Sustainable Travel in the Finger Lakes: Eco-Friendly Tips for Your Stay
We all want to be a bit more mindful of our footprints and visiting a place like the Finger Lakes can really bring that into focus. When you’re surrounded by so many opportunities to enjoy nature, a gorgeous landscape, and plenty of local produce, it’s easy to think about little things you can do to support sustainability along the way.
First, be conscious about what you bring with you -- it’s a great first step when you’re committing to more eco-friendly travel. Reusable water bottles and shopping bags, refillable toiletry containers, and any items that reduce single use plastics are always a win, so think about spending some time with your packing list before you depart to see if there are some small swaps you can make to lessen your footprint.
Once you arrive at your destination, one of our beautiful vacation rental properties near Seneca Lake, you’ll want to think about how you’ll get around to the wineries, shops, parks, and other spots nearby. While there’s not really Uber or Lyft available around Seneca Lake that is reliable, there are some eco-friendly options! You can hop on the Lakeside Trolley, rent a bike, or try out the local buses through the Schuyler County Transit System. Want to hire a driver to drive your car around for you? Main Street Drivers is great for that.