Last Updated on August 10, 2024
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Are you are looking for a fun weekend getaway, where you can enjoy nature, water activities and delicious wine? Watkins Glen in New York is where you need to go. This charming town is right in heart of Finger Lakes region and is a perfect choice, if you are a first-time visitor to the area. Even though it’s a small town, there are quite a few things to do in Watkins Glen to keep you busy all weekend.
To fans of car racing, Watkins Glen is mostly known as the location of the Watkins Glen International, known as “The Glen”. But the town offers so much more, especially if you are an outdoor enthusiast. It’s home to one of the most beautiful state parks, several hiking trails, many waterfalls and it sits right on Seneca Lake.
If you only have a couple of days, Watkins Glen is a great weekend destination. But you could easily spend a week in Finger Lakes visiting other towns and lakes. Either making Watkins Glen your base or doing a road trip. For us, it was a perfect stopover going from Boston to Niagara Falls.
Where is Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen is a town located in Upstate New York, in the Finger Lakes region. There are 11 lakes total, all long and thin, hence the name Finger Lakes. Watkins Glen sits right on the southern end of Seneca Lake, which is the biggest and most popular of them. If you’ve never been to the Finger Lakes region, Watkins Glen is the perfect introduction.
How to get to Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes is within a few hours’ drive from big cities in the Northeast like New York City, Boston, Philadelphia or Washington DC. It will take anywhere from 4-6 hours, depending on where you are coming from.
If you plan to visit from further away, you can either fly to any of the above cities, rent a car and drive. Or you can look into flying into Buffalo, Syracuse or Rochester. Keep in mind though, that these are smaller, regional airports, so don’t anticipate good deals on flights. And will you still need to rent a car to get around.
If you need a rental car, check out Discover Cars.
Best time to visit Finger Lakes, NY
Late spring, summer and fall are best for visiting Watkins Glen and Finger Lakes. This is when you can take full advantage of what the region has to offer. We visited at the beginning of June and had great weather, although early mornings, nights, especially out on the water were a bit cool.
July and August are peak season, so expect it to be busier and prices of accommodations to be also on the higher side.
Watkins Glen and Finger Lakes region in general are also a great Fall getaway. You have the perfect hiking weather, you can witness the harvest season and of course the fall foliage. If you can time your visit or happen to be there at peak foliage, that is a great time to be in Watkins Glen. You can use this New York foliage tracker to plan your trip around it.
While technically Finger Lakes can be a year-round destination, New York winters are not pleasant. And being that most of the things to do in Finger Lakes revolve around water and outdoor activities, this would be my least favorite time to visit.
Things to do in Watkins Glen, NY
Visit Watkins Glen State Park
One of the biggest attractions in Watkins Glen and Finger Lakes is the Watkins Glen State Park. It’s home to one of the most beautiful hikes, the Watkins Glen Gorge Trail. The trail is 1.5 miles one way and takes you past 19 waterfalls, cliffs and the most spectacular scenery.
The Gorge Trail is the most popular one, but there are a couple more trails in the park: North Rim Trail and South Rim Trail.
Once you reach the end of the Gorge Trail, you can hike back down the same way, or return via one of the other two trails. We chose to hike back on the North Rim Trail, mainly to avoid the crowds. The Gorge Trail can get pretty congested later in the day, especially if you visit on the weekend. For that reason, it’s best to start your hike as soon as the Park opens.
If the 1.5-miles was enough hiking for you, you can also catch a shuttle back to where you started. At the start of the season, the shuttle runs on weekends only, but starts running daily at the end of June all the way through Labor Day. It costs $6.
Hiking the Watkins Glen Gorge Trail will take you about 2 hours, including photo stops. It’s a pretty easy hike, even though it includes over 800 stairs, but they are all spread out. The trail does get wet from all the water, so wear proper shoes.
Watkins Glen Park is open daily from dawn to dusk. It is free to visit, but parking costs $10. While the park is open year-round, you can only hike Watkins Glen Gorge Trail from May till October or November. This is all weather dependent, so be sure to check the official website for updates. The other trails remain open all year.
If you are traveling with your dog, dogs are allowed in the park, BUT NOT on the Watkins Glen Gorge Trail
Walk around Seneca Harbor
Be sure to spend some time walking around Seneca Harbor. It’s a really picturesque area, with many boats, the pier with the iconic red house and great views of the lake. It’s a great place to hang out, especially early in the morning, when the town is still a little sleepy and quiet. Grab a cup of coffee in town and stroll around enjoying the views.
If you’d like to have a meal right on the lake, there’s also a seafood restaurant there, Seneca Harbor Station. It’s actually in what used to be a historic train station. We didn’t get to try it, but it’s an option, if you are looking for a restaurant with lake views, especially from the outdoor deck.
Take a Sightseeing Boat Cruise
Since you are right on the lake, one of the best things to do in Watkins Glen is to get out on the water. Right in the harbor, you will find Captain Bill’s Seneca Lake Cruises. They offer various cruises throughout the day.
They most popular tour is the Sightseeing Tour on the Seneca Spirit boat, that lasts just under one hour. The tour is narrated, so it’s a great way to learn more about Seneca Lake and its history, while enjoying the scenery. You’ll also get a chance to see the lower part of Hector Falls, which is only visible from the water.
I thought the 50-minute tour was also a great way to take a rest from exploring, especially if you hiked the Watkins Glen State Park in the morning.
Besides the standard sightseeing tour, they also offer lunch and dinner cruises, as well as various music cruises on Seneca Legacy boat. You can find all details and book your cruise online here. Tic
Captain Bill’s Cruises are seasonal and run typically from beginning of May through mid-October.
