Start from 25 curated places around Hammondsport, NY, then choose the recommendations that fit your guests.
Restaurants & cafés
Village Tavern Restaurant & Inn
A century-old vine-covered tavern right on the Village Square, one block from the lake. The menu leans into upscale comfort food — braised short ribs, crab bisque, chocolate bourbon pecan pie — with a lively full bar and local crowd to match. Locals fill the cozy dining room on weekends and the veranda porch on warm evenings.
Timber Stone Grill
This is the spot locals go when they want a proper sit-down dinner without driving out of the village. The wood-fired grill turns out excellent ribeyes and burgers, while locally sourced ingredients keep the seasonal sides interesting. The casual, unpretentious dining room fills up fast on weekends.
Trails & outdoors
Keuka Lake Outlet Trail
A 7-mile rail trail following the historic Keuka Outlet creek between Penn Yan and Dresden, crossing the gorge that once powered 19th-century mills between Keuka and Seneca Lakes. Two waterfalls, cascading rapids, old mill ruins, and dense maple canopy make this one of the prettiest easy-grade hikes in the Finger Lakes. The trail bed follows the old Fall Brook Railroad and the even older Crooked Lake Canal.
Keuka Lake Green and Orange Trail Loop
The best hiking loop at Keuka Lake State Park — 2.8 miles through mixed forest above the lake's Bluff Point peninsula, with enough elevation change to feel like a proper workout. The green and orange blazes lead through dense interior forest with occasional filtered lake views. Quiet trails even on summer weekends, which is rare in this part of the Finger Lakes.
Things to do
Keuka Lake Wine Trail
The organizing framework for the wineries ringing Keuka Lake — a one-hour drive covers the complete circuit, hitting six member wineries including Heron Hill, Weis Vineyards, Keuka Spring, Hunt Country, Bully Hill, and Vineyard View. The $50 Tasting Passport gets you a tasting at each member winery plus discounts on purchases, making it the best-value approach to a day of wine exploration.
Keuka Watersports
The go-to for getting on the water without owning a boat. From the Depot Park location, they rent kayaks and paddleboards for independent lake exploration, while the Champlin Beach location adds jet ski rentals. The evening pontoon cruise is a relaxed way to see the lake without doing any paddling. Staff are organized and safety-oriented.
Landmarks & sights
Glenn H. Curtiss Museum
Hammondsport's most singular attraction, dedicated to aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss who was born here and invented the aileron, built the first seaplane, and founded what became the U.S. Navy's air wing — all before the Smithsonian knew who he was. The museum spans early aircraft, vintage motorcycles, regional boats, and antique machinery, with a flight simulator kids love. Legitimately world-class collection in a small-town setting.
Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery
The winery that changed everything in the Finger Lakes. Dr. Frank planted the first successful vinifera vines in New York in 1958, proving the region could grow world-class European grapes — and his descendants are still farming the same hilltop estate on Middle Road above Keuka Lake. The wines, particularly the traditional-method sparkling and Rieslings, routinely score 94+ from major critics.