Why Your Base Matters

The Finger Lakes stretch across a region roughly 100 miles wide and 40 miles deep. Driving from Skaneateles on the eastern edge to Canandaigua on the western edge takes 75 minutes. From Watkins Glen at the southern end to Geneva at the north takes 45 minutes. Choosing the wrong base town means spending your trip in the car rather than at the gorge, the tasting room, or the beach. The right base puts your top priorities within a 15 to 20 minute drive and keeps the secondary attractions within day-trip range.

Each of the seven main base towns has a distinct personality, price range, and proximity advantage. Here is what each one offers and who it suits best. For a deeper dive into specific lodging properties and styles, see our town-by-town lodging guide.

Watkins Glen

Best For: Gorge Hikers, Wine Trail Starters, Budget Travelers

Watkins Glen sits at the southern tip of Seneca Lake, at the base of the gorge that gives the town its name. The state park entrance is a 5-minute walk from the village center. The Seneca Lake Wine Trail stretches north from here along both shores. The town itself is compact — a few blocks of restaurants, shops, and lodging along Franklin Street — and walkable in a way that larger Finger Lakes towns are not.

Proximity: Watkins Glen State Park is in town. Seneca Lake Wine Trail wineries begin within 10 minutes north. Corning is 20 minutes south. Taughannock Falls is 45 minutes northeast. Ithaca is 50 minutes east.

Lodging: Options range from budget motels ($80 to $120 per night) to mid-range hotels like the Harbor Hotel on the Seneca Lake waterfront ($200 to $350 in summer). Seneca Lodge, adjacent to the state park, has basic rooms and cabins from $60 to $90. Vacation rentals in the area run $150 to $300 per night. The state park campground sits at the gorge rim, $25 to $35 per night.

Drawbacks: Watkins Glen is a village of about 1,900 people. The restaurant scene is limited — perhaps eight to ten options ranging from pizza to upscale lakefront dining. After 9 p.m., the town is quiet. The closest full-service grocery store is in Montour Falls, 4 miles south.

Best for: Visitors who want to hike the gorge at dawn, spend the day on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail, and keep lodging costs moderate. Couples and small groups on wine-focused trips. Budget travelers who value proximity over amenities.

Ithaca

Best For: Families, Culture Seekers, Foodies, Extended Stays

Ithaca is the largest town in the Finger Lakes proper, with a population of about 32,000 (plus 25,000 Cornell University students during the academic year). It sits at the southern tip of Cayuga Lake, surrounded by gorges on three sides. The downtown — centered on the Ithaca Commons pedestrian mall — has more restaurants, shops, and cultural venues per block than anywhere else in the region. Cornell University and Ithaca College provide a year-round cultural calendar of lectures, performances, and exhibitions.

Proximity: Taughannock Falls is 10 miles north. Buttermilk Falls and Robert H. Treman State Parks are within 5 miles. The Cayuga Lake Wine Trail begins minutes from town. The Sciencenter and Cornell Botanic Gardens are in the city. Watkins Glen is 50 minutes west. Seneca Lake wineries are 45 to 60 minutes west.

Lodging: Hotels range from $120 to $250 per night, with prices spiking during Cornell events (graduation in late May, homecoming in October, move-in weekend in August). Vacation rentals run $150 to $350 per night. Budget options exist along Route 13 south of town ($90 to $150). There is no camping within the city limits, but state park campgrounds at Taughannock Falls and Buttermilk Falls are 5 to 10 miles away.

Drawbacks: Ithaca is 45 to 60 minutes from Seneca Lake, which means wine trail day trips require real driving. Parking downtown is tight, particularly on weekends. Lodging prices are the highest in the region due to university-driven demand. And the drive from Ithaca to Keuka Lake or Canandaigua takes over an hour.

Best for: Families with children (the Sciencenter, Buttermilk Falls, and free parks are all nearby). Visitors who want walkable restaurants and nightlife. Anyone staying more than three days who wants the most diverse daily options. Food-focused travelers — Ithaca’s restaurant scene, anchored by Moosewood Restaurant and a strong farm-to-table culture, is the best in the region.

Geneva

Best For: Wine-Focused Visitors, Lake Access, Central Positioning

Geneva (population about 13,000) sits at the northern tip of Seneca Lake, where the lake drains into the Seneca River. The downtown runs along a bluff above the lakefront, with a mix of restaurants, shops, and a growing craft beverage scene. Geneva is the most centrally located base in the Finger Lakes — equidistant from Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, within an hour of every major attraction.

