Is Finger Lakes, New York on Your Bucket List?
Travel and visit Finger Lakes, New York? It is a 2024 travel bucket list must for us!
Ginger and I love to travel even though we are not able to head out often. Traveling gives us time that we get to spend solely together. It is also a time that we can put things that worry us or just the strains of life to the side for just a while.
Empty Nesters
We tried to give our children while growing up a variety of travel experiences. Recently, we have started greatly enjoying the exploration of different areas of our great nation as empty nesters. We like to assume the role of relaxed bums living on the beach (Anna Maria Island, Florida); rugged mountain folk while residing in a remote cabin deep in a wilderness area with a small lake of our own (Upper Peninsula, Michigan); or as sophisticated adventure seekers in a somewhat ritzy western desert town (Sedona, Arizona).
I look forward to thinking of where we can go next and starting the process of making our travel plans. This excites me and gives me something to look forward to each year.
Finger Lakes, New York
For a while, I have been fascinated by the thought of visiting the Finger Lakes region of western New York. I think this is due to our enjoyment of our New England trip not too long ago and our experiences in the Texas Hill Country. We want to see some of the northeast countryside again and the lure of an area similar to what the mountains of Texas provided sounds wonderful.
Romantic Destination
From what I hear and the initial research that I have done, the Finger Lakes sound more quaint and interesting than normal tourist travel destinations. It is an area of narrow lakes (11 that look like long, skinny fingers) with beautiful rural countryside. Along the way, neat small towns and numerous vineyards adorn your travel. Thus, making this region known as the Napa Valley of the east coast.
These vineyards provide ample wine tasting opportunities while overlooking awesome lakes and rolling mountainside scenes. Are you getting the romantic feel that I envision? Again, the mountains of Texas did this for us and we hope this area does too.
Activities we plan to look for
We mainly look for possible outdoor activities while planning a trip. The Finger Lakes obviously will have things to do on and around a lake. We hope to possibly canoe or take a pontoon ride.
The region is also known for hiking with a lot of nice waterfalls. If you get a chance, google Watkins Glen State Park to view some of the iconic images that are famous for New York.
The wine tastings sound interesting and are something that I am sure we will enjoy. However, we seldom drink wine and do not know all the terminology and details regarding what makes one better than another besides the general taste (for us, the cheaper and sweeter is normally the better).
Cornell University is located nearby and from what I can tell has beautiful architectural buildings along with a famous botanical garden that we can roam around to be inspired.
This will be Ginger’s favorite
Additionally, one of the headwaters of the lakes has a wildlife refuge (Montezuma on Lake Cayuga) that I know will be a must do activity for Ginger. She will love trying to see migrating birds and the different wildlife of the area. She normally can spend hours quietly walking around marshy-like areas trying to find something of interest.
Stay tuned for our Finger lakes adventure!
I hope you can tell why I am becoming increasingly excited about going to the Finger Lakes. I always like to come up with points of interest on our way to and from a destination too. So far, I am thinking that we would like to stop at Babcock State Park in West Virginia, and possibly visit Philadelphia on our way up. While there, Niagara Falls is relatively close along with the historical city of Rochester, New York.
Please feel welcome to come along with us as the details of this “joycation” comes to fruition. The next phase….determine when we will go and book some lodging! Stay tuned…..
