Having visited the wineries in Napa and Sonoma, I was gravely disappointed. There were no tours, and usually unsophisticated tastings by staff. The wineries were just excuses for a retail store. Sorry to burst a bubble.

My husband and I also toured the wineries in Napa and really enjoyed them. I appreciate you warning us not to expect the same.

Usually there are not posted tours at the wineries, however if you ask a staff member, they are more than happy to give a personally guided tour and tell you about the operations. There are a bunch that have planned tours, you will just need to check out the web-sites: www.uncorkny.com. I haven't been to CA yet, so I cannot compare. Hillview -- what lake did you tour that disappointed you?

Regarding dinner, go to www.visitithaca.com for a listing of restaurants & reviews - its the most comprehensive list I've found.

didi,
a few of my favorites:

Thai Cuisine
John Thomas Steakhouse
Both of those are good, self-explanatory options for dinner.

Simeons on the Commons (casual american) or
Aladdins in Collegtown (mediterranean flair) are great lunch options.

Other great stops for snacks and such...Purity Ice Cream on Rte 13, Cornell Dairy Bar, Farmers Market (sat mornings only I believe) off Rte 13.
Have a great great time!

Oh and one more note, I've done the wineries in both Napa/Sonoma and the Fingerlakes area, there is a marked difference in atmosphere, but in my opinion the Fingerlakes offer their own type of charm--I specifically enjoy Wagner and Knapp.

Happy Anniversary and Happy Travels!

These restaurant options sound great, thank you so much!! Well definitely have to try the Thai place since many of you have suggested it here on Fodors. I have a feeling my husband and I are really going to enjoy the Finger Lakes. I better make reservations at some of these restaurants before we go!

We know the atmosphere will be different from Napa but since the Fall is my favorite time of year, I think the beautiful colors along with the charm of the area will more than make up for it!

Now, are only decision is whether to keep our reservation at the Rose Inn or to stay at the Mirbeau. We're just a little concerned due to it being parents weekend in Ithaca. We didn't know this until after we made the reservation. I also read a couple of reviews about the Rose Inn and they weren't the best. Apparantely, for the money you don't get many amenities.

We toured the Finger Lakes area last fall - late September I believe. Four of us went up on a driving tour and took in as much as we possibly could. Some of the wineries were large and others were quite small and we also found ourselves having smaller sips to not start tottering! We have a lovely, delightful time. One night we finished driving from watkins Glen to the north part of Lake Geneva and we had dinner at a castle! We had a grand time.

Two years ago we did the tours at Napa and had a great time there also. The tastings are simply that "tastings" so you decide which wineries to stop at - we stopped at primarily large wineries in California and we were taken around in a group.

We also have a nice little winery here in Maryland and we're tried that and enjoyed it. They have great tastings at Lake Linganore Winery.

Find some neat B & B's, wander (by car) around the lakes and just have a marvelous time.

Whoops!! I mean Lake Seneca and we stayed in Geneva.

For places to eat in Ithaca I would suggest the Boatyard Grill for waterfront dining, Maxies Supperclub for a funky, fun Cajun menu, and for somthing a little more elegant, Taughannock Farms Inn. Favorite restaurants near the Fingerlakes would be Stonecat Cafe and the Red Newt on Seneca Lake and Henry B's in Seneca Falls. Most all of these places have websites with menus to check out. Have fun in the beautiful Fingerlakes!!

Rose Inn in Groton,NY (near Ithaca) also has a very elegant and upscale restaurant with live jazz on some nights. I also recommend Boatyard Grill for lunch.

Hi there
The Rose Inn, located at 813 Auburn Rd, Route 34, P.O. Box 6576, Ithaca, New York 14851, is closed for renovations due to a fire in March. Check out their website at www.roseinn.com
Not sure if there is another Rose Inn around here, you might want to check into this before you decide on where to stay.
Happy travels!

The Finger Lake wineries may be different from Napa but we absolutely love them. You may meet the owner, get to try something not on the regular tasting list, etc. We've found them very friendly and fun. Some favorites are Chateau Lafayette Reuneu (sp?), Red Newt, Dr. Frank, Hermann Weimer and Heron Hill. You should have lots of fun, and the area is just gorgeous.

Enjoy!

A lot of fast responses! A vote to leave the wineries to CA and try to split your time to enjoy both Ithaca & Skanateatles, there is at least 1 other top-notch B&B in Skaneateles called Hobbit Hollow.

Good information here, but the OP asked the question a year ago