Travel Guide Aurora – New York Finger Lakes
No visit to the New York Finger Lakes would be complete without a visit to the charming little town of Aurora, New York (voted the #1 resort in NY state)! Founded in 1789 on the shore of Cayuga Lake, Aurora holds a National Historic District designation. In this Travel Guide Aurora New York Finger Lakes, you will find a picture perfect lake front setting, you’ll be treated to great food, a day of touring wineries by boat, an award winning spa that you do not want to miss and more!
Weekend Alert – Anthro is having a big 40% off sale sale so I stocked up on these candles (they make great gifts).
Tip: Combine your trip to Aurora with a stay in Skaneateles, my favorite town in the Finger Lakes.
American Girl Creator
We have Pleasant Rowland, the creator of The American Girl dolls, to thank for revitalizing Aurora into a first class resort town. She went to college in Aurora and wanted to bring the area back to it’s former glory while maintaining its history.
Set on 350 acres, the The Inns of Aurora consists of five historic buildings that have been painstakingly renovated into the most charming Inns each with its own distinct character.
Did I mention it also has a world class spa that you can’t miss!
If you are visiting the New York Finger Lake region, I highly suggest you spend a night or two in Aurora, NY (only 1/2 hour drive from Skaneateles).
The Best of Aurora, NY
There are five Inns each with it’s own unique style. We stayed at the Zabriskie House and loved it.
Favorite Things to Do in Aurora NY
Drink Wine! – The Finger Lakes region has over 100 vineyards nearby and the Inns provide shuttle service, so you don’t have to worry about over indulging!
The Finger Lakes area has more than 100 wineries that specialize in floral Rieslings and Gewürztraminer but you can find lots of other varieties here.
Winery Tours by Boat! – This was the highlight of our trip to the Finger Lakes! The boat tour takes you to three wineries on the shores of Cayuga Lake.
This is the ONLY Finger Lake with direct access to wineries so if you want to do a boat tour, this is the place to do it.
Our pontoon boat picked us up behind the main Aurora Inn and for the next four hours, we were whisked across Cayuga lake (this lake is huge and feels more like an ocean)!
I liked that the three wineries we visited were all so different. From small family owned to medium to a large commercial winery complete with restaurant and gift shop, each had its own charm.
Winery 1 – Lakeshore Winery
This a rustic, family run winery and the tasting was only $5! They have lawn games and Adirondack chairs for relaxing and taking in the views. I love that they have a sense of humor when naming their wines (there is a Sweet Old Lady to go along with this Dirty Old Man)!
They gave us samples of the most delicious brownies made by the owner. Of course I had to buy some, they were that good!
Tip: Make sure to pop into the old barn (they do tastings here depending on the weather) at Lakeshore Winery to see the original wood beams and stone fireplace.
Winery 2 – Goose Watch Winery
Arriving by boat at Goose Watch Winery and seeing the grape vines along the waterfront was such a spectacular way to be welcomed to this winery! We were picked up at the dock by a little orange ATV that drove us up to the winery for our tasting.
Winery 3 – Thirsty Owl
At Thirsty Owl, our ATV took us on a fun ride through the grape vines! This was the biggest and more commercial of the wineries and also the only one with a restaurant (I got a Cuban sandwich and ate it outside overlooking the vines).
What a view!
The boat dropped us back off at the Inns of Aurora dock where we had time to change and relax before dinner.
More Wineries – Use the Inns of Aurora free shuttle to head to wineries that can’t be accessed via the lake. Or hop in your car and visit them on your own.
Explore – Aurora is such a compact town and all of the historic inns and restaurants are within walking distance. We enjoyed walking the grounds, porches, and docks of all the Inns and relaxing in rocking chairs to enjoy the view.
More things to do at the Inns include … fishing expeditions, wilderness skills seminars, architecture tours, archery lessons, biking (bikes are provided), yoga, kayaking, paddle boarding, and trail hiking.
MacKenzie-Childs Farmhouse Tour – Choose between a tour of the Farmhouse or take a production tour to see how they make their signature black and white checked pottery.
My friend Amie in the famous Courtly Check room! Read her behind the scenes visit to the MacKenzie Childs Factory here.
If you really want the full experience, book a stay in the MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check room at the Rowland House at the Inns of Aurora. This room was hand-painted and took an artist 17 days to complete!
Favorite Places to Eat in Aurora
If you are a guest at the Inn, head over to the main Inn of Aurora for a happy hour wine tasting.
1833 Kitchen and Bar – Located inside the Inn of Aurora, the food is top notch (my husband enjoyed the 3 course tasting menu and I chose an entree). They make great cocktails too and the views of the lake are a bonus!
Fargo Bar and Grill – If you want something a little more casual this is a great spot to grab a burger and a beer. We sat outside on the back patio and enjoyed being surrounded by hydrangeas.
Aurora Cooks – Take a interactive cooking class in this beautiful space. Check out their calendar to see what’s on the menu.
The Inn provides S’more kits to guests and you can pick your favorite fire pit at any of the Inns to enjoy them.
The lake front fire pit at the Rowland House at Inns of Aurora.
Inns of Aurora Spa
You can book treatments at this award-winning spa, or do what we did and pay for the special Inn and Spa package which granted us spa access twice (once in the evening and once first thing in the morning) where we enjoyed the saunas, hot and cold plunge pools, snacks and stunning views!
The Inns of Aurora Spa is a must do!
Me enjoying the view from one of the pools at the Inns of Aurora Spa.
I think one or two nights is the perfect amount of time to spend in Aurora. Then head to Skaneateles, my favorite Finger Lakes town!
Time to head back home but the Finger Lakes have stolen my heart and I’ll definitely return.
Wow looks like a beautiful place! Glad you were able to get away!
It’s unbelievably around the Finger Lakes Lisa! Happy September!