall spots, along the Taughannock Creek, that are less crowded and allow for more exploration.
Dinner in Trumansburg:
Wr drove through Trumansburg on our way back to Seneca Lake. Thanks to a coworker for the rec, we ate dinner at Hazelnut Kitchen, which I’m sad to say is now closed.
After, we stopped at Boland Thomas Vineyards Tasting Room.
Evening: Check-in + Explore
Check into your hotel in Geneva. Matt and I usually stay at the Hampton Inn Geneva, but there are plenty of other great options.
If you still have some energy:
- Walk along the Geneva Lakefront Park / lakefront trail
- Head into downtown Geneva – it has a really charming, old-time feel. We have been to Ichiro Japanese Restaurant and Cam’s Pizzeria.
Saturday:
This requires a little bit of back tracking to the East side of the lake, but we started off the day at Three Brothers Wineries and Estates. Honestly, you could spend all day here – it’s perfect for a large group. Think of it like a little compound of fun: three unique wineries, a brewery, and a café all in one spot.
It’s the kind of place where you can wander from tasting room to tasting room, grab a bite, and just soak in the Finger Lakes vibes. Seriously, if you’ve got a group, this is a must-stop – everyone can find something they love.
One of my favorite spots is Belhurst Castle. We wrapped back through Geneva and down the east side of the lake to stop here for breakfast.
Belhurst is a historic stone castle that sits right on the edge of Seneca Lake, and it’s actually home to a winery, restaurant (Stonecutters), and 2 inns. It has such a unique, old-world feel-definitely one of the more memorable stops in the area.
We love sitting outside here, walking the grounds, and heading down by the water. There’s also a gift shop area where you can do some tasting, which makes it an easy (and fun) stop even if you’re just popping in for a bit.
White Springs Winery: This is now closed I believe, but it was a gorgeous spot I hit up once with my best friend Audrey.
At this point, you can continue down the west side of Seneca, hitting spots like Serenity Vineyards, Seneca Shores Wine Cellars, Redneck Wines, etc. But Matt and I decided to switch it up and cut across to a third lake – Keuka Lake. (15 min drive)
We stopped at 18th Amendment Kitchen & Cocktail Bar, which was such a fun change of pace. This is at the tippy top of Keuka, in a town called Penn Yan.
Depending on how many stops you’ve hit, you might have more energy to keep going…or you might be ready to call it a day at this point.
Sunday:
We kept things a little more relaxed – hit a few wineries, got out on the water, and then started our drive home.
We made our way to Stever Hill Vineyard…
…taking this route because we ultimately wanted to get to Bully Hill Vineyards, to grab one of Matt’s mom’s favorite bottles of wine.
Finally we made it to the bottom of “the Y” which is the town of Hammondsport.
One of the highlights of the trip was renting paddleboards and getting out on Keuka Lake.
We used Keuka Watersport’s and had a great experience.
We spent time swimming, paddling, and just taking in all the gorgeous lakeside houses – it was such a fun way to experience the area beyond just wineries.
Afterward, we grabbed a meal at Timber Stone Grill, explored downtown, and then enjoyed ice cream at Crooked Lake Ice Cream Parlor before the drive home.
If you want to add Ithaca into your trip, it’s definitely worth considering. I’ve been downtown with some girlfriends for a bachelorette trip – it has a really fun, lively, college-town vibe. Matt and I also spent New Year’s Eve there one year, and it was such a good time.
Another spot I haven’t personally been to (yet), but would LOVE to check out is the Corning Museum of Glass. You can watch the crafters in their element and even learn to make your own blown glass piece – which they’ll ship home to you. Such a cool, unique experience to add to your trip.
Best Option For You to Travel:
I’ve also done a guided wine tour via Experience the Finger Lakes for a bachelorette party, and it was a great experience. Our host was so kind and accommodating, and our luxury bus picked us up right at La Tourelle Resort and Spa. We spent the day visiting 4 wineries.
This is honestly where I learned the most – about the grapes, the wine, the region, and the local families who make a living running wineries and vineyards in the Finger Lakes. I even learned the story about people spotting a Loch Ness–type creature in Seneca Lake.
That said, there are a few cons (for me, at least). When you go with a large group, the wineries typically have a set list of wines for you to taste. So if you don’t like dry wines or reds, for example, you’re kind of out of luck. You don’t get to pick and choose your flight the same way you would if you were going on your own—they have to keep things moving.
They also often include automatic pairings, like cheese or chocolate. It’s a really cool experience, but as someone who’s lactose intolerant, I usually have to pass on those.
Another thing (and this totally depends on the person)… we came back from that wine tour sober hahaha. It takes all day to visit 4 wineries, do tours, tastings, and have lunch. When Matt and I go on our own, we can cover 2–3x the number of spots in a day, whether your goal is to try more drinks or just experience more places. That said, the guided tour definitely feels more elevated and educational.
A huge pro of the guided tour is having a designated driver. When Matt and I go on our own, we usually split flights, space things out with meals, and even mix in hikes or park stops, so it’s never been an issue – but I can totally see how it could be for some people.
That’s why hiring a driver for the day is such a great middle-ground option. You still get the flexibility to go where you want, when you want, and leave when you want – you just have someone there to drive. It’s especially perfect for larger groups when you’d otherwise need multiple cars.
We actually did this for one of our wedding celebrations – check out that blog post here to see the stretch Hummer limo we rented and all the places we stopped!
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