Waterfalls, Wine, and Hidden History: Your Guide to the Finger Lakes

Today, the area’s rich past meets a vibrant present. You can hike scenic trails in dozens of state parks, kayak or sail across the lakes, sample award-winning vintages along wine trails, and visit one of the region’s many museums, highlighting the people who once lived here. Whether you’re savoring local farm-to-table fare, visiting landmarks of famous battles, or simply relaxing by the water, there’s something for everyone in the Finger Lakes.

Things to do in the Finger Lakes

Explore outdoors, from cascades to treetops

Due to the area’s peculiar geologic past, the region hosts an abundance of waterfalls, gorges, and cliffs. One of the best places to get a taste of the terrain is Watkins Glen State Park. Within two miles of accessible, mostly paved trails, visitors following the stream will pass 19 waterfalls. The popular park creates ample opportunities for photo ops and unique topography that’s sure to engage the senses, like walkable tunnels carved through black shale.

If you’re looking for a more open and less wooded outdoors experience, head to Letchworth State Park, often called “The Grand Canyon of the East.” Here, the Genesee River cuts through a dramatic gorge, cascading over three major waterfalls: Upper, Middle, and Lower Falls. Towering above the falls is a historic arch bridge with a still-operating railroad. Upper and Middle Falls can be accessed by car, while Lower Falls requires a steep and potentially slippery hike.

To explore the lakes, consider renting a kayak at any of the many rental shops or hop on a sunset cruise. You can even book a voyage on the True Love 67-foot sailboat at the Seneca Harbor Park Pier.

The region is also preparing to unveil a one-of-a-kind experience: its first canopy walk, currently under construction at the Tanglewood Nature Center near Elmira. When completed in 2026, it will allow visitors to stroll through the treetops, providing panoramic views and birdwatching.

Watkins Glen State Park: 1009 N Franklin St, Watkins Glen, NY 14891
Letchworth State Park: 1 Letchworth State Pk, Castile, NY 14427
Tanglewood Nature Center: 443 Coleman Ave, Elmira, NY 14903

Take your pick of wine trails

Each of the Finger Lakes has a dedicated wine trail, winding around the lakeshores. Whether you’re a sommelier or a casual sipper, there’s something for every palate.

Start with Colloca Estate Winery, which is actually perched on the shores of the sprawling Lake Ontario but is still classified within the Finger Lakes region. Its expansive grounds and lakeside views make it one of the most scenic spots to enjoy a glass of wine or two.

For something more modern, head to Living Roots for an intensely chic winery with Scandinavian design and a younger crowd — it avoids the overly sophisticated haughtiness of some of the other wineries in the region. Living Roots is run by an American-Australian couple who also operate a winery in Adelaide. Here, you can taste the difference between cold-weather New York and warm-weather Aussie grapes.

Colloca Estate Winery: 14678 W Bay Rd, Sterling, NY 13156
Living Roots Winery: 8560 Co Rd 87, Hammondsport, NY 14840

Get a history lesson (or several)

The Finger Lakes region has been instrumental in many chapters of history, from the end of the Ice Age and Native American conflicts to the Civil War, women’s suffrage, and even the development of roll film.

For starters, visit the Ganondagan State Historic Site, the former home of a 17th-century Seneca town and a center of the Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Haudenosaunee. Explore a full-scale replica of a longhouse, walk interpretive trails, and discover how this powerful confederacy shaped the region — and what happened to it during colonization.

While touring the area, you may also take a self-guided audio tour of Underground Railroad sites, uncovering the bravery of those who helped enslaved people find freedom across the Canadian border. Churches, homes, and hidden rooms throughout the region bear witness to this legacy and are marked with historical signs and QR codes.

Take a boat tour along the Erie Canal, one of America’s greatest engineering feats, for a glimpse into 19th-century industrialization. As you sip local wine or beer on board, you’ll float through historic locks: massive chambers that fill slowly with water, lifting the boat inch by inch to the next level of the canal to allow passage. Along the way, you’ll hear stories of how the canal helped transform New York into a commercial powerhouse and connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.

In Rochester, tour the George Eastman Museum, the former mansion of Kodak founder and philanthropist George Eastman. The beautifully preserved estate is now a photography museum, offering exhibits on the history of film, cameras, and visual storytelling. You can even see the type of camera that was sent to the moon.

