Finger Lakes Getaway

Holy hell, how is it October already?! A few weeks ago, we realized it had almost been one year since we traveled ANYWHERE. We’ve been together 11+ years and that’s the longest we’ve gone without travel. But, we were honestly happy and thankful that we’ve both been healthy and still have jobs. We also spent a good amount of money on improving/revamping the first floor of our house which gave us an extra boost of comfort. While we were feeling content, we were both still feeling a little depressed, anxious and not like ourselves. We decided we needed to relocate somewhere for a few days to decompress and recharge.

Planning
Planning a few day getaway during a pandemic was a lot harder than any other trip we’ve planned. Our safety and health was our number one priority. We knew we weren’t ready to jump on a plane, but driving we could do. We figured we could handle a six hour drive, max. We researched what states had specific quarantine rules, and which places we could spend a lot of time outdoors. We ultimately decided on the Finger Lakes for a few reasons: we’ve been there before and are familiar and comfortable with the area; and we also felt safe with the rules they had in place state-wide for the pandemic.

We chose to stay on Seneca Lake because we wanted to revisit a few places we’ve been before and we felt the best Airbnb options were there. We stayed in a room at the Logan Ridge Estates, which appeared to be a super nice event venue that turned some extra space into rooms to rent out. It was located right in the middle of everything we wanted to do. If you want to stay in this area, look for places in Hector/Burdett/Lodi. Most Airbnb’s we looked at weren’t directly on the water, but basically every winery and brewery has great views of the lake.

New York has a law in place which states you must order food with your first alcohol purchase if you are drinking there. Some places gave you crackers, some made you order something more substantial like a sandwich and some had a wide variety of snacks to choose from. Because of this rule we didn’t focus on finding places for substantial meals and just casually ate throughout the whole day. We also stocked up on cheese from our favorite cheese shop, Cuba Cheese and snacks from Wegmans. If you haven’t been to Wegmans, you are seriously missing out. It’s like a Heinens/Whole Foods/Trader Joes grocery store with so many amazing options. The prepared food section is stellar and their store brand is amazing for everything. We definitely recommend stopping at both Cuba Cheese and Wegmans for snacks and essentials for your trip.

What We Did
We did a lot on this trip. We visited many breweries and wineries. So instead of listing everything we did, we’re going to list our top recommendations.

We drove a bit out of the way to head to our favorite Ithaca spots. Ithaca Coffee is a MUST for delicious coffee and beer. They have a little beer bar in the back with good stuff on tap and a little bottle shop where we always pick up a few bottles. They also make a killer breakfast sandwich with their homemade biscuits. After Ithaca Coffee we stopped at Ithaca Beer Co. for beers and food. Their outside area is HUGE and the beer is always good. We didn’t have time this trip, but we usually stop at Hopshire also for a beer or two. Seneca Lake was about 35 minutes west of Ithaca so it wasn’t too bad when we made the drive again to Ithaca Coffee Company for coffee on Friday.

Outdoor Activities 
We were right next to the Finger Lakes National Forest so we did a trail one day. They have many different trail options. Watkins Glen has great trails as well. Buttermilk Falls in Ithaca is another great nature option. The Finger Lakes is just a beautiful place to be and you will experience the beauty wherever you go.

Food
We didn’t focus on finding restaurants because we knew we’d be drinking all day, and be enjoying many many snacks. We went down to Watkins Glen one morning for coffee at Seneca Sunrise Coffee and donuts at Tobey’s. Next time we want to stop at Glen Mountain Market for food. We had brunch at Ryan Williams Vineyard which was delicious. They had fresh farm to table food. The one place we wanted to go to for dinner was Dano’s. We’ve been there before and it’s delicious Viennese cuisine. Unfortunately, they were completely booked. A lot of restaurants were either closed or had limited hours for pickup or dining in.

Getting Around
We booked a driver for one day through Main Street Drivers. Definitely do this! Ubers and Lyft can be spotty or unreliable, and the wineries are spread out. On a map, some look close but there’s no sidewalks and they’re on a busy road. Our driver Leslie, was great. She went over our itinerary and suggested places based on what we like.

Breweries

• Lucky Hare Brewing: definitely the best tasting beer, and awesome bartenders. We went here twice and brought bottles to take home.
• Two Goats Brewing: this place has great views and delicious beers.
• Grist Iron Brewing: spacious brewery with great beer options and plenty of seating. They also have a good food menu, and The Lodge where you can stay if you book far enough in advance.
• Pantomime Mixtures: they’re not currently offering tastings on site, but you can pick up bottles to-go. They were right by our airbnb, so we snagged three bottles they had just released. Honestly, some of the best sour beers we’ve ever had. If you’re a fan of funky sours, this is an absolute must.

Wineries

• • Hazlitt 1852: this was right around the corner from our airbnb. We did not head into the winery but instead went to the Oasis, their little outdoor bar area for wine slashes (get the brambleberry) and cider. We actually went back for another visit for more slushy and cider.
  • Hector Wine Company: it’s not the “cutest” winery and doesn’t have the best views but it does have the best wine. They also had two adorable pups, Patches and Luna, who greet the guests. If you aren’t stopping for a tasting, at least buy a bottle.
  • Chateau LaFayette Reneau: great reds, views, snacks (get the bean dip) and excellent wallpaper in the bathroom.
  • Atwater Vineyard: a crowd favorite. We ordered glasses of bubbly and wish we would have went back for more. The views and seating area are gorgeous.
  • Damiani: another crowd favorite. Delicious reds and it’s right next to Finger Lakes Distilling so stop there for a tasting too. We recommend the gin!
  • Wagner Vineyards & Brewery: there is something for everyone here. This large place is both a winery and brewery. For wine, the rosé is the stand out. For beer, they have some quality porters/stouts and usually a good Belgian or two. If you’re hungry for more than the required snack with your beverages, the Ginny Lee Cafe on site is pretty solid.

Almost every place we went to had the option to order food and booze outdoors which was a great surprise. Everywhere also had proper signage and hand sanitizer stations. We felt comfortable and safe throughout our entire stay. Pretty much everything closes around 5:00-6:00 pm during the weekdays and around 7:00-8:00pm weekends so be prepared for that. If you want to go out for dinner, definitely make a reservation. We stocked up on food and brought our Nintendo Switch to play in the room, so we didn’t mind having to get back early. It was honestly nice to chill out and go to bed at a reasonable hour and really decompress.

Feel free to send us a message with any questions you might have about our experience!