As a lifelong resident of the Finger Lakes region, I sometimes find that I take for granted the beautiful area that I am so fortunate to live in. As an intern here at the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance, I am rediscovering why so many people flock to this area as a vacation destination, and I am even learning about new places to visit and sights to see that I never knew existed!
Now that summer vacation from college is here, I am able to get outside and enjoy the beautiful summer weather, and although you wouldn’t know it on days like today, the weather has been exceptionally nice lately. With that in mind, I have made a list of a few areas I plan to visit this summer:
- Watkins Glenn State Park- I used to visit this park all the time with my family growing up, but I haven’t been back in years. My plan this summer is to hike through the trails and maybe even stop by some of the local shops to pick up some souvenirs.
- Montezuma- This is one natural wonder of the Finger Lakes that I have never visited! While I have driven by Montezuma countless times on the thruway, I have never stopped for a visit. Next time I have some spare time (and some spare gas in my tank) I would like to grab my camera and go on the Wildlife Drive- the 3.5 mile trip through the park should give me plenty of opportunities to catch some great photos!
- Kershaw Park- Located on Canandaigua Lake, Kershaw Park is a great place to spend a summer afternoon. I live just 10 minutes away from the park, but I rarely take the time to enjoy an afternoon at this lakeside escape. However, after spending the day at Kershaw with my family this past weekend, we all began to question why we don’t visit the park every weekend! It was like taking a mini vacation for the day. We took the dogs for a swim at the boat launch, went for a walk down the pier, and sat in the shade of one of the giant trees that line the shore. Needless to say, I will definitely be making more trips back to Kershaw on my days off!
I will be sure to update everyone weekly with my rediscovery of the Finger Lakes! Make sure that you subscribe to the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance blog so that you can stay updated on my progress.
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Jenna Chapman
