I can't put my finger on it

August 2026

Ok! So, raise your hand if you’ve heard of the Finger Lakes? Hmmm. Yep, that’s what I thought. When I mentioned it as a potential vacation destination, very few within my circle of friends had heard of them either. My wife had only heard of them in passing. My own familiarity was quite low, other than knowing that they existed in New York State and were supposed to be a wonderful vacation spot, regardless of season. During my business trips to the east coast, I had flown over them many times and wondered, as I looked down upon their unique shapes and layout, what they would look like from somewhere other than 30,000 feet above.

On a recent driving vacation enroute to Maine, my wife and I visited the Finger Lakes. Now, I don't want to start writing travel brochures, but we so thoroughly enjoyed our visit that the 3½ days we spent there became the highlight of our 2-week trip. As I was pondering what made this place so special and how it made us feel, I felt compelled to share. So here I go. But first, let me provide you with a little essential background.

The Finger Lakes region of western New York State is the ancestral homeland of the Haudenosaunee, a native American tribe which some people refer to as the Iroquois or Six Nations. The region is named for a group of long, thin, glacially gouged lakes that lie like stripes through the hilly, forested region. The deepest of the Lakes comes in at over 600 feet, and the longest is almost 40 miles. The lake names themselves; Conesus, Hemlock, Canadice, Honeoye, Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca, Cayuga, Owasco, Skaneatele and Otisco, have origins that no one can seem to agree upon. Let’s just say that they are somewhat hard to memorize, or several of them, to even pronounce. 

To be clear, there is ongoing controversy over which of these lakes is truly a “Finger Lake”, and which might not be, as well as how they were named. For our purposes it doesn’t matter. I will focus on the more contemporary factors that we so thoroughly enjoyed. Of which, there were many. But this just gives you a little background to work with.

We meandered all over the region but resided in Ithaca, a city of about 34,000 permanent residents, which lies on the south end of Cayuga Lake.  Cayuga being the longest, second largest, and one of the easiest to pronounce of the lakes. It is also the home of Cornell University and Ithaca College, whose students nearly double the population when they are in session. This gave the city a very cosmopolitan feel and offered a plethora of diverse cuisines for us to sample. But there were also small rustic cafes, like The Elf in the Oak and The Swiss Inn, which were out overlooking the lakes without any pretense. Just wonderful casual ambiance and simple, satisfying food.

And the food was very good indeed. We did not have an extravagant meal, you don’t feel like those when you’ve walked 15,000 steps through gorges and up steep inclines, but they were available if we had wanted to indulge ourselves. We stuck to simpler fare and enjoyed every bite. Especially, “Beef on weck”, the sliced beef sandwich which is characteristic of the region. We also enjoyed a Ukrainian bread “Pampushkey”, which was served with some lovely spreads at one of our favorite wineries.

Driving around the back roads of the region revealed an agricultural extravaganza.  Apple orchards abounded, as did fields full of trellises of hops. Cherries, peaches, plums and pears were also seen in abundance.  Great fields of hay, wheat and corn as well as large patches of cabbage, beans, peas, and what appeared to be root vegetables.

The area teemed with roadside stands that featured both the produce of the area as well as arts and crafts and cut flowers. Livestock was also prevalent.  Cattle and sheep seemed to be everywhere. Regardless of what it was that we saw from an agricultural perspective, everything looked pristine and well managed. But the true gem for me, was often hidden on the steep hillsides, usually with terrific views overlooking the lakes. That is where we found some spectacular Vineyards and wines to go with them.

Now, I have been blessed to have visited some of the greatest wine regions around the world. The Finger Lakes may not be the most grape forward region, nor have the most pristine vineyards or vines, but the wines themselves were world class. Especially the whites. In spite of my wife not being much of a wine lover, she tried everything I did and found some she truly enjoyed. Regardless, there is nothing like sitting outdoors in the shade on a sunny day overlooking a vineyard with mountainous lake backdrop and enjoying fine wines.

On most vineyard’ visits, there is a great deal of information shared, and the Finger Lakes were no exception. We learned that the distinctive wines of the region come from a unique combination of glacial geology, climate that is modulated by the nature of the mountains and the lakes, and the expert viticulture that has been ongoing here for over 200 years. I was told that the terroir is comparable to some of the world’s most celebrated wine regions. Well known grapes like Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and Gewürztraminer thrive there.

But so do lesser-known grapes like Chasselas, which is one of Switzerland’s most notable indigenous grape varieties. They produce a fine white wine that is rarely seen outside of Switzerland.  This is also true for the grape Grüner Veltliner, an ancient white grape variety grown mainly in Austria but also thriving in most of Eastern Europe. It also provides wine that is rarely seen outside of Europe and not grown anywhere else in the United States.  At least not on a commercial scale.

To be clear, our visit wasn’t just about wine and vineyards. There were also many breweries to visit with fine beers that were quite differentiated. We were told that the water is conducive to the brewing of a variety of types of beer, and I tried my share. All of the New England IPA’s I sampled were distinctive and enjoyable. Outside of alcohol, there were other things, most of which my wife was more enthused about. The dairy industry is predominant and that made cheese, chocolate and ice cream shops very popular. But even though it sounds like it, we didn’t just eat and drink!

We were there primarily to enjoy the outdoors. Which we certainly did. In an attempt to burn off our caloric excess, each day we took a very challenging hike or even several. Some were exceedingly demanding, especially for 63-year-olds novices. The trails generally lie in their State Parks and there are many to choose from.  We only had a few days, so we had to make some difficult choices. Watkins Glen State Park offered the most famous hike in the region. The 1.5-mile Gorge Trail took us past multiple waterfalls and down cliffs of over 200 feet. Sadly, it was exceedingly busy, which hampered our enjoyment of the challenging hike that trekked over, under and behind waterfalls.

By far our favorite trek was when we visited Robert H. Treman State Park, which is known for the winding Lucifer Falls. This park featured beautiful and challenging trails down into the glacially carved gorge, providing a backdrop that my wife compared to the mythical Rivendell. If you are at all familiar with the Lord of the Rings, you will understand the analogy.

Going down the gorge was easy, we stopped at every turn to take a picture of nature showing off.  But coming back up on the opposite side of the gorge was one of the most significant challenges of the trip. The path was adorned with hundreds of nearly vertical and slippery steps, as well as a steep path that seemed to go on forever. Looking back on it, I am not certain how we did it. But I’m really glad we accepted the challenge.

So, what made the Finger Lakes so special for my wife and me? Maybe because we had no preconceptions before we got there. Everything was new and usually a surprise that exceeded our expectations. Maybe it was because the place was full of things to see and experience. The breadth of the agriculture, the outdoor destinations with all the waterfalls and rims and gorges and the beauty of driving along the edges of the deep glacial lakes. And certainly, the world-class wine country with unique viticulture, grape varietals and each winery’s approachable spirit. Not to mention, everywhere we went, the people were friendly and inviting. Not over the top but they were genuine, and always happy to provide us with advice and knowledge. Indeed, they were all very proud of where they lived.

But honestly, there was something that was just right for us, at our age, at the beginning of our 2-week trip that really made this place special.  Exactly what that was, I really can’t put my finger on it.  Whatever “it” was, showed me that it pays to visit and get to know new places and things. And honestly, the most important thing we learned is that we will be back for another visit. That I can put my finger on!