Watkins Glen, New York is one of the most spectacular places to travel to in the Finger Lake region. The one thing that Watkin Glen is most prevalently known for is its gorgeous waterfalls, however the region also has a variety of delightful hiking trails, dairies/farms, vineyards, and breweries. There are also a multitude of fun day trip spots for the whole family to enjoy, which makes it a great spot to visit. This is a comprehensive resource to the very best places you should check out on your vacation, and you can utilize this as a planning guide for your itinerary on your travels. Under each section, I have linked detailed blog articles about the area, and/or companies themselves if you are interested in reading more.

Waterfalls-

Watkins Glen State Park

If you area staying in Watkins Glen, I do think the best place to start off your journey is visiting the amazing Watkins Glen State Park. You will encounter 19 waterfalls on this gorgeous hike, including my personal favorite, the famous Cavern Cascade. The location is just south of Seneca Lake (the address is 1009 N Franklin Street Watkins Glen, NY.)

You will find parking at the main entrance (on Franklin Street) or there is an upper entrance that we parked at which is located on route 409 (3310 Watkins Glen NY.) When we visited, the main entrance was full, so we ended up parking the upper lot, and went on the Gorge Trail from there. If you want to park by the gift shop, you may find that the main entrance is best for you, but either works just fine. Also, as a side note, there was a small fee to park in either of the lots.

Hiking In Watkins Glen State Park

Templar Falls

If you are interested in seeing a slightly hidden, but absolutely gorgeous waterfall near Watkins Glen, New York, I highly recommend a visit to the Templar Falls (also known as Twin Falls.) The nice thing is that if you are traveling from Watkins Glen, it is less then a ten minute drive!

Templar Falls New York

Shequaga Falls

Another very impressive waterfall to check out is the Shequaga Falls. You can find it in the town of Montour in Schuyler County, and it is really close to Watkins Glen (about a 3 mile/4.8 km) drive. You will have to street park for this waterfall, but there does seem to be ample space to do so on the surrounding roads.

Shequaga Falls New York

Hector Falls

A really alluring roadside waterfall that you should check out is Hector Falls. Hector Falls is located directly on Route 414 on the east side of the Seneca Lake. If you are in Watkins Glen, it is 3.3 miles (about 5.3 km) north, and as you are driving, you will pretty much hug Seneca Lake. When you cross a bridge, you will see Hector Falls to your right.

Hector Falls New York

Glenora Falls

One of the most fantastic waterfalls in the Finger Lakes is the lovely Glenora Falls. You can find this enchanting spot at 74 South Glenora Road in Dundee, New York, and it is right off the Seneca Lake. (As a side note, this waterfall is on a private property, so do not trespass. I found that I could actually take excellent photos from the road. Just be aware of traffic!) If you are staying in Watkins Glen, it is less then a ten minute drive to get to this location.

Glenora Falls

Cascade Mills Falls

The Cascade Mills Falls are located between Penn Yan and Dresden. You can find parking for the waterfall right by the junction of Route 9 and Outlet Road. After you park, you will see a path, and you can hike it going east for half of mile to arrive at this waterfall. It is a pretty level path, and very walkable.

Cascade Mills Falls

Seneca Mills Falls

One of the most historical and picturesque waterfalls is the Seneca Mills Falls. It is situated between the Seneca Lake and Keuka Lake in the town of Milo, and is one of the most iconic spots to visit on the Keuka Outlet Trail.

Seneca Mills Falls Keuka Outlet Trail New York

Eagle Cliff Falls

One of the most ethereal and elegant waterfalls that you will find near Watkins Glen is the Eagle Cliff Falls. The address for this waterfall is 135 Havana Glen Road, Montour Falls, NY 14865, and it is located within the Havana Glen Park. You can find it south of Watkins Glen State Park, and if you are traveling here from there, it is about a 10 minute drive.

Eagle Cliff Falls

Day Trip Activities-

Catherine Creek Marsh

If you enjoy beautiful serene nature areas, you will want to check out the Catherine Creek Marsh. The address for this location is 401 Rock Cabin Road, Watkins Glen, New York. It is on the southern end of the Seneca Lake in Schuyler County. This area is a well known location for hiking, hunting, trapping, fishing, and bird watching as well.

Catherine Creek Marsh

Seneca Lake

One of the most impressive (and largest) lakes that you will want to visit is the Seneca Lake. It is actually the deepest of all the Finger Lakes, and can reach depths over 600 feet (183 meters) and runs almost 38 miles (61 kilometers) in length. The region itself is also known for its expansive vineyards and grape growing areas, due to the fact that this large lake moderates the climate surrounding it.

