The Route at a Glance

The eleven Finger Lakes stretch about 80 miles from Conesus Lake in the west to Otisco Lake in the east. Most visitors focus on Seneca and Cayuga (the two largest) and maybe Keuka, skipping the smaller lakes entirely. That is understandable — the big lakes have the wine trails, the gorge parks, and the dining. But the smaller lakes have their own appeal: quiet water, undeveloped shorelines, and a sense of discovery that the more touristed areas have lost.

This 5-day itinerary covers all 11 lakes in a roughly west-to-east progression. You will drive approximately 250 to 300 miles total over the five days — manageable chunks of 40 to 70 miles per day, with most of the time spent out of the car. Each day has a base town where you can eat and sleep, with lake visits and activities built around it.

Day 1: The Western Lakes (Conesus, Hemlock, Canadice, Honeoye)

Base: Canandaigua or Naples

Start with the four smallest and least-visited Finger Lakes, grouped close together on the western edge of the region.

Conesus Lake: The westernmost Finger Lake. Drive the east shore on East Lake Road for lake views. Conesus is primarily residential — summer cottages and year-round homes line the shore. It is not a destination lake, but seeing it frames your sense of the region’s range. A quick pass takes 30 minutes.

Hemlock and Canadice Lakes: These twin lakes serve as public water supply reservoirs for Rochester, and no development is allowed on their shores. The result is a pair of lakes that look as they did 200 years ago — forested shorelines, no houses, no docks, no motorboats. Canadice Lake has a DEC access point at the north end for kayaking and canoeing. If you have a kayak on the roof rack, put in here — paddling Canadice in solitude is one of the most memorable water experiences in the Finger Lakes. No swimming beaches; the lakes are undeveloped by design.

Honeoye Lake: The shallowest Finger Lake (30 feet maximum depth) and the warmest for swimming. Sandy Creek DEC access offers a boat launch. The village of Honeoye has a few restaurants and shops. From Honeoye, drive south to Naples for the night.

Evening in Naples: A small village in a narrow valley at the southern end of Canandaigua Lake. The Naples Grape Festival runs in late September; at other times, the village is quiet. Get dinner at one of the local restaurants and try grape pie — a regional specialty made from Concord grapes.

Day 2: Canandaigua Lake and Keuka Lake

Base: Hammondsport or Penn Yan

Morning — Canandaigua Lake: Drive north from Naples along the west shore of Canandaigua Lake on Route 21. The lake is 15 miles long with a wide, gentle feel. Stop at Kershaw Park and City Pier in the city of Canandaigua for a walk along the lakeshore. The downtown has restaurants, shops, and the Granger Homestead and Carriage Museum for history. Grab breakfast or coffee on South Main Street.

Afternoon — Keuka Lake: Drive south and west to Keuka Lake, the Y-shaped lake that is unlike any other Finger Lake. Head to Hammondsport at the south end for the village square, the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum, and wine tasting at Dr. Konstantin Frank or Heron Hill Winery. See our day in Hammondsport guide for the full itinerary.

Evening: If based in Penn Yan, check in and explore the village. Walk the first mile of the Keuka Outlet Trail in the evening light — the trailhead is at Seneca Street in downtown Penn Yan.

Day 3: Seneca Lake

Base: Geneva or Watkins Glen

The deepest and most wine-rich Finger Lake gets a full day.

Morning — Geneva: Start at Seneca Lake State Park for a walk along the lakeshore. Then head south on Route 14 (west side of the lake). Stop at Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard and Fox Run Vineyards for tastings — two of the finest wineries in the Finger Lakes.

Midday — Watkins Glen: Lunch in the village (Wildflower Cafe or Two Goats Brewing), then hike the Watkins Glen State Park Gorge Trail — 1.5 miles through a slot canyon past 19 waterfalls. This is the single most popular hike in the Finger Lakes, and for good reason.

Afternoon: Drive back north on Route 414 (east side) for more wineries if desired — Wagner Vineyards has a brewery, lake views, and a deck. Or detour to Finger Lakes Distilling in Burdett for spirits tasting.

Evening: Dinner in Geneva at FLX Table (if you can get a reservation — 8 seats, book weeks ahead) or a good meal at one of the restaurants on Exchange Street. See our Geneva restaurant guide.

Day 4: Cayuga Lake and Owasco Lake

Base: Ithaca

Morning — Cayuga Lake west shore: Drive from Geneva or Watkins Glen east to Cayuga Lake. Stop at Taughannock Falls State Park on the west shore. Walk the flat, 0.75-mile trail to the base of Taughannock Falls — at 215 feet, it is the tallest single-drop waterfall east of the Rockies. The walk takes 30 minutes round trip.

Midday — Ithaca: Continue south to Ithaca. Lunch at Moosewood Restaurant (vegetarian, globally-inspired) or Collegetown Bagels (the best bagels in the region). Then hike Buttermilk Falls State Park — the falls staircase is steep but spectacular, and you can swim at the base of the falls in summer.

Afternoon — Owasco Lake (optional): If time allows, drive 40 minutes northeast to Owasco Lake and the city of Auburn. Owasco is quieter than the big lakes but attractive. Emerson Park at the north end has a public beach and lake views. Auburn itself has the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and the Seward House Museum. This is a stretch if you are tight on time — save it for a future trip if needed.

Evening: Dinner in Ithaca. Hazelnut Kitchen in Trumansburg (15 min. north) is the best dinner in the Finger Lakes. In town, Mercato Bar and Kitchen or Maxie’s Supper Club are reliable. See our Ithaca restaurant guide.

Day 5: Skaneateles Lake and Otisco Lake

Base: Skaneateles

Morning — Skaneateles Lake: Drive 45 minutes northeast from Ithaca to Skaneateles, the prettiest village in the Finger Lakes. Walk down to Clift Park and look out at the clearest water you have seen all trip — Skaneateles Lake is the cleanest Finger Lake, with visibility to 20+ feet. Walk Genesee Street for the independent shops and galleries. See our Skaneateles guide.

Midday: Lunch in Skaneateles (several restaurants on Genesee Street) or take the Mid-Lakes Navigation mail boat cruise — a unique experience delivering mail to lakefront cottages.

Afternoon — Otisco Lake: The easternmost Finger Lake is 10 miles east of Skaneateles. Otisco is small, residential, and largely unknown to tourists. Drive Route 174 along the west shore for lake views. There is no significant tourist infrastructure — that is the point. Seeing Otisco completes the 11-lake circuit and provides a quiet, unscripted final chapter to the road trip.

Departure: From Skaneateles or the Otisco area, you are about 25 minutes from Syracuse (I-81/I-90 connections to NYC, Albany, or Boston). If you are driving south, Routes 81 and 17 connect to Binghamton and the Southern Tier.

Practical Notes

• Total driving: Approximately 250 to 300 miles over 5 days. No single day exceeds 70 miles of driving.
• Best time: June through mid-October. October for foliage, June for warm weather and fewer crowds. The full itinerary works in winter but with reduced winery hours and closed gorge trails.
• Lodging: Book Geneva and Ithaca lodging in advance for summer and fall weekends. The smaller towns (Naples, Hammondsport, Penn Yan) are easier to book last-minute.
• Gas: Fill up in the base towns. The rural areas between the smaller lakes have sparse fuel stations.
• Budget: At moderate-hotel, eat-out-every-meal level, plan for $150 to $250 per night for lodging and $60 to $100 per day for food and activities per person. Wine tasting flights average $10 to $15 each.

For more planning, see our getting to the Finger Lakes from NYC guide and our where to stay overview.