Sweets treats, seasonal goodies, and plenty of apples are in abundance in the Finger Lakes Region this fall. The beautiful 9,000 square mile area in Upstate New York is known for its sights, but come autumn, it is also known for its culinary delights.
October is apple season, and along Lake Ontario lies the largest apple-producing county in New York State, Wayne County. Every year the county hosts an Apple Tasting Tour – a road trip-style celebration that focuses on farms, farm markets, and family-friendly outdoor fun. Going on 20 years, the Apple Tasting Tour encourages visitors to pick up a trail brochure and collect stamps at each of the stops they visit in the area. Kids will love the apple picking, apple tasting, and outdoor activities, while parents can enjoy a few sips of the wine, cider, and liquor (distilled from apples) along the way.
Pro Tip: Make Long Acre Farms number one on your list of must-see stops along the tour. Long Acre is a third-generation family owned and operated agri-tourism farm and is chock-full of family-friendly activities, including the Back 40 Adventure, Amazing Maize Maze, pumpkins, hayrides, and plenty of munchies (Cider Donuts!) from the Sweet Cone Shop and Farm Market. In the summer months, they focus on family fun nights, special events and seasonal produce.
Speaking of sweets, just to the east lies Cayuga County, home to the Finger Lakes Sweet Treat Trail. Your sweet tooth will thank you for this one – and the kids will too. This family-friendly trail runs from June through November and features locally grown and produced sweet treats including honey, jam, jelly, and homemade baked goods made with local ingredients such as fruit, butter, and syrup.
When your bellies are full, take in a little history and add an educational component to your visit. The Harriet Tubman National Historical Park is always a good stop. The former slave and abolitionist is the first African-American and first woman in over a century to be featured on the face of U.S. currency. The final design will be revealed in 2020, the 100-year anniversary of the 19th amendment that gave women the right to vote. Before Harriet Tubman starts appearing in your wallet, take some time to stop by the National Historical Park in Auburn where she settled after the Civil War, to learn about the life of this famous conductor on the Underground Railroad.
Down the road from Harriet’s home is the Ward O’Hara Agricultural and Country Living Museum. This is a great stop for kids looking for more hands-on learning, letting them step back in time to the turn of the century and life on the farm. See tools made from the 1800s to the 1940s, spanning the years of farming’s greatest changes – handheld to horse-drawn, and later, tractor power.
Before you leave the Finger Lakes, be sure to swing by the spectacular Chimney Bluffs on the shoreline of Lake Ontario. Towering 150 feet above the Lake, the bluffs are a large clay drumlin formed six to ten thousand years ago by a glacier, then eroded by waves and weather. Now protected in Chimney Bluffs State Park, families can hike the trails (not too steep or difficult) or walk the shoreline to see the bluffs - either one will leave you awestruck! Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the beauty nature provided. This park, and the whole region, is a photographer's paradise.
For more information, visit:
https://www.tourcayuga.com/
http://www.waynecountytourism.com/
