Finger Lakes, NY
Whether you reckon the Finger Lakes were formed by glaciers during the Ice Age, or believe the Native American legends of how the Great Spirit used his hands to create the distinctive 11 lakes, this is a terrific vacation spot.
Let me introduce you to our next unique accommodation: a converted reefer truck on the edge of the woods in Erin. Our host Barbs began the conversion project in 2016 and, leveraging the help of a multitude of friends and family, including the infamous carpenter Pierre, spent 5 years creating this peaceful nook on “Funacres”. The container home is largely constructed using repurposed and recycled materials, even down to the “Ladies” door on the bathroom (we allowed Dad entry!). Waking up to birdsong in the morning was magical, and Rita enjoyed peering out the large windows of our loft bedroom. We also took advantage of the 1.6 mile trail around Barb’s property (wear your hiking boots!) and admired her heritage turkeys. Our days began and ended with meals out on the deck – a tranquil haven.
It was a 30 minute drive into Watkins Glen, home of the famous international race track. We took some time wandering around the village, where the crosswalks are designed like chequered flags! I recommend popping into the gift shop at The Glen Theater, where Rita was given some treats and found some toys for sale, and stopping for a bite to eat at the dog-friendly patio of Seneca Harbour Station. The pinnacle of this visit, in Rita’s opinion, was the trip to Glen Dairy Bar, where I purchased a “Doggie Dish” for her.
Watkins Glen State Park is right at the village. The iconic trail here is the Gorge Trail to see the Rainbow Falls, but this was neither open for the season when we visited, nor are dogs permitted on the trail. Instead, we took the South Rim trail, which was a nice shady trail for such a hot day, with views down in to the gorge. During our hike, we spotted an owl sitting in the tree and met a girl called Rita, although I can’t promise you will encounter either of these on your visit.
At Sampson State Park, the East side of Seneca Lake
At the tip of the next lake east, Cayuga Lake, is the city of Ithaca and home of Ivy League Cornell University. Unfortunately, we were caught out by a thunderstorm so didn’t get the opportunity to fully explore this area. We did get to Cornell Botanic Gardens, although in mid-May the Rhododendron Collection hadn’t quite bloomed. There is also the Herb Garden, Wildflower Garden and visitor centre to explore. A hiking spot nearby is Robert H. Treman State Park with TWELVE waterfalls. The Human Rita recommended going out along the Gorge Trial and back by the South Rim trail, however the impending storm warded us off…next time!!
At Newfield Covered Bridge, the oldest of its kind in NY State
