Our Upstate NY Road Trip to Chautauqua, Watkins Glen and 1000 Islands!
While most people flocked to the south for spring break our family decided to do the opposite and do a little upstate NY road trip. We started our trip off at Chautauqua lake. We had planned some kayaking and hiking activities while we were there but it turns out that an unexpected storm that brought freezing temperatures and a ton of snow changed those plans pretty quickly. We stayed at the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel and luckily they had a great indoor pool that my girls had a blast swimming in. The hotel and our room was beautiful and we had the most stunning view of the water! They have the most beautiful lake front with a little putting green, fire pits and a charming carousel bar.
I had planned to do some hikes at the Audubon Community Nature Center as I had heard rave reviews but with the snow we decided to hang out inside their three story building with interactive nature exhibits on each floor. It was the perfect snowy/rainy day activity for kids and we even got to visit Liberty their bald eagle.
If your looking for some fun activities to do in Chautauqua here’s some of what it has to offer:
1.The Lucy Desi Museum is here and very worth checking out if you love Lucille Ball!
2. The National Comedy Center is a great place to visit if you like a laugh!
3. Peek’n Peak Resort has great activities like skiing and tubing in the winter!
4.Play virtual sport and games at Mulligans on Fairmount
5. Spend the day on the lake with local kayak and canoe rentals!
6. Head to The Chautauqua Institution where you can walk the grounds and see eras of American architecture dating back to the 1800’s along the lake!
*Tip… A lot of the attractions seem to be closed on Tuesdays-Wednesday so schedule your trip for a Thursday-Sunday if possible!
The next point on the map for us was Watkins Glen (about a 2 ½ hour drive from Chautauqua). I have been camping at Watkins Glen in the past and let me tell you, staying at the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel was a huge step up! The rooms were spacious and beautiful and again had that gorgeous view of the water. Every meal we had here was incredible! The back patio has the cutest little fire pits overlooking the water and the indoor pool was newly renovated. I honestly can’t believe how affordable the rooms are for what you get (ours was $189 per night the night we stayed, although I know this changes based on dates of travel).
Watkins glen was our favorite of the stops on our trip and if you have to plan for just one location for a quick weekend away, this would be my recommendation. Here are a few great ways to spend your time in this charming town:
1. Make sure you spend time at the Watkins Glen State Park. The gorge trails is one of the most memorable hikes you can do. Make sure you plan your trip for after April as this trail is not open until May. I have hiked it in the past and was disappointed I couldn’t take the girls this trip but we had such a fun time hiking the rim trails (open all year) and looking down into the gorge!
2. Grab a map of the waterfalls in the area. Some you need to hike a bit to get to and others you can pull off on the side of the road and get out to visit and take pictures. They are really stunning and my girls can’t stop talking about how they saw REAL waterfalls!
3. DO NOT pass up going to the Corning Museum of Glass! It’s mind blowing and more than worth the 25 minute drive to get there. Kids get in free and adults are $20. You can watch artisans make blown glass and they have workshops where you can make your own blown glass ornament or do a glass fusing. My girls made their own glass night lights and it was the highlight of their trip!
4. Check out the wine trails! There are a TON of amazing wineries in the area and you can even do a wine tour where someone will drive your car from tasting to tasting so you can enjoy your wine safely! We skipped this for this trip but my husband and I plan to come back kid free and do a wine tour!
After Watkins Glen we made it the final leg of our road trip to the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel. It’s right on the Canadian boarder and the views were stunning. Again the hotel was nothing short of beautiful. We had a great time swimming in the indoor pool, eating delicious meals and walking around the grounds taking in the incredible scenery. If your looking for some fun ways to spend your time in the 1000 Islands you wont find a shortage of things to do.
Here are a few of my recommendations for the 1000 Islands:
1. Make sure you make time for Uncle Sam Boat Tours! We went on a guided tour of a number of the homes on the islands and during in-season (starting in may) the boat even stops at Boldt Castle and you can explore the castle for yourself.
2. Check out the museums! 1000 Islands is knows for more than one amazing museum! The Antique Boat museum has quite the collection, The Thousand Islands Art Center has beautiful displays of handweaving along with offering workshops for all ages and the Thousand Island Museum is even on the National Registry of Historic Places!
3. Water actives are a great way to pass the time in the summer with everything from guided fishing charters to boating and swimming!
4. Bring your clubs and rackets to Alexandria Bay and head the municipal golf course and tennis courts!
5. Spend a day state park hopping in the 8 state parks the 1000 Islands have to offer!
Feel free to steal our itinerary if you’d like to plan your own family friendly NY road trip! We had the best time and I can’t recommend the Harbor Hotel chain more highly. The staff are amazing, everything was clean and pristine, the food is delicious and every view from our hotel room was beyond incredible. If you can’t take a week, each of these locations make for a great weekend away! Hope this was helpful in planning your next trip! I know it will be as great as ours was!
Xo,
Kelly
