THINGS TO DO

HBC members recommend (besides biking, of course):

• Geneva Bicycling Center:  https://genevabikes.com/ (Now called Trek Bicycle Geneva). This is a fine bike shop in downtown Geneva, located at 489 Exchange Street. It’s definitely worth a stop. The website lists daily hours (Tues. to Sat) from 10:00 am to 6:00 p.m.  Closed on Sundays and Mondays. Call with any questions: (315) 789-5922

• The Sprayground: https://parks.ny.gov/parks/125/hunting.aspx

This is a beach and water playground at Seneca Lake State Park at 1 Lakefront Drive, Geneva. Stop by on the way back from a hot ride to cool off or bring a swim suit for a longer stay.  Check hours of operation. (315) 789-2331

• Cayuga Lake Creamery: https://cayugalakecreamery.com/

The creamery is located at 8421 Rt. 89 in Interlaken (also in Ithaca) and uses local wines, beers, fruit and chocolate in their ice cream.  They were chosen by USA Today as the New York selection for The USA's best ice cream. 607-532-9492   It’s a small shop, so keep that in mind if your group is large. Check hours in June before you go. Currently closed Mon-Thurs.

• The Spotted Duck Creamery: https://spottedduck.com located on Route 54 between Penn Yan and Dresden. Ice cream and custard made from duck eggs! Very rich and creamy. Usually open in June Sat/Sun from 12:00-5 and 6-8:30 pm. And may also be open on Fridays in June. Check current hours before going. We usually offer a volunteer led ride, just to go to the Spotted Duck!

• Taughannock Falls State Park:  This park features the tallest waterfall in New York State (higher than Niagara!) and beautiful lake views. You can take the easy ¾ mile walk to the base of the falls or just go to the overlook. There are longer hiking trails that take you around the rim of the gorge. You can even hang out at the beach!  It’s pretty close to the Cayuga Lake Creamery. There is a parking fee at the entrance off Route 89 but no fee at the overlook. https://parks.ny.gov/parks/62/details.aspx

• Belhurst Castle Wine Pairings:  http://www.belhurst.com/

Truly a unique experience, these Specialty Wine Pairings give you personalized attention from a Wine Expert as you are guided through Chef-created gourmet dishes paired with Belhurst’s award winning wines!  Advanced reservations required. Please Call 315-781-0201 (front desk), ext. 8 to book your Specialty Pairing. 

• Route recommendations: In all honesty, the 47 and 58 mile Cayuga Lake/Seneca Falls rides are the best of the bunch as far as lake view scenery, wineries and attractions are concerned. The routes around Keuka Lake come in a very close second, and include a stop in the “Coolest Little Small Town” of Hammondsport – Marilyn Chastek

• Keuka Lake Rides: If you are looking for lakeside riding and beautiful scenery, the rides near and around Keuka Lake are hard to beat. Be sure to include the quiet cottage roads that run off the main roads, Route 54 and 54A. They are on the cue sheet, but many people skip them, not realizing they offer the best views and eliminate traffic and a hill.

• Lunch at the Thirsty Owl Winery Bistro:

You’ll find good food and a very nice deck in the back with a beautiful view for a relaxing lunch. You’ll pass this winery on the 57 mile Long Loop Between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes route.

• Lunch near Seneca Falls

• Wolffy’s is right at 2943 Lower Lake Road (315-257-0077) along the shore of Cayuga Lake and has a great deck where you can enjoy a casual, relaxed meal. Wolffy’s is open 11:30 am - 8 pm (Sun-Thurs) and 11:30 am -9 pm Fri & Sat. (recheck June hours)https://www.wolffysgrill.com
• The Downtown Deli is in Seneca Falls and features some sandwiches named after characters in “It a Wonderful Life”.It offers quick service and good food.Both these restaurants are on the two longer Seneca/Cayuga Lake/Seneca Falls rides. Outside seating available.Note: the Downtown Deli is not open on Sat. or Sun. https://www.sfdowntowndeli.com
• More restaurant info: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g60997-Seneca_Falls_Finger_Lakes_New_York.html

• Things to do in Seneca Falls:  Plan to spend some time in this unique little town which features the “It’s a Wonderful Life” Museum, the recently expanded National Women’s Hall of Fame (reservations required), the National Women’s History Museum, and the exhibits at the Visitors Center, which give an overview of how Seneca Falls developed.

• Deer Haven Park: Guided wildlife and military history bus tours at the former Seneca Army Depot. Home to the world famous white deer. Welcome Center located at 5479 Route 96A in Romulus, about 10 miles south of Geneva.  Recently added: Audio Tours on Fri. & Sat, 11-4pm. $35 per vehicle – no reservations required. 90 minute guided bus tours are also available on Friday & Sat. More info (and current hours) available at https://deerhavenpark.org (833) 378-6877

Things to do along the way and while in town:

• Bike – If time allows, you might consider riding one of the two Interlaken Express routes that begin at Wagner Winery & Brewery or catch the Catherine Trail in Watkins Glen.  Have lunch at Wagner’s Ginny Lee Café before starting out. Ride with GPS cue sheets for all of the Finger Lakes rides can be found on the HBC website Route Library in the cue sheet section.

