The Finger Lakes in New York is a popular area for hiking. With many waterfall hikes, including the famous Watkins Glen Gorge Trail, the area draws many outdoor lovers.
However, if you’re looking to balance out the hiking with other activities, you won’t be bored! There are tons of incredible things to do in the Finger Lakes with your family.
Below, I share a list of family-friendly activities in the Finger Lakes, but honestly, adults will enjoy them too!
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Where are the Finger Lakes
Many visitors don’t realize how BIG the Finger Lakes region is. The area covers a large chunk of New York, from Lake Ontario to the Pennsylvania border. It includes 14 different counties! Driving between each major town may take up to 90 minutes, so make sure to plan ahead if there is anything that captures your interest.
Fun Fact: The 11 primary lakes were formed more than 2 million years ago and range in length from less than 4 miles to almost 40 miles!
I organized the list of family activities below by region, starting with Rochester, then heading south toward Corning, and working our way northeast again toward Watkins Glen, Ithaca, and Syracuse.
20 Fun Things to Do in the Finger Lakes
The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester
If you are visiting the Finger Lakes with kids one of the must-do stops is the The Strong National Museum of Play.
The Strong is an enormous children’s museum with many exhibits for children of all ages. You’ll want to plan to spend a few hours in the museum.
The Strong Museum is open year-round, with hours varying by day. Admission is charged for every guest two years old and up. If you have a membership at an ACM Museum, you will receive a 50% admission discount for up to six people.
Genesee Country Village & Museum in Mumford
Genesee Country Village is the largest living history museum in New York. It comprises over 50 historical buildings from all over New York State. Guides and costumed interpreters are in many of the buildings to share information.
Genesee Country Village & Museum is open on select days from mid-May through mid-September.
Admission costs vary depending on age. However, children two and under are FREE. Active military personnel and their families receive FREE admission as well.
Boat Ride on the Erie Canal in Pittsford
One of the fun things to do in the Finger Lakes in the summer and fall is to take a boat ride on the Erie Canal. You can even experience what it’s like to go through a lock.
Rochester by Water offers canal tours that last about 1.5 hours. The ride includes a brief history of the canal. But the coolest part is going through a lock! You’ll get to experience what it feels like to ride a water elevator.
Roseland Waterpark in Canandaigua
Right next to Canandaigua Lake, guests can splash around at Roseland Waterpark. The waterpark features a huge wave pool, several slides, and a lazy river. They even sell buckets of water balloons for those who want to get wet but not too wet.
Open seasonally, this is a fun way to spend a summer weekend in the Finger Lakes with kids.
Dinner Cruise on Canandaigua Lake
Cruise around Canandaigua Lake on a 19th-century steamboat replica while enjoying lunch or dinner. The Canandaigua Lady is a 65-ton, Mississippi-style paddle boat offering several cruises, including lunch and dinner.
You can purchase a top-deck ticket if you’re not interested in a meal. You’ll get the best seat in the house as you learn about Canandaigua Lake, the Seneca National, and more.
Bristol Mountain Aerial Adventures in Canandaigua
An aerial adventure park is always fun and a great way to spend time with kids in the Finger Lakes.
Bristol Mountain Aerial Adventures offers several different options to get high in the trees. The Aerial Adventure Park has seven different courses with 12-15 obstacles along each route. Or you can do the zipline canopy tour, which features seven ziplines over 5000 feet long!
Younger kids also can participate in the Kids Adventure Park which is tailored to children ages 4-7 years old.
Bristol Mountain is open from May to the beginning on November with days and hours varying.
The Glenn H Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport
Do you have someone in your family obsessed with wheels and motors? Well, they will love the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport at the southern tip of Keuka Lake.
Glenn H. Curtiss was known as the Fastest Man on Earth and the Father of Naval Aviation. The museum showcases all of life’s accomplishments, including bicycle racing, motorcycle design, and aeronautical aviation.
The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum is open daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm (9:00 am – 5:00 pm from May 1st – October 31st).
The Corning Museum of Glass in Corning
The Corning Museum of Glass is one of the most unique museum experiences you’ll have. This museum combines science, art, and history.
There is a large café on the lower floor with several food options, appealing to even the pickiest eaters.
And don’t forget to sign up for a Make Your Own Glass project. They have options for every age.
Kids receive FREE admission to the Corning Museum of Glass. And if you have a membership to an ASTC museum, you can also enter for FREE.
The Rockwell Museum in Corning
The Rockwell Museum is a small art museum in Corning. If you want to visit this museum in addition to the Corning Museum of Glass, you can purchase a discounted combination ticket. Even if you visit separately, kids 17 and are FREE.
The Rockwell Museum is a half-mile walk across the beautiful Chemung River from the Corning Museum of Glass.
The Heritage Village of the Southern Finger Lakes in Corning
If you love living history museums as much as we do, don’t miss the Heritage Village of the Southern Finger Lakes in Corning. The museum only offers tours during the week. But it’s worth checking out if you’re in the area.
Mark Twain’s Gravesite in Elmira
It might seem odd to visit a cemetery while in the Finger Lakes with kids, but since you’re already there, why not?
Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, and his entire family are interred in the beautiful Woodlawn Cemetery in Elmira, NY. It must draw many tourists, as several signs throughout the property to direct visitors to the site.
Sailplane Rides at the National Soaring Museum in Elmira
The National Soaring Museum in Elmira, NY features a large collection of glider planes that date from the late 1890s through the late 20th century. It’s really interesting to see some of the planes made of wood.
But that’s not all this museum offers. Visitors can book rides on a sailplane and glide above the gorgeous Finger Lake Region.
The National Soaring Museum is open daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm (9:00 am – 5:00 pm from May 1st – October 31st). Sailplane rides are offered April-November.
Watkins Glen Gorge Trail in Watkins Glen
This popular hike at Watkins Glen State Park draws visitors from all over. It’s considered one of the best state parks in New York!
Probably the most popular waterfall hike in the Finger Lakes, the 1.5-mile trail takes you up (or down) several flights of stairs as you marvel at the numerous waterfalls and pools that were formed over the last 12,000 years. Alt
The park has three entrances, giving you three different starting places. The easiest way to complete the gorge trail is to start at the Upper Entrance and walk down the trail. At the bottom, you can take a shuttle (for a fee) back to your starting point.
Start at the Main Entrance and hike up the gorge for more of a challenge. You can still take the shuttle back to the Main Entrance or hike back down using either the gorge trail or the rim trail.
Boating on Seneca Lake
You can’t visit the Finger Lakes without enjoying some time on the water. You have several options to get out on Seneca Lake. Fishing fans can charter a boat to try and catch some trout, bass, and yellow perch.
There are also options to rent kayaks or canoes, allowing you to burn off energy while taking in the gorgeous lake views. Or, why not try a dinner cruise or sightseeing excursion? No matter how you enjoy the water, you can’t go wrong.
Cornell Botanic Gardens in Ithaca
The Cornell University botanic gardens are composed of 11 natural areas, including the 150-acre arboretum.
The gardens are full of various plants and flowers like the Young Flower Garden, which showcases flowers from all over the world. Not to mention bridges and trails that are fun to explore.
The gardens at Cornell are FREE to visit and are open year-round. Both FREE and metered parking is available on-site, depending on where you park.
Refer to the interactive map of the gardens to plan your visit. If you want to see the entire property, you’ll need about 3-4 hours.
Buttermilk Falls Gorge Trail & Natural Pool in Ithaca
Though it is not as popular as the Watkins Glen gorge trail, the 3/4-mile Buttermilk Falls gorge trail is still something to marvel at! It is one of favorite waterfall trails in the Finger Lakes.
Like the Watkins Glen trail, visitors can start at the bottom or Lower Entrance or at the top of the trail via the Upper Entrance. Unlike Watkins Glen, there is no shuttle bus to take you back to your starting spot, so you’ll have to hike back the way you came or take the rim trail.
We recommend starting at the bottom of the trail and taking your time climbing the stairs. You’ll be glad that you only have to walk down them when you finish your hike!
Buttermilk Falls State Park has a natural pool at the bottom of the trail, so bring a bathing suit and some water shoes so you can cool off after your hike.
Taughannock Falls Gorge Trail in Trumansburg
Of the three trails listed here, the Taughannock Falls gorge trail is the easiest. This 3/4-mile in-and-out trail is flat enough to be stroller friendly and is mostly shaded.
The 215-foot Taughannock Falls greets you at the end of the trail! This trail is only about a 15-minute drive from the Buttermilk Falls gorge trail, making it possible to complete both in one day (maybe with a lunch break)!
If you want to see the giant waterfall without a hike, you can always visit the Taughannock Falls Overlook. You won’t get as close a view as you would from the trail, but it is still beautiful to look at!
Cayuga Nature Center in Ithaca
The lodge at the Cayuga Nature Center is home to several species of animals, including ferrets, rats, a bearded dragon, and even an axolotl! Outside they have several foxes and birds that cannot return to the wild.
In addition to the animal exhibits, the Cayuga Nature Center has several trails on its property, allowing visitors to enjoy some flora and fauna local to the Finger Lakes region.
One of the center’s unique features is the Treetops Tree House, a six-story wooden tree house with stairs, ladders, and other ways for kids to climb around. The tree house gives visitors a beautiful view of the forest and canopy.
It’s a Wonderful Life Museum and Bridge in Seneca Falls
Do you watch It’s a Wonderful Life every Christmas Eve? Then your family would love the It’s a Wonderful Life Museum in Seneca Falls. There are several areas where you can re-create some of the magical scenes of the movie.
After you’ve visited the museum, walk over to the It’s a Wonderful Life Bridge. Although it’s not explicitly named in the movie, Seneca Falls is believed to have inspired the fictional town of Bedford Falls. Many details of the city, including this bridge, made it into the movie
Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse
The Erie Canal was an engineering marvel at its time. Built between 1817 and 1825, at 363 miles, it was the longest artificial waterway in North America. And it changed the shipping industry, connecting the Hudson River to the Great Lakes.
The Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse shares the history, including what it was like to work on the canal and how it impacted the surrounding areas. There is even a fun children’s area for kids to learn and play.
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