These 8 Towns in the Finger Lakes Have Bustling Main Streets

The Finger Lakes are majestic bodies of water that have to be seen firsthand. Located in New York south of Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes are 11 narrow bodies of water that cut across the landscape. Some of these lakes are quite deep as well, with Seneca being 618-feet to the bottom. With these picturesque landmarks, there are also many charming and memorable small towns around the Finger Lakes.

These small towns are peaceful, but they also have bustling main streets to check out while you're enjoying your lakeside trip. In these town's main streets and downtown areas, you'll discover glass museums, monuments to early women's rights, gorge hikes in the middle of downtown and much more. Here are eight small towns in the Finger Lakes with bustling main streets.

Corning

With a population just over 10,200, this small town of Corning rests on the southern end of the Finger Lakes by the Chemung River. It is known as America's Crystal City for its glass production. At the Corning Museum of Glass, you can see the best glass art across 3,500 years of history right in the downtown area.

Speaking of art, you can also see a variety of American Western and Native American Art at the Rockwell Museum, which is the only Smithsonian affiliated museum in Upstate New York. Both of these museums are found in Corning's Gaffer District, which has more than 100 art galleries, studios, and boutique shops, along with beautiful structures such as a stone Centerway Clock Tower and the Centerway Walking Bridge, first built in 1921.

Naples

Named after the city in Southern Italy, Naples has a long history going back to the 18th century. Sitting on the southern end of Canandaigua Lake, Naples has a picturesque historic district, with buildings from the 1700s. Some of these buildings include The Clark House, built in 1795 by Colonel William Clark, the Williams House build in the 1790s, and The First Church build in 1824.

Within the main street, you can also enjoy several boutique businesses and breweries such as Artizann's, Carriage House Quilts, Naples Brewing Company, and more. Naples is also famous for its Grape Festival, held in September every year. If you're willing to go a bit outside the downtown area, you should go visit Grimes Glen County Park, which has the oldest fossilized tree in New York.

Seneca Falls

Located at the northern section of Cayuga Lake, the hamlet of Seneca Falls has a storied history. It was home to the first women's rights convention in the US in July 1848 at Wesleyan Chapel. As such, this town is a treasure trove for those interested in the history of women's suffrage, and much of it is right in the downtown area. For example, by visiting The National Women's Rights Historic Park, you can see the Wesleyan Chapel as well as a beautiful sculpture called The First Wave, honoring the first wave of feminism.

At the National Women's Hall of Fame, you can learn about influential American women ranging from historic figures to modern ones. Beyond these attractions, you'll also want to visit the It's a Wonderful Life Museum, which houses artifacts from the film. If you're up for a walk, you can see the town along the Cayuga-Seneca Canal.

Waterloo

Located close to Seneca Falls and Cayuga Lake is the community of Waterloo. It is famous for being the birthplace of Memorial Day. As a result, the town always holds a large parade through town on Memorial Day. On the Main Street, you can visit the National Memorial Day Museum. Here, you can learn more about the major people behind the holiday such as Henry C. Welles, General John A. Logan and more, as well as see photos and poetry.

Due to its proximity to Seneca Falls, there are also several landmarks related to women's rights in town, such as the M'Clintock House, where the First Women's Rights Convention held a planning session. If you're willing to go for a drive, you can also visit Cayuga Lake State Park where stunning views of the lake await, along with picnic spots, hiking trails, and opportunities for fishing and swimming in a serene natural setting.

Ithaca

With a population just under 33,000, Ithaca keeps a small town vibe while delivering exciting experiences downtown. In fact, there's so much to see here, you'll need a few days to see it all. For example nature is all around you in the downtown area with the Fall Creek and Cascadilla Creek both offering picturesque hiking trails such as the Cascadilla Gorge Trail, literally a few streets down from Main Street.

At the Ithaca Commons, you can see local art and shopping in a pedestrian mall. On the Main Street itself, you can visit the History Center in Tompkins County or enjoy a brew from Ithaca Ale House. If you go exploring in town, you'll definitely want to check out Cornell University, the Museum of the Earth and the grave of famous American scientist Carl Sagan.

Watkins Glen

Watkins Glen delivers both a slow paced atmosphere and fast paced attractions. For one, it is known as the home of American Road Racing, which is reflected at its 4.5- mile race track the Watkins Glen International Raceway. Watkins Glen sits right on the southern end of Seneca Lake, making it an ideal place to breath in the gentle lake air at small parks in the area such as Clute Park.

You'll find plenty of local restaurants in the downtown area ranging from Nickel's Pit BBQ, Thai Elephants and Jerlando's Ristorante & Pizza Co. In the town's historic district, you can see several buildings from the 1800s to early 1900s including the Harings Building from 1844, the Freer Opera House from 1860 and others. And if you want to get out in nature, Watkins Glen State Park is only a few minutes outside of town.

Hammondsport

Located on Keuka Lake, the village of Hammondsport is a charming place with fun activities all located close to the town's center. Depot Park located on the lake's shore is an ideal spot to visit. You can dip your toes in the lake's waters or dive in yourself. There are also public docks at the park where you can park your boat as you come into town.

As you come into town, you'll want to try out some of the local grub at Maloney's Pub, Village Tavern Restaurant & Inn or the Wise Guys of Hammondsport. Just outside of the downtown area, you can visit The Curtiss Museum, which honors the life of Glenn H Curtiss, an aviation and motorcycle mogul, who famously became the fasted man on earth in 1907 when he got a motorcycle to run at 136.4 miles per hour.

Geneva

Located on the Northwestern corner of Seneca Lake, Geneva is a must visit for anyone exploring the Finger Lakes, due in no small part to its bustling Main Street, which runs right by the Bi-Centennial Park located on the shoreline of Seneca Lake. There are some 83 buildings in its historic district such as the 1902 YMCA building, Prouty Block from 1876, and the charming Geneva City Hall built in the early 1900s.

You'll discover a lot of unique shops in Geneva such as FLX Goods, known as the General Store of the Finger Lakes that offers locally made tea, jams, jellies, and other goods. Also on Main Street is Stomping Grounds where you'll find books, photos, antique maps, and more. You'll find a lot of culinary variety on the Main Street ranging from The Rusty Pig to Happy Indian Restaurant to Twisted Rail Brewing.

Conclusion

It may be tempting when visiting the Finger Lakes to spend all your time at the various state parks to bask in the natural beauty of the area. However, you definitely don't want to miss the many picturesque main streets in these Finger Lake towns. For one, you can often access the lake right from the downtown area, and you can discover many museums, historical districts, local food, and other attractions. Not to mention you'll learn a lot about American history on these main streets, from the origins of major US holidays to the struggle for women's rights. These main streets are ideal for a leisurely stroll.