• Corning Museum of Glass http://www.cmog.org   This world famous museum is well worth seeing, especially on a rainy day when you don’t want to be doing outdoor stuff. Figure on 2 hours minimum to visit.

• Rockwell Museum of Western Art, Corning  https://www.rockwellmuseum.org Note that this is not a collection of Norman Rockwell artwork.

• Market Street Shops and Restaurants, Corning A collection of unique shops and restaurants in the “Gaffer District”

• Watkins Glen State Park, Watkins Glen   https://parks.ny.gov/parks/142/

This is a very impressive gorge that you can walk through while enjoying all the rock formations and waterfalls created by the creek that runs through it. It takes 1-2 hours to get to the top and back, depending on how many times you stop and say “Wow!” There are a gazillion stairs to climb to get to the high end of trail, so you can count this as a workout. This is definitely a “must do” if you have the time and the weather is dry. Cheapskates hint: Park on a side street to avoid the $8 parking fee to use the state park’s parking lot.

• Watkins Glen International Racetrack  https://www.theglen.com/drive-the-glen/

NASCAR isn’t racing here the weekend we’ll be in town, but other events are scheduled at the raceway. Check the schedule for available dates & times if you want to race your own car on Thunder Road for only $30! Reservations are recommended (required).

• Shops and restaurants in Watkins Glen. There’s Famous Brands clothing store, numerous restaurants and ice cream shops (including Ben and Jerry’s), a wine bar shop, a brew pub and a WalMart.  What more could you ask for?

• Seneca Harbor Wine Center, Watkins Glen http://www.senecaharborwine.com  The is mentioned here because this particular wine store located at 2 N. Franklin Street, Watkins Glen, is in a cool building and is run by Pleasant Valley Winery https://www.pleasantvalleywine.com. That means you can purchase Chocolate Lab wine and Great Western Champagne without having to drive all the way to Hammondsport.

• Captain Bill’s, Watkins Glen – Harbor & lake cruises plus a gift shop. A nice harbor side restaurant, Seneca Harbor Station, is right next door. The dining room is part of the original train station constructed in 1876, and is open every day from 11:30 am to 9:00 pm. Seneca Lake tours available (check June schedule) http://www.senecaharborstation.com

• Seneca Harbor Pier – Just before you head up the hill out of Watkins Glen toward Geneva, you’ll see Seneca Harbor and waterfront on your right. Walk way out to the end of the pier to get the bird’s eye view of Seneca Lake, the deepest of the Finger Lakes.

• True Love Schooner – Sail on the same ship used in the 1956 movie, High Society, featuring Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly. It sails from Seneca Harbor pier. http://www.schoonerexcursions.com 

• Seneca Lake Wine and Finger Lakes Beer Trail https://senecalakewine.com

You’ll pass 20+ different wineries between Watkins Glen and Geneva, each with their own personality and unique products. Many have tremendous views of Seneca Lake. Real wine lovers can visit the wineries on the west shore of the lake on the way to Geneva and then catch the 16+ wineries on the east side of the lake on their return trip. A designated driver would be a REALLY good idea for those planning to attempt this feat. Most wineries charge a minimal fee for tastings.  After Memorial Day, most wineries are open Mon- Sat. 10-5 and Sunday 12:00 noon to 5. Some open a little earlier or stay open a bit later. Check their websites for hours. Each lake has its own wine trail map, and many have added beer and cheese trails. There are now over 100 places to do samplings. More information about the beer trail can be found here:  http://fingerlakesbeertrail.com/content/

• Ithaca, NY – Ithaca is about a 20 minute drive east of Watkins Glen and about an hour from Geneva. Attractions include lots of parks with big waterfalls, Cornell and Ithaca Colleges, the Downtown Commons and some unique museums. https://www.visitithaca.com/attractions.

• Finger Lakes events, including concerts, special wine trail events, and art festivals. http://www.visitfingerlakes.com/events/?startDate=06%2F06%2F2017&endDate=06%2F11%2F2017&categories%5B0%5D=0

• Del Lago Resort and Casino opened in 2017 and is about 20 minutes from Geneva, in Waterloo, NY. It offers several dining choices, entertainment, lodging and gaming. https://dellagoresort.com

• Eat like the locals. Almost every restaurant has a Friday Night Fish Fry.  And try a “white hot.” These are hot dogs made with pork and veal. They are not spicy “hot”. Closer to Syracuse, they are called Coneys. You might even have an opportunity to get salt potatoes with your meal. These are small red potatoes cooked in very salty water, which leaves a white coating on the red skins. Yummy with butter.  Beef on Weck is another local favorite. It is sliced beef au jus on a roll that is topped with coarse salt and caraway seeds. None of these are health foods, by the way.

• On the way home, check out the Pennsylvania Visitors Center, just north of Mansfield. It’s a lovely building right off Route 15 and offers an impressive view of the village of Tioga, the dam and the reservoir. It has lots of restrooms, vending machines, and tourist info, too.