Upstate New York Trip: Niagara Falls....Then What?
 

I am planing on taking a trip this summer to Niagara Falls and Upstate New York. I have a week or so, could possibly make it a little longer. So, i want to at least 2-3 days at Niagara Falls. But, after Niagara Falls, where should i go? I was originally thinking the Finger Lakes like around Ithaca or Watkins Glen. Then, the Adirondacks sound appeasing. So, should I go to Ithaca or Lake Placid? I do realize the Lake Placid is about a six hour drive from Niagara Falls rather than Ithaca which is about half that. I am really into outdoors and hiking. And the Finger Lakes just don't sound as spectacular as the Adirondacks. I don't know. Help me decide.

Thanks-

If you like hiking, Adirondacks and Lake Placid for spectacular vistas.

There is hiking around the Finger Lakes area, and Ithaca is truley gorge-us (pun), but the area is more about quaint towns with antique stors and ice cream parlors, with lake views.

"Ithaca is Gorges". That is their slogan because there are many waterfalls to see. Watkins Glen is truly beautiful and will offer you a short hike up the glen through small waterfalls. Really worth seeing. Buttermilk falls can also be hiked and then there is Tahhonock (spelling?) Falls State park. This is a beautiful area but I do agree with capxxx. If hiking is your thing then Lake Placid is the place. Just know that the hiking can be easy or very experienced depending on which mountain you decide to climb.

(If you like wine tasting the Fingerlakes is just the place but you did not mention that.)

Where are you coming from?

I am coming up from Maryland, so from Niagara Falls, the Finger Lakes would put me closer to home while the Adirondacks would put me farther. I ve been up to Maine and the White Mountains and vermont and all that. Driven all through there. We actually do not hike that much anymore. But, do love the outdoors. I love outdoors and i love quaint towns. Perhaps whichever, is friendly to auto-touring? I don't know, both places sound appealing. If i do the finger lakes, I want to include Letchworth State Park somehow in my itenerary. Can you drive through there and see a lot of the scenery there?

Def make time for Letchworth!!!

For the past six years, I have lived 20 minutes from Watkins Glen and 30 minutes from Ithaca. Both are great towns. One cannot go wrong either way.

From: A former Kentuckian who loves New York!!

sp - Taughannock Falls State Park (just so the OP can find it!).

Not that there aren't a lot of waterfalls (there are), but "Ithaca is Gorges" is the slogan because there are a lot of gorges, not because there are a lot of waterfalls :-)

asdaven, we faced the same question last year. You might get some ideas from my Niagara Falls and Finger Lakes trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35144719

Good heavens. What will you do in Niagara Falls for 2 -3 days? Personally, I'd give it a few hours max.

I adore the Adirondacks, but it really helps to be a very outdoorsy person and have a love of very small towns. So, you're seeking fine dining, shopping, etc...

I believe Lake Placid is farther than 6 hours from Niagara Falls. Probably more like 7-8.

We are planning to have approx. 5 days to take a scenic road trip before we return to the Niagara Falls area, and fly out of Buffalo to Phx. I too, am in a quandry to decide what would hold the most interest. We also hike and love the outdoors, but also quaint waterfronts and lakes. We plan 2 nights and 3 days in the Niagara Falls area in Ontario. I would appreciate some ideas!

Go to Niagara on the Lake which is about 15-20 minutes from Niagara Falls for a day or two.

This is my niagara falls itenerary, how many days you think this justifies?

See Niagara Falls from both sides (Niagara Falls State Park in NY and Queen Victoria Park in Ontario)


Maid of the Mist (From NY Side)


Cave of the Winds (NY Side)


Goat Island (Part of NF State Park)


Whirlpool State Park (hike to the bottom of gorge)


Power Vista (power plant tour)


Old Fort Niagara




So, how long should i spend in Niagara Falls for this itinerary?


Thanks-

Why you must eat Buffalo chicken n Buffalo, NY (Anchor bar & grill - just have the chicken & a beer).

You can go to Fort Niagra in Youngstown NY for a few hours.

We stayed in Youngstown and really enjoyed our stay there.

Here is what we did on our trip:
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...ls06/tpod.html

you have to add the whirlpool jet boats to your tour... its a ride up the lower Niagara through the gorge and into the rapids at the Devils Hole whirlpool... worth every penny!

niagra on the lake is charming. plays, by shaw, coward, etc., begin in april. many good restaurants.

Wow. OK, that's a lot of Niagara Falls stuff to do. So if you really want to do all that stuff I'd plan 2 days for it.

Niagara on the Lake is a great suggestion.

Unfortunately, even though I live very close tot eh Finger Lakes we never go there for anything, so I'm not an expert.

Adirondacks -- The difficulty here is that it is VERY remote (mostly). Decent accommodations are few and far between, and good ones tend to book year to year. Lake Placid or Lake George are the two towns that have the most hotels etc. Lake Placid is the nicer of the two areas, I guess. Old Forge might have something. I prefer the lesser developed towns -- Speculator, Long Lake, Tupper Lake, Inlet etc. Friends Lake Inn might have something. You could try Hedges or Hemlock Hall in Blue Mountain Lake.

You think i would be fine staying on the US side? I have pets, so i don't know if that would give me trouble getting into Canada. If I stayed in NY, i could just leave them at the hotel and walk into Canada to see the falls from that side. But, most of what i want to do is centered on the NY side not Canada. I want to do Maid of the Mist on the US side, it is less crowded. As far as Adirondacks vs the Finger Lakes, I went to Maine last summer and the drove through Vermont, the White Mountains, and even part of the Extreme Southern Adirondacks like Lake George. I have never been to Western or Central NY state, but have driven though the Eastern Part several times. I love Maine, im afraid the Adirondacks would be too much like my trip last year. I like a different kind of trip every year. So, im leaning more towards the Finger Lakes. Plus, the Finger Lakes puts me closer to home while the Adirondacks would put me farther and would involve a lot more driving.

sf7307 -Thanks for giving OP correct spelling of the park. Yes -"Ithaca is Gorges" because of the gorges. I picture all the waterfalls when I think of Ithaca and that is why I wrote it that way i guess. (In a hurry when I posted.)
asdaven- sounds like you would like to stay closer to home. The Finger lakes are very beautiful. Letchworth State park is beautiful from the car. I did a drive through once and saw how beautiful it was. Long time ago. You can't go wrong with your choices.

Thanks- How long should i allow for driving through Letchworth? I have a week. Plan on spending 3 nights (2 days) at Niagara Falls and 4 nights elsewhere. Should i just spend the 4 remaining nights (that would be 3 days) in Ithaca? This would including driving to and seeing watkins glen. And of course Letchworth would be done on the way to Ithaca from Niagara Falls. What are some other day trips in the finger lakes from Ithaca other than Watkins Glen?
Thanks-

Skaneatlas is another nice Finger Lakes town.