Things to do in New York, United States: The Best Scenic Drives

January 5, 2022 Major Galusha

New York State has it all – booming metropolises, majestic waterfalls, mountains, wine country, chicken wings. Yes, NYC is a magnet for tourists, but an exploration of the rest of the state can be equally thrilling. The Finger Lakes Wine Region is a vision of serene waters, quaint B&Bs, and pretty vineyards. Movie buffs will love Rochester, home of the George Eastman House and one of the world’s most comprehensive film archives. On your way to Niagara Falls, stop in Buffalo to fuel up on spicy wings.
Restaurants in New York

1. Paul Robeson Theatre

350 Masten Ave, Buffalo, NY 14209-1706 +1 716-884-2013 [email protected]
Excellent
100%
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5.0 based on 1 reviews

featuring African-American performances

2. Tooley Pond Tract

Olympic Byway, State RT-3, Cranberry Lake, NY http://northcountryguide.com
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
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5.0 based on 5 reviews

Tooley Pond Tract

3. Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway

http://www.whiteface.com/activities/whiteface-veterans-memorial-highway
Excellent
80%
Good
16%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
2%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 45 reviews

Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway

A scenic road that follows a scenic route up Whiteface Mountain.

Reviewed By amy1357 - Bridgewater, United States

We drove the road up to the top of whiteface mountain and were blown away by the beauty. There’s plenty of places to stop and see the views. We went on a cool cloudy day and the views did not disappoint. When we got to the top, the mountain was covered in clouds, but we took a break, had a bite to eat and all of a sudden the clouds dissipated so we were able to get a great view. A few minutes later the clouds came back it was a gift. Absolutely amazing

4. Seneca Lake Wine Trail

2 N Franklin St Suite 320, Watkins Glen, NY 14891-1269 +1 877-536-2717 [email protected] http://senecalakewine.com
Excellent
77%
Good
20%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
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Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 637 reviews

Seneca Lake Wine Trail

Seneca Lake is known for its diverse offering of world-class wines. Our wineries are dedicated to increasing quality and serving as exceptional stewards of the land and lake. Seneca Lake Wine Trail members pledge to exceed your expectations when you visit to taste wine and experience the Finger Lakes. You don’t have to travel to far-away places to experience fantastic wines. They are right here on Seneca Lake!

Reviewed By 491cindyr - Harrisburg, United States

You have two options for this excursion. Wing it and stop at wineries at random or look up what they have to offer and plan your trip. We stopped at 6 wineries and bought at all but one so random worked for us. There are so many choices it’s mind boggling! We started at the wine center in Watkins Glen and got a handy map which was definitely worth it. Many of the locations now offer predetermined flights rather than tastings. If you are trying to get in several wineries this can be a lot of wine to drink. At some locations they allowed us to split a flight which we appreciated since we drove ourselves. The drive has great views of the lake. Very pleasant and we will go again.

5. US Route 20

Albany, NY
Excellent
49%
Good
32%
Satisfactory
16%
Poor
4%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 57 reviews

US Route 20

6. Cayuga Lake Wine Trail

Seneca Falls, NY [email protected] http://www.cayugawinetrail.com/
Excellent
68%
Good
26%
Satisfactory
6%
Poor
1%
Terrible
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Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 176 reviews

