Itinerary for Sustainable Travel

Start your getaway by experiencing all that this small town in the heart of the Finger Lakes region has to offer, and the variety of eco-friendly businesses.

• Unique Main Street shopping experiences: Staving Artist Woodwork uses wood barrels from local wineries in his work. Admire handmade, one-of-a-kind, stunning furniture, fixtures, home accessories, and gifts. Sweet Farm Provisions boasts planet-friendly shopping where you know your purchase is making an impact. They carry an array of thoughtful items in their shop like reusables, household items, plant based food, gardening tools, merchandise, and gifts.
• Visit a brewery that brews on geothermal energy: Abandon Brewing Company is located on Keuka Lake and is committed to reducing the impact on the planet through their brewing process. Water is heated using a geothermal system, which also aids in cooling the chilling system to maintain proper fermentation temperatures. Wastewater is also reclaimed and treated to protect the watershed, and applied to the surrounding vineyards to keep the water cycle going. Stop in for a tasting of beer made with the planet in mind.
• Dine at a farm-to-table restaurant: Visit 18^th Amendment Kitchen and Cocktail Bar for high quality, fresh and locally sourced ingredients. Their menu changes seasonally, so you will get the best ingredients for any season you visit.

Spend the day enjoying local food, views, and recreational activities along scenic Seneca Lake.

• Lunch at a Finger Lakes favorite: Head to Sapalta, a lakeside restaurant located within Plum Point Lodge on the shoreline of Seneca Lake. Their rotating seasonal menu highlights local food and it’s evident how much they support local farms and makers.
• Enjoy wine and vineyard views: Spend the afternoon overlooking Seneca Lake at Fox Run Vineyards. Enjoy wine tastings and consider taking a tour of their facility. Not only do they use fresh and local ingredients in their cafe, but they practice numerous sustainable procedures on their land to reduce their environmental impact. Their dedication to sustainability goes beyond the vineyards. Their bottle crusher turns their glass bottles to sand, then it’s spread throughout the vineyards, keeping bottles from landing in local landfills. Lastly, they planted a 4-acre monarch butterfly and bee sanctuary and established bee hives nearby to support the pollinator population.

• Stop in to Sweet Farm for a furry meet & greet: Sweet Farm is a climate sanctuary and leader in sustainability in the Finger Lakes and beyond. As the world’s first nonprofit sanctuary to address the impact that factory farming has on climate change — they focus on ongoing climate education, regenerative agriculture, farm animal rescue, and the sustainable technology that is disrupting agriculture and food production. Visit the farm for a tour to learn about their mission and meet some of the rescued animals that now call this place, home. Read more about Sweet Farm in our Q&A Blog with Co-Founder Nate Salpeter.
• Get some fresh air: Appreciate the outdoors along the Keuka Outlet Trail as they work to preserve, protect, and develop the property. You are welcome to participate in a variety of activities along the seven miles of wooded trail including walking, biking, fishing, and more.
• Spend a luxurious night surrounded by nature: If you love camping in style, book one of the new FLX Treehouse Retreats. Relax in the natural quiet found in the 14 acres of wooded lakefront with treetop views unlike any other in the Finger Lakes.

Explore and learn all there is to know about the region through unique, sustainable experiences.

• Enjoy a sweet treat: Spotted Duck Creamery is more than just an ice cream stand. Here, you’ll be able to walk around the farm, feed some of the farm animals, and taste fresh ice cream exactly where it was made.
• Wine tasting at a certified sustainable vineyard: Choose from over 15 nearby wineries who hold a special certification administered by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation. The Certification is based on science backed regionally defined standards and independent third-party audits so you can feel good about the wine you are drinking.
• Learn about the Finger Lakes: Through interactive exhibits and educational programs, you can learn and appreciate the region at Saunders Finger Lakes Museum. Their mission is to inspire appreciation and celebrate the culture and ecology of the vast Finger Lakes Region. As they deconstruct a building on their campus, they are carefully separating materials that will be recycled and reused in the new building, and in other parts of their campus. The Museum’s new main building is anticipated to open in 2027.

Sustainability is woven in our land, minds, and plates in Yates County. When you visit, we hope you appreciate what we are continuing to build.

If you’re visiting longer than a few days, don’t miss these businesses who prioritize eco-friendly business practices!

Restaurants, Wineries & Breweries

• Main Deck Restaurant
• Veraisons Restaurant at Glenora Wine Cellars
• Black Cat Bistro
• Red Tail Ridge Winery
• Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard
• Climbing Bines Hop Farm & Breweries

Accommodations

• Finger Lakes Bed & Breakfast
• Los Gatos Bed & Breakfast

Arts & Farms

• Rochester Folk Art Guild
• The Farm Store at Big Mamou Organic Farm
• Crosswinds Farm & Creamery: Rock Stream Farm Shop
• The Windmill Farm and Craft Market