9 Things to do in Finger Lakes NY For First Time Visitors

If you’re looking for awesome things to do in Finger Lakes (especially if it’s your first time visiting the area), then I’m going to be giving you a list of 9 specific areas to explore there that’ll really show off the best sights there (we’re talking waterfalls, parks, towns, etc…)

If someone were to ask me what nature places I recommend exploring in the New York State area, this area would likely be in my top 3 spots, if not number one, not just because there’s so many things to do in Finger Lakes, but also because the beauty you’ll find in this region of the state is so unbelievable, and the pictures I’ll show you of what I saw when I was there for one day will prove that.

9 things to do in Finger Lakes NY:

 

1. Explore Wells Falls
2. Check out Ithaca Falls
3. Explore Robert H. Treman State Park
4. Hike through Buttermilk State Park
5. Make a quick stop at Montour and look at Shequaga falls
6. Check out Taughannock Falls
7. Make a quick stop at Hector Falls
8. Enjoy Seneca Lake
9. Finish up with exploring Watkins Glenn State Park
10. Bonus: Best things to do in Finger Lakes 2024 based on user reviews

You can literally explore most if not all of these places in one day at Finger Lakes and while the entire region has much more to offer, let me tell you, these spots will definitely make your day feel complete. It certainly did for me. 

Hotels info:

There are many little towns and small cities scattered across Finger Lakes. My recommendation for staying in the area is to choose from one of 3 major towns: Syracuse, Watkins Glen and Ithaca and book there. Here are the options:

• Best Ithaca hotels
• Best Watkins Glen hotels
• Best Syracuse hotels

Wells Falls:

I left NYC around 5 a.m and got to Wells Falls in Finger Lakes around 9 a.m. Parking was difficult to find, but after doing so, I took a nice, short hike down to the falls. Wells Falls is one of the coolest spots I’d been wanting to see in Finger Lakes for a long time. It’s an old dam, and abandoned building near a gorge with a waterfall. A hike is available for people to go to the base of the falls there and get a nice view of it.

This area is in Ithaca, NY, which is one of the most popular spots in all of Finger Lakes. The hike can be a little steep, but it’s about a quarter mile from the road to reach the base and in my opinion totally worth it. In fact, seeing Wells Falls set the bar pretty high for what else I had on my list of things to see that day in Finger Lakes. It is one of the best Finger Lakes waterfalls I’ve seen in the whole area.

Ithaca Falls:

Ithaca Falls is located very close to the road and a college campus in Ithaca, NY. It is a gigantic waterfall that is easy to walk to and while I’ve seen pictures of this area many times online, when you’re actually there and see how gigantic this waterfall is, the experience is completely different (and much better).

If you’re visiting Finger Lakes, I highly recommend you make a quick stop at Ithaca Falls if you have the time. For me, I was only in this spot for 15 minutes, but that 15 minutes was unforgettable considering how amazing this falls is. And the thing about it is that this is falls is one of many others in the region that are just as grand. This gives you an idea of how amazing Finger Lakes is.

Robert H. Treman State Park:

I saved many pictures I found on Instagram of Robert Treman State Park and today was the day I would finally explore this park and see for myself if the pictures truly matched the beauty (they did). Robert H. Treman State Park is located not far from Ithaca, NY and is highly recommended to visit.

There is a short hike that takes you upriver of this park and along the way, especially towards the northern end of it, you will find truly stunning sights, including giant waterfalls, epic gorges, and a “carved out” region of the park whose beauty I simply cannot put into words.

I just included a picture for your own reference, but as good as that is, when you’re actually there and see this park for yourself, you will be stunned at how amazing it is. I did the hike at Robert H. Treman State Park in 2 hours and jogged about 6-7 miles in the process, but that quickness gave me the time to further explore more places in Finger Lakes and so let us continue:

Buttermilk Falls State Park:

In hindsight, I should have checked out Buttermilk Falls State Park before Robert H. Treman, and if it weren’t for a random stranger suggesting it to me in the parking lot of Robert H. Treman State Park, I might have never explored this area (thank you!). But this park is about 10 minutes away from the Robert H. Treman park area and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think it’s actually better looking than Robert H. Treman.

