A Tour of Watkins Glen

Posted April 18, 2012 By Brenda and has no comments yet.

View from my room at the Glenora Inn

Watkins Glen is located at the southern tip of Seneca Lake, the deepest of the 11 Finger Lakes in New York State. This charming village is well-known as the home of both the Watkins Glen International Speedway and Watkins Glen State Park.

 

As I explored downtown Watkins Glen, I browsed through the small boutiques, stores and antique shops. Later I relaxed at the Seneca Lake HarborPark, which embraces the lake. If you can’t get enough of Seneca Lake, you can take a tour on one of Captain Bill’s Cruises. They offer hour-long tours, lunch or dinner cruises, and for the landlubber, miniature golf.

 

North of Watkins Glen, two wineries face each other across Seneca Lake. Glenora Wine Cellars, located in Dundee, is about ten miles from Watkins Glen on the west side of the lake. You’ll find much more than just wine here, though. At their restaurant, Veraisons, I enjoyed an excellent prime rib dinner, and their Signature Cabernet French Onion Soup Gratinée was heavenly.

 

At the Inn at Glenora, the thirty rooms all have Stickley furniture, excellent views of Seneca Lake, and a complimentary bottle of wine. Some rooms feature fireplaces and Jacuzzis. A wonderful perk is the glass of wine guests receive when checking in.

 

Across the lake, Logan Ridge Wine Cellars also has a restaurant, Petioles. The view here is spectacular anytime, but especially during sunsets. Both wineries offer wine tastings.

 

Also north of Watkins Glen, on the east side of the lake, I found a unique shopping experience at Skyland Farm Craft Gallery and Café. Here I found a beautiful garden, a two-story high indoor tree staircase and wonderful one-of-a-kind gifts from local artists.

 

I wasn’t ready to leave Watkins Glen when the time came. Before I left, I visited the state park to marvel at the natural gorge. I didn’t have time to take the bus to the top, or to climb the 832 steps, but that’s okay. Watkins Glen has so much to offer that it was impossible to see it all in one trip. I knew I’d be back.

For More Info

The Watkins Glen Chamber of Commerce is located at 100 North Franklin Street. Their phone number is 800-607-4552.

The Inn at Glenora Wine Cellars can be found at 5435 Route 14, Dundee, NY. For reservations, call 607-243-9500 ext. 302.

Skyland Farm is about ten minutes north of Watkins Glen on Route 414, on the east side of the lake. Open seasonally, call 607-546-5050 for summer and fall hours.

Update: Unfortunately, Logan Ridge Wine Cellars has closed.

 

Categories: Dining, State Parks, The Finger Lakes, Wineries

Finger Lakes Wine Fest – Watkins Glen

Posted June 10, 2010 By Brenda and has no comments yet.

Finger Lakes Wine Fest Fun for Non-Drinkers Too

I would describe the Finger Lakes Wine Festival as wine, food, and fun. Whether you drink or not, there’s a lot to do and taste at this Finger Lakes event!

The last time I visited Wine Fest, there were lots of vendors offering a variety of products, from wineglass necklaces to reusable wine corks to sun catchers.

There was also music. Under a large tent, festival-goers grooved to the music of several bands.

There was no shortage of foods to choose from, either. The most popular item seemed to be a huge serving of homemade potato chips called potato twisters.

Tator Twisters at the Finger Lakes Wine Festival. Photo: ©Brenda Potter Reynolds

The Wine

The “main course” of the event, the wineries, were housed under large tents and in a building. It was the ultimate wine tour, with some 70 wineries, mostly from the Finger Lakes area, all in one place. Each offered samples of their finest wines and also had bottles of wine for sale. One of the neatest things was that a customer could purchase a bottle or two of wine, fill out a claim ticket, and after 30 minutes or so, their purchase would be delivered to the front office for easy pickup on the way out.

A selection of wines at the Wine Fest. Photo: ©Brenda Potter Reynolds.

I also discovered that designated drivers are eligible for complimentary non-alcoholic juices and soda from certain vendors, which was cool, because I was there by myself and couldn’t drink.

Although I wasn’t sampling wine that weekend, I enjoyed chatting with the winery owners and employees. While visiting with the winery reps, I got the impression that they enjoy the fest as much as the attendees.

The Food

And I did get to taste samples of another kind. There were vendors offering samples of cheese, olive oil dips, beef jerky and salsa.

The Finger Lakes Wine Festival is held annually during July at the Watkins Glen International Speedway, and goes on rain or shine. Buy tickets here or for more information,  visit the festival website.

Categories: Events, Finger Lakes Photos, Wineries
Tags: ,

The Inn at Glenora Wine Cellars – Dundee

Posted June 5, 2010 By Brenda and has no comments yet.

The view from my room at the Inn at Glenora Wine Cellars. Photo: ©Brenda Potter Reynolds

One of my favorite Finger Lakes hotels is The Inn at Glenora Wine Cellars. One neat feature is that they present you with a glass of wine at check-in. I took mine back to my room and relaxed.

My room had an electric fireplace and Whirlpool bath. It also had a million-dollar view, looking out to Seneca Lake over acres of vineyards. Actually, every one of their 30 rooms has a similar view.

If you do stay at the Glenora, you have to eat at Veraisons Restaurant, and if you like French Onion soup, try their Glenora’s Signature Cabernet French Onion Soup Gratinée. It is the best!

There’s also a winery, a gift shop, and they often feature special events, like musical acts. Glenora is located in Dundee, on the western side of Seneca Lake. The winery was named the 2009 Winery of The Year by Tasters Guild International.

Find out more about the Inn at Glenora Wine Cellars here or call them at 800.243.5513.   

Categories: Accomodations, Attractions, Dining, Finger Lakes Photos, Wineries
Tags: , , ,