Visit wineries
Finger Lakes is one of the biggest wine regions in the United States. Seneca Lake in particular is the largest and also the deepest lake in the area, which along with the right microclimate makes it ideal for grape growing. It’s actually very similar to some of the wine regions in Europe.
If you love wine, one of the must things to do in Watkins Glen is to visit some of the wineries. And there are many to choose from. Finger Lakes are especially known for Riesling and Chardonnay, but you can find variety of wines across the region.
The very first winery, Seneca Lake Grape Wine Company, opened in 1866. Today, the lake is surrounded by many wineries and 35 of them are members of the Seneca Wine Trail. Many of the vineyards are right on the lake and have outdoor decks, so you can enjoy amazing views along with your wine.
Most of the wineries are technically not in the town of Watkins Glen, but just a short drive away. A weekend in Watkins Glen is obviously not long enough to visit all of them, so below are some of the most popular ones and a couple we got to visit and recommend. You can also check out this complete list of Seneca Wine Trail wineries here and decide which one to visit.
- Wagner Vineyards
- Lakewood Vineyards
- Silver Springs Winery
Visit breweries
While Finger Lakes region is renowned for wine making, the craft beer scene is also strong and constantly growing. So, if you prefer beer over wine, there are over 85 excellent breweries on the Finger Lakes Beer Trail. A lot of them are on Seneca Lake, just a quick drive from Watkins Glen.
Whether you enjoy a nice IPA, a lager or stout, you can definitely find it in Watkins Glen. Some places, like Wagner, double down as both a winery and a beer place. Just like the wineries, a lot of the breweries are right on the lake and have outdoor patios offering beautiful views.
You obviously need more time than a weekend in Watkins Glen to stop at every single brewery. Here are the ones we visited and can highly recommend:
- Two Goats Brewing
- Lucky Hare
- Wagner Valley Brewing
- Seneca Stag Brewing
- Grist Iron Brewing
- The Snug
Stop at Hector Falls
Watkins Glen State Park is not the only place with waterfalls. While it does have 19 of them, there are more to see in the area. One of them is Hector Falls, a stunning roadside waterfall, located just a short drive from town.
To get to the waterfall from Watkins Glen, drive north on the east side of the lake for about 3.5 miles and Hector Falls will be right after you cross the bridge on your right.
You can get a glimpse of it as you drive by, but I recommend making a quick stop to take a closer look. The only issue is the parking is a little tricky. You have to park on the shoulder of the road, on the opposite side of Route 414, just past the bridge. There is an old hotel there and room for maybe 3-4 cars. It’s a short walk from that spot to the waterfall, but be careful crossing the street, as it can get busy.
Do not stop or park on the bridge!
Hector Falls can also be seen from most boat tours on Seneca Lake. And this is actually the only way to see the lower part of it. The waterfall drops down 165 feet and what you see from the bridge is just 1/3 of it.
Stop at Shequaga Falls
In a small town of Montour, just 3 miles south of Watkins Glen, is another waterfall worth visiting. Shequaga Falls is not hard to find, as you can see it from pretty much anywhere in town. But it’s definitely best seen from a little park right next to it.
There are only 2 parking spots right in front of it, but you can easily find street parking on Genesee Street and walk over.
Go kayaking on Seneca Lake
Another way to enjoy the beauty of Seneca Lake is to go kayaking. You can either join a guided kayak tour or rent one and go out on your own. We stumbled upon Seneca Lake Kayak Tours right in Watkins Glen and rented a couple of kayaks for an hour ($25/per hour).
If you prefer to go out with a guide, they also offer several different tours like Hector Falls Tour or Sunset Paddle.
Go on a Sunset Sail
There’s no better way to end a day of exploring, than to enjoy a beautiful sunset while relaxing on a boat. Right in Seneca Harbor you will find True Love, a beautiful schooner, that goes out daily for a 2-hour sunset sail. This is a boat with a lot of history, that will soon celebrate 100 years! It’s hard to tell by how pristine it is.
True Love has three daytime sailings as well, but it’s the sunset sail I especially recommend. Seneca Lake and the landscape look especially beautiful during the Golden Hour. During the evening sail small appetizers are included and there’s beer and wine for purchase. Depending on which month you visit, it can get chilly on the lake at night, so make sure to have a light jacket with you.
Sunset Sail is also the most popular one, so I highly recommend booking in advance, especially if you plan on visiting Watkins Glen on the weekend in high season.
Like all water attractions, this is one of the seasonal things to do in Watkins Glen and you can enjoy it from May through October. You can find the exact sailing times and book your trip here.
Where to stay in Watkins Glen, NY
Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel – this is the best place to stay in Watkins Glen, no question about it. It’s a beautiful, luxurious hotel, in a perfect location, right by the harbor and just half a mile away from Watkins Glen State Park.
Hudson Manor Bed and Breakfast – this beautifully restored Victorian house overlooking Seneca Lake is located just a 5-minute walk to town. Nice comfortable rooms, front and back porch to hang out on and common kitchen area with all the major appliances are just some of the things offered.
Lakeside Resort – located right on Seneca Lake, about a 5-minute drive from town, this resort has both rooms and cabins. Lakeside Resort is also pet friendly, so it’s a great place to stay in Watkins Glen if you are planning to bring your pup along. There’s also a great on-site restaurant 3812 Bistro open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
READ MORE:
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- The Perfect Fall Weekend in North Conway, NH
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Wonderful tour of the Watkins Glen area. Other things to do include walking the Catherine Trail. visiting distilleries, cidereries, downtown Watkins Glen with its various restaurants,shops, bars, or racing library. Worth a visit is the historic Seneca Lodge resort , restaurant, and brewery.
Thank you and thanks for all the other suggestions!!