Skaneateles is a lakeside village full of good old-fashioned fun. You can swim in the jewel-clear waters of Skaneateles Lake, fish from the pier, and watch band concerts at the gazebo. Take a stroll and browse the shops downtown, along sidewalks lined with flowers and park benches. To get a taste of this Finger Lake, hop aboard a dinner cruise with
Mid Lakes Navigation, or pack a lunch from
Doug's Fish Fry and go on the mailboat that still delivers to camps on the lake. Pick up some pancake mix at nearby
New Hope Mills. You can see how waterpower has been harnessed to make flour since 1823.
If you're still curious about local history, check out the exhibits in the restored
Creamery. At the
Barrow Gallery, 268 paintings show how the area once looked to a resident Hudson River School artist. There's polo every Sunday in summer and a world-class chamber music festival runs throughout August. Winter brings ice fishing, skating and a Dickens Festival with costumed carolers and horse-drawn carriage rides.
With so many things to do, you'll probably want to
stay a while in Skaneateles. Accommodations range from cozy lakeside cottages to the French County-themed
Mirbeau Inn & Spa.