Yep, we went to the Seneca Lake wine trail with our two kids. Judge us if you want, but as parents, sometimes we need to reward ourselves for getting through the day. Man, some days I feel like I deserve a crown, forget the booze. I LOVE my boys with my entire soul, do not get me wrong. In fact, most of our vacations are centered around activities we can do with our kids. So occasionally, me and my hubby like to plan trips near wineries. Let me present to you, the Finger Lakes of New York.
Finger Lakes, NY
Eleven long and narrow lakes make up the Finger Lakes of New York. We stayed in Watkins Glen, which is located on the Southern border of Seneca Lake (check out the awesome KOA we stayed at here). Seneca Lake is the largest of the Finger Lakes, and is the home to over 50 wineries! With that being said, we had to be strategic in planning which wineries to visit. We also had to consider “kid-friendly,” since our boys were tagging along.
Seneca Lake Wine Trail Tips
Since you can’t go to every single winery (and if you do, I applaud you), I suggest doing some research. Some wineries focus on dry wines, while others have a variety of sweet and semi-sweet. The Seneca Lake Wine Trail website provides great information on their different types of wine and planning your visit. You can also download a trail map here.
We used the map to route wineries closer to our campground. As you plan, keep in mind that most of the wineries close at 5pm (a handful at 6pm). Choose a winery that closes later to be the last on your list.
Another tip to consider is to split tastings. Each tasting ranges about $5-$10 per location, so that can add up quickly. We did not do this at every winery, but since my husband and I tend to like similar wines it just made sense. It was also a smarter option since we were driving. Safety first!
Lastly, many of the wineries offer a pick up option. You may take a gamble on whether you will like the wine or not, but let’s be honest, it’s wine. Most wineries have a website with a list of their available wines. Choose which wineries to do tastings at, and where you can just stop by to pick up a bottle or two!
“Kid Friendly” Wineries on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail
The following wineries are on the West side of Seneca Lake:
Castel Grisch Winery
Castel Grisch Winery was our first stop since it was super close to our campground! We chose our tasting, and enjoyed our wine on their beautiful patio. Our favorite was their Vivacious Cayuga, a semi-dry, carbonated white wine. As we were leaving, the woman who helped us encouraged us to drive by their dinosaur display! They literally have dinosaurs on their property, who knew?! It wasn’t super exciting, but our boys loved it.
Torrey Ridge Winery
Torrey Ridge Winery has a beautiful location, with tons of outdoor seating. We loved watching the kids run around while we enjoyed our tasting. I had to laugh at some of their wine names (e.g. Lucky’s B_! Redneck Wine)! Any vineyard that has a good sense of humor is my kind of winery! The meadery next door (Earle Estates Meadery) is also fabulous. Their honey bee display was very entertaining for our boys, and us too! They also offered our son a non-alcoholic slushy. What kid doesn’t love a slushie?! He thinks he’s such a big kid when he’s doing a “tasting” with us!
Glenora Wine Cellars
Glenora Wine Cellars has some of the BEST views, and prices, might I add! If you like fruity wines, this is the place to go! They have every kind of fruit wine you can imagine, even pineapple! We loved so many of their wines, we bought a few and enjoyed a glass out on their patio. Another perk – some of their wines are available in bags or boxed. More bang for your buck! I highly recommend this winery.
Fulkerson Winery
Fulkerson Winery was another great kid friendly option. Out front, they have a display of old cars and tractors that the boys loved. A very friendly dog was inside greeting guests (must have been the owners). Our youngest son is our dog LOVER, so he enjoyed following him around the winery. This place also has a U-pick section in their vineyard where you can pick your own grapes!
The following wineries are on the East side of Seneca Lake:
Wagner Vineyards
Wagner Vineyards was another winner. When you walk in, you choose to either go one way for their wine tasting, or the opposite direction that leads you to their beer tasting at the Wagner Valley Brewing Co. We did a wine tasting on their beautiful property, while our oldest son tried a sample of root beer from the Brewing Co. He was so cute, and even stated “Is this my little dish?!” Wagner Vineyards also has a restaurant, the Ginny Lee Café.
Bagley’s Poplar Ridge Vineyards
Bagley’s was on our list from the beginning. They have wine slushies, need I say more? We ended up not doing a tasting here, but walked through their shop and bought some to take home. We DID, however, enjoy a wine slushy out on their vineyard. Bagley’s is a very cool spot, offering happy hour and live music throughout the week. You need to check them out!
Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards
Did I save our favorite for last? Yes, yes I did! Hazlitt Vineyards has some of the best wines, prices, and tasting experience! You choose your flight from their list and are given a number. From there, you are able to wander their property and find a place to sit and enjoy. Your flight is brought out to you from one of their friendly staff. We sat by their pond so our boys could walk around and look for frogs. Our oldest son also loved dancing around with our number, singing it proudly. Our wine was served with a few pieces of dark chocolate kisses (they gave us some extra for the kids) to compliment one of our tastings. Their Red Cat Sangria was our favorite, but we loved all of their wine. This place also gives you the option of buying some of their wines from a bag (bulk). Not gonna lie, we left Hazlitt with a case of wine, and I’m not embarrassed to say that! GO HERE!!
Where to eat on Seneca Lake
When we camp, we tend to grill food at our site, or get take out from somewhere. Talking to some of the locals, a place we definitely could not miss was Scale House Brewery! Greg and I each took a break from wine and enjoyed a beer. We both had their Scale House Dirty blonde, and it was quite refreshing! Their “Hoppy Hour” is pretty awesome with half priced draft beer from 4-6. Our youngest son LOVES pizza, so we got him a personalized cheese pizza from their hoppy hour list. When it arrived we thought there was a mistake, it was HUGE! Our eyes must have been bigger than our stomachs because we ordered his pizza, plus a half price quesadilla AND their Meat Special pizza! Everything was delicious! We highly recommend stopping here.
Take a break from the wineries
This was our anniversary trip, and we spoiled ourselves, but we always want to make sure our boys are having fun too. As stated above, we stayed at the Watkins Glen/Corning KOA, which had incredible amenities! Two swimming pools, a jumping pillow and pad, water slide, mini-golf, playgrounds and more! We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here.
We also took the boys to Lakeside Park. It is located right on the South end of Seneca Lake. Our kids had a great time on their playground equipment. There is also basketball, volleyball, and bocce ball courts, a skatepark and a dog beach. If you’re in Watkins Glen during their warmer months, they have a splash pad and swimming area with lifeguards.
Lastly, you absolutely cannot go to Watkins Glen without checking out Watkins Glen State Park. Check out our post about the Gorge Trail hike here! Please, PLEASE do NOT miss this beautiful park! We have done many, many hikes, and this is without a doubt one of my absolute favorites!
I hope this info was helpful for you! Please contact us with any questions or comments! Enjoy the Finger Lakes! Cheers!
