WATERFALLS + WINERIES

An Autumn Road Trip through Upstate NY

By Joey Pasco

Over the past few years, the autumn road trip has become something of a tradition for my wife and me. Our first such venture was in 2009, when we drove from Baltimore through Connecticut and Vermont to Quebec City, stopping to visit a few Ivy League campuses along the way. We had such a wonderful time driving through the pleasant weather and bursts of color as the seasons changed, so we‘ve aimed to do something like it every October since.

This year our target was the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York, including a day trip to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. Neither of us had ever been, and this seemed like a perfect way to satisfy our hunger for an autumnal atmosphere. We spent a lot of the trip in and around Ithaca, NY, with an unplanned stop in Canandaigua that ended up being one of our favorite places on our route.

Day 1: Headed North

We set out from Baltimore, taking only back roads with just the iPhone compass for a guide. It was nice not having to follow any specific directions, knowing we merely needed to go north and we’d eventually get to our destination for the night. This made the drive a leisurely stroll, stopping at the various overlooks and interesting sights as our whims dictated. Near Sunbury, PA we stopped for a bite to eat and grabbed some coffee for the road.

We arrived in Ithaca, NY just as the sun was setting, checked into the hotel, then went for an evening stroll in the Ithaca Commons, where we had dinner at a restaurant called Madeline’s.

Day 2: Ithaca

Drove through Ithaca and around Cornell University. Parked and enjoyed the Cornell Botanical Gardens. Did some further exploring of the gorges and waterfalls in the area, then went for lunch at a great place called Agava.

Afterward, we visited still more gorges/waterfalls, stood on a suspension bridge and took photos, then drove around exploring. Ended up at Edwards Lake Cliff Preserve, took a walk at dusk.

Day 3: Niagara

Checked out of the hotel, then started off the day with a visit to Buttermilk Falls, after which we began our trek to Niagara Falls (Canada side). Stopped on the way at Taughannock Falls for some photos, at a cider house called Good Life Farm, then grabbed some ice cream at a small creamery.

We explored Niagara Falls, but other than the natural beauty of the falls itself, were not impressed with the surrounding area (too much of a tourist trap). It just wasn’t for us.

During our drive up to the falls, we used an app to book a room for the night at a hotel in Niagara On the Lake. When we arrived at the hotel around 6PM, we noticed that the parking lot seemed quite crowded. Tina presciently joked in her best Michel Gerard accent, “No, I’m sorry we’re completely booked,” (a Gilmore Girls reference). She went inside to check us in, while I waited in the car out front. After a few minutes, Tina came back out to the car, exasperated. “They’re saying they don’t have a room for us!”

Due to an inventory issue, there was no room available. Not wanting to spend more to stay at a tourist hotel near the falls, and with every other hotel in the Niagara On the Lake area apparently being booked, we decided to leave Canada so that we could again use our phones and find a place to stay. We drove through Buffalo, NY, and ended up making a reservation to stay in a place we’d never heard of called Canandaigua for the night.

Day 4: Canandaigua

Saturday morning, we strolled Main Street Canandaigua, beginning with a small Farmers’ Market where we sampled some maple syrups (and even maple mustard!). Bought a few items at an oil + vinegar shop called F. Olivers, then had lunch at Gateway Grille Diner.

Drove a bit around the area, then did a wine tasting at New York Wine & Culinary Center and had some charcuterie and cocktails at the bar upstairs. Took some photos as the sun set on the pier by the lake.We loved Canandaigua so much, we decided to stay another night.

Day 5: Trumansburg

Awoke in Canandaigua, checked out of the hotel, and were greeted with falling snowflakes as soon as we got into the car. After picking up some coffee for the ride, we took a leisurely drive to Trumansburg, stopping along the way for some sausages at The FLX Wienery (really!) and at Pompous Ass Winery for a (somewhat underwhelming) wine tasting.

At 3 PM we checked in with Rose, the innkeeper at The Inn at Gothic Eves, a bed & breakfast we’d booked ahead of time, where we’d be staying for the remainder of our trip. When asked, Rose suggested we try the Silver Line Tap Room to watch the Baltimore Ravens’ game. (It ended up being a close loss to the 49ers, but hey, at least the food was yummy!)

Day 6: Watkins Glen

Breakfast at the inn (Rose’s breakfasts are a thing of beauty), met some nice couples from PA and a guy who traveled all the way from Glasgow to visit his girlfriend who lived in the area.

Hiked at Watkins Glen State Park, which was incredible. We enjoyed a light lunch and wine tasting at Toro Run Winery, then another tasting at Cayuga Ridge Estate Winery. A quick stop back at the inn, and then dinner at Hazelnut restaurant (delectable!) on Main Street in Trumansburg.

I realized at some point that I’d been miscalculating my exposure while shooting with the meterless Leica M2, so I had the lab push 2 stops.

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Day 7: Wrapping up + Heading Home

Our last day was mostly spent driving around the area; we stopped off at an Amish market where we bought some pumpkins and some food. Dinner at Atlas Bowl right near Silver Line Tap Room. Food was delicious, and on a whim we decided to do some bowling! Lots of fun. The next morning we began our journey home immediately after breakfast, and the drive gave us just enough time to listen to the entire audiobook of Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.