Whether you’re in the mood for sampling our region’s award-winning wines, diverse selection of restaurants that would satisfy any foodie’s cravings, or views aboard a seafaring vessel, booking a tour is always a sure way to discover the best a region has to offer. The Finger Lakes region is no exception. There are a number of tours that provide visitors the chance to explore and learn about our many claims to fame.
All Aboard: Boat Tours
The Finger Lakes derives its name from our glacially-carved lakes that resemble fingers, of which Native American legend has explained happened when the Great Spirit or Creator looked down and laid his hand on the land, thus blessing it. Our lakes are our namesake, and there are a variety of boat tours available for anyone wanting to set out on the water and discover what makes them so unique.
For an educational journey on our lakes, Discover Cayuga Lake provides experiential eco tours. There are also a variety of other tours offered based on theme, like a full moon and meteor watch tour, sunset tour, and tours with a kid-friendly focus. Also offering educational cruises is Ithaca Boat Tours aboard the MV Haendel, a former U.S. Army Corps boat built in 1965 that now gives visitors the opportunity to ride along Cayuga Lake on a slice of history.
Feel the fresh spray of the crystalline Skaneateles Lake aboard Mid-Lakes Navigation Company. You can dine for lunch or dinner while taking in views of one of the cleanest lakes in the country. In Watkins Glen, Captain Bill’s 49-passenger vintage boat is perfect for anyone looking to learn more about Seneca Lake while taking in the sights and sounds. There are a number of other boat tours available as well. Whether you choose to take to the water on Skaneateles, Seneca, or Cayuga lakes, many tours are narrated and provide an educational experience, offer lunch or dinner options for cruising and dining, as well as an all-around relaxing moment.
Taste Tours: Wine, Brews & Food
Boat outings of course aren’t the only sort of tour we offer. The Finger Lakes region isn’t just known for its beautiful lakes and recreation, it is one of the top wine regions in the country, and our white wines especially are celebrated. So it should come as no surprise that a variety of wine ( beer, and hard cider) tours are available that also allow for some brilliant lake viewing.
Finger Lakes Winery Tours, for instance, offers service to Keuka, Cayuga, and Seneca lakes wine trails, offering a versatile fleet so you can indulge your palate and soak in the views in style. There is even the option to tour wine country on an old-fashioned trolley. Grapevine Country Tours allows visitors to tailor experiences, while Quality Wine Tours boasts service seven days a week to wineries on Seneca, Keuka, Cayuga, and Canandaigua lakes. It also offers brew tours for those who have a taste for hops and the desire to explore the breweries that have made our region a veritable craft beer hub.
Crush Beer & Wine Tours offers service from Canandaigua to Rochester and to Seneca and Keuka lakes to discover both wine and locally-crafted brews. If you’re in the mood for a little mystery, Experience! The Finger Lakes offers a Murder Mystery Wine Tour & Dinner, an Ithaca Wine and Waterfalls Tour, culinary excursions, and more.
While many of the wine and brew tours will make sure you taste the food of our region as well, Finger Lakes Food Tours offers guided food tours to Canandaigua-area restaurants and shops to experience the specialty flavors and chef expertise dishes from our agriculturally-rich region. And will soon expand to other walking tours of the Canandaigua area!
There are many other tours available to those who look, and regardless of which one you choose, a guided tour of our region will educate while also allowing you to delve deeper into the bounty and beauty of the Finger Lakes.
For more tours, check out: Finger Lake Boat Cruises and Tours & Transportation.
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