It is often most helpful to decide where around the lake you want to stay. Seneca Lake (like all of the Finger Lakes) is long and narrow. The biggest towns are located at the north end (Geneva) and south end (Watkins Glen). It takes about 45 minutes to drive the length of the lake without stopping.

If you prefer to stay in chain hotels in a larger town, try Geneva (at the north end of Seneca Lake). If you prefer boutique-style hotels in a small town, we recommend the village of Watkins Glen (at the south end of Seneca Lake). Along both the west and east sides of the lake, you’ll find many vacation rentals, cottages, cabins, and camping, too.

We work with highly ranked hospitality professionals for lodging, dining, and attractions, and only list the cream of the crop on our website.

This is probably the question we hear most often… or perhaps it’s, “What are the best wineries to visit?” and the answer is: it totally depends! And that is not a cop-out – we promise!

Truthfully, everyone is looking for something different.

Perhaps you prefer an elegant seated experience that includes food. Or maybe you’re looking for something casual, outdoors, where you can bring your dog. Maybe you want to be able to boat to the winery of your choice. Or stay overnight.

These experiences and options exist, along with quite literally dozens of others along the way. With 28 member wineries to choose from, you can truly find it all right here on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail!

We have a function on the Explore our Wineries page that allows you to search by wines you’re looking for or amenities. That means you can search for dry reds or sparkling wines. You can also search for restaurants on site or pet-friendly or tours available. Just visit that page and tap the blue button near the top that says “filter by wines or amenities”.

Another great question! If you have a weekend, that’s good, if you have a week, that’s ideal.

In addition to tasting at wineries, there are so many other things to do here on Seneca Lake.

From hiking at Watkins Glen State Park to sailing on Schooner True Love or enjoying a dinner cruise with Captain Bills. There are other hiking opportunities in the Finger Lakes National Forest, the Keuka Outlet Trail (which runs from Keuka to Seneca Lake).

There are also creameries and farmers markets, outlets and shopping, galleries and so much more!

Visiting the Seneca Lake Wine Trail should be an escape. We are all so busy and there is so much noise in today’s world. This is your chance to escape from it all.

It’s great to get recommendations from family and friends. But ultimately, this trip is about finding your favorite places and building your own experiences.

Don’t over-plan. It’s good to have an idea of what you want to do and where you to go, but leave a bit of room for flexibility. You never know what you’ll find along the way!