Cayuga Lake Wine Trail

Reviewed By X9228JUjoanneb - Foxborough, United States

My husband and I are wine lovers and have visited Napa and Sonoma, CA several times, done the wine trails in CT, PA, and VT, and have tasted wines from Italy, France, Germany, and other regions around the world. We decided to take an impromptu trip over the weekend to do the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail in NY. The Cayuga Lake wine trail guide is an excellent resource and can be found online by googling the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail. The guide includes a map of all the wineries with the addresses and hours of operation, restaurants in the area, and places to dine and stay. The guide is very accurate. The wineries are all located along the main highway and are easy to find. Most of the wineries charge a reasonable $5 tasting fee to taste 5-6 wines which are plenty of wines to taste. I found that if you seemed interested in buying wine, they let you taste more for no extra charge. If you are a seasoned wine lover and have a more experienced pallet, most of the wines will fall short of those in Napa and Sonoma with the exception of the wines produced by Lucas and Swedish Hill. The rieslings, pinot grigio, and chardonnay/riesling blends from Lucas and Swedish Hill, we found were up to par with CA, WA, and German producers. Lucas and Swedish Hill also have more experienced wine staff behind the counters who did an excellent job describing the wines and guiding us to the wines we might prefer. At Swedish Hill, you will get to see Doobie, the farm's miniature donkey, and Sven, the miniature horse, both are very friendly. Even if the wines are not so great at the rest of the wineries, it is worth visiting them for some of the spectacular views, unique gift shops, entertainment, and food. Most of the wineries allow you to sit and sip a glass of wine and enjoy the entertainment on the weekends. Americana has a live band on Friday night and a cafe that makes great pizza. The Thirsty Owl has a cafe with outdoor seating overlooking Lake Cayuga. The food was very good and reasonably priced but the service is slow so be prepared to wait. The wine tasting room was very crowded on Saturday so we didn't get to do a tasting. Goose Watch is the sister winery to Swedish Hill. The wine tasting room is located on a hill with a breathtaking view of the Lake. You can sit on their outdoor deck and enjoy a glass of wine will viewing the lake. They also have a brewery onsite next to the wine tasting room where you can sample their beers. The beer was better than the wine. The staff was not as knowledgeable about the wine or beer as the staff at Swedish Hill. Montezuma and Knapp both had nice gift shops with some interesting wine-themed items. There are no major hotels along the wine trail. Only some Bed and Breakfast places. Buttonwood winery has beautiful grounds and has log cabins on the property you can rent for the night. Varrick also has an Inn. We stayed in Seneca Falls at the Hampton Inn which was very nice and came with free breakfast but was grossly overpriced at $259 for one night. More hotel options are available in Ithaca. It is better to plan your lodging ahead of your trip so you are not scrambling to find a place to stay at night like we did. In addition to visiting the wineries, we also stopped at the Muranda Dairy Farm in Senecca Falls for a cheese tasting. What a great place for a function! The barn converted into a tasting room overlooks the fields and is decorated in white lights. The cheese was amazing especially the cheddars and the blue cheese which is the best I have ever tasted. The cheese is made fresh on the farm and is reasonably priced. Definitely worth the stop. Overall the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail is worth visiting.

7. 7 Lakes Drive

7 Lakes Dr., Sloatsburg, NY
Excellent
69%
Good
28%
Satisfactory
3%
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4.5 based on 29 reviews

7 Lakes Drive

Reviewed By ajmineola

Searched for magnificient Fall Foilage drives in NYS and came across this one which travels beautifully through Harriman State Park from Sloatsburg alongside picturesque lakes. Short trip - but so peaceful and a photo haven - with stop off areas. We came to the end of the route - and just had to turn around and travel back! Worth the ride for the scenery!

8. Canandaigua Lake Wine Trail

25 Gorham St Finger Lakes Visitors Connection, Canandaigua, NY 14424-1850 +1 585-394-3915 [email protected] http://www.canandaiguawinetrail.com
Excellent
56%
Good
25%
Satisfactory
19%
Poor
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4.5 based on 16 reviews

Canandaigua Lake Wine Trail

The Canandaigua Lake Wine Trail (CLWT) is comprised of a diverse group of wineries (large and small), restaurants, wine tasting centers and unique shops, providing visitors with a full Finger Lakes experience. The wine trail has been around since the mid 1990’s and is one of the smaller and most scenic of the Finger Lakes, making the CLWT "just right" for a 1-day trip!

9. Hawk's Nest Highway

Route 97, Port Jervis, NY 12780
Excellent
74%
Good
21%
Satisfactory
5%
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4.5 based on 42 reviews

Hawk's Nest Highway

Reviewed By jklotzrn - Port Jervis, United States

One of the coolest drives along the Delaware River. The Hawks Nest winding cliff on one side and a two foot thick stone wall hundreds of feet above the Delaware River on the other. Stop at one of the overlook parking sites and look down on the river rafters Paddling down during the summer or check out the fall foliage sunsets. The Dr Strange Marvel movie Lamborghini scene was filmed on the Hawks Nest.

10. Pelham Bay Park

Middletown Road and Bruckner Blvd., Bronx, NY 10465 +1 719-885-1258 http://pelhambaypark.com
Excellent
49%
Good
29%
Satisfactory
15%
Poor
5%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 110 reviews

Pelham Bay Park

This city park has a variety of habitats including forests, meadows, mixed scrub, salt marsh and a stretch of saltwater coastline, which makes this an excellent place for hiking, birdwatching and viewing wildlife.

Reviewed By MaureenRiley44 - Los Angeles, United States

I took the train here from Manhattan on a whim and very glad I did it. It took me less than an hour to get there and it was beautiful and peaceful. Nice park to walk around or go running or picnic in. Very easy to get to from the train.

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