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This self-guided driving tour explores the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes, circling Cayuga and Seneca Lakes through vineyards, waterfalls, historic villages, and scenic shoreline roads.
Around Cayuga Lake, discover Taughannock Falls, as it plunges dramatically into a deep gorge, and Van Riper & Whitlock Nature Preserve, nestled in the fertile slopes that helped shape the region’s modern wine industry. Explore the nearby marshes and lakeside farms, as well as the Cayuga-Seneca Canal.
Around Seneca Lake, dive into thrilling American history at Seneca Falls, relax at Belhurst Castle, and follow the Seneca Wine Trail as it winds past the lake’s sparkling waters. Learn about the rolling hills and glacial soils that created one of the country’s most distinctive wine regions. At Watkins Glen, explore a dramatic gorge carved by waterfalls and stone stairways.
Throughout the drive, stories explore the geological formation of the Finger Lakes, the Cayuga and Seneca Nations, the evolution of viticulture, and the legends surrounding these deep glacial waters.
The tour begins in Ithaca New York, near Cayuga Lake. The narration will begin on Highway 89 (Taughannock Blvd), driving north around the shoreline of Cayuga Lake, with Cass Park on your right. The starting address is Cass Park, 701 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca, NY 14850.
The reverse version of this tour begins in Watkins Glen on Highway 14 (N Franklin St., along a business-lined street near Seneca Lake. The starting address is 214 N Franklin St, Watkins Glen, NY 14891
This scenic 90-mile route makes an ideal weekend getaway—enjoy it as one adventure-filled day or slow the pace over two relaxed days, with plenty of time for hiking, wine tasting, charming lakeside towns and memorable stops along the way.
The driving distance is about 90+ miles.
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