Finger Lakes - where to make home base
 

I am planning a trip to the Finger Lakes region sometime in August with my wife and 7 year old. We'll be coming up from LI and have about 4 days and 3 nights to spend up there. I am looking for a good location to stay that is kid friendly, close to good restaurants, etc. I'm considering Ithaca since it's more southern than some of the other towns. I'd like to avoid driving each day to try to cover too much area, so a suggestion for a good home base would be excellent.

Ithaca is generally a great location to use as a base for exploring the Finger Lakes. It has some great restaurants and there are some beautiful parks and waterfalls nearby. I would check ahead though because I believe August is racing month at nearby Watkins Glen and a lot of racing fans will be staying in and around Ithaca. You might also consider Canandaigua, Hammondsport or Skanateles as possible bases.

Your 7 year old would love Corning Museum of Glass, there are some great hands on kids activities. Ithaca would be a good base or look into Watkins Glen, Penn Yan or Hammondsport. rbazil is correct, races in Watkins Glen can take up ALL the room in the region. Look at booking NOW, the area fills up fast.