Ontario County’s Finger Lakes are known for breathtaking views, handcrafted wine and beer, and local towns populated with charming restaurants (and people, of course). Season after season, they prove to be a perfect setting for adventures—both in and out of the water.

Thanks to ancient glaciers that melted some 10,000 years ago, we now have these unique, gorgeous Finger Lakes to love and enjoy. So let’s take a deep dive into what makes each of Ontario County’s Finger Lakes so special!

Occupying the top five spots on the list of largest lakes in the United States, there’s no doubt the Great Lakes make an impression. But lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario aren’t the only lakes that are great. New York’s Finger Lakes, while smaller in size, punch well above their weight in terms of scenery, attractions, activities, food and drink. And the deeper you dive, the more you discover!

We’ve rounded up just a few reasons the Finger Lakes deserve the “great” title, too.

The Finger Lakes region is blessed with rolling hills, swaying vineyards and sparkling waters that

After a long, hot summer that saw very little rain, I assumed that the late September afternoon I would be hosting a travel writer from Nashville, Tennessee, would follow suit, and I would be able to show her the splendor of Indian summer in the Finger Lakes.

I had plans to take Alex, an editor at an online women’s lifestyle publication in the Southeast, kayaking on Canadice Lake, and John Kenney, owner of Canadice Lake Outfitters, was going to be our guide.

What’s New is an occasional feature to our Insiders Blog. Our mission is to keep you up to date on new events, places, and services as they relate to your Finger Lakes vacation in Ontario County. This month, we welcome gelato, SUP and street yoga and a new store featuring great foods to pack on a picnic.

With summer in full swing, the beautiful weather in the Finger Lakes has me dreaming of experiencing this area in a completely fresh way. Not by foot, not by car but by my favorite two-wheeled machine: the bike. I've set a new goal and, perhaps you'll join me.

I want to bike around all 11 Finger Lakes. Will I do them all by the end of the summer?

All people of the world share the same sun, but in New York’s Finger Lakes we were blessed with a special treat of “Sunset Spectacular” a few nights ago.

Less than five minutes later my sister posted the sunset view from her home in Gorham - different than my pinks, purples and blues.

Captured at the same time, her sunset was made of oranges and golds with a barn backdrop and a window teasing the sunset to come in. I was deep into some kitchen event when my husband alerted me to the beautiful sky out our western window.

Say it isn’t so, but let’s send-off summer with a celebration! The nights are getting cooler; the days are getting shorter; it’s time for the annual Ring of Fire. Labor Day weekend is upon us.

To a visitor, you may think we are crazy or had a little too much fun this summer. Seeing that every store for the last month has road flares up and down the aisles. One must wonder what’s up with all these flares. But these Ring of Fire flares are used for an ode to the past, a Seneca tradition of thanksgiving.

National Trails Day falls on the first Saturday in June.  I really don't see the need for a special day to honor all of the phenomenal hiking trails in our country. I believe they deserve recognition each and every day, especially the beloved trails in the Finger Lakes that I explore regularly with my dog Shadow.

Hiking and discovering new trails is a personal passion. Another passion is finding trail signs as Shadow and I trek around Ontario County. These signs share the story of the trail that lies ahead. They guide you on your adventure. They also provide a history of the trailblazers who came before us.

Please join Shadow and me as we share our passion for the path less traveled, and a passion for the signs that guide us on our way.

Can there really be a National Drink Wine Day? February 18 is the magical day - every year. With all of the amazing wine available to all of us that are lucky enough to live in the Finger Lakes, we like to think of every day as Drink Finger Lakes Wine Day.