There are many things about this park that look similar to Watkins Glen, which to me is the top spot to explore in Finger Lakes (Which I saved for last for a reason), and there is a 4 mile loop hike you can do around the park. I only did about 2 miles there, but there are sections of this park that are better looking than others.

In my opinion, the gorge walk is the most important, and scenic hike/walk you will do in Buttermilk Falls State Park. You are going to see amazingly beautiful gorges, tons of waterfalls, including the big one Buttermilk Falls itself which is a cascading waterfall that is several 100’s of feet long. I am truly glad I got the tip to explore this park, because it was truly worth it!

Town of Montour:

This was an unexpected surprise one my day trip to Finger Lakes. After checking out the spots in Ithaca, I was making my way west to Seneca Lake where the other spots on this list are and the way my GPS took me, it had me driving through the town of Montour. In that town, there is a famous waterfall called Shequaga Falls which you can see from a distance, drive up to and walk to as well. At night time, this waterfall gets lit up with many different colors. It’s a beautiful waterfall as it the town where there’s a bunch of things you can do including restaurant hopping.

Taughannock Falls State Park:

One of the first places I explored on my first visit to Finger Lakes was Taughannock Falls and it is one of the most popular spots people visit in the region. The good news is that you have several ways of exploring it, including from the area you see in the picture to the right, all the way to a hike that’ll get you close to it. I didn’t get a chance to re explore this place the second time I came here, because I had to go eat instead and continue my day trip, but this is an easy stop you can make along the way on your day trip to Finger Lakes (and see nearby spots there too).

Hector Falls:

Hector Falls is another cascading waterfall worth exploring for a brief period in Finger Lakes. It’s literally off the road and in my case, I stopped here on my day trip before I had to go eat at a restaurant. Luckily, the parking lot was empty and I had the whole falls to myself when I came here. It’s still amazing to me how easily accessible this waterfall is compared to other spots in Finger Lakes which require some sort of drive or entrance fee.

Seneca Lake:

As you make your way south from Hector Falls, you’ll turn into the town of Seneca itself and have an amazing view/stop at Seneca Lake itself which I recommend taking. If you’re into boating, kayaking or doing any sort of water activity, you can rent them there. But this lake is worth taking a gander at because it is grand, and probably the same size as Lake George. And in my opinion, Seneca Lake looks a lot better than Lake George.

Anyway, from the southern end of this park (by the town of Seneca), there is a park available for tourists to explore with a beach and great scenic view of the lake from there. You can even take a drive around it if you have the time (but it will take you well over an hour). If you do decide to do that, make sure you have at least half a day prepared for the trip, because you will have many beautiful places to stop at around this lake.

Watkins Glen State Park:

The last visit on my list was Watkins Glen State Park and despite the fact that I saw incredibly scenic spots all day at Finger Lakes, Watkins Glen is in a league of it’s own and I’m glad I saved it for last and recommend you do the same because it’s one of the best state parks in New York.

This was my second visit to the park and I quickly re explored the massive gorge and it’s beauty. There were many people there when I arrived (no surprise), but I managed to make my way up the park quickly, get all the videos and pictures I wanted, as well as the experience of the hike itself, before making my way down.

Best hotels in Finger Lakes:

The following are hotels in the most popular towns across the Finger Lakes area. All of the above places are near the following 3 towns with the most options:

• Best Ithaca hotels
• Best Watkins Glen hotels
• Best Syracuse hotels

Related:

• Letchworth State Park
• Best waterfalls in New York
• Best things to do in Finger Lakes NY (TripAdvisor)

If you have any questions about things to do in Finger Lakes or about any of the above suggested places to see, let me know below!