Things to do / Travel Guide
Driving is a great way to see western New York (NY). The Finger Lakes and their tributaries, waterfalls and wineries, all provide a plethora of enchanting roadside views. Western New York is also home to the Seaway Trail, the United States' longest recreational scenic byway. Most of the region's most scenic routes can be found along this trail.
The Seaway Trail is 454 miles in its entirety, and traces the shoreline of Lake Erie, the Niagara River, and Lake Ontario to the St. Lawrence River. Nearly all segments along the Seaway Trail are particularly beautiful during the fall months, and historic lighthouses can be seen throughout.
Here are a few segments upon the trail that are particularly worth your while:
The Niagara Segment
The Niagara Falls segment of the Seaway Trail starts in Niagara Falls, NY. Follow Route 104 north to Lewiston through quiet nature and pick up New York State Route 18F (NY-18F), which travels north along the banks of the Niagara River. On a bluff overlooking Lake Ontario, you will see Old Fort Niagara, a popular tourist attraction and a fine example of 18th and 19th century military architecture. Later, Route 18F merges into Route 18, which, in turn, winds its way through enchanting harbors, fruit orchards and small lakeside towns. The entire drive is about 60 miles and will take you a little over an hour.
The Lake Ontario Segment
The Lake Ontario State Parkway is a lovely drive along the New York side of the Lake Ontario shoreline, providing beautiful views of the lake and its coast. On the approximately 44-mile stretch between Rochester, New York and Lakeside Beach State Park, you will cross Braddock Bay, and pass through Braddock Bay State Park and Hamlin Beach State Park. From Rochester, take I-390 north, then connect to Lake Ontario State Parkway toward Lakeside Beach State Park, to the west. The entire drive should take a little over fifty minutes.
For a special view of Lake Cayuga and Cornell University (Ithaca, New York), drive south on Route 89 from Taughannock Falls State Park in Trumansburg, just north of Ithaca. Route 89 runs along the shore of Lake Cayuga for about 12 miles. The drive between Trumansburg and Cornell University takes just over 20 minutes.
Route 90 Scenic Byway runs for 50 miles going south, starting in the town of Montezuma. Following along the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake, Route 90 then turns east through rolling hills and idyllic farmland, toward the village of Homer. The drive should take less than an hour.
Wildlife Drive in the Montezuma National Wildlife Reserve is a slow and leisurely 3.5-miles long, starting at the Reserve's Visitor Center and ending at Tschache Pool. Along the drive you will see cattail marshes, grassland, open water, and during fall and spring a wide variety of migratory birds and waterfowl.
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