Located adjacent to a campus already jam backed with beauty, the Cornell Botanic Gardens consists of almost 200 acres of native and exotic plant life in stunning settings of both natural rolling fields and more formal man made gardens. The Botanic Garden has a long history at Cornell, with pieces of the gardens dating back … More Cornell Botanic Gardens
Located right off route 89, just outside downtown Ithaca, the Ithaca Children’s Garden is 3 acres of whimsy, exploration, learning, and potentially messy fun. The garden was created to help children connect with nature in a fun and inclusive space. The children’s garden actually consists of several smaller, themed gardens and play areas, each focusing … More Ithaca Children’s Garden
The Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion are a large complex of man-made and natural wonder right in the heart of the city of Canandaigua. The garden and home were originally built and owned by a wealthy New York City bank financier named Frederick Ferris Thompson and his wife, Mary Clark Thompson. They purchased the Sonnenberg property … More Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion
As a life-long animal lover and sucker for cute cows, I’d been wanting to visit Farm Sanctuary outside Watkins Glen for years now. This bucolic 275-acre farm set among the rolling green hills of the Finger Lakes is a home and a sanctuary for rescued farm animals. In addition to sanctuary, the farm serves as … More Farm Sanctuary
Opening this weekend (May 6th) for the season! Most folks know about the many options for beer and wine flights around the Finger Lakes, but did you know there’s a place that offers flights of ice cream? Really! Just up the hill from Seneca Lake and not all that far from Keuka Lake, Spotted Duck … More Spotted Duck Creamery
I’m a little ashamed to admit that despite living in the Finger Lakes region for the better part of 40 years and having driven past it countless times, I had never visited the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge until just recently. What we lovingly referred to as kids as the “giant swamp,” is actually over 10,000 … More Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
Tucked away up in the hills between Canandaigua Lake and Honeoye Lake, sits a unique learning center dedicated to the nature of the Finger Lakes. Cumming Nature Center, a part of the Rochester Museum and Science Center, is all about hands-on exploration of the flora, fauna, and culture native to the region. The expansive 900-acre … More Cumming Nature Center
Wine and cheese go together like peanut butter and jelly, peas and carrots, and, well, wine and cheese. So what better addition to a day of wine touring than a stop along the way for a cheese tasting? Dairy farms and cheese production have as long a history in the Finger Lakes as wine, so … More Muranda Cheese Company
The causeway spanning the southern end of Otisco Lake is one of the more unique features found on any of the Finger Lakes. This stretch of land owes its existence to an old road dating back to the 1800s that was flooded and rebuilt, and served as a passageway across the lake. Although the causeway … More Otisco Causeway
Finger Lakes Explorers 