Avoid the harsh winters and visit Finger Lakes during summer and autumn, when the grapes are freshly harvested and the lakes are at their warmest.
Getting there
Planes
Fly into JFK, where you can rent a car and drive for a little under five hours to the Finger Lakes region. If you’re not a fan of the idealistic American road-trip, fly straight into Syracuse or Rochester for a shorter post-flight drive.
Trains
If you’re heading up to Finger Lakes for a weekend away from the city – or just looking for a more scenic route from JFK – catch the Amtrak Empire Train or the Maple Leaf Train from Penn Station to reach Rochester or Syracuse in a little over six hours.
Automobiles
Rent a car and drive through New York State and along the border of Pennsylvania to reach the Finger Lakes region in just under five hours (depending on the time of day).