Getaway PinesFinger Lakes Weekend: Gorges, Waterfalls & Small-Town Stops
By Travel Planner & Researcher · Updated October 15, 2026
The Finger Lakes are eleven long narrow lakes running north to south, and the gorges between them are the reason to come. The classic mistake is trying to see all of them in a weekend. Pick one lake, pick one gorge, and give the rest of the time to the small towns on the water — that is the version of this trip people come back for.
The stops, in order
1. Watkins Glen State Park
- Photo spot:
- The Gorge Trail, shot looking up from beneath the stone bridges. Roughly two miles of stone steps beside nineteen waterfalls, and the light under the canyon wall is the picture.
- Eat:
- Watkins Glen has the main street, a few minutes from the park entrance.
- Cost:
- Day-use parking fee, per vehicle. Verify the current rate and hours on the park page.
- Note:
- The stone steps are wet and steep. Real shoes, not sandals.
2. Taughannock Falls
- Photo spot:
- The gorge rim trail looking down at the falls — a single vertical drop taller than Niagara. The rim view is safer and better than the base view.
- Eat:
- Ithaca, fifteen minutes east.
- Cost:
- Day-use parking fee, per vehicle.
3. Skaneateles
- Photo spot:
- The lakefront at the north end, shooting along the pier with the town behind it. This is the cleanest small-town frame in the region and it works at any hour.
- Eat:
- Skaneateles has the best walkable main street of the eleven towns. Start here.
- Cost:
- Free. Public lakefront parking with a time limit.
4. Hammondsport and Keuka Lake
- Photo spot:
- The south end of Keuka, looking down the length of the lake from the village. The shape of the lake is the shot, and almost nobody stops for it.
- Eat:
- Hammondsport is small and genuinely good — a handful of places on the main street.
- Cost:
- Free.
5. Cayuga Lake wine road
- Photo spot:
- The west side of Cayuga, driving north with the lake on your right and the slopes rising above. Late afternoon light on the water is the reason to do this drive.
- Eat:
- Stop at one place and stay. Spread across five and you remember none of them.
- Cost:
- Tasting fees vary by winery — most charge per flight or waive on purchase.
6. Buttermilk Falls
- Photo spot:
- The gorge trail, and the lower falls from the stone bridge. Shorter and quieter than Watkins Glen, which makes it the better choice on a busy weekend.
- Eat:
- Ithaca, ten minutes away.
- Cost:
- Day-use parking fee, per vehicle.
What it actually looks like
Where this starts
Questions people ask
Which Finger Lake should I pick for a first weekend?
Cayuga or Seneca. They have the most gorges within a short drive of each other and Ithaca as a base, which means you are never more than twenty minutes from a trailhead or a meal.
Is Watkins Glen worth the crowds?
Yes, once. Go at opening or in the last two hours of the day — the middle of the day is shoulder to shoulder and the light is bad anyway. If you want the same gorge feeling with half the people, do Buttermilk Falls instead.
When are the wineries open?
Most run spring through late fall, with reduced hours in winter and some closing entirely. Days and hours vary widely by winery, so check the specific ones you want rather than assuming.
How much driving is this really?
One lake, one gorge, and one town is a very manageable weekend with under two hours of driving a day. Adding a second lake roughly doubles it.