Proximity: The Seneca Lake Wine Trail starts at Geneva and runs south along both shores. Cayuga Lake wineries are 20 to 30 minutes east. Canandaigua is 30 minutes west. Watkins Glen is 45 minutes south. The Women’s Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls is 10 minutes east. Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge is 20 minutes northeast.

Lodging: Geneva has the widest range of lodging styles in the region. The Geneva on the Lake resort is a landmark property modeled after an Italian villa, with rooms from $200 to $500 per night. The Belhurst Castle offers lakefront rooms in a restored 1880s stone mansion, $180 to $400. Downtown hotels and motels run $100 to $200. Chain hotels along Routes 5 and 20 west of town start at $90 to $140. Vacation rentals on or near the lake range from $150 to $400.

Drawbacks: Geneva’s lakefront is less developed for swimming and beach activities than Canandaigua. The downtown is improving but still has vacant storefronts mixed in with the restaurants and shops. The distance to gorge trails (Watkins Glen is 45 minutes, Ithaca’s gorges are an hour) means gorge hiking requires a committed day trip.

Best for: Wine-focused travelers who want to taste on both Seneca and Cayuga Lakes without relocating. Couples looking for an upscale base with lakefront lodging. Anyone who wants central positioning and does not mind driving 30 to 45 minutes to any given attraction.

Hammondsport

Best For: Wine Enthusiasts Seeking a Quieter Experience, Keuka Lake Lovers

Hammondsport is a village of about 700 people at the southern tip of Keuka Lake, the Y-shaped lake that many locals consider the most beautiful in the region. The village square sits steps from the lake, and the surrounding hills are planted with some of the oldest vineyards in the Finger Lakes. Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, the estate that proved European grapes could survive New York winters, is 5 minutes north on Route 54. The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum, dedicated to the local aviation pioneer, occupies a large facility on the edge of town.

Proximity: Keuka Lake Wine Trail wineries are within 5 to 20 minutes. Watkins Glen is 30 minutes east. Corning is 25 minutes south. Seneca Lake wineries are 30 to 40 minutes east. Ithaca is 75 minutes east.

Lodging: Options are limited but characterful. Small inns and B&Bs in the village run $120 to $220 per night. Vacation rentals on Keuka Lake range from $150 to $400. There are no chain hotels in Hammondsport — the nearest are in Bath (10 minutes south) or Corning (25 minutes south), where budget options start at $80 to $120.

Drawbacks: Hammondsport is small. Two restaurants, a handful of shops, and a general store constitute the commercial district. Evenings are genuinely quiet. The town is not convenient to Cayuga Lake or Ithaca. If your trip priorities include gorge hiking and Cayuga-side attractions, Hammondsport puts you far from both.

Best for: Wine lovers who want an intimate, village-scale experience centered on Keuka Lake. Visitors who have already done Seneca and want to see a different side of the region. Couples seeking a quiet, romantic setting.

Canandaigua

Best For: Families, Beach Days, Comfortable Small-City Amenities

Canandaigua (population about 10,000) sits at the northern tip of Canandaigua Lake, with a well-maintained Main Street running from the Ontario County Courthouse to Kershaw Park at the lakefront. The town has the commercial infrastructure — restaurants, grocery stores, shops, a movie theater — that smaller lake villages lack, while retaining a walkable downtown character.

Proximity: Kershaw Park beach is in town. Roseland Waterpark is 10 minutes west on Routes 5 and 20. Bristol Mountain Ski Resort is 15 minutes south (winter only). The Canandaigua Lake wine trail is small but nearby. Geneva is 30 minutes east. The Seneca Lake Wine Trail is 40 to 50 minutes east. Watkins Glen is 70 minutes southeast. Ithaca is 75 minutes east.

Lodging: The Inn on the Lake offers lakefront rooms from $180 to $350. The New York Wine and Culinary Center is downtown with nearby hotel options. Chain hotels along Routes 5 and 20 run $100 to $170. B&Bs in and around the village range from $130 to $250. Vacation rentals on Canandaigua Lake run $200 to $500, with the premium reflecting the lake’s shallow, warm-water appeal for swimming families.

Drawbacks: Canandaigua is the westernmost major base in the region, which puts it far from the core Finger Lakes attractions. Watkins Glen is over an hour away. Ithaca is even farther. If your priorities center on gorge hiking or Seneca Lake wineries, Canandaigua adds 30 to 45 minutes of driving to every outing.

Best for: Families with young children — the free beach, waterpark, and comfortable town amenities keep kids content. Visitors who prioritize lake swimming and relaxation over gorge hiking. Return visitors who have done the core Finger Lakes and want to see the western lakes.

