Gardens, Lakes & Grapes, Finger Lakes, NY

 

The Finger Lakes Region of New York is a dream destination known for an abundance of activities that suit any visitor’s interests. From awarding-winning wines, particularly Rieslings, to gourmet food, museums and gorgeous scenery, the area provides the perfect relaxing getaway and a feast for the eyes, taste buds and soul. Our three-day tour is designed to allow our customers an experience of everything the Finger Lakes has to offer. This is certainly a tour you will be reminiscing about for years to come!

Known as America’s Crystal City, Corning is our arrival point in the Finger Lakes. We will visit the town’s Gaffer District, to enjoy free time for lunch at one of the district’s 45 delicious restaurants. Bon Apetit has recognized Corning as a notable destination for food! Afterwards, take a stroll and shop the more than 50 stores, galleries, and boutiques to purchase that special something to remember your time here!

Next we’ll take you to Watkins Glen and a wine-tasting at Lakewood Vineyards. Lakewood Vineyards is a place of numbers – three decades of wine growing spanning seven decades on 80 acres that produce 14 different kinds of grapes. You will learn all about the process on a tour by one of their stewards, who will then present a flight of wines specially chosen for your tasting. And all while taking in the beauty of Lake Seneca!

After a great night’s sleep and breakfast at the Ramada Geneva Lakefront, we will start day two with a visit to Sonnenberg Garden and Mansion.

Whether strolling through its flower-filled gardens or touring its magnificent mansion, Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion  Historic Park is a very special place. It is distinctive for its collections of period architecture, garden statuary, themed gardens of the world, including a Japanese Garden and Teahouse, and a Lord & Burnham Greenhouse Complex. One of the most treasured landmarks of the region, it welcomes visitors from all over the globe who come to enjoy the nature, beauty of its gardens and the history of this unique place.

In route to our next tour attraction, we will stop in Historic Downtown Canadaigua for lunch and free time to explore the downtown area. Choose lunch options from casual to unique to upscale and then take it the downtown’s architecture, murals, shopping and scenery. The town is Iroquois for “chosen spot” and that is evident in it’s splendor.

There is no better way to take in all the beauty of this region than with a boat tour! We will take a narrated Cruise aboard The Canadaigua Lady. The boat is a 19th century replica steamboat which operates on Canadaigua Lake. Relax and enjoy fun facts about the Steamboat Era, Canandaigua Lake, and the Seneca Indian Nation.

We will top off day two with a dinner and wine tasting at Belhurst Castle. Belhurst resort is rooted in history and located in the heart of the Finger Lakes. It is named a “World’s Best Wine Hotel by Wine Enthusiast and features scrumptious dining and a renowned winery. You will taste from a selection of these notorious wines before savoring a meal at Edgar’s Steakhouse.

Our last day in the Finger Lakes will be filled with more exciting sightseeing as we visit MacKenzie-Childs- Grounds & Gardens. MacKenzie-Childs is popular for its collection of innovative high-end tableware, home furnishings, and ceramics. Its signature black and white patterns are featured on its tableware, furniture, and decor. A member of the MacKenzie-Childs staff will meet with us for a virtual tour of the studio, and then guide us on a tour of their Farmhouse. You will certainly be given time to shop too!

Lunch will be your choice as we stop in Downtown Ithaca Commons. This four-block, pedestrian-only section of Downtown is home to many unique stores and Ithaca restaurants. With its close proximity to Cornell University and Ithaca College, the Ithaca Commons is the perfect place for friends to gather for a day of strolling through  shops or to grab a bite to eat.

Our final stop does not disappoint. You will be delighted with a guided tour of the Fabulous Falls Above Cayuga. We will see the famous Cornell Suspension bridge, followed by two other falls surrounding College Town and Cascadilla Park. The tour culminates with an up-close-and-personal visit to Ithaca Falls, downtown Ithaca’s own 135 foot waterfall. In addition to exploring beautiful waterfalls and The Cornell University campus, your guide will weave stories of Ithaca’s history and classic tales of Cornell throughout the tour. The end result is an intimate experience of the unique and “gorges” town, with stops at the Cayuga Lakefront and Stewart Park, where you will learn more about the lake itself, how thepark used to be home to a silent movie production company that brought all the big movie stars of the time – Irene Castle, Lionel Barrymore, Mary Pickford – to Ithaca.

Trans-Bridge Tours made it a priority of offer its customers a tour that captures the quintessential essence of the Finger Lakes region. Packed full of history, charm, great food and drink and a lovely scenic backdrop, we feel we have done just that. We look to seeing many happy faces onwe embark on this adventure.