The Finger Lakes

According to Native American legend, the 11 glacial lakes that comprise the Finger Lakes in central New York are evidence of the Great Spirit leaving his handprint as a blessing on the area. Thus, the region's freshwater lakes carry Native American names like Skaneateles, Keuka, Cayuga, and Seneca. Today, this 9,000-square-mile area is a year-round outdoor playground and home to a burgeoning wine country that's been compared to Napa Valley.

In addition to an abundance of boating, fishing, and water sports, the Finger Lakes offer challenging hikes through stunning state parks that boast dramatic rocky gorges and cascading waterfalls. But the region also provides plenty of opportunities for relaxation, with scenic drives through wine and farm country. If it's the culture you're after, the area has you covered there, too: It's home to the Corning Museum of Glass, The Strong International Museum of Play, and the George Eastman Museum.

The Finger Lakes region is New York's largest wine-producing region. Over 400 wineries and vineyards surround Seneca, Cayuga, Canandaigua, Keuka, Conesus, and Hemlock Lakes. Because of the lakes' great depth, they provide a lake effect to the lush vineyards that flank their shores. Due to the size and concentration of these lakes, the region retains residual summer warmth in the winter and winter's cold in the spring; as a result, the grapes are protected from disastrous spring frost during shoot growth and early frost before the harvest. Additionally, due to the long, narrow, north-to-south positioning of the Finger Lakes, the slopes on the east and west side provide for variations in sunlight exposure, temperature, soil, and more; this leads to a great diversity of growing environments within the region and ultimately in the yielded wine. The main grape varieties grown are Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot noir, Cabernet Franc, Vidal Blanc, Seyval Blanc, and many Vitis labrusca (American native) varieties or cultivars. The best time to visit the Finger Lakes region is from May to September when there are plenty of opportunities to take advantage of the area's outdoor pursuits.

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