Snaking through the New York countryside on my way to Watkins Glen and the town’s speedway, I thought for sure I was lost. Turns out I wasn’t, but I had gotten too distracted by trying to watch the lake reappear around each bend in the road or by gazing into century-old farmhouses.

I came to the first stop sign for miles, looked right and left and couldn’t remember which way to go. With no gas station in sight, I thought I was certainly out of luck. Not so. I noticed a nearby sign that read, Farm Fresh Eggs. This was better than a gas station. The woman working was more than happy to give me reassurance that I was not, in fact, lost as she sent me on my way.

Upstate New York, as far as I can tell, is dotted with shops, restaurants and businesses in general that are owned, supplied and managed by next-door neighbors such as the woman I encountered. As much as it is practically a self-sustaining community, the Finger Lakes is making a name for itself in hospitality.

Finger Lakes Wine Country has plenty to offer and is recognized worldwide as one of the most beautiful and affordable wine country destinations. With more than 100 wineries, the area is the largest wine producing region east of California. The region boasts breathtaking scenery and an abundance of outdoor adventure, world-class museums and lots of delicious local fare.

Art and About
Corning, N.Y., is one of the larger towns in the area and serves as a great jumping off point to tour the rest of the area. Home of Corning Incorporated, formerly Corning Glass Works, of the famed household dinnerware, the city boasts a number of glass shops in the downtown’s Gaffer District, as well as the impressive Corning Museum of Glass. The Gaffer District also serves as one of the region’s dining and entertainment districts with plenty of restaurants, a microbrewery, a wine bar, and unique shops.

The Corning Museum of Glass is part art, part science, part interactive. There are 40 live hot-glass shows scheduled every day, ranging in subject from blown glass, broken glass and modern fiber optics. Visitors can also make their own piece of glass to take home. Make Your Own Glass sessions are available for all ages every day. The gallery portion of the museum boasts 45,000 glass objects spanning 3,500 years of history and has works by notables such as Dale Chihuly, Louis Comfort Tiffany and Jun Kaneko.

Cowboys and American Indians are the heart of the Rockwell Museum of Western Art, also in Corning. The collection, which has the most Western art in the East, started with one man’s love for the West. Robert Rockwell donated his personal collection of 19th and 20th century art depicting brilliant Western-scapes to create the museum in 1976. An upcoming exhibition called “21st Century Regionalists: The Next West” features the works of 12 contemporary and noteworthy artists—another example of how the museum is committed to bringing the best art to the region.

The Arnot Art Museum, like the Rockwell, is a collection of art that started with one man, Matthias H. Arnot. The museum’s galleries of largely realism paintings are a real treasure to the area—one of the pieces will be on going on loan to the Louvre. Upon his death in 1910, Arnot bequeathed his collection and home to the community; one of the galleries is exactly how the art aficionado curated it in 1833.

Elmira is putting on its third annual Elmira Street Painting Festival, July 10–11, bringing in chalk artists from across the country. Local restaurants sell fare while attendees watch art in the making. There will also be wine tasting, a farmers market, and an area for children to create their own street painting masterpieces. The Old Time Fiddlers Gathering takes place this year June 19–20 at Watkins Glen State Park, home to 19 waterfalls. The festival entertains with jam sessions, workshops and music galore.

Child’s Play
Finger Lakes Wine Country boasts plenty to entertain youngsters and to help bring out your inner child.

The Wings of Eagles Discovery Center, the National Soaring Museum and the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum are the Finger Lakes’ tribute to aviation. The Soaring Museum has historic gliders on display, from originals to World War II-era models, and offers rides in the motorless planes during the summer and fall. The Glenn H. Curtiss Aviation Museum in Hammondsport presents the life of the town’s aviation pioneer through artifacts and historic airplanes. The Wings of Eagles Discovery Center adjacent to the Elmira Corning Regional Airport is another delight for aviation enthusiasts. The museum displays early aircrafts: including planes and helicopters, many of which served the armed forces. Some of the aircrafts have been restored to their former glory and are actually air-worthy.

Elmira is the proudly adopted hometown of favorite American author Mark Twain. This year marks the 100 anniversary of the writer’s death, and the region is celebrating his life with exhibits and events all year. The Chemung Valley Historical Society is showing a retrospective of Twain’s life and family in the area, including photographs, marriage certificate and other memorabilia. MarkTwainCountry.com has a listing of the many related events.

Watkins Glen International hosts the NASCAR series and IndyCar series race events during the summer, attracting thousands of fans. The Glen is a road course that is 3.4 or 2.45 miles long, depending on the loop, allowing unique spectator opportunities. Visitors can take a spin around the track by taking a Thunder Road Tour on which they follow a pace car in their own vehicle, experiencing the straight-aways and famed esses. The Glen also hosts the Finger Lakes Wine Festival, attracting wine lovers from across the eastern seaboard. This year’s festival is July 16-18. The International Motor Racing Research Center is located in Watkins Glen and open for visitors. The Center has historical memorabilia from racing legends, including early film footage, posters and cars.

Wine-O!
Three (major) lakes— Cayuga, Keuka and Seneca—lie within the area of Finger Lakes Wine Country. As you make your way around the lakes, there are plenty of signs directing drivers to the many wineries in the region.

Shaw Vineyard, on Seneca Lake, is a relative newcomer among longstanding noteworthies. Owner Steve Shaw has been entrenched in the region’s wine industry for years and broke out on his own in 2002. Interested parties are encouraged to call ahead for tastings of Shaw’s light touch on his grapes and tours of his facility. In contrast, Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, an older winery on Seneca Lake, boasts award-winning wines in a barn-turned-tasting-room. The vineyard is a leader in the area’s impressive Riesling collection. Also on Seneca Lake are the 35 wineries that make up the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. This trail along with the Keuka Lake Wine Trail to the west and the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail to the east, hosts wine and food pairing events, along with trail-wide passport programs for great savings during your visit.

Hunt Country Vineyards, on the Keuka Lake Wine Trail, has been in the family for six generations. Now managed by Jonathan Hunt, the winery makes traditional wines such as Pinot Gris, Riesling and Cabernet Franc as well as unique late-harvest Vignoles and Valvin Muscat. Lucas Vineyards, another family-run operation, is a stop on the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail. Pairing great views and great wines, the vineyard is a relaxing stop on the trail.

By visiting FingerLakesWineCountry.com travelers can plan the ideal wine tour by searching by location, varietal, amenities, and pricing.  There are also links to buy wine directly from the wineries, so even when you cannot visit the Finger Lakes, you can still serve it at your table.

Finger Lakes Feasts
Wine would be nothing without a delicious food pairing. Enter the Seneca Lake Cuisine Trail. Restaurants on the trail use locally sourced produce, meats, and cheeses in their entrees. Diners can sip Finger Lakes wine with a view of the lake on a full and satisfied stomach.

The Finger Lakes Wine Country Web site directs eaters to the Finger Lakes Cheese Trail, which includes creameries, dairy farms and many cheese-makers in the area. Families can see the goats and cows on the farms and taste freshly made cheeses.

Search the Events and Things To Do databases on FingerLakesWineCountry.com to find the perfect activities for the whole family when planning your vacation.  The Web site even has a Trip Builder where you can create an itinerary and it will map out your stay. 

For more information, visit FingerLakesWineCountry.com. To book travel, contact your AAA Travel agent or visit AAA.com/travel.