Ganondagan State Historic Site: 7000 Co Rd 41, Victor, NY 14564
Sam Patch Erie Canal Tours: 12 Schoen Pl, Pittsford, NY 14534
George Eastman Museum: 900 East Ave, Rochester, NY 14607

Take flight, literally

The Finger Lakes region is set on preserving and continuing the story of motorless flight, with the assistance of the National Soaring Museum. Visitors can learn about the fabled history of gliding: motorless aircraft without engines that soar through the air in a similar fashion to a paper airplane — but with passengers. If the weather is good, you can even try a glider yourself. A traditional aircraft tows the glider up in the sky and then releases you (and your pilot), allowing you to soar to the ground untethered. You can also hop in a hot-air balloon for a bird’s-eye view of Genesee Falls, but it comes at a hefty price: $445 per person.

National Soaring Museum: 51 Soaring Hill Dr, Elmira, NY 14903
Balloons Over Letchworth: 1 Letchworth State Pk, Castile, NY 14427

Where to eat and drink in the Finger Lakes

Branca Midtown

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This hip eatery in downtown Rochester has excellent service and delicious, innovative takes on classic vegetables. The appetizers are the highlight: try the hearty green dip, which isn’t actually green but rather vegetables baked into gooey mascarpone. The fried artichokes and roasted carrots in brown butter and goat cheese also shouldn’t be missed. Sticking with the greens, sample the roasted romesco on crispy leeks for a main.

Branca Midtown: 280 E Broad St #100, Rochester, NY 14604

Ella’s Acres Homestead

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Originally launched as a food truck to sell produce from the family farm, this farm-to-table eatery is an idyllic lunch spot. Ella’s prides itself on sustainability, with the grounds featuring a curation of plants for sale selected by a local botanist. The cozy yet creative menu serves elevated takes on classics: think avocado “croast” (served on a croissant with arugula, parmesan, beet glaze, and a locally sourced egg) and banana bread brûlée (caramelly banana bread French toast with housemade blackberry jam and cinnamon pecan granola) for brunch or the blackberry jalapeño drip jam burger for lunch. The coffee options are equally exciting, ranging from espresso and standard cold brew to an iced tangerine mocha latte with chocolate drizzle.

Ella’s Acres Homestead: 36 Bridge St, Corning, NY 14830

The Park Inn

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This restaurant takes farm-to-table to the next level, with produce that comes directly from its own organic, no-till farm just down the road. That means vegetables can travel from field to plate in a matter of hours, offering peak freshness and flavor. Think fresh beets made into a salad with sugar snap peas, crisp pickles, and buttermilk yogurt dressing or kale, swiss chard, and basil pesto served with duck confit rigatoni. The team even hosts events in which guests pick their produce that chefs use to prepare a meal.

The Park Inn: 37 Shethar St, Hammondsport, NY 14840

Where to stay in the Finger Lakes

With more than 9,000 square miles to explore, the Finger Lakes region is far too vast to cover in a single trip. It’s best to choose a home base depending on your interests, whether you’re chasing waterfalls, exploring wine trails, or immersing yourself in local history. Consider towns like Seneca Falls, Watkins Glen, and Hammondsport as jumping-off points for your adventure. Each will have its own accommodation options, with a couple of highlights listed below.

Bay View Bed & Breakfast, Sodus Point

Perched near the shores of Lake Ontario, this cozy bed and breakfast features eclectic seaside decor and a great story. One of the guest rooms contains a secret closet that was once used as part of the Underground Railroad. The host is also known for serving unforgettable homemade breakfasts — and chocolate chip cookies that guests still talk about long after check-out.

Bay View Bed & Breakfast: 8420 Bay St, Sodus Point, NY 14555

Pleasant Valley Inn, Hammondsport

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This beautifully preserved pink Victorian building is a time capsule, featuring original flooring and vintage wallpaper. Its narrow five-table pub serves expertly crafted drinks, made by a charming bartender in an intimate, warm setting that’s perfect for unwinding. The inn only has four rooms, maintaining Hammondsport’s small-town charm (population 600), so be sure to book in advance.

Pleasant Valley Inn: 7979 NY-54, Bath, NY 14810

Getting to and around the Finger Lakes

Rochester is your gateway to the Finger Lakes. The city has an airport (ROC), not to mention a thriving cultural scene in its own right — home to 140 annual festivals, including the weeks-long Rochester International Jazz Festival and a massive spring lilac festival.

Touch down in Rochester to get your cultural and artistic fix before heading to the great outdoors and exploring the best of the Finger Lakes. It’s best to rent a car in Rochester before venturing out so you have plenty of freedom to explore the region. After all, you never know where your trip may take you next.