One Of New York's Lakeside Towns Is A Delightful Getaway For Wine Enthusiasts

If you are a wine enthusiast planning a long weekend in wine country, there is no better spot than Geneva. The cute Finger Lakes town in upstate New York is full of small wineries. In fact, the city marks the start of the Seneca Lake Wine Trail, a more than 70-mile route featuring some 30 different vineyards around Seneca Lake, an American Viticultural Area (AVA). Geneva also sits at the top of Seneca Lake, so you can enjoy gorgeous water views while sipping a glass of riesling, one of the area's specialties.

Geneva was originally the home of the Seneca people, who called the area Kanadaseaga. When the first settlers arrived in the late-18th century, they discovered fertile land around Seneca Lake, the largest of the 11 lakes in the Finger Lakes region. The area's first vineyard was planted in 1829 in Hammondsport, which is on Keuka Lake just west of Seneca Lake. Several commercial wineries followed by the end of the century. The Finger Lakes are now home to four unique wine trails, featuring more than 140 wineries. The Seneca Lake Wine Trail alone has 34 vineyards and is New York's largest and most active wine trail, promising award-winning vineyards and views. So the small city of Geneva, home to roughly 12,000 people, is perfectly positioned to be your home base in the Finger Lakes.

You will need a vehicle to explore the wineries on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. Geneva is about 50 miles from both Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC) and Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR), which receive nonstop flights from mostly East Coast cities. Or, if you want to plan a road trip, Geneva is a five- to six-hour drive from New York City.

At least three of the tasting rooms on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail are right in Geneva. Belhurst Castle and Winery sits just off Route 14 on the lake's western shore. The historic, award-winning property is home to two hotels, two restaurants, and a winery. Belhurst Estate Winery produces dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, and sweet wines. You can try five wines during a classic wine tasting for $10, get a wine and cheese flight for $15, or get chocolate truffles instead of cheese with your wine (also $15). Samples of craft beers and hard ciders are also available. The Seneca Lake views from the tasting room are pretty impressive, too.

Ventosa Vineyards is just off Route 96A on the eastern side of Seneca Lake. The hand-painted decor of this award-winning winery would not look out of place in Tuscany. You can try five wines for $10, or upgrade your winery experience with a tour (for $25), a tour and cellar tasting ($43), or even a tour, tasting, and charcuterie board for $60. Ventosa also serves Mediterranean food at Cafe Toscana, hosts live music and a happy hour on Wednesdays, and has a historic mansion available to rent. The deck, overlooking vines with the lake in the background, is the perfect spot to watch the sunset.

Then Three Brothers Wineries and Estates is just three miles south of Ventosa. This casual spot has four tasting rooms, including three wineries and one microbrewery. It even sells craft sodas. With such variety, it's a spot where everyone will find something to fit their taste.

Though the wineries drew you to the Finger Lakes, they aren't the only things that make Geneva an enjoyable spot. The city is full of green spaces, including 13 public parks, so you can spend plenty of time outdoors. Geneva Lakefront Community Park is next to the Finger Lakes Welcome Center, so stop in and pick up lunch to go at its Taste NY Market, and then head outside for gorgeous lake views along the park's walking paths. Seneca Lake State Park is just east of there and features a seasonal marina, as well as canoe and kayak rentals.

At night, foodies will enjoy Geneva's exciting restaurant scene. F.L.X. Table is an award-winning restaurant that offers a seasonal tasting menu. Reservations well in advance are essential to dine in the tiny space, which serves only 14 to 16 people at a time. Kindred Fare, a farm-to-table restaurant on the outskirts of town, is a more casual spot with an open kitchen. After dinner, you should see who is performing at the Smith Center for the Arts. It first opened in 1894 as the Smith Opera House and has been bringing big names to Geneva ever since.

If you want to go a little further afield, head southeast to Trumansburg, a little village off Cayuga Lake with stunning waterfalls and farm-to-table dining. Or to the east, there's Skaneateles, a town with storybook charm that offers a romantic waterfront getaway on Skaneateles Lake. It seems like your quick wine getaway to the Finger Lakes is quickly becoming your go-to lake escape.