Seneca Lake

Keuka Lake

A peaceful and relaxing lake that you will want to check out is the Keuka Lake. This area is very well known as an excellent fishing spot, and it even hosts a great variety of them such as yellow perch, trout, landlocked salmon, and even bass. Swimming is also a very popular activity due to the very clean and pristine water in this lake. It is also a spectacular area to enjoy hiking and taking in magnificent nature views.

Keuka Lake

Birkett Mills Pancake Griddle

If you are interested in checking out the world’s largest pancake griddle, you will have to make a visit to the Birkett Mills in Penn Yan, New York! You can find this location on the north region of the Keuka Lake, west of the Seneca Lake. The address is 1 E Main Street, Penn Yan, NY 14527, and you can find street parking along the Main Street.

Birkett Mills Pancake Griddle

Shtayburne Farm

If you are looking to try some truly delicious, high quality cheeses and ice cream while you are visiting Watkins Glen, you will want to stop by the Shtayburne Farm. They are right off of Seneca Lake at 2909 Chase Road, Rock Stream, NY 14878.

Shtayburne Farm Creamery Rock Stream New York

Restaurants-

Seneca Sunrise Coffee

If you are looking for an amazing coffee spot to get your day going, you will want to visit the Seneca Sunrise Coffee shop. They are located at 806 N Decatur Street, Watkins Glen, NY 14891. When we were in the area, I kept ordering an iced coffee from them each day so I had lots of energy for hiking, and it was so delicious! They also have a really nice selection of products that are local and specific to the area which is really cool.

https://www.senecasunrisecoffee.com/

Tobey’s Donut Shop

If you are looking for more of a sit-down breakfast in diner setting, you will want to visit Tobey’s Donut Shop. We really enjoyed their breakfast sandwiches, and really yummy donuts! You can find them at 137 E 4th St, Watkins Glen, NY 14891.

Scale House Brewery

If you are looking for an elevated pizza experience, you will definitely want to visit the Scale House Brewery. They are located at 5930 State Route 414 in Hector, New York, just north of Watkins Glen.

The Best Pizza Near Watkins Glen New York

Nickel’s Pit BBQ

A perfect place to relax and enjoy some of the most delicious locally sourced meats is at Nickel’s Pit BBQ. They are located at 207 N Franklin Street, Watkins Glen, NY 14891. (There is also another location at 20 E Market Street, Corning, NY 14830.)

The Best Barbecue In Watkins Glen New York

Notable Mentions-

Corning Museum Of Glass

This museum is one of the best I have ever visited. Not only do they have amazing glass displays from extremely talented artists, they also have live demonstrations where they make gorgeous glassworks right in front of you. The teachers in the classes are really good, and not only do they go step by step in the glass making processes, they will answer any of your questions about it too! This could be a great outing for a family day trip activity. We also enjoyed their glass displays through history, and some of the pieces were thousands of years old!

https://home.cmog.org/

Watkins Glen International

Road racing has been a very popular pastime in this area starting in the 1940s, and today the region hosts the very famous Watkins Glen International, which is a prestigious NASCAR event. Some of the famous American road racers who participated in this event that you may have heard of are the cartoonist that created the Addams Family, Charles Addams, along with Miles and Sam Collier, who were major figures in early road racing. Today, on the current course, you can find exceptional drivers such as NASCAR champion Chase Elliot, who captured his own Watkins Glen International title in 2018.

https://www.theglen.com/

Ithaca New York

Another really great city to explore in the Finger Lakes is in Ithaca. Similar to Watkins Glen, there are so many interesting waterfalls to check out, historical spots, and wonderful day trip excursions. If you are driving from Watkins Glen, it is about a 40 minute drive. Make sure that you check out this detailed article about Ithaca for more information!

The Best Things To Do In Ithaca New York

I hope that you have an amazing trip to Watkins Glen, New York. It is home to some of the most beautiful nature areas in the Northeast, and there are so many interesting places to explore. Let me know in the comments if you have traveled here as well, and what you thought of it. I hope that you are having a wonderful day, and remember to click the like and subscribe button!

If you are planning a trip to the New York area, and are interested in hiking or viewing spectacular waterfalls, a book that I would highly recommend and also own myself is “Hiking Waterfalls New York.” This literature reviews a variety of hikes, from the famous Niagara Falls, to even more less known hikes, but spots that you will not want to miss! At the beginning of the book, I really like that the author categorized the trails from her favorites, best waterfalls for fall foliage, best gorge hikes, roadside waterfalls, best historical falls, and even waterfalls that may draw in more crowds versus less crowded waterfalls. There is also a very nice map that lays out where the locations of them are, and that can be an amazing tool when you are planning your trip. This is great so that you know how far of a distance you can expect to travel from where you are lodging, and you can really make the most out of your time and itinerary. With each hike and waterfall listed there is a full color photo, trail distance, difficulty, and even information about the actual surface that the trail is made out of in addition to so much more!

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