4-Day New York Finger Lakes Getaway Bike Tour
Duration
4 days
Daily Biking
18 to 42 miles
Trip difficulty
2-Easier to Intermediate
From
USD 2199
OR CALL (800) 257-2226
Duration
4 days
Daily Biking
18 to 42 miles
Trip difficulty
2-Easier to Intermediate
From
USD 2199
Trip Overview
New York's Finger Lakes region is home to vast and beautiful lakes dug by Ice Age glaciers. It’s filled with history, as it was one of the earliest settled farming areas in the U.S. with long Native American roots. Today, there are wineries, apple orchards and fields interspersed with small villages and colleges. It’s one of our favorite places to cycle, with delights that include fresh-made ice cream, local breweries, waterfalls and deep gorges.
On the Finger Lakes Getaway tour, you spend 3 nights in Watkins Glen at the southern end of Seneca Lake … at an award-winning hotel that offers top-notch service. This is a great spot from which to reach places like Taughannock Falls — the highest free-drop waterfall east of the Mississippi — and Ovid, a quaint town in the midst of Amish farms. You have a chance to hike along the Keuka Lake outlet past three sets of falls and bike along the ridgelines above the smallest and largest of the Finger Lakes. You are also treated to kayaking on Keuka Lake and a hike through the gorge in Watkins Glen State Park.
Surfaces for this tour: 83% Paved and 17% Gravel.
Itinerary
From start to finish, check out the route.
Bike in New York's Finger Lakes region — home to beautiful lakes and waterfalls. It’s filled with history, wineries, orchards, small villages and colleges. It’s one of our favorite places to cycle … plus, enjoy bonus kayaking and hikes on the tour.
Arrival Day & Catherine Valley Trail
Please meet us at the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel at 1pm for a bike fitting and orientation. Ride right from the hotel along the valley, passing by two waterfalls. Today’s ride is mostly on an unpaved bike trail, allowing a casual introduction to riding the Finger Lakes.
After the ride, you can check into the hotel and enjoy the hotel amenities on the Seneca Lake waterfront. Tonight’s dinner is together at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel
Meals: Dinner
Biking: 18 miles (29 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier
Taughannock Falls and Ithaca
Today’s ride features ridgetop Amish farms and villages, a visit to the highest free-drop waterfall east of the Mississippi, and a downhill trail into Ithaca — home to Cornell University and Ithaca College. You can choose the longer route and start riding from the hotel, or take a van ride to Ovid, stopping at some overlooks above Seneca Lake and Hector Falls. Everyone regroups in Ovid for lunch, where you can sit in the gazebo and watch a variety of Amish buggies roll by. The ride after lunch features long-range ridge top views, then back roads into Taughannock Falls State Park. There is an option to hike down to the falls, then continue biking into Ithaca. Dinner is on your own in Watkins Glen tonight.
Accommodation: Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Biking: 30 or 42 miles (48 or 67 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier
Keuka Lake
Today features a ride and kayak on one of the most scenic of the Finger Lakes — Keuka Lake. You start with a shuttle to Penn Yan, located on the northern end of the Y-shaped Keuka Lake. Avid cyclists ride down the ridge bisecting the two forks of the lake, then around the other lobe of the lake and through wine country to the southern end of the lake in Hammondsport. Otherwise, you can stay in the van for the first section and ride along the ridge to the west of the lake and into town. Following lunch near the town green, you switch to an afternoon of water activities (weather permitting) kayaking from the beach right in Hammondsport. After kayaking, shuttle back to Watkins Glen and enjoy views on Seneca Lake. Tonight’s dinner celebration is at a nearby Italian restaurant.
Accommodation: Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Biking: 14 or 33 miles (22 or 53 kilometres)
Terrain: Intermediate
Departure Day - Watkins Glen Hike
After breakfast, you walk into Watkins Glen State Park right from the hotel. The hike on the Gorge Trail is about 3 miles and offers amazing waterfall views. After taking in the scenery, return to the hotel for a shower and checkout by 11 a.m. Then say farewells as you depart for home.
Accommodation: Not applicable
Meals: Breakfast
Hiking: 3 miles (4.8 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier
Dates
Prices are per person based on double occupancy (2 people in one room). A deposit of $750 holds your reservation for most tours. For tours less than 6 days, the deposit is $500.
What's Included
- 3 nights’ accommodation
- 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners
- Our own highly experienced trip leaders, with you from start to finish
- Industry leading Guest-to-Guide ratio (averaging 6:1)
- Your own ‘Account’, an online space with everything required for your adventure
- Our knowledgeable Customer Service Team to answer your queries - just a phone call, email or chat away
- Customer Service pre-trip phone calls to ensure you’re 'trip ready'
- Delicious snacks and non-alcoholic drinks to keep you fueled
- Gravel bikes with drop handlebars, Hybrid with flat-bar handlebars or E-Bikes, equipped with a front handlebar bag or rear carrier, branded water bottle, mirror and flat pedals
- Ride with GPS for navigation along with the detailed maps and itineraries
- Branded t-shirt and bag
- All activities outlined in the itinerary
- All necessary equipment (well-maintained and safe) for activities
- Transportation in our air-conditioned vans - safe, clean, modern and comfortable!
Inns
Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel
Named “Best Waterfront Hotel in the Nation” by USA Today, the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel sets the standard for luxury accommodations as the area's only AAA Four Diamond property. Nestled on the shores of Seneca Lake in the picturesque town of Watkins Glen and adjacent to Glen Harbor Marina, this hotel provides the perfect vantage point from which to explore the area. Enjoy their fitness center, indoor swimming pool and hot tub.
