Exploring the Finger Lakes Region of New York

January 23, 2015
By Rachel Kapur 

Have you heard about the Finger Lakes region but did not know anything about them or where they were located? We embarked on a two day adventure to explore the Finger Lakes region and have a lot of information to share! The Finger Lakes are approximately a five hour drive from Manhattan, located in upstate New York. The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York. A popular tourist destination, the lakes are long and narrow resembling fingers- hence the name.  The cities located in the Finger Lakes region include Syracuse, Rochester, Corning and more. Popular activities in the Finger Lakes region include skiing, ice skating, glass making, wine tasting and much more.  With a lot things to see and do the first stop on our adventure was Dinosaur Bar-B-Que...   

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Syracuse, New York

This renowned southern bar-b-que restaurant started in Syracuse, New York in 1983 and is hailed as the best barbecue in the Country by "Good Morning America". The restaurant has also been featured on television programs like "The Best Thing I Ever Ate - BBQ" on The Food Network and "Man vs. Food" on The Travel Channel. They have 8 different locations around the country and will soon open their doors in Baltimore, Maryland! They have many famous dishes including brisket- which takes 14 hours to smoke, different types of ribs and a "Big Ass Pork Plate"! They have special holiday events, for example on Easter a gospel choir is invited to sing. They also provide catering services via their Mobile BBQ Pits. Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is a must visit for their excellent food and down home feel! For more information visit: http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/  




  

George Eastman House- Rochester, New York

One of the best places to visit when you are in Rochester is the George Eastman House. This is the world's oldest museum dedicated to photography and one of the world's oldest film archives. This grand house was built in 1905 and displays the history of Kodak and houses a collection of George Eastman's artwork and inventions. "The Kodak" was invented by Eastman to make it easier for people to take and process pictures. This camera put Eastman on the map and made "Kodak" a household name. This museum offers visitors a glimpse into the life of one of richest and most powerful men of the early 1900s. Featuring a classic look externally, beneath the exterior were such modern conveniences as an electrical generator, an elevator and an internal telephone system with 21 stations. 
For more information visit: http://www.eastmanhouse.org/

Destiny USA- Syracuse, New York

‪Destiny USA is the second most visited and the sixth largest shopping center in the country- they have over 25,000 visitors a day! This 2.4 million square-foot shopping center includes ample shopping, plenty of dining options and loads of entertainment. Their entertainment options include the 400-seat comedy club "Funny Bone", a go-kart race track, indoor golf and bowling. Also found at the Destiny USA complex is "Wonder Works", a science based entertainment center that includes many different activities and experiences such as a rope course, laser tag and much more! You can take Amtrak or a Greyhound bus from New York City to reach this shopping and entertainment haven.
For more information visit: http://www.destinyusa.com/

Empire Brewing Company- Syracuse, New York

For beer and food we decided to venture to Empire Brewing Company. They are well known for brewing their own beer on site and have been in business since 1995. They have seven distributors across New York State. They were also selected to brew a special draft for The Waldorf Astoria. They are in the process of building a new brewery in Cazenovia, NY. Their menu focuses on local fresh foods and has a variety of options on their menu including salads, burgers, pasta and more. This is a great place to stop by for beer and quality food!
 For more information visit: http://empirebrew.com/

Genesee Grande Hotel- Syracuse, New York

For a stopover in Syracuse we stayed at the family owned and operated Four-Star Genesee Grande Hotel. The gorgeous lobby was filled with fresh flowers and features a beautiful Koi pond. Their spacious suites felt more like a home than your average hotel room. 
For more information and rates visit: http://www.geneseegrande.com/

Doc's Little Gem Diner- Syracuse, New York

This little diner will take you back in time to the 1950s. This diner is a favorite amongst locals and visitors alike and is best known for their pancakes. They feature something called "Heart Attack on a Plate", however as far as we know, there are no reported casualties from eating this wonderful biscuits and gravy dish. The line can be out the door during the weekends so make sure to plan some wait time! 
For more information call: (315) 314.7380

