Many think of the hustle and bustle of New York City when they hear “New York”. Growing up in upstate New York, I have a much different perspective.
This past summer I decided to head back “home” and rented a house on one of the many lakes in the area, Conesus Lake. I was looking for some downtime, peace, and serenity. Below I’ve listed our itinerary in the event you are looking to try someplace new and off the beaten path of the popular locations.
Our Itinerary in Conesus Lake
Day 1: Arrive at Niagara Falls Airport
– IAG is a great small airport that Allegiant Airlines flies into at discount prices
– Travel time to Conesus Lake is about 1.5 hours depending where on the lake you are staying
– Visit Fish Hatchery in Caledonia, NY
– Lunch at Dockside Grill
– Check-in to vacation rental
– Visit Wegmans for groceries
Day 2: Berry Picking and Pie Making
– Breakfast and coffee overlooking the lake
– Yoga and meditation
– Lunch at the house
– Visit Olde Silo Farm – 10 minutes away
– Return home and make pie
– Grill dinner at the rental
– Fire with s’mores
Day 3: Horseback Riding & Hiking Letchworth
– Breakfast and coffee lakeside
– Yoga and mediation
– Pack lunch and head for farm
– Arrive at Letchworth Farm Horseback Riding in Nunda, NY
– Ride horses on the property
– Head to Letchworth State Park
– Have a picnic lunch at Inspiration Point
– Hike the Mary Jemison Trail
– Sweet treat at the Glen Iris Inn at Caroline’s
– Enjoy the scenic country dive back to the lake
– Dinner at the lake house
– Play cards by the fire
Day 4: County Fair
– Breakfast and coffee lakefront
– Yoga and mediation
– Reading and coloring
– Attend Genessee County fair in Batavia, NY
– Dinner at the lake house
– Enjoy the sunset over the lake
Day 5: Checkout and Fly Home
DAY 1: NOTES
After arriving at IAG, we had some time before we could check into our lake house rental. We chose to visit the oldest fish hatchery in New York State and the Western Hemisphere located in Caledonia, NY. The hatchery was founded in 1864 by Seth Green, is America’s first fish hatchery. A visionary, Green aimed to create a sustainable network of creeks and rivers for healthy, local food. His innovative fish propagation methods put Western New York on the map and remain a global model for fish farming. Here we were able to see the brown trout in all phases of their growth. The stream and surrounding park areas were very peaceful and seeing the various wildlife was also a treat.
TIPS
- Turo is a great resource for car rentals. Some car owners will have the car waiting for you at the airport. Be sure to double check pick-up location.
- We used Airbnb for our rental but if you book early enough VRBO as well as local property management companies like Vibe offer rentals.
- If you are looking for peace and quiet, I would recommend booking your stay Monday-Friday. The weekends on the lake can get a bit noisy.
- Bring quarters for the machines at the fish hatchery so that you can feed the fish.
- The closest Wegmans can be found in Geneseo. Wegmans is a must to visit when in upstate NY.
DOCKSIDE GRILL
Conesus and surrounding towns are hot dog and hamburger towns. If you are looking to eat healthy or are a vegetarian, this can pose a challenge. I would recommend previewing restaurant websites prior to arriving. I found that preparing meals at home is your best bet.
When we arrived, we wanted to eat on the water and headed to Dockside Grill. Little did we know that the main indoor restaurant was closed on Mondays and we were offered the limited grill menu. I ordered the salad without chicken and my daughter had mozzarella sticks. Not the best meal we have ever had but held us over until we could check-in to the lake house. The view was amazing and it was fun to walk on the dock and view the boats. If you are looking for live music, they offer this on the weekend nights.
ARRIVING AT THE LAKE HOUSE
Checking into our lake house was a breeze and they even allowed us an early check-in. This was super helpful since we could grab our groceries for the week and be able to start our vacation early.
DAY 2: NOTES
Waking up to the fog over the lake was beautiful! It was a special treat to be able to have the windows open and allow the cool, fresh air in. Definitely something I miss living in Naples, Florida. Cool breezes and no humidity.
The tranquil setting was perfect for morning yoga and meditation.
BERRY PICKING AND PIE MAKING
Located just 10 minutes from the lake house is the Olde Silo Farm! Being late July, they offered pesticide free raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, rhubarb, and flowers. We grabbed a few containers and set out to pick. We had planned on making a blackberry pie but gathered some blueberries as well for breakfast and snacking. The fruit was amazing and the farm was peaceful. The perfect setting and activity for slowing down and really taking in the day.
BLACKBERRY PIE MAKING
Besides our freshly picked blackberries, we had to purchase some other simple ingredients from Wegmans, pie crust (I was taking the easy route), sugar, flour, and milk. I have included the recipe we followed that I found on Allrecipes.com.
INGREDIENTS
- 4 cups fresh blackberries
- ¾ cup white sugar or more to taste, divided
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 (9 inch) double crust ready-to-use pie crust
- 2 tablespoons milk
INSTRUCTIONS
- Gather ingredients. Preheat over to 425 degrees.
- Combine 3 1/2 cups of blackberries with 1/2 cup sugar and flour in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into the unbaked pie crust. Spread remaining 1/2 cup berries on top of sweetened berries.
- Cover with the top crust. Seal and crimp the edges, and cut vents in the top crust for steam to escape.
- Brush the top crust with milk and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup sugar.
- Bake pie in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and bake until filling is bubbly and crust is golden brown, an additional 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
- Serve and enjoy!
EVENING LAKE LIVING
After dinner and pie, we enjoyed the evening outdoors beside the fire taking in the stunning sunset.
DAY 3: NOTES
After a great night’s sleep, we headed south to the town of Nunda, where the Letchworth Farm was located. This quaint 86-acre farm offers a variety of horseback riding sessions suitable for all experience levels. They also offer guest houses if you prefer the scenic mountain view rather than the lake.
LETCHWORTH STATE PARK
A great perk to riding at Letchworth Farm is the close proximity to Letchworth State Park! Letchworth is known as the “Grand Canyon of the East” and is definitely a must-do when in the upstate NY area. The Genesee River runs through the park and cascades over three major waterfalls. The gorges that run through the center of the park were formed by glaciers over 1.3 million years ago. The park offers 66 miles of hiking trails as well as accommodations and dining at the Glen Iris Inn. I would advise setting aside a few hours to enjoy this park. It is truly magnificent.
DAY 4: NOTES
The Genesee County Fair located in Batavia, NY was a great way to spend a couple of hours. We went in the middle of the day on a Thursday so the nighttime fun of the rides and music were not in full force, but we did enjoy the fair food and the all of the animals. A special treat was the pig races. I have never witnessed this before and was definitely the most memorable event of the day.
OVERALL EXPERIENCE OF CONESUS LAKE
We took this trip to enjoy some much needed relaxation time, take a break from the heat. and most importantly get back into Mother Nature. Upstate New York may have never been on your radar, but I would highly recommend a visit during the summer or fall seasons. If you are looking to do and see more, there are MANY historic attractations, amusement parks, and fun things for kids to do. The nearest city of Rochester has many dining venues, arts and culture options, festivals, and activities to partake in as well.