There is BIG adventure in Finger Lakes Wine Country!
Growing up I always saw those classic family road trips either in TV shows or movies and told myself, “One day, I’m taking the boys on a REAL road trip.” Well, this summer we had the pleasure of doing just that and it was just as amazing as you’d imagine.
Where did we go you ask? None other than the Finger Lakes Wine Country! But this was no ordinary Finger Lakes trip, it was more like the family vacation of family vacations! Working directly with the Finger Lakes Wine Country DMO (Destination Marketing Organization), we were sent an itinerary that would make any adult feel like a kid again. For this trip, we visited not one, not two…but FIVE different counties, each packed with its own set of amazing adventures!
While we love driving our Prius, “Lil Sippa” almost everywhere, we planned ahead and rented a Ford Escape… a hybrid of course because GREAT mileage and the extra space were definitely appreciated by everyone for this long time on the road together.
Considering we were going to be driving over a collective 1,000 miles we had to plan PLAN for this one. Being that Heidi Joy is the chaos coordinator, she really did her thing with the road snacks, activities, & accessible comforts/essentials for the fam. So much so that the boys had plenty to keep them entertained outside of their screens and lots of snack options as we spent the next 6 days cruising nothing but breathtaking backroads the entire way. It was exactly what you'd call a true road trip!
LET’S HIT THE ROAD!
Thursday, June 9th- it's time to go! After Heidi Joy spent the morning Tetris-packing the truck, we set out for the adventure of a lifetime. Making our way out of Virginia (VA), we made a few pitstops in Maryland (MD) to stretch our legs, snack refuel, and soak in the sites- like a rest stop to check out the Susquehanna River- a river that actually is connected to the largest estuary: the Chesapeake Bay (which is actually back where we’re from in Virginia)!
Around 11pm, we finally made it to our first destination, Tioga, New York (NY)!
By the time we had arrived, both the boys were passed out and everything in town was closed but thanks to our hospitable hosts at the Owego Parkview Inn, we were left a check-in packet that made getting into our room for the night and getting to bed a breeze.
Owego Parkview Inn (145 Front S. Owego, NY 13827). A cozy spot that first opened in 1867, right off the Susquehana River, had honored its historic foundation yet brought new life with modern comforts like a crisp AC’d room, with a refrigerator, TV, and full bathroom. For the four of us, we had a King bed plus the option for a cot AND air mattress. We stored our luggage in the closet, put away some snacks in the fridge, the boys were able to share the cot, and we still had plenty of room to walk around. The room was comfortable with historic touches and beautiful original brick plus a beautiful view of the Susquehanna River.
That next morning, Leo popped up and looked out the window with a “Wow, we are in NY?!”
Seeing the pure excitement on his face just solidified that this was going to be a great trip.
As we got dressed to head out & explore, we made our way out the room. To the boys delight, there is a working vintage, corded phoneline in the hallway. After spending a few mins calling multiple family members, we headed downstairs and had the pleasure of meeting a very hospitable & accommodating Beth, the owner of Owego Parkview Inn right outside the Parkview Restaurant (a pub with comfort food that serves as a convenient option for travelers connected to the Inn).
Leaving the Inn, we headed straight for the River’s Edge Park right across the street. After enjoying some time balancing on the rock wall and swinging on some bench swings, we wandered around, and were pleasantly surprised to find so many Woman-owned business in Tioga!
Our first food stop of the day was Carol’s Coffee and Art Bar for some breakfast- where we had the pleasure of not only eating some delicious house-baked pastries (like Leo’s giant chocolate chip “cookie” (it was a scone, but you know how 4-year olds can be)- but even MORE excitingly, we got to me Carol, the Owner, woman of many hats, who even painted most of the beautiful large canvases hung around her shop.
