innkeeper's blog

Spanning 750 miles, the Empire State Trail is the longest multi-use trail in the United States. It connects 20 regional trails to create a continuous statewide route that welcomes bicyclists and hikers to explore New York State’s extraordinary experiences, people and places. Designed to promote outdoor recreation, encourage healthy lifestyles and bolster tourism-related economic development, the trail officially opened at the end of 2020, after nearly four years in the making.

Watkins Glen is known by most for its beautiful caverns, waterfalls and gorges, but this quintessential Finger Lakes town is beloved by car race enthusiasts for its speedway and racing history. Located south of Yale Manor at the base of Seneca Lake, Watkins Glen International traces its origins back to 1948, when the first Grand Prix was held through the streets of downtown Watkins Glen. Long known for Formula One racing, The Glen has hosted road racing events in nearly every class of vehicles.

While the Finger Lakes region is famous for its wine production, there is an impressive and growing lineup of distillers of fine spirits nestled in the lakeside landscape. Not only do distilleries have access to one of the best grape-growing regions in the country, but also to local crops of corn, barley, and other grains and fruit. And with craft distilled liquors growing in popularity, it's no wonder distilling operations thrive here in the Finger Lakes.

On a serene Victorian farm overlooking Cayuga Lake, MacKenzie-Childs has been creating hand-painted ceramics, dinnerware, furniture, home decor and gifts since 1983. Those familiar with MacKenzie-Childs adore the beautiful yet whimsical designs that define their collection.

While the Finger Lakes region garners the most acclaim for its award-winning wines, New York is still the Big Apple and ranks second in apple production in the United States. So it makes sense that cideries would find their place among the wineries that line the hills and shores of the Finger Lakes. The apples for these locally produced fermented ciders are harvested from small family orchards, and you can taste the bounty of the earth in each sip.