A Tour of the Finger Lakes Region, New York - Wine and Much More...

"Finger Lakes" - I remember thinking to myself what a strange name! However, I soon found out that the Lakes (11 in total), which were carved by the glaciers in the last ice age got its name from its resemblance to the fingers of a human hand. How cool is that? The five major fingers (lakes) (from east to west) are Skaneateles, Cayuga, Seneca, Keuka and Canandaigua. If you're wondering why the names of the lakes are such tongue twisters, they're actually Native American (who were the original inhabitants in this region).


The Finger lakes is quiet and peaceful - a pleasant change from the hustle bustle of New York City. If you enjoy the cosy setting of a bed and breakfast, you will not be disappointed by the range of quality bed and breakfasts. Apart from its bountiful vineyards, numerous state parks and waterfalls dot the region. Because each lake is long and slender (like a human finger), and major towns are located at the north and south ends of the lakes, the best way to visit the region is to drive from east to west (or vice versa, covering the bottom (or top) of each lake and then heading up (or down) to cover the other end of the lake.

Our first stop was Cayuga Lake, where we discovered the delightful restaurant, Simply Red Bistro, located at Sheldrake Point Winery on the west bank of Cayuga Lake. We also took a short but pleasant hike at the Taughannock Falls State Park to the Taughnannock Falls which is higher than Niagara Falls at 215-feet. Despite its height, the volume of water flowing down the falls cannot match the mighty Niagara. Still, it is a beautiful attraction and well worth a visit.


We headed out westward to Seneca Lake next and stayed in the quaint town of Watkins Glen. I have to admit that the view of the Seneca Lake is my favourite of all the lakes we visited on this trip. It could be that we had beautiful weather on that day and witnessed a gorgeous sunset. We grabbed a bite at one of the restaurants by the lake and enjoyed the view. What a way to end the day.

Watkins Glen is also home to the Watkins Glen State Park, which is not-to-be missed. This 776 acre slate gorge, is the oldest and most famous of the Finger Lakes State Parks. The Park has 19 waterfalls and awesome walking trails. This was my favourite hike and you'll see why:


Upon recommendation of our host from the Reading House B&B, we stopped by the Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, a highly acclaimed German vineyard which was also recommended highly by Frommer's. Famous for its Riesling, we were not disappointed by the wine we tasted. However, we opted for a bottle of Gewürztraminer as it wasn't something we could get easily at home.


Our third stop was Keuka Lake, a small Y-shaped lake.


We stayed at the Village Tavern Inn, in the small quiet town of Hammondsport. The Village Tavern Restaurant serves good food. I thoroughly enjoyed the seafood paella. The next day, we visited Dr. Konstantin Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars. Set on the slopes of Keuka Lake, we enjoyed wine tasting with a view. The gentleman who served us was very friendly and we had a great time chatting. We couldn't resist buying a bottle of Rkatsiteli and Gewurztraminer to take back with us. The wines are excellent, especially if you like sweet fruity flavours.
Stay tuned for more of our Finger Lakes tour.