Skaneateles is a small, graceful village at the north end of Skaneateles Lake in the Finger Lakes of central New York, about twenty miles southwest of Syracuse. The lake is about sixteen miles long and known for water so clear that the village draws its drinking water from it unfiltered. Brick and clapboard buildings from the 1800s line Genesee Street along the shore. Spend the first day on foot in the village and on the water.
Genesee Street
Where to eat: Coffee and a pastry at a cafe on Genesee Street.
Start with a slow walk along Genesee Street, the main street of the village, lined with brick storefronts, bookshops, galleries, clothing stores and cafes. Look at the old buildings from the 1800s and the side streets of houses with deep porches and gardens. The lake is always close, glinting at the end of the street, and benches along the way give you a chance to sit, sip a coffee and watch village life.
Clift Park and the pier
Where to eat: Lunch at a lakeside cafe near the park.
Walk down to Clift Park, a small green park on the shore with a white gazebo, then stroll out along the long pier that reaches into the lake. From the end, look south down the length of the water, ringed by green hills and farms. Sit on the pier in the sun, watch sailboats and swimmers, and notice how clear the water is, with stones visible far below the surface.
A cruise on Skaneateles Lake
In the afternoon, board one of the historic boats of Mid-Lakes Navigation for a cruise on the lake, from a short sightseeing run to a longer lunch or dinner cruise. In summer, the boat that delivers mail to lakeside camps makes a fun ride as the crew hands mail to people waiting on their docks. Sit on the open deck and watch the shore, the farms and the grand old lake houses pass by.
Dinner and the sunset
Where to eat: A glass of Finger Lakes wine with dinner.
Back on land, have an unhurried dinner in the village, at a lakeside restaurant or a small bistro on Genesee Street, with local fish and Finger Lakes wine. After dinner, walk back to the park to watch the sunset light the lake and the hills, then stroll home through the quiet village under old trees as the lamps come on and the shops close for the night.
Where to eat and stop
- Breakfast · Coffee and a pastry — Genesee Street Why here: An easy start a short walk from the lake.
- Lunch · A lakeside cafe — Near Clift Park Why here: A light meal with a view of the water.
- Dinner · A slow dinner in the village — Genesee Street Why here: Local fish and Finger Lakes wine; reserve in summer.
- Quick stop (snack): Ice cream by the lake — Near the pier Why here: A sweet stop on a warm evening.
Skaneateles is about twenty miles southwest of Syracuse, roughly half an hour by car on US Route 20 and NY Route 175. Syracuse Hancock International Airport is the nearest airport. The village is compact and easy on foot.
Where to stay
- A historic inn in the village — Inns on and near Genesee Street put you a short walk from the lake, the pier and dinner, with porches and rooms in old houses from the 1800s.
- A bed and breakfast near the lake — Bed and breakfasts on the quiet streets around the village offer home-cooked breakfasts and calm nights, a few minutes on foot from the water.
Dinner: An unhurried dinner in the village, then the sunset on the pier.
Tomorrow: Drive south along Owasco Lake to Fillmore Glen State Park for a gorge walk past waterfalls, then end the day at a park on Owasco Lake.
Bad-weather plan
If it rains, spend longer in the shops and cafes on Genesee Street, visit the small village historical society museum, and save the cruise for a drier day.
Genesee Street · Clift Park and the pier · A cruise on the lake · Dinner and the sunset
Good to know: Summer weekends are busy in the village; parking fills by midday, so walk from your room or arrive early.
