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SUMMER IN THE FINGER LAKES

Nothing beats summer in the Finger Lakes! Our rolling green farmlands and crystal clear lakes make summertime scenery absolutely breathtaking. This is the perfect time of year to escape into a world of adventure and outdoor activity. From the little ones to Grandma and Grandpa, there is something for every member of the family.

‘Must-Do’ Summer Activities

  1. Finger Lakes Wine Tour

  2. DIRT Car Racing at Weedsport Speedway

  3. Waterfront dining

  4. Buffalo Safari tour

  5. Hiking at Fillmore Glen State Park

Outdoor Adventures

Enjoy a ride in a balloon with Sunset Adventure Balloon Rides or experience more earthly pleasures by riding your bike around the Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway. Splash into a variety of water sports on one of our eight lakes and the Erie Canal as you canoe, kayak, or sail your way through the county. If you enjoy the outdoors, but would rather be a spectator, catch a pop fly at an Auburn Doubledays game and be sure to sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game during the seventh inning stretch. You’ll find that the Finger Lakes are ideal for your outdoor adventures this summer!

Wine & Dine

Travel along the Cayuga Wine Trail and taste award-winning wines at world-class wineries. Or get off the beaten path and enjoy some of our newer and smaller wineries such as CJS Vineyards or Heart & Hands Wine Company.  Many wineries have decks or picnic areas that allow you to eat lunch or just enjoy a glass of wine while you take in some of the most beautiful scenery in the country.  Take a wine class at Bet the Farm in Aurora to truly enjoy every nuance of Finger Lakes wine.  Whatever you do, be sure to enjoy a glass of Finger Lakes wine and our local fare whether at your hotel, a restaurant or picnicking in the park.

History Happened Here

Visit the Harriet Tubman Home and pay your respects at the gravesite of the woman known as the ‘Moses of her People,’ for her work on the Underground Railroad. While in the historic Village of Aurora, be sure to visit MacKenzie-Childs and see the magic their artisans create on glass, pottery, and other materials. And at the end of the day watch a movie at the Finger Lakes Drive-in, one of the few left in New York State. Whatever it is you decide to do, you will be sure to make your own history during your Finger Lakes getaway!

Entertainment, History & Culture, Recreation, Wineries

Entertainment -

Let us entertain you! The Auburn Players Community Theater, NY Institute of Dance & Education, Auburn Public Theater, Merry-Go-Round Playhouse and the Morgan Opera House, all provide showcases for the performing arts at their best. Central New York has plenty of local, live music to suit every taste.Check our events calendar for special performances, festivals, and other Finger Lakes attractions throughout the year.

"You have more history per square inch in this town than any other place I've been to"
- Actress Sigourney Weaver,
  Auburn Founders Day 2010

History & Culture -

Cayuga County is rich with historic sites, museums, and homes. Reminders of the Underground Railroad, the building of the Erie Canal, and the invention of "Talking Films" can all be found here.

Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged, Auburn NY.
Harriet Tubman Home
Photo: Jack Kidd

Historic sites include Fort Hill Cemetery where William H. Seward and Harriet Tubman were laid to rest, and the Willard Memorial Chapel designed by Louis C. Tiffany and the Tiffany Glass & Decorating, Co. Take in the Rural Life Museum, dedicated to preserving local history and agricultural traditions and visit a water-powered gristmill operating since 1823 at New Hope Mills.

For a glimpse into Cayuga County's past, visit the Cayuga Museum of History & Art, offering rotating and permanent exhibits on the history and art of Cayuga County.

Visit some of the most unique museums in the Finger Lakes Region. These include the Ward O'Hara Agricultural Museum where you can step back in time to the turn of the century and life on the farm; the Little Theater Railway Museum featuring model train exhibits, and the Howland Stone Store Museum, the former family business of noted educator and Quaker abolitionist, Emily Howland.

Seward House, Auburn NY.
Seward House Sitting Room, Auburn
Photo: Paul N. Luziani Photography

Tour the homes of our famous forefathers (and mothers!) such as William H. Seward, best known for his work to purchase Alaska, then known as 'Seward's Folly," Underground Railroad conductor, Harriet Tubman, and Theodore Case, inventor of 'Talking Films." The Seward House, Harriet Tubman Home and the Cayuga Museum ( Willard-Case Mansion ) are all open to the public.

Recreation -

If you love the great outdoors, you'll love Cayuga County. Hiking, biking, hunting, fishing, boating, swimming, golfing, camping, bird watching, and other Finger Lakes recreational activities all await you.

A drive around the Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway is a must. With gorges at its south, vineyards on its gentle slops and marshes on the north end, the Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway features diverse landscapes and spectacular views. The 87 miles around Cayuga Lake, the longest of the Finger Lakes, will take you through charming villages, by scenic parks and lead you to lodging, shopping, dining, wineries and more!

For a Great Lakes -Seaway experience drive the Seaway Trail. In Cayuga County the Seaway Trail will take you along Lake Ontario, through the Village of Fair Haven with it's unique shops, quaint Bed & Breakfasts and many campground facilities. Watch for the Seaway Trail outdoor storyteller panels that share the facts, legends, and lore of this unique America's Byway.

"The best car touring vacation my husband and I have spent was this past first week of October in the Finger Lakes area." - J. Sharit, Scarsdale, NY

Wineries -

The Finger Lakes Region offers an abundance of premium wineries and wine trails which follow the banks of five different lakes, Cayuga, Canandaigua, Keuka, Ontario, and Seneca. The organized wine trails make touring easy and the their special events such as the Holiday Shopping Spree in December are not to be missed. Try a wine tour package and let someone else do the driving!

Cayuga County wineries include:

Bet the Farm
CJS Vineyards & Aurelius Winery

Dills Run Winery
Heart and Hands Wine Company
Izzo's White Barn Winery
Long Point Winery
King Ferry Winery
Giancarelli Brothers Winery
Stoney Meadows Farm Winery
Chateau Dusseau

Wine Trails:

Canandaigua Wine Trail
Cayuga Lake Wine Trail
Keuka Lake Wine Trail
Seneca Wine Trail
The Little Finger Lakes Wine Path




Food So Fresh It Almost Talks Back

Foodies will delight in the fresh produce here in the Finger Lakes! Our restaurants get the pick of fruits and vegetables grown at nearby farms: tomatoes still warm from the garden, sweet strawberries, corn so good you can skip the salt and butter -- and much more. Our restaurants and farm markets update these seasonal delights daily depending on what's ripe. Click here for more info.

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Cayuga County Office of Tourism | 131 Genesee Street | Auburn, NY 13021-3617
Phone: 800-499-9615 or 315-255-1658 email:info@tourcayuga.com

Content and information contained in this site has been compiled by the Cayuga County Office of Tourism, based on data submitted directly to us from local tourism entities. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy, all data is subject to change without notice. Travelers are advised to contact individual businesses or organizations to verify details. The Cayuga County Office of Tourism does not endorse or recommend any specific facility or organization contained in this site. Links to third-party websites are provided as a convenience to users; the Cayuga County Office of Tourism does not control or endorse their content.

©2010 Cayuga County Office of Tourism