The Strong National Museum of Play- Rochester, New York

A fun thing to do with kids of all ages is a trip to "The Strong National Museum of Play". It is the only museum in the world that is dedicated to the study of play! They have unique items on display such as the original handmade Monopoly board, the first Barbie doll, a mini Wegmans recreation and much more! The collection of toys dates back to the 1800s featuring museum exhibits of toys of various decades. It provides cultural and historic insights for the popularity of certain toys during different periods in time. A fun play day with kids and adults, this is the perfect place to learn and play! For more information visit: http://www.museumofplay.org/

Mario's- Rochester, New York

Family owned and operated since 1995, Mario's is an excellent and well known Italian restaurant in the Rochester area. Mario's serves homemade pastas, steaks and also produces their own special fresh pasta sauces! Locals and visitors alike flock to this renowned restaurant! 
For more information visit: http://mariosit.c

Wegmans- Rochester, New York

After our trip to Mario's we were craving a midnight snack and decided to take a trip to Wegmans. Their flagship store is located in Rochester and is open 24 hours. 

Casa Larga Vineyard- Rochester, New York

Not many people know that The Finger Lakes region has over 350 wineries. Casa Larga is one of the largest and was founded close to forty years ago! They are known for their Riesling and Ice Wines. They produce six different types of ice wine, including Vidal Blanc which has won over 40 awards! We had the opportunity to try this award winning ice wine. It was delicious and retails for only $40 a bottle! 
For more information visit: http://www.casalarga.com/

The Corning Museum- Corning, New York

Our last stop in the Finger Lakes region was the Corning Museum located in Corning, NY. This is the largest museum of glass in the world! It has a wide array of glass art dating back 3500 years. The Corning Museum takes an average of 4.5 hours to see and experience the entire museum. They have over 400,000 visitors from around the world annually. In addition to viewing glass artwork, the museum has a show where visitors can see how glass is blown and crafted into a vase. In the Corning Museum not only do you get to see glass artwork, watch how to make glass artwork, you can also create glass artwork. For a small fee, the museum offers a course on glass making in which you can learn how to make an object of your choice from selected samples, prices start at $30. The museum also has a huge gift shop in which you can buy art, dishes and jewelry. The Corning Museum is currently adding a 100,000 square foot wing which will open on March 20th, 2015. For more information visit: http://www.cmog.org/

White Birch Tasting Room- Syracuse, New York

With vine stock tracing back to 18th century Italy, the story of the White Birch Vineyards started in 1999 when vinifera grapes from the Molise region were planted on the shores of Skaneateles Lake. They pride themselves on providing quality wines from the Finger Lakes Region.They are well known for their Dry Riesling and Chardonnay. 
For more information visit: http://www.whitebirchvineyards.com/

Genesee Country Village & Museum- Rochester, New York

 
An hour away from the White Birch Tasting Room is the third largest living history museum in the world, the Genesee Country Village and Museum. History is to be found everywhere. This location features the oldest railroad station in New York State, dating back to the 1830s, which has now been turned into a restaurant. They also have a wide variety of original structures from that time period including farms, simple homes, grand homes, businesses, inns, churches and a one-room schoolhouse. Cross-country ski during the winter and in the summer months you can ride on a replica Civil War air balloon for only $25! Hosmer's Inn hosts special era themed dinners on specific dates, refer to the website for further details. 
For more information visit: https://www.gcv.org/

Letchworth State Park - Genesee Falls, New York

Genesee Falls is home to Letchworth State Park which is known as the "Grand Canyon of the East". This park is home to over 25 trails, an Olympic size pool, numerous shelters and vast amounts of natural beauty. Activities vary in the summer and winter months and include: white water rafting, tubing, cross country skiing, hiking, snow shoeing, biking, horseback riding and much more! Not only is Letchworth State Park 14,000 acres in size, it hosts 16 events/festivals per year, features 25 hiking trails and is visited by over 600,000 visitors annually from all over the world- they also have beautiful waterfalls! This place is a must visit for any nature lover or outdoor adventurer! For more information visit: http://nysparks.com/parks/79/details.aspx

The Finger Lakes region has a lot to offer and surprised us with the multitude of different activities. We could have spent hours in the Corning Museum or explored the Play Museum further- there was so much to do but little time. From cross-country skiing to glass-making we learned a lot and realized that the Finger Lakes region offers many adventures for people with all sorts of interests and passions. We look forward to visiting the Finger Lakes again and exploring more of New York!