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Things to Do in the Finger Lakes

Mill Creek Cabins is set in Finger Lakes Wine Country, located just 10 minutes away from both the Seneca Wine Trail and the Cayuga Wine Trail. You’ll never run out of new wines to try! There are so many ways to enjoy wine here. Each winery has its own style, from the party stops to the sophisticated sommeliers. This is just our opinion of the best stops for each style—let us know if you have a suggestion! There are new wineries popping up all the time. Of course, during this time, hours and availability are affected, so make sure you call ahead! 

Our cabins are perfectly located for your outdoor adventure whether it includes hiking, biking, snowshoeing, bird-watching, boating or hunting. The one thing you must see? New York’s best waterfalls.

Check out our restaurants too! The Finger Lakes are full of innovative breweries and intriguing restaurants. You’ll find heartwarming homemade farm-to-table comfort food and mind-tingling gourmet meals—and don’t forget the ice cream and coffee! 

There’s never a wrong time to come the Finger Lakes—and we’re here year-round—and there are some special events that you might want to see. Plus, there are some special charters and tours that you can schedule to coincide with your visit. 

 

Finger Lakes Wine Country

  • Best Breadth of Excellent Wine: Hosmer Winery (Cayuga) - Like many vineyards in the area, they specialize in Riesling—try the Single Wheel Batonnage.

  • Best Red Wines: Silver Spring Winery (Seneca) - This spot could also get the award for most tie dye. Owner/winemaker John is an encyclopedia of wine knowledge, and he turns that into truly stunning reds.

  • Best Glass of Wine: Gewurztraminer from Shepardess (Interlaken) - This incredible wine is actually made with Sheldrake (Cayuga) grapes.

  • Best View: Thirsty Owl (Cayuga) - The bistro on their back deck is lovely, and they have over 2,000 feet of lakefront.

  • Best Hidden Gem: Silver Thread Vineyard (Seneca) - Tucked away off the beaten path, the drive to Silver Thread is stunning—and not far from us!

 

Main Nature Attractions

  • Taughannock Falls - This is the the highest waterfall in New York state—yes, higher than Niagara! There’s an area where you can drive-up and see the falls hike-free.

  • Watkins Glen - Your trip to the Finger Lakes isn’t complete without a stop at this park! The Gorge Trail winds over and under a number of waterfalls, and the views are incredible.

  • Ithaca Falls - The waterfall can be seen from the road, but a short hike will get you a better view.

  • Buttermilk Falls - This is a stunner. The hike is a bit more rigorous (about 700 steps), and it’s a bit steeper than Watkins Glen. But it’s right in downtown Ithaca. 

 

Hiking Trails

  • The trailhead for the Interloken Trail in Finger Lakes National Forest is just a mile from our cabins. The 12-mile trail is flatter in the north and steeper in the south.

  • In Robert H. Treman State Park, explore nine miles of trails and 15 waterfalls (including Lucifer Falls), then rinse off in the swimming hole at Lower Enfield Falls.

  • The Keuka Lake Outlet Trail connects Seneca Lake and Keuka Lake by running along the abandoned railroad tracks between the towns of Penn Yan and Dresden, passing waterfalls and old mills in between.

  • The Cascadilla Gorge Trail connects downtown Ithaca to Cornell’s campus. Maintained by the Cornell Botanical Gardens, this trail feels secluded, even though it’s right in downtown Ithaca.

  • Does it count as a hike if there aren’t any hills? Well the Cayuga Waterfront Trail is a paved path with over 5 miles of gorgeous scenery, and that’s close enough.

 

Bird-Watching & Wildlife

You can start by exploring the paths that wind through our property, where you can spot a number of local birds. Access to Finger Lakes National Forest is just one mile away from Mill Creek Cabins, and guests can bike, hike, snowmobile, or cross-country ski/snowshoe from their cabin to the 16,000-acre national forest.

In Seneca Falls, the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge is a marshland that is home to osprey, egrets, great blue herons, and bald eagles. Near Ithaca, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a visitor center in the Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary.

Hunting is prohibited on our property, but the Finger Lakes National Forest is public hunting land with opportunities to find upland game birds, migratory waterfowl, small game and deer.

 

Fishing & Boating

If you’d like to hire a charter boat for a leisure or fishing excursion, check out some of our suggested vendors. Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake are the two largest of the Finger Lakes, and they both contain a variety of fishing opportunities. Also, there are a number of nearby ponds with boat launches in Finger Lakes National Forest and other nearby state parks. Check out this full list of public boat launches in the Finger Lakes region.

 

Creameries (Cheese!)

The Finger Lakes are full of innovative breweries and intriguing restaurants. And part of what makes dining here so great is the cheese! So here are a few of our favorite dairies in the Finger Lakes.