Corning

Best For: Museum Lovers, Keuka Lake Wine Trail Access, Art and History Focus

Corning (population about 11,000) sits in the Chemung River valley, technically south of the Finger Lakes proper but functionally part of the region. The Corning Museum of Glass — 50,000 glass objects spanning 3,500 years — is the single highest-profile cultural attraction in the Finger Lakes area. The Gaffer District, Corning’s restored historic downtown, runs several blocks of restaurants, galleries, and shops along Market Street.

Proximity: The Corning Museum of Glass is in town. Watkins Glen is 20 minutes north. The Seneca Lake Wine Trail begins 25 minutes north. Keuka Lake and Hammondsport are 25 minutes northwest. Ithaca is 55 minutes northeast. Geneva is 60 minutes north.

Lodging: The Radisson Hotel Corning connects to the museum via a walkway, $130 to $220. The Hilton Garden Inn and other chains along Route 17/I-86 run $110 to $180. Downtown B&Bs range from $120 to $200. Vacation rentals are less common in Corning than around the lakes but available at $120 to $250.

Drawbacks: Corning is not on a lake. The waterfront is the Chemung River, not a Finger Lake. If your trip is lake-focused — swimming, kayaking, lakefront dining — Corning misses that element. It also sits at the southern fringe of the region, making Canandaigua and the northern lakes a long drive.

Best for: Visitors for whom the Corning Museum of Glass is a primary destination. Art and history enthusiasts. Travelers who want to pair the museum with the Seneca or Keuka Lake wine trails, which are each 20 to 25 minutes north. See our guide to things to do around Watkins Glen for more on the Corning-to-Watkins-Glen corridor.

Skaneateles

Best For: Upscale Getaways, Day Trips from Syracuse, Eastern Finger Lakes

Skaneateles (population about 7,500) sits at the northern end of Skaneateles Lake, the cleanest of the Finger Lakes — the water is so pure that the City of Syracuse draws its unfiltered drinking water from it. The village downtown has the most polished commercial district in the region: boutiques, fine restaurants, an independent bookstore, and a lakefront park with a public dock. The architecture is 19th-century brick and clapboard, well-maintained and photogenic.

Proximity: Skaneateles Lake is in town. Syracuse is 25 minutes northeast. Ithaca is 60 minutes south. Cayuga Lake wineries are 45 to 60 minutes southwest. Seneca Lake is 75 minutes west. Watkins Glen is 90 minutes southwest.

Lodging: The Sherwood Inn on the village green has been operating since 1807, with rooms from $200 to $400. B&Bs in the village run $180 to $350. Lakefront vacation rentals on Skaneateles Lake are among the most expensive in the region, $300 to $700 per night, reflecting the lake’s exclusivity and proximity to Syracuse’s affluent suburbs. Budget options are scarce in the village itself; chain hotels in Auburn (20 minutes west) run $90 to $140.

Drawbacks: Skaneateles is on the eastern edge of the Finger Lakes, far from the wine trails, gorges, and major state parks that drive most visits. If your trip centers on Seneca Lake, Watkins Glen, or Ithaca, Skaneateles adds an hour of driving to every activity. The village is beautiful but expensive, and the lodging market reflects a different economic tier than the rest of the region.

Best for: Visitors based in Syracuse looking for a day trip or weekend escape. Couples seeking an upscale, quiet lakefront village. Travelers who have seen the western and central Finger Lakes and want to experience the eastern end. Not ideal as a base for a first-time Finger Lakes trip focused on wine and gorges.

Quick Comparison Table

• Watkins Glen: Walk to the gorge, drive to wine. Budget-friendly. Quiet evenings. Best for: couples, hikers, wine trail day-trippers.
• Ithaca: Most restaurants, most kid activities, highest prices. Best for: families, foodies, extended stays.
• Geneva: Central to everything, nothing right next door. Best for: wine-focused visitors, central base strategy.
• Hammondsport: Smallest, quietest, Keuka Lake charm. Best for: wine lovers, second-visit travelers, couples.
• Canandaigua: Best beach, farthest from core attractions. Best for: families with young kids, beach-focused trips.
• Corning: Museum town, not on a lake. Best for: culture-focused visitors, Seneca/Keuka wine trail combos.
• Skaneateles: Most upscale, most isolated from the core region. Best for: Syracuse-area visitors, luxury getaways.

For cabin and hot tub options across the region, see our Finger Lakes cabins with hot tubs guide. For a full weekend plan that combines lodging with activities, our Finger Lakes weekend itinerary maps out two days of gorge hiking, wine tasting, and dining with specific route recommendations.