Once we got our fill of morning smoothies, caffeine, and breakfast for all, we piled in the truck and headed 10 minutes out to a worthwhile stop: Waterman Conservation & Education Center. There we met with Chris Audette, the Director, who was extremely personable, knowledgeable, engaging, and patient with our boys. There is a lot to see packed into their main center- from a large collection of taxidermy, a model beaver lodge that you can actually climb into and slide down, a live 22-year-old African Spurred Tortoise named Ted, a gift shop, and a developing outdoor area! A great place for cultivating an awareness of environmental conservation, this place is preserving land and woods, and helping to give more access to all people to enjoy such places.
After taking an indoor and outdoor tour we learned a great amount about the natural area, Chris took us to see the recently built pond, where the boys and I attempted to catch all types of frogs and toads… key word: attempted.
It didn’t take long for the hunger to set in again so we went back to walk downtown and find lunch. After some exploring, we all agreed on a place named Las Chicas Taqueria. We were really pleasantly surprised by this spot, they even make their own corn tortillas. Heidi Joy and I ordered a diverse collection of tacos like Chile-Lime, Thai Shrimp, and Hawaiian Braised Pork just to name a few, while the boys dined on cheese quesadillas and mini churros for dessert. We all thoroughly enjoyed our meals on the outdoor patio which we definitely recommend to get yourself a first-class view of the Susquehanna as you dine. After finishing, we descended a small outdoor spiral staircase to the same river’s edge walk earlier, and found another park bench swing to enjoy post-lunch!
We decided to explore the very walkable Tioga “downtown” area. Stopping in places like Black Cat Gallery (packed with goods from dozens of local and regional artists), the massive Riverow Books (a 3-story book store stocked with books new and old!), as well as the eclectic classic toy store The Laughing Place (with wall to wall toys- from nostalgic pieces to plushies to Playmobile sets). Before heading out of the area, we decided to take a self-guided driving tour to view the beautiful historic homes and appreciate their architecture, within the shade of the large trees that have lined these neighborhood streets for years.
Leaving Tioga County, the boys do love a good petting zoo and we knew they’d be stoked about this surprise stop so we headed out to Farmland Animal Park. And boy WERE they surprised! So much so that they STILL talk about it to this day. We were greeted by SO MANY KITTENS. We could hardly get to the other parts of the park because the boys were so enchanted by all of them. This place is cash only- $8/person, $10/ gallon bag of feed- which we highly recommend you get a bag for each person for your own animal park experience. We happen to meet the owner, who kindly took us on a wagon ride (the boys with a kitten in hand), where we witnessed cows, horses, turkeys, goats, and more! Aside from all the farm animals on this 18-acre farm, there’s a lake with paddle boats (and a wooden arc you can climb onto!), a sandbox filled with Tonka trucks, an incredible roofed area with nostalgic coin-operated rides, and even bathrooms to wash your hands after feeding and petting many of the farm’s beloved animals. I have admittedly never really fed horses or goats before and on our Instagram, there’s a hilarious montage Jarrell got of me trying to…if you ask him, it’s pure comedy.
Second Adventure: Chemung County
Elmira & Mark Twain Country
After wrapping up in Tioga, we headed to Chemung County and checked into Candlewood Suites (198 Colonial Drive, Horseheads, NY 14845).
Unlike other hotels we’ve stayed in, Candlewood offers a bit more comforts of home. Such as the small stovetop, sink, full refrigerator, dining counter/table situation, recliner chair, and TV. There we were able to comfortably prepare breakfasts and dinner a few times. It was nice to have most of what we needed (pan, pot, spoon, knives, s+p, etc), and in addition to these comforts of home, this Candlewood Suites offered FREE access to do laundry, as well as a “Borrowing Locker” of things from board games to Air Fryers to peruse and make it easier on your stay. I’ve never seen one before but it was cool! This pet-friendly facility, was closer to a suburban culture of stores, like a Tops to grab the boys’ “blue box” mac & cheese, but still a quick drive to the rolling mountainous views of Chemung.