  • The Dairy at Muranda (Waterloo) - This tasting room has the best deal in the Finger Lakes. For $3, you get to try all of their cheese—over a dozen! Their summertime tasting room is stunning, too, but they also operate a smaller tasting room in the winter.

  • Lively Run Dairy (Interlaken) - This charming goat dairy farm makes both goat and cow cheeses now. Sample their artisanal offerings, and play with the goats while you’re there.

  • Sunset View Creamery (Odessa) - Sample the cheese curds at this family-owned farm and pick out a gift basket at their newly renovated store.

  • Shtayburne Farm (Rock Stream) - This farm has been family-owned for four generations. They have over 15 different types of cheese, plus maple syrup produced on the farm.

 

BREWERIES

 

  • Grist Iron Brewery (Burdett) - This place has live music and great ambiance. Try the vanilla porter.

  • Two Goats Brewery (Burdett) - This solar-powered brewery occupies a 19th century barn overlooking Seneca Lake.

  • Scale House Brewery (Ithaca) - They serve a mean pizza topped with housemade mozzarella cheese.

  • Lucky Hare Brewing Company (Hector) - In addition to delicious beer, they serve fantastic Mexican food, specializing in Oaxacan dishes.

  • Lost Kingdom Brewery and Firehouse Distillery (Ovid) - Located in a renovated firehouse on Main Street in Ovid, you can sample local beers, wines and spirits here.

  • Ithaca Brewery (Ithaca) - They have a wide selection of really good beer, plus a lovely beer garden in the summer.

  • Rooster Fish Brewing Pub (Watkins Glen) - Grab a table in the beer garden and order a flight of their craft ales made with locally grown farm products.

  • Heavily Brewing Co. (Montour Falls) - Located in a converted dairy barn, this small batch brewer also offers grilled reuben sandwiches and behind-the-scenes tours.

 

Restaurants

 

  • Atlas Bowling (Trumansburg) - They have a full bar, live music, yummy food, and oh yeah, sometimes there’s bowling. But mostly it’s about the food and drinks.

  • Seneca Coffee House (Ovid) - This is a great spot for specialty coffee drinks and a variety of pastries including danishes and bagels.

  • Stonecat Cafe (Hector) - Local cuisine is the main attraction, but live jazz music is a lovely side dish.

  • Cayuga Lake Creamery (Interlaken) - In addition to a variety of creative ice cream flavors, they also offer wine sorbets made from local wines.

  • Hazelnut Kitchen (Trumansburg) - Looking for an NYC-level of gourmet? You can dress up if you want, but you totally don’t have to. We do recommend reservations though.

  • Little Venice (Trumansburg) - Cute, casual spot for fantastic fresh handmade pasta and Italian food.

  • The Elf in the Oak (Burdett) - Open for breakfast and lunch, this is a great spot to pick up fresh salads, soups, and sandwiches.

  • Toni’s Diner (Hector) - This classic diner serves up breakfast dishes of bacon and eggs, omelettes, and pancakes.

 

Local Events and Festivals

  • Ithaca Farmers Market, every Saturday and Sunday from April to October: This is one of the largest markets in the Finger Lakes.

  • Trumansburg Farmers' Market, Wednesdays 4-7 p.m. from May to October: While smaller than Ithaca, the market is packed with fresh produce and live music.

  • Ithaca Festival, first weekend of June: This weekend music and arts festival features over 1,000 talented local musicians, painters, dancers, and artists.

  • Sterling Renaissance Festival, about mid-July to mid-August: Grab a turkey leg and immerse yourself in Elizabethan fun by watching a joust or a theatre production.

  • Finger Lakes Wine Festival, second weekend in July: Immerse yourself in the wine culture of the Finger Lakes with plenty of cheese and wine tastings.

  • GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance, about mid-July: This music fest brings the best of world music to the Finger Lakes.

  • The Grapehound Wine Tour, late July: This festival celebrates greyhounds and other sighthounds, as well as wine. It’s a great weekend for dog lovers.

  • Finger Lakes Cheese Festival, late July: Celebrate cheese in all its glorious forms, especially those created in the Finger Lakes.

  • Empire Farm Days, early August: This festival is showcases the best equipment, techniques, and information for farmers, with exhibits, demos, and other activities.

  • Pickin' in the Pasture, late August: Enjoy world class bluegrass music in nearby Lodi, while enjoying the local wine and food.

  • Watkins Glen International, events throughout the summer: Racing enthusiasts will find tons of opportunities for excitement at this racetrack in nearby Watkins Glen.

  • New York State Fair, late August: The NY State Fair in Syracuse attracts world class musical entertainment and great food, including a food truck competition.

 

Charters and Tours

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