The Warm, Welcoming One
Honeoye Lake is the shallowest of the eleven Finger Lakes, and that shallowness is its defining feature — in the best possible way. Where the deeper lakes stay cold well into summer, Honeoye warms up early and stays swimmable longer. The lake maxes out at about 30 feet deep, which means the sun heats the whole water column, making it the most comfortable swimming lake in the region by mid-June. For families with kids, for people who actually want to get in the water rather than just look at it, Honeoye is the obvious choice.
Sandy Bottom and Summer Days
Sandy Bottom Beach, on the lake’s northern shore, is the kind of small-town public beach that feels like it belongs in a different era. There is a swimming area, a park, and enough space to spread out without feeling like you are at a resort. The lake is about seven miles long and narrow enough that you can see both shores from the middle, which gives it an intimate feel that the larger lakes lack. Fishing here is focused on warm-water species — bass, perch, and panfish — and the shallow water makes it accessible for kids learning to cast.
Close to Everything
Honeoye’s location is one of its best features. It sits in the western Finger Lakes, close enough to Canandaigua Lake and Bristol Mountain that you can combine a beach day with a wine tasting or a ski run without spending half your time in the car. The town of Honeoye is small and unpretentious — a general store, a few restaurants, and the kind of community feel that comes from a place where most visitors are returning regulars rather than first-timers. It is not trying to be a destination, and that honesty is refreshing.
What to Do
Swimming and boating are the main events. The lake is popular with kayakers and canoeists because its small size means you can do a full circuit in a morning. Harriet Hollister Spencer State Recreation Area, in the hills above the lake’s west shore, has excellent hiking and cross-country skiing trails with panoramic views of Honeoye and the surrounding valleys. The Bristol Hills area, just to the west, offers some of the best backcountry cycling in the Finger Lakes — hilly, scenic, and almost car-free on the back roads.
When to Visit
Honeoye is a summer lake, full stop. June through August is when it shines — the water is warm, Sandy Bottom Beach is open, and the surrounding hills are lush and green. September is pleasant but the water cools quickly once the nights get cold. The shoulder seasons are quiet and mostly of interest to fishermen and hikers. Winter brings cross-country skiing at Harriet Hollister Spencer and a general stillness that has its own appeal, but you are not coming to Honeoye in January for the lake.
