Finger Lakes region - New York

[audreyh1]

Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo are the 3 biggest with in an hour or 2 drive.

Sounding promising!

We would definitely be interested in visiting Cornell University, Corning Glass, waterfalls and views among the lakes, Niagara Falls both sides of the border.

 

[Katiek]

If you are going to Niagara Falls, consider taking a trip to the Canadian side (and if you have a day, go to Niagara by the Lake). More attractions and many say better views from the Canadian side.

 

[audreyh1]

If you are going to Niagara Falls, consider taking a trip to the Canadian side (and if you have a day, go to Niagara by the Lake). More attractions and many say better views from the Canadian side.

Right, was thinking of spending a couple of nights or so on the Canadian side.

 

[NW-Bound]

Years ago, in a trip to Niagara Falls from Toronto, I decided to take a big drive around the area. Crossing a bridge between USA/Canada over the St. Lawrence River, I looked down and saw so many interesting islands on the river. Did not know that these were the Thousand Islands, but I told my wife I would be back to visit.

Much later, when I had a motorhome, I did visit and stayed in this area on the way to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. When camping in NY, I had a chat with a fellow camper who was a New Yorker, and he asked if I had been to the Finger Lakes. No, I did not know about it.

And I told myself I would be back for that. Darn long motorhome drive from AZ, so I just checked out airfare there. Not too bad. But do I want to save it for another RV trip? I dunno.

I am getting older. Have not taken a long RV trip since the Alaskan trip, and am a bit afraid of getting in the saddle again. Maybe time to downsize to a class B to make it easier on myself.

 

[ImThinkin2019]

We rented an AirBnB condo in Watkins Glen for us, our kids, and their 2 year old.

In the mornings, we'd do a physical activity, like a hike. In the afternoons we'd visit 2 wineries. At the second winery, we'd ask them "Where do you get ice cream around here?" Then we'd take their recommendation and get cones.

On the way back to the condo we'd stop by a farm stand and get local veg which we made for dinner.

Highly recommend the Corning Museum, Watkins Glen walk. The other suggestions above all sound great as well.

We will go again. Upstate New York has tons of history. Well worth a visit. (Lived in Utica for a decade.)

Oh, and if you see them on a menu, definitely have some Utica greens. You can google the recipe.

 

[eytonxav]

Some may not know, but IBM was founded in Endicott in the early 1900s. I believe they have a museum run by the Historical Society.

 

[NW-Bound]

Some may not know, but IBM was founded in Endicott in the early 1900s. I believe they have a museum run by the Historical Society.

I never heard of Endicott. IBM indeed has many locations in NY. My wife's former megacorp had business with IBM, and she visited Thomas Watson Center in Yorktown Heights as well as one location in Fishkill.

Just looked up on Google Maps to see these places. The one in Endicott has been closed.

Many of IBM plants in NY are seemingly in the middle of nowhere. They don't want to crowd in one place like semiconductor makers in Silicon Valley.

PS. Just looked up the IBM plant in Endicott. It's still standing, and I wonder what it is being used for.

A comment on the Web says: "poisoned an entire town and as soon as NAFTA was signed they got out so fast your head would spin! Thanks for the cancer!"

 

[braumeister]

I have a friend whose career was with IBM, and his first job with them was in Endicott. It was huge at one time, with 4 million square feet and over 6,000 employees there in the 90s.

 

[Winemaker]

My younger brother interned there in the late '90's with IBM.

 

[Fishbum]

Dinner at Bon Ami French Bistro in Canandaigua on Main st. https://bonamibistro.com
Make reservations.

 

[Pointby2]

We were just there on vacation. We did the Corning Glass museum, amazing. Day trip to the St Lawrence Seaway and the 1,000 islands. We toured all the mansions there, also amazing. Hiked Bahar Preserve and Filmore Glen State Park. Both have beautiful waterfalls, easy hikes and are uncrowded.


It's a fun area with lots to do.

 

[Artiscara]

There was a wonderful motorcycle museum we saw - every one ever built - amazing. The lady who was running it may not be still doing so because her husband passed away. I'm sure you can find it if you google it.

 

[Canoeboy]

Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo are the 3 biggest with in an hour or 2 drive.

Elmira and Binghamton airports are other options, both on the Southern edge of the Fingerlakes region. Buffalo is the farthest option from the area.

 

[ddoorn]

Bicycling

The Finger Lakes is awesome for bicycling. Our bike club goes there multiple times every spring through fall seasons.

 

[RobLJ]

We drove from Reno to Allentown last September for DW's niece wedding, then stayed with her sister at a B&B across the lake from Watkins Glen after the wedding.
Great hikes to waterfalls, besides the Glen, within an hour or so. There are 20 or more wineries around the lake.

If you are interested in feminism or post Civil War history, the Seneca Falls museum is well worth visiting, and the locks/electrical network for the nerds is fun. I wanted to drive to Cooperstown for the MLB Hall of Fame but couldn't convince the DW and sister to take a day. I really liked the Finger Lakes area; was always interested in them since I read about them in the Cooper Leatherstocking novels back in my teens. We always wizzed past on the NY tollway, when I was a kid and the parental units were driving from Missouri or Oklahoma to Worcester Mass to visit my mother's parents.

 

[RobLJ]

WE stopped and hiked in the Badlands and the Black Hills on the way back to Reno, so it was a great trip. Unlike most people, I enjoy driving long distances, however.

 

[spncity]

Seneca Falls
It's a Wonderful Life museum:
https://www.wonderfullifemuseum.com/

Seneca Falls
Sauders Store (Mennonite market) Kewl store, interesting food and gifts, in-house eatery
https://fingerlakesfamilyfun.com/sauders-store/

Aurora, NY
MacKenzie-Childs hand painted ceramics, furniture, gifts
https://www.mackenzie-childs.com/
Free tours of the house. If you can't go, or if you are trying to figure out if you want to go, here's a video tour:

 

[urn2bfree]

WATKINS GLEN - park at top and walk down or at bottom and walk up.

Not quite Finger Lakes but nearby- LETCHWORTH STATE PARK - beautiful waterfalls/canyon

 

[indiajust]

If you like oddities, I tend to peek at Atlas Obscura website. It feels like 90's website of homemade stuff. Local quirks easy to find.

 

[financemups]

Seward House museum in Auburn NY (I like old stuff like that!) Also, see a minor league hockey game!!

 

[Lucie]

We went yesterday to the Seneca wineries. This was our third visit since May to the finger lakes. Never get tired of it. It looks like the foliage is about to turn. The views are breathtaking in the Fall!