We have spent most Columbus Day weekends in recent years in Corning and the Finger Lakes region, which we think is one of the most beautiful places in New York State, and arguably the entire United States. Here is our recipe for a wonderful four-day weekend, which doesn't even involve having the kids miss school!
Laura and Dave took the day off, so we could pack and get the house ready. The kids went to school, as usual. When they got home, Dave's parents came over and we were ready to go. Leaving the house at around 3:00 PM, we took the Thruway to exit 46, then the 390 to Route 17 (West), then Route 17 all the way to Corning. We got off the Thruway at 4:30, and arrived in Corning at 5:30 PM. Tommy guessed we would be off the Thruway at 4:30, and he was right; also, Tommy's Grandpa guessed we would be at Corning by 5:30, and he was right.
We got off at exit 45 of Route 17, and the hotel was right around the corner. We stayed at the Fairfield Inn, which is fairly new, and a very nice hotel; we would recommend it highly. It's also conveniently located by a Bob Evans Restaurant, a Wendy's, a Friendly's, and is within a mile of a Pizza Hut, a Wegmans supermarket, and other such conveniences.
We ate dinner at the Bob Evans Restaurant in front of the hotel, then went back to the hotel, where the kids enjoyed a nice swim in the heated, indoor pool.
This was Market Street day.
We drove into beautiful downtown Corning, and parked near the center of Market Street, in a parking lot on the corner of Denison Parkway and Pine Street, across the street from the Corning/Revere Factory Store (this is a good piece of strategy).
Walking westward, we window-gazed in some of the restaurants and shops, then crossed over to the North side and started shopping. We went in the Vitrix Hot Glass Studio, where they make beautiful, hand-blown pieces right there in the store.
Then, it was time for the Everything Rubbermaid store. This is a factory outlet store, where you find out that Rubbermaid makes a lot more than food storage containers. They make sandboxes, tool sheds, even workbenches! We walked out with a bunch of useful things. (Note: this store has since closed.)
Next up was the Fieldcrest Cannon factory store, which sells a wide variety of linenware and other such things. Dave stayed outside with his Dad while Laura and his Mom shopped.
The kids were getting a little low on patience for houseware stores, but, fortunately, we came upon a store, the T & T Beanie Outlet, which sells Beanie Babies. Jilly especially loved it, as she adores Beanie Babies, and Tommy came out with a Furbie Baby, which fortunately isn't as annoying as the grown-up kind.
By this time, we were ready for lunch. Fortunately, Boomer's Bistro is strategically located here, and we had some great sandwiches.
After filling up, it was time for The Glass Menagerie, probably the coolest store on Market Street. In here, you can find kaleidescopes that cost thousands of dollars, and all kinds of beautiful glass things.
We walked to the end of Market Street, then crossed over, stopping at various outlet stores and specialty shops, such as Whitehouse-Books. Laura and my Mom found some great bargains in the Van Heusen Store. Finally, it was on to the Corning/Revere Factory Store, where we can spend way too much time and money.
Dave didn't think the kids would have enough patience for this, so he took them to the Ice Cream Works, which turned out to be a strategic error, and about the only bummer of our whole trip. The service was horrible; we waited almost 45 minutes for two dishes of ice cream and a shake (which was our mistake; we should have left long before that). Finally, after waiting over 15 minutes in line just to pay, Dave was forced to jump in and change the register tape for the totally baffled help, which was comprised of three employees and the manager, who just stood there, staring at it, as if it would suddenly decide to change itself. Suffice to say, we didn't leave a tip.
Dave and the kids rendezvoused with the others just as they were coming out of the Corning/Revere Factory Store, loaded with packages. We headed back to the hotel and the kids went for a swim while Dave and his Dad had gin & tonics and snacks.
Dinner was at Sorge's, a fantastic Italian restaurant on Market Street. Afterwards, we went back to the hotel, the kids went in the pool again, and we turned in early.
Destination: Keuka Lake.
We started by driving to Hammondsport, taking Route 17 to Route 415, then Route 54 North. We saw a little Hallowe'en festival in the village square, which turned out to be the 6th Annual Grape Pumpkin Fest, and decided to stop. We picked up some cool wooden toys for the kids and some neat pumpkin decorations for the front lawn. We then went in the Cinnamon Stick Shop, and bought some nice things. Then, we continued up Route 54, along the western shore of Keuka Lake.
Our next stop was at the Bully Hill Winery, where we took the tour. We went in the visitor's shop for a wine tasting, and Dave bought a goat T-shirt.
After that was the Heron Hill Winery. We bought some very nice foodstuffs, including some decadent wine/chocolate sauces and wine/mustards.
We then went to the Hunt Country Vineyards, on Italy Hill Road, where they make Foxy Lady wine, which Laura and my Mom are particularly fond of.
We then went back to the hotel, the kids had a swim, and we treated them to Wendy's for dinner and Friendly's for dessert.
Targets: Seneca Lake and Home.
After one last swim and checking out, we decided to take the long way home, taking Route 414 North to Route 14, skimming the western shore of Seneca Lake.
The shores of Seneca Lake had the most gorgeous fall foliage of any we had seen on our vacation. The colors were vibrant, the lake was deep blue, and the weather was warm, making for a wonderful Fall feeling.
We stopped at two wineries: Glenora Vineyards, makers of some very fine wines, and Fox Run Vineyards, which also produces some great grape products. We picked up some more gourmet food items at both places, also.
We found a nice fruit market about halfway up the lake, and bought some fresh, Mennonite-made grape pies, and a cute, hand-made, wagon, which came with a miniature hay bale and which now adorns our front hallway, laden with little pumpkins and other Fallish things.
Once we got to Geneva, we started West along Route 5/20 for home. In Avon, where 5 and 20 merge/diverge (depending if you're going East or West), we had a filling, delicious lunch at Tom Wahl's (a Harvey Wahlburger and a frosty mug of creamy root beer are worth the drive). After that, we decided to get home in a hurry, so we jumped on the Thruway at exit 47, and got home around 3:30 PM.
There are a lot more things that this region has to offer. Things we didn't get time to see include:
Everyone had a great time. Tommy was so impressed that when his class had to do free-writing in their journals, he wrote two pages about it! The kids can hardly wait to go back, and neither can us adults.