If you are someone that likes to buy and cook some of your own meals while on trips, this is a nice spot. The boys were comfortable as we had two queen beds, they were able to watch some cartoons on TV, and there was a communal outdoor seating area with a patio table & chairs where Leo and Jarrell actually enjoyed breakfast the following morning.
If you find yourself in Chemung, you MUST make time for a ride you’ll never forget: gliding through Harris Hill Soaring Corporation. There we learned about gliders and that don't need an engine to get a beautiful bird's eye view of the Finger Lakes. After meeting our pilot, Brian, we took turns hopping aboard a “ASK-21” glider, catching a tow to about 4,000 feet above sea level, and after Brian released the line- we set out on a glide of lifetime. After I wiped the tears of joy from my eyes, I Facetimed both my parents, while in the air, to show them a sight one needed to see to believe.
Just a heads up, this soaring experience is offered to anyone 8+ older, one person at a time with a pilot so if parents wanted to go, you can take turns hanging out while the other glides for 15+ minutes, depending on weather & factors. There is an indoor area with tables and chairs to wait, outdoor picnic tables, and seating for a recommended view and possible picnic while watching glider planes. There are even a few playground swings which the boys enjoyed.
Their parking lot is shared with the National Soaring Museum so after your soar, walk on down and check out the collection of other aircrafts, the other historical gliders, and their impact on today’s aviation engineering advancements. Those who go Soaring get free admission to the Museum, additional tickets are bought from the gift shop upon entering.
Who knew soaring would work up such an appetite? In search of food, we drove through Elmira to find what to eat! The boy’s picked out Pudge’s Pizza, an orange and black-themed pizza joint that gives out free branded air fresheners (not pizza scented to the boys’ disappointment). Pizza and iced fountain drinks hit the spot for the boys while Jarrell and I scouted for our lunch and landed on: Happy Family Chinese Restaurant! A family-owned restaurant, then they were drive-through only but we were indeed a happy family after enjoying some freshly cooked honey chicken and pork fried rice.. it was so good that even though Lennon had already eaten pizza- he took one bite and kept askin’ for more.
With bellies full, we hit the road on to our next adventure, to get tangled in nature at Tanglewood Nature Center! Inside is an amazing collection of live creatures like an axolotl plus a curation of taxidermy animals. Outdoors is a beautifully maintained ten miles of trails that encompass various habitats found all across New York State. Their website describes it best: “From Meadows of old farmlands, rounded hills formed by ancient glaciers, complex wetlands including ponds and vernal pools, expansive deciduous forests to the steep slopes and expansive views of Frenchman’s Bluff. Tanglewood provides homes for more than 40 native and exotic animals and offers a variety of educational programs for both adults and kids.”
While there, we hiked the children's sensory trail but not before choosing a perfect hiking stick from their hiking stick collection. On the trail were wind chimes, little gnome statue friends, and a children's story about different critters that go through the metamorphosis process like the tadpole into a frog and the caterpillar into a butterfly.
Last on our adventure list for the day was: Eldridge Park, a once legendary amusement park in the Victorian era that through the love and efforts of the community, is still running with one of 20 remaining carousels in the US with a working brass ring feeder! However, en route, we got distracted by a giant gorilla on top of a tiny building and HAD to make a pit stop: King Kone’s! A cash-only spot (don’t worry, there was a convenience store nearby with an ATM), we treated ourselves to soft serve cones with rainbow sprinkles (Jarrell got to try one of their frozen bananas dipped in peanut butter, too). One of my favorite memories forever is of us just sitting in the grass nearby watching chocolate drip down the boys’ faces while dipping their melted cones into the additional cup of rainbow sprinkles. I naively attempted to shield Leo’s shirt with paper towels, but the chocolate ice cream was destined to be its’ friend. High spirits and sugared up we were ready for THE amusement parks of all amusement parks!
