Area Events | Cottage Views Bed & Breakfast

Lodi, NY, is in the heart of Finger Lakes wine country and is surrounded by many creameries, breweries, wineries, the National Forest, and Lodi Point State Park. The state park offers a boat launch, kayaking, walking beach and picnic facilities, while the National Forest and nearby Watkins Glen State Park offer some of the finest and majestic walking trails and gorges on the east coast.

Along the trail are several eateries, including Stonecat Café (5 minutes south), Boars Nest sports bar & grill, and Hector Hideaway. 30 minutes north is the historical city of Geneva with many restaurants and shops. To the south is Watkins Glen, home of The Glen speedway and NASCAR racing. 20 minutes east is the village of Trumansburg; a bustling main street with a mix of old rural and modern funk, featuring antiques, dining, bars, and nightlife. Between Trumansburg and the city of Ithaca is Taughannock State Park with a 215 foot waterfall and hiking trail. Ithaca itself offers a wide variety of international cuisine, music venues, and the renowned Ithaca Commons shopping district.

With so much to offer, there is always something to do in the Finger Lakes – and Seneca Lake is the heart of the district.

The Finger Lakes are made up of extensive farming communities. Uber/Lyft generally do not exist here. Local car and tour services are available for wine and beer tours. We will be happy to supply you with a list of companies should you be interested in booking a designated driver. Additionally, Cottage Views will be happy to help put together an itinerary for you. Feel free to email CottageViews@aol.com

If you are using Seneca Lake as home base and are planning a day trip to another lake

Skaneateles (25 miles east) has been a destination lake since the early 19th Century, when wealthy elites began building summer homes there. Scenic and historic, the Mirbeau Spa is highly recommended. Clark, in concierge, recommends you bring your swim suits and work out attire for a day of health and relaxation. They are open (all year) to the public and have a restaurant for dinner. Spa treatments are by appointment and you can make a reservation at Reservations@Mirbeau.com. They have several locations so make sure you are booking for the Skaneateles location. Their website is Skaneateles.Mirbeau.com and phone is (877) 647-2328. Restaurant reservations at (315) 217-4135.

Also, in Skaneateles is Mid Lakes Navigation which hosts sightseeing boat cruises every day all year round, from 11 am – 4 pm. It’s really inexpensive (I think it was $27) and they have a cash bar for drinks and light snacks. Their website is MidLakesNavigation.com and the phone number is (315) 685-8500.

Right on Skaneateles’ lakeside is Anyela’s Vineyards and you won’t need a reservation for a wine tasting. They are open every day from April – December, and they also serve charcuterie plates and pizzas. They are open noon – 5 daily, with extended hours on Friday (live music 5 – 7 pm). Saturday they have live music from 2 – 5 pm. Contact Anyelasvineyards.com for more information. Their phone is (315) 685-3797.

If you would like a quiet walk in the park there is Cliff Park on Skaneateles, and yes they have public restrooms (LOL)

Also there is Skaneateles Brewery where you can do beer tastings Thursday – Saturday. Their number is (315) 975-1747.

Keuka Lake

If you are going to do a day trip west to Keuka Lake there are several wineries we would recommend.

First and foremost you should check out Dr. Frank, if not for the history alone. They have standard tastings in the main room every day and reservations are recommended. Only $18 per person and you can reserve online. They are open from 10 am – 4 pm.

They also have a food and wine pairing called the 1886 Wine Experience where they give you a more in depth tasting and pair the wines with small bites. That is seated and again by reservation ($75 per person). On Saturday their theme is Champagne/sparkling wines and Sunday the theme is ‘barrel’ tastings where they draw the wines out of the barrels and you taste the wines prior to them being bottled.

Also on Keuka is Domaine LeSeurre winery and Weiss Vineyards. They are next door to each other and are (in our humble opinion) the best quality on that lake. A couple of new wineries opened on that lake recently and have been gathering a lot of press (and awards) but we haven’t been there yet: Living Roots and Keuka Spring.

For local car service call James at Main Street Drivers (888) 327-4460

If James is booked our second choice would be Stacy at FLX Best – (607) 441-9463

In our immediate area the top stops on our list are:

Lameroux Landing, Wagner, and Shalestone (all right next door)

Then there is where I work (12 minute drive) Ryan William Vineyard*

Where I used to work (Damiani Wine Cellars) ten minutes south of our house

Standing Stone Vineyard (5 min. south)

*my boss Ryan was awarded the Governor’s Cup this year for being the best winemaker in the state, and the restaurant that I run for him was voted the #5 best winery restaurant in the nation 2 years in a row by USA Today.