THINGS TO DO

HBC members recommend (besides biking, of course):

• Geneva Bicycling Center:  http://www.genevabikes.com/ This is a fine bike shop in downtown Geneva. It’s the Geneva Bicycling Center and the address is 489 Exchange Street. It’s worth a stop. They are open Mon., Tues., Thurs, & Fri. 10:00 am to 5:00 p.m. and Sat. from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

• The Sprayground; https://parks.ny.gov/parks/125/hunting.aspx

This is a beach and water playground at Seneca Lake State Park. Stop by on the way back from a hot ride to cool off or bring a swim suit for a longer stay.  Check hours of operation.

• Cayuga Lake Creamery:  http://www.cayugalakecreamery.com The creamery is located at 8421 Rt. 89 in Interlaken and uses local wines, beers, fruit and chocolate in their ice cream.  They were chosen by USA Today as the New York selection for The USA's best ice cream. 607-532-9492   It’s a small shop, so keep that in mind if your group is large.

• Belhurst Castle Wine Pairings:  http://www.belhurst.com/  Truly a unique experience, our Specialty Wine Pairings give you personalized attention from our Wine Expert as you are guided through Chef-created gourmet dishes paired with our award winning wines!  Advanced Reservations Required. Please Call 315-781-0201 ext. 8 To Book Your Specialty Pairing.   Loved it! -   Cindy Gorski

• Ride to Cayuga Lake/Seneca Falls:  In all honesty, the two longer Cayuga Lake/Seneca Falls rides are the best of the bunch as far as scenery and attractions are concerned. – Marilyn Chastek

• Keuka Lake Rides: If you are looking for lakeside riding and beautiful scenery, the rides around Keuka Lake are hard to beat. Be sure to include the quiet cottage roads that run off the main roads, Route 54 and 54A. They are on the cue sheet, but many people skip them, not realizing they offer the best views and eliminate traffic and a hill. 

• Go boating: Kayak, canoe and other boat rentals can be found nearby.

• Lunch at the Thirsty Owl Winery’ Bistro: Good food and a very nice deck in the back with a beautiful view for a relaxing lunch.

Things to do along the way and while in town:

• Bike – If time allows, you might consider riding one of the two Interlaken Express routes that begin at Wagner Winery & Brewery. Have lunch at Wagner’s Ginny Lee Café before starting out. Cue sheets for most of the Finger Lakes rides can be found on the HBC website in the cue sheet section.

• Corning Museum of Glass: http://www.cmog.org   This is pretty cool and well worth seeing, especially on a rainy day when you don’t want to be doing outdoor stuff. Figure on 2 hours minimum

• Rockwell Museum of Western Art, Corning:  http://www.rockwellmuseum.org

• Market Street Shops and Restaurants, Corning A collection of unique shops and restaurants

• Watkins Glen State Park, Watkins Glen:   http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?parkID=105

This is a very impressive gorge that you can walk through while enjoying all the rock formations and waterfalls created by the creek that runs through it. It takes 1-2 hours to get to the top and back, depending on how many times you stop and say “Wow!” There are a gazillion stairs to climb to get to the high end of trail, so you can count this as a workout. This is definitely a “must do” if you have the time and the weather is dry. Cheapskates hint: Park on a side street to avoid the parking fee to use the park’s lot.

• Watkins Glen International Racetrack:   https://www.theglen.com/drive-the-glen/ NASCAR isn’t racing here the weekend we’ll be in town, but that means you can race your own car on Thunder Road for only $30! Reservations are recommended.
• Shops and restaurants in Watkins Glen: There’s an outfitter with bike stuff, Famous Brands clothing store, ice cream shops, a brew pub AND a WalMart!  Whoo hoo! What more could you ask for?

• Seneca Harbor Wine Center, Watkins Glen: http://www.senecaharborwine.com  The only reason I am mentioning this particular wine store is it is in a cool building and is run by Pleasant Valley Winery. That means you can purchase Chocolate Lab wine and Great Western Champagne without having to drive all the way to Hammondsport. 

• Captain Bill’s, Watkins Glen: Harbor &lake cruises plus a gift shop. A nice harbor side restaurant, Seneca Harbor Station, is right next door. http://www.senecaharborstation.com

• Seneca Harbor Pier: Just before you head up the hill out of Watkins Glen toward Geneva, you’ll see Seneca Harbor and waterfront on your right. Walk way out to the end of the pier to get the bird’s eye view of Seneca Lake, the deepest of the Finger Lakes.

• True Love Schooner: Sail on the same ship used in the 1956 movie, High Society, featuring Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly. It sails from Seneca Harbor pier. http://www.schoonerexcursions.com

• Deer Haven Park: Guided wildlife and military history bus tours at the former Seneca Army Depot. Home to the world famous white deer. Welcome Center located at 5479 Route 96A in Romulus, about 10 miles south of Geneva.  New in 2023: Audio Tours are now available. $35 per vehicle – no reservations required. Deer Haven Park - Official Site of the Seneca White Deer Tours   (833) 378-6877

• Seneca Lake Wine Trail: http://senecalakewine.com

You’ll pass 20+ different wineries between Watkins Glen and Geneva, each with their own personality and unique products. Many have tremendous views of Seneca Lake. Real wine lovers can visit the wineries on the west shore of the lake on the way to Geneva and then catch the 16+ wineries on the east side of the lake on their return trip. A designated driver would be a REALLY good idea for those planning to attempt this feat. Most wineries charge a minimal fee for tastings.  After Memorial Day, most wineries are open Mon- Sat. 10-5 and Sunday 12:00 noon to 5. Some open a little earlier or stay open a bit later. Check their websites for hours. Each lake has it’s own wine trail, and many have added beer and cheese trails, too.

• Ithaca, NY:  Ithaca is about a 20 minute drive east of Watkins Glen and about an hour from Geneva.

Attractions include lots of waterfalls, Cornell and Ithaca Colleges, the Downtown Commons and some unique museums. http://www.visitithaca.com/top-attractions.html

• For additional things to do in the Corning, Horseheads,and Elmira area, go to

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/corningandelmira/1093010029.html  You’ll find info about the Soaring Museum & glider rides, Mark Twain’s Study, the National Warplane Museum, Elmira College and the Elmiran Trolley Car. Elmira and Horseheads are a bit out of the way, but might be worth the detour, if you have time. Horseheads is about 16 miles east of Corning and Elmira is about 8 miles east of Horseheads.

• Eat like the locals. Almost every restaurant has a Friday Night Fish Fry.  And try a “white hot.” These are hot dogs made with pork and veal. Closer to Syracuse, they are called Coneys. You might even have to opportunity to get salt potatoes with your meal. These are small red potatoes cooked in very salty water which leaves a white coating on the red skins. Yummy with butter. None of these are health foods, by the way.

• On the way home, check out the Pennsylvania Visitors Center, just north of Mansfield. It’s a lovely building right off Route 15 and offers an impressive view of the village of Tioga, the dam and the reservoir. It has lots of restrooms and vending machines, and tourist info, too.