Upon arriving at Eldridge Park we were welcomed by the super friendly Beth & Tash, who happened to be the Executive and Operations Directors of the park. After gifting us a ribbon of tickets we set out for what ended up being one of the TOP 3 highlights of the trip! From rides like the “Whirling Turtles” that Leo absolutely loved, to Lennon, Heidi Joy, and I’s favorite, the thrilling ThunderBird… so thrilling we had to ride it twice! But you can't go to Eldridge Park without riding the 1890s Loof Carousel, once the fastest carousel in the country, AND IT SURE IS FAST! While riding Lennon reached as far as he could to secure one of the coveted brass rings but to no avail, unfortunately. Next time, buddy!
Heidi Joy and Leo snagged the last pretzel (plus cheese sauce, of course) and met Lennon and I to share. Beth found us snacking and enjoying the live music and surprised us with an amazing goodie bag filled with Eldridge Park souvenirs and gifts! Some of the goodies were a hat with Lennon’s favorite ride on it, books with history of the park, postcards, and a wooden train whistle which was perfect timing for our last special experience: an adorable tiny train ride around the mini golf park!
This train was so cute, it looked like a model train but one we were all able to ride on! If you have seen the movie “Little Nemo” think of the scene where King Morpheus and Nemo ride the train! Leo lovessss trains, so when this thing came around the bend and he heard we could actually ride it, he lit up!
Eldridge Park is a reminder that you don't need all the new “bells and whistles” of modern-day roller coasters to make a fun lasting impression.
After a fun-filled day, we decided to do a quick pick-up of dinner from a recommended Rye Bar and Restaurant. Upon walking in for a menu, I was met with elevated decor and sophisticated cocktails. Had it been just Jarrell and I, I could envision a delightful evening to spend here, but we were also eager to get our sweet, sweaty boys to our home base to cook them up some of their comfort food and cut up some fresh fruit while Jarrell gave them baths for a great night sleep we all deserved.
The next morning, we checked out of Candlewood Suites and headed to the Corning Museum of Glass, the largest glass museum in the world! I know, I know, take two kids to a glass museum… are we crazy? Maybe! A heads up, plan to get there early, this place is huge and full of such amazing artwork! From exhibits on how glass is made, to how it is tempered, as well as Privacy Glass, a laminated material within the liquid crystal privacy film that responds to an electrical current…to interactive sections for the kids to try- lots of really neat stuff!
After making the rounds, the boys and Heidi Joy found the marvelous marble machine by the artist: George Rhoads called “S’Marblous”- located at the back of the gift shop near their cafe. Heidi Joy exchanged money for a token for each of us at the cashier, so we took turns using our token in the “S’Marblous” and watched a glass marble journey through this whimsical contraption, eventually rewarding you the gift of the marble with “The Corning Museum” engraved on it.
After the glass museum: we hit yet another museum… the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum to be exact. The Glenn Curtis Museum is a transportation museum in Hammondsport, NY with a focus on the early aviator Glenn H. Curtiss. The museum features a sizable facility with a collection of aircraft, vintage motorcycles, artifacts from Mr. Curtiss’ life, and aircraft engines. If you are unfamiliar with Glenn Curtiss like we were, we highly recommend stopping in the museum's theater for a thorough video history lesson on him and his contribution to aviation.
Leaving the Curtis Museum, we got a text from one of our contacts, Kevin, “We look forward to meeting you at Keuka Lake for the mail boat lake tour!” We’ve been exploring the land, got an incredible view from the air, and now getting on a private boat tour on the lake- Finger Lakes has it all!
By this time, we were on day 4 of our trip. Most people would have gone home by now, but we had so much more in store, or better yet, the Finger Lakes still had so much in store for us to explore!
Do the boys end up going back to Farmland Animal Park and take a kitten home? Did Leo, Lennon, and Heidi Joy eat even MORE ice cream?! Is this boat tour some sort of metaphor or is it a REAL boat tour?
Like they used to say on Dragonball Z… tune in to the next blog to find out!
[In other words, this trip had so much fun jam-packed into one that we gotta break this blog in two!]