Travel Guide Skaneateles – New York Finger Lakes

Photo Credit: Matt Champlain

Skaneateles (est. 1830) is the name of the town and also the name of the lake it sits upon (one of 11 Finger Lakes in the area).

Where are the Finger Lakes?

Regions of New York. Map created by Vmanjr, CC BY-SA 3.0

Don’t miss the nearby town of Aurura, NY on your visit to the Finger Lakes!

Read my Aurora NY Travel Guide Here

Favorite Things to Do in Skaneateles

Cruise the Lake – Hop on The Judge Ben Wiles for a scenic sightseeing cruise of the lake and see the amazing homes that dot it! Located on the lake next to the gazebo, it’s easy to use the QR code at the dock to make reservations.

A few of the more notable places we saw from the water.

St. James Church from the water.

Take a Walk – Skaneateles is made for walking. Whether it’s by the lakefront, strolling along the tree lined sidewalks while window shopping or exploring the side streets to get a peek at all the beautiful old homes.

Downtown has tons of great shops and restaurants housed in historic buildings.

Favorite Shops in Skaneateles

DROOZ – I finally met my Instagram friend in real life! Shelley is the owner of DROOZ and Company which she calls a modern day general store. It’s brimming with fun, colorful, you-never-knew-you-needed things.

Shelly and me outside DROOZ, the former Rexall pharmacy.

Emma and James – Affordable clothes and accessories that are on trend. I bought two tops here.

Skaneateles 300 – Cute women’s clothing and accessories store that’s on the pricy side but they carry some great brands.

Roland’s – The place for all your Skaneateles merch.

First National Gifts – This former bank built in 1928 is now a gift store. Head to the bank’s vault that has been transformed into an exhibit maintained by the Historical Society of Skaneateles. Here you’ll find historical photographs and bank memorabilia.

I found this colorful map in the vault with whimsical drawings of the historic old homes in Skaneateles!

Keep walking and you’ll pass some of the homes on the map including …

Weitsman Mansion on Skaneateles Lake (can you believe it was built in 2010 by a local billionaire)!

Charlie Major Nature Walk – this paved, flat trail is just about a mile each way. This pretty walk takes you through the woods and across three wooden bridges that cross the creek where you’ll see remains of the old railroad, dams and millwork buildings.

Anyela’s Vineyards – Hop in your car for a 7 minute drive to this scenic winery where you can do a tasting along with pizza and charcuterie. They hold concerts and special events and it’s a fun place to gather with views of the lake.

Anyela’s is nestled among the grape vines.

Nothing makes him happier than a flight of wine!

Last Shot Distillery – We were lucky to meet the owner and master distiller Chris Uyehara when we visited on a hopping Sunday. We got a tour of the distillery and did a tasting of every single spirit (tequila, vodka, gin, whiskey, moonshine and some yummy sweet liquors including my favorite, orange cream lighting that tastes exactly like an orange creamsicle)! We bought a bunch to bring home!

Skaneateles Brewery – If beer is more your speed, this brewery is located right next door to Last Shot. When we visited, all of the outdoor tables were overflowing with people, there were a bunch of food trucks and a great band entertaining the crowd.

Favorite Places to Eat in Skaneateles

The Krebs – Founded in 1899, the Krebs has always been the place to go (they’ve hosted two US Presidents). Here you’ll find the best cocktails in town with a cool NYC vibe. The food and service is fabulous and the owners donate all net profits to local women and children charities.

Gilda’s – Cute, casual spot across from the lake that makes excellent artisan pizzas and small plates (get the meatballs!) with local wine. (We liked it so much we had lunch and dinner there).

Crazy Daisies Garden Cafe – A scenic 15 drive will take you to this adorable cafe located in a garden center. It’s the perfect spot to grab lunch and an Instagram worthy wine flight (I had this Sangria flight garnished with flowers). They have lots of picnic tables and there was a band when we were there.

Insta worthy wine flight at Crazy Daisies Cafe.

Elderberry Pond – Located in Auburn, NY (10 min drive from Skaneateles), this certified organic farm to table restaurant is in a beautiful setting overlooking orchards and vineyards.

Sherwood Inn – You can’t miss the big blue buildings (Est 1807) right across from the lake. We loved eating at a table in the cozy bar area next to the original stone fireplace.

Skaneateles Bakery and Patisserie – Get your baked good fix at one of these bakeries. I got a Cuban Sandwich and enjoyed it while sitting on a bench overlooking the lake.

Doug’s Ice Cream – As we were enjoying our ice cream cones by the lake one night, a European couple strolled by and asked, “Where did you get that attractive ice cream?” I pointed to Doug’s!

Doug’s Fish Fry – Attached to the ice cream shop (with a big red awning that reads “Good Food”), everyone raves about this casual place to grab some fish and chips. I’m not a big fan of fish but I had to include this local favorite!

2W Lake Bed and Breakfast – If you stay here, you will be treated to the most amazing breakfasts made by the owner Clark. My favorite was the Dutch baby with blueberries!

Enjoying our Dutch baby pancakes on the porch at 2W Lake B&B.

We enjoyed our stay at this fabulous little B&B right across from the lake and walkable to everything in town. Our host Clark and his adorable dog Harvey made our stay extra special.

Skaneateles has lots going on including the annual boat show (the docks are teeming with vintage wooden boats) and the Skaneateles music festival and they deck the town out for Christmas so check the Skaneateles activities calendar to see if there is an event you want to plan your visit around.