There are 11 lakes: Otisco Lake, Skaneateles Lake, Owasco Lake, Cayuga Lake, Seneca Lake, Keuka Lake, Canandaigua Lake, Honeoye Lake, Canadice Lake, Hemlock Lake, and Conesus Lake.
They are called finger lakes because they resemble fingers - long and narrow, oriented from north to south, formed by glaciers in the Upstate New York region.
We decided to visit the area around the lake Cayuga and Seneca. The lakes are huge, Cayuga is the longest, about 61 km (38 miles), but only about 6km (3.5 miles) wide. Seneca is is the largest and also the deepest -188m (615 feet).
Unfortunately, we didn't have many days of our vacation left and stayed only for a couple of days. It was definitely worth it, but you could enjoy this region for weeks. It is a perfect spot for hiking enthusiasts, like my husband and myself, because of its rolling hills, waterfalls, gorges, lakes, forest, but the area is also known for its vineyards, so if this is something that appeals to you, there are numerous wine-tasting tours and trails. There is so much more to do, the list would be very long. You can find out more about the region here.
To organize this part of our trip was the most difficult as I had to synchronize everything with our previous accommodations in Canada. I just couldn't find a place to stay for that particular week and days. This region is extremely popular and when there is a special event in the area, it is almost impossible to find an accommodation. If you want to visit the region, book well in advance and be prepare to reach deep into your pocket. It gets really expensive. I couldn't believe that we had to pay more (much more!) here in the countryside than we payed in Toronto. Well, I guess it is called Upstate New York! It is only about 4 hours (...for my European friends: in American terms it is a short trip:-) from New York city and I believe a very popular destination for long weekends etc.
In the end we got a room at Hilton Garden Inn in Ithaca.
Ithaca
It is a college town located at the south end of Cayuga Lake. In the tourist guides you will read a lot about Ithaca Commons (downtown Ithaca) and its variety of shops, restaurants, galleries, theatres and historic architecture. Although there are some nice places to see, have a dinner etc., to be honest this area needs a bit of "TLC". The streets don't look very maintained, but perhaps some places I would recommend if you want to eat somewhere - Waffle Frolic - Waffle bar & Coffee house. We had a delicious hemp and buckwheat waffle and more than once :-) for a dessert and unforgettable dinner at Mia - Pan Asian Cuisine restaurant. If you like Asian cuisine, don't waste your money and head directly to this place. We tried other restaurants in Ithaca, but definitely remember this one. You will pay a bit more here, but leave with a great dining experience.
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| Ithaca |
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| Mia Restaurant |
I am also an art lover and had to pop in a local craft shop American Crafts by Robbie Dein. They have beautiful artwork of all kinds which made me stay and admire for a long time :-) I purchased a very nice mug with a matching spoon and a picture of a dragonfly on it.
We did some hiking around Ithaca and some around Watkins Glen which is a town at Senaca Lake.
I was really annoyed as I was so looking forward to swimming at the base of the Buttermilk Falls, but unfortunately the area had been already closed for the season :-(
Otherwise, I had a great time hiking, being surrounded by forest, lots of water, gorges and hills that I miss so much here in Chicago.
Taughhannock Falls State Park
Watkins Glen State Park
So, this was an addition to our Canadian vacation. From Ithaca we were returning home along the south part of Lake Erie this time.
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