Eleven pristine lakes spread like fingers across central New York. Native American legend has it that these lakes were left behind by the Great Spirit, who blessed this land with his hands.

Today, we know them as the Finger Lakes. Each lake is connected by rivers leading into Lake Ontario. All offer great fishing, swimming, boating and other summer fun.

The region’s state parks are perfect for hiking, biking and camping. Everywhere you turn, the scenery is spectacular. Visit Letchworth, known as the Grand Canyon of the East; Watkins Glen’s gorges and waterfalls; Taughannock, with waters dropping 400 feet; and the great Chimney Bluffs along Lake Ontario.

The Finger Lakes wine trails are legendary, showcasing some of the nation’s premier vineyards and wineries. Tastings are often not limited to just wine. Beer, distilled spirits, juices and ciders can also be sampled. There are also art trails, the Seaway Trail, and trails along the Erie Canal. Travel between Cortland, Ithaca and Owego to explore Natural Choices, an organic and eco-friendly trail.

Don’t miss the New York Wine & Culinary Center in Canandaigua for a real taste of New York. Or stop by the home of the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Syracuse. The Finger Lakes region is home to several food firsts: grape pies, garbage plates and ice cream sundaes. Farm-fresh selections are at roadside stands and in many farmers markets. The largest is the Windmill Farm and Craft Market near Penn Yan.

Complementing all this natural beauty are cities and villages offering treasures of history and culture. Syracuse hosts the Great New York State Fair, and Rochester has the Strong National Museum of Play and the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography. Corning showcases 3,500 years of glassmaking at the Museum of Glass. Elmira celebrates its ties to Mark Twain, and nearby is the National Soaring Museum. In Seneca Falls, you can see the Women’s Rights National Historical Park and understand the basis for the entrepreneurial spirit for which the Finger Lakes is known.

FINGER LAKES MUST-SEES

Outdoors
• Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway | Various points
• Chimney Bluffs State Park | Wolcott
• Finger Lakes National Forest | Hector
• Finger Lakes Seaway Trail | Along Lake Ontario
• Ganondagan State Historic Site | Victor
• Harris Hill Soaring Center | Elmira
• Letchworth State Park | Castile
• Lime Hollow Nature Center | Cortland
• Onondaga County Parks | Syracuse
• Watkins Glen State Park | Watkins Glen

Art+Culture
• Corning Museum of Glass | Corning
• Everson Museum of Art | Syracuse
• George Eastman House | Rochester
• Memorial Art Gallery | Rochester

History
• Genesee Country Village & Museum | Mumford
• Glenn H Curtiss Museum | Hammondsport
• National Soaring Museum | Elmira
• Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park | Canandaigua
• Women’s Rights National Historical Park | Seneca Falls

Families
• Hope Lake Lodge and Cascades Indoor Waterpark | Cortland
• Iron Kettle Farm | Candor
• Museum of Science & Technology (MoST) | Syracuse
• Rosamond Gifford Zoo | Syracuse
• Seabreeze Park | Rochester
• Strong National Museum of Play | Rochester

Food+Drink
• Finger Lakes Wineries | Regionwide
• Moosewood Restaurant | Ithaca
• New York Wine & Culinary Center | Canandaigua

Green NY
• Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge | Seneca Falls
• Taughannock Falls State Park | Trumansburg

Shopping
• Corning’s Gaffer District | Corning
• MacKenzie-Childs Ltd | Aurora
• Waterloo Premium Outlets | Waterloo
• Windmill Farm & Craft Market | Penn Yan
• Towns and cities of Brockport, Canandaigua, Fairport, Hammondsport, Ithaca, Owego, Pittsford & Skaneateles