The Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a 4-season destination. With 11 lakes in the heart of upstate New York, there is something for everyone here. Hike in the spring, canoe or kayak in the summer, enjoy the foliage in the fall, and ski or snowboard in the winter.
The Finger Lakes are ranked as one of the 5 most popular wine destinations in the country. There are over 100 wineries, breweries and distilleries centered around Keuka, Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. The area is particularly known for its aromatic white wine varieties, like Riesling and Gewurztraminer. It is also having success with cool-climate reds like Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir. The microclimate created by the Finger Lakes, without extreme cold weather in the winter, and with warm breezy days during the summer, along with steady lake water temperatures, allows grapes to have a longer growing season. Wineries are open year-round and only close for major holidays.
There are several wonderful small towns nearby. Explore Lima, Hemlock, Honeoye and Livonia. Experience some great eateries, interesting shops, and bountiful farm stands, in addition to just enjoying the vibe of small town life.
The Finger Lakes are ranked as one of the 5 most popular wine destinations in the country. There are over 100 wineries, breweries and distilleries centered around Keuka, Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. The area is particularly known for its aromatic white wine varieties, like Riesling and Gewurztraminer. It is also having success with cool-climate reds like Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir. The microclimate created by the Finger Lakes, without extreme cold weather in the winter, and with warm breezy days during the summer, along with steady lake water temperatures, allows grapes to have a longer growing season. Wineries are open year-round and only close for major holidays.
There are several wonderful small towns nearby. Explore Lima, Hemlock, Honeoye and Livonia. Experience some great eateries, interesting shops, and bountiful farm stands, in addition to just enjoying the vibe of small town life.
Canadice Lake
The name Canadice is derived from the Iroquois ska-na-a-dice meaning, “Long Lake”. It is 3 miles long, with 7.2 miles of shoreline, and a maximum depth of 95 feet, covering an area of 649 acres.
Canadice Lake is the smallest and highest in elevation (1099 feet) of the Finger Lakes. It has been a reservoir for the City of Rochester since 1876. In the 1890s the City of Rochester began acquiring lakeshore properties to prevent the development of the watershed and to safeguard its primary source of drinking water. Canadice and Hemlock Lakes are the only Finger Lakes with undeveloped shorelines, with a surrounding forever wild forest that creates a space of serenity and calm.
Boats are limited to 17 feet in length and a maximum of one 10 horsepower engine, which makes Canadice Lake an ideal spot for kayaking, canoeing, stand up paddle boarding and fishing. A public boat access gravel ramp is available on the lake’s east side near the intersection of Canadice Road and Birch Hill Road.
Because the lake is the source for Rochester’s drinking water, swimming is not allowed. (It is available nearby, though, in Honeoye Lake.)
Canadice is a favorite place for nature lovers. The untouched shores and forest are excellent habitat for bald eagles & waterfowl among many other species of wildlife.
Canadice Lake is the smallest and highest in elevation (1099 feet) of the Finger Lakes. It has been a reservoir for the City of Rochester since 1876. In the 1890s the City of Rochester began acquiring lakeshore properties to prevent the development of the watershed and to safeguard its primary source of drinking water. Canadice and Hemlock Lakes are the only Finger Lakes with undeveloped shorelines, with a surrounding forever wild forest that creates a space of serenity and calm.
Boats are limited to 17 feet in length and a maximum of one 10 horsepower engine, which makes Canadice Lake an ideal spot for kayaking, canoeing, stand up paddle boarding and fishing. A public boat access gravel ramp is available on the lake’s east side near the intersection of Canadice Road and Birch Hill Road.
Because the lake is the source for Rochester’s drinking water, swimming is not allowed. (It is available nearby, though, in Honeoye Lake.)
Canadice is a favorite place for nature lovers. The untouched shores and forest are excellent habitat for bald eagles & waterfowl among many other species of wildlife.
Rochester
If you want to spend time in an urban center, Rochester is less than 50 minutes away, and is a great place to explore. It was one of the first US boomtowns, initially due to the fertile Genesee River Valley, which gave rise to numerous flour mills, and then as a manufacturing center, which spurred further rapid population growth. Known as a place for innovation, Rochester is the birthplace of many iconic companies, including Eastman Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch & Lomb – as well as Wegmans, Gannett, Paychex, Western Union, French’s, Constellation Brands, Ragu and others.
Like many of the largest cities in NY state, Rochester sits on the Erie Canal. Completed in 1825, the canal runs east-west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. It was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, significantly reducing the cost of transporting both people and goods across the Appalachians. Supported by then NY Governor DeWitt Clinton, it was initially denigrated as “Clinton’s Ditch”, but had a significant impact on the ports of New York City, and led to major growth in cities like Albany, Utica, Syracuse, and Buffalo, in addition to Rochester. In the summer, the Sam Patch, a replica packet boat, is a great way to learn about the Canal’s history. https://www.visitrochester.com/listing/sam-patch-tour-boat/6564/
George Eastman, founder of Kodak, had a significant impact on the growth of Rochester’s arts community. The Eastman School of Music is one of the most prestigious conservatories in the world, and the Rochester International Jazz Festival brings top jazz performers to the area every year at the end of June / beginning of July. Other major festivals during the year include the Lilac Festival, the Rochester Fringe Festival, the Corn Hill Festival and the Clothesline Festival.
