We are planning a trip for 5-6 days to the Finger Lakes Region leaving from Long Island, NY. We have never been to that area, and need help on planning our itinerary. We have been to Niagara Falls many times, so we won't be going there.

Hi -

You don't really mention what you enjoy most, so I'll give a number of ideas that you may want to pursue.

Day 1) Ithaca - an arts-oriented town with museums, galleries, restaurants etc., but Cornell is also there with its ornithology lab and there are hundreds of waterfalls. Check out: www.visitithaca.com.

Day 2) Drive from Ithaca to Watkins Glen, either for the Falls in the State Park (nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?parkID=105) or for the races (http://www.theglen.com), depending on your taste. From there, if you enjoy amish country, you might wander up route 14 to Penn Yan. Be sure to stop at Weaver-View Farms Amish Country Store. (travelmaven.wordpress.com/2008/09/13/weaver-view-farms-amish-country-store-finger-lakes-ny/) Along the way, you'll find a wonderful selection of wineries and if you enjoy wine, choose which you'd like to try from this database (http://www.fingerlakeswinecountry.co...rch.aspx)There are a lot of wonderful wineries along both Cayuga and Seneca Lake. Stay the night and Dine at Esperanza Mansion in Bluff Point (www.esperanzamansion.com).

Day 3) Head northwest to Canandaigua for a relaxing day there, visiting charming shops and heritage attractions. You might enjoy Sonnenberg Gardens and Carriage Museum (www.sonnenberg.org), Granger Homestead & Carriage Museum(www.grangerhomestead.org), Ontario Historical Society (www.ochs.org)or Ganondagan Native American State Historic Site with its bark longhouse and 17 miles of hiking trails (http://www.travelmaven.wordpress.com...s-may-1st-2009.

Day 4) Head south to Naples and Hammondsport (www.hammondsport.org). If you enjoy plays, book a show at Bristol valley theatre (www.bvtnaples.org) and be sure to stop in Hammondsport at the Glenn H. Curtis Aviation Museum (www.glennhcurtissmuseum.org)and at the Pleasant Valley Wine Co in Hammondsport, Bonded winery #1 (www.pleasantvalleywine.com)

Day 5) Corning - There's a lot to do here, but you can visit Corning Museum of Glass, the Rockwell Museum of Western Art and the Gaffer District. For a series of posts on Corning visit: travelmaven.wordpress.com/2009/08/15/visiting-corning-ny-corning-museum-of-glass.

If you find you have time, Rochester is really an amazing and underappreciated city and I'm sure you'd really enjoy the many things to do there!

Have a wonderful visit! Safe and Happy Travels.

The Finger Lakes Travel Maven

Thanks Travel Maven. Your itinerary will be very helpful.