You can tour the Eastman house, with knowledgeable and entertaining docents who will give you a window into the life of Mr. Eastman. The Eastman house is home to the oldest – and one of the largest – photography collections in the world. https://www.eastman.org/about
The Strong Museum of Play is a great place for kids of all ages. Back in the day, some of our boys’ favorite exhibits were the national toy hall of fame, the video hall of fame (you can play some old favorites for free!), the replica of Wegmans, and the slanted room. https://www.museumofplay.org/
If you are in the mood for a minor league baseball game, Frontier Field, home to the Rochester Red Wings (AAA affiliate of the Minnesota Twins) is a terrific park – clean and reasonably priced, it is a great day or evening out. https://www.milb.com/rochester/ballpark/innovative-field
If you like theater, Rochester has some great options. Geva is one of the country’s leading not-for-profit professional theaters. Founded in 1972, it draws national talent, with frequent regional and even national premiers. https://gevatheatre.org/
The Rochester Broadway Theater League is housed in the Auditorium Theatre, and hosts a full season of touring Broadway shows, as well as several live concerts, comedy shows, and other events. https://rbtl.org/
Upstate New York was a center for the women’s suffrage movement. Susan B. Anthony is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, and the Susan B. Anthony Museum and House – the site of her arrest for having the audacity to vote in 1872 – was headquarters of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. https://susanb.org/ The Women’s Rights National Historical Park, based in Seneca Falls, is a bit of a drive (an hour out of Rochester), but full of interesting history. https://www.nps.gov/wori/index.htm
Rochester was also the long-term home of Frederick Douglass – escaped slave, social reformer, abolitionist and orator. Also buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery, he had a key role in the Underground Railroad. His monument in Highland Park, on the corner of South Avenue and Robinson Drive, is believed to be the first public statue erected to memorialize an African-American in the US. https://www.visitrochester.com/things-to-do/history/frederick-douglass/
If you are going for the day, some restaurants to consider are:
- Dinosaur BBQ https://dinosaurbarbque.com/locations/rochester
- Nick Tahou’s - home of Rochester’s own “garbage plate” - https://garbageplate.com/
- Red Fern - great vegan food - https://redfernrochester.com/.
For a special occasion, we like the Owl House - http://www.owlhouserochester.com/, which has both vegan and non-vegan entrees – but there are so many places to appeal to any palates!
Like many of the largest cities in NY state, Rochester sits on the Erie Canal. Completed in 1825, the canal runs east-west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. It was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, significantly reducing the cost of transporting both people and goods across the Appalachians. Supported by then NY Governor DeWitt Clinton, it was initially denigrated as “Clinton’s Ditch”, but had a significant impact on the ports of New York City, and led to major growth in cities like Albany, Utica, Syracuse, and Buffalo, in addition to Rochester. In the summer, the Sam Patch, a replica packet boat, is a great way to learn about the Canal’s history. https://www.visitrochester.com/listing/sam-patch-tour-boat/6564/
George Eastman, founder of Kodak, had a significant impact on the growth of Rochester’s arts community. The Eastman School of Music is one of the most prestigious conservatories in the world, and the Rochester International Jazz Festival brings top jazz performers to the area every year at the end of June / beginning of July. Other major festivals during the year include the Lilac Festival, the Rochester Fringe Festival, the Corn Hill Festival and the Clothesline Festival.
You can tour the Eastman house, with knowledgeable and entertaining docents who will give you a window into the life of Mr. Eastman. The Eastman house is home to the oldest – and one of the largest – photography collections in the world. https://www.eastman.org/about
The Strong Museum of Play is a great place for kids of all ages. Back in the day, some of our boys’ favorite exhibits were the national toy hall of fame, the video hall of fame (you can play some old favorites for free!), the replica of Wegmans, and the slanted room. https://www.museumofplay.org/
If you are in the mood for a minor league baseball game, Frontier Field, home to the Rochester Red Wings (AAA affiliate of the Minnesota Twins) is a terrific park – clean and reasonably priced, it is a great day or evening out. https://www.milb.com/rochester/ballpark/innovative-field
If you like theater, Rochester has some great options. Geva is one of the country’s leading not-for-profit professional theaters. Founded in 1972, it draws national talent, with frequent regional and even national premiers. https://gevatheatre.org/
The Rochester Broadway Theater League is housed in the Auditorium Theatre, and hosts a full season of touring Broadway shows, as well as several live concerts, comedy shows, and other events. https://rbtl.org/
Upstate New York was a center for the women’s suffrage movement. Susan B. Anthony is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, and the Susan B. Anthony Museum and House – the site of her arrest for having the audacity to vote in 1872 – was headquarters of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. https://susanb.org/ The Women’s Rights National Historical Park, based in Seneca Falls, is a bit of a drive (an hour out of Rochester), but full of interesting history. https://www.nps.gov/wori/index.htm
Rochester was also the long-term home of Frederick Douglass – escaped slave, social reformer, abolitionist and orator. Also buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery, he had a key role in the Underground Railroad. His monument in Highland Park, on the corner of South Avenue and Robinson Drive, is believed to be the first public statue erected to memorialize an African-American in the US. https://www.visitrochester.com/things-to-do/history/frederick-douglass/
If you are going for the day, some restaurants to consider are:
- Dinosaur BBQ https://dinosaurbarbque.com/locations/rochester
- Nick Tahou’s - home of Rochester’s own “garbage plate” - https://garbageplate.com/
- Red Fern - great vegan food - https://redfernrochester.com/.
For a special occasion, we like the Owl House - http://www.owlhouserochester.com/, which has both vegan and non-vegan entrees – but there are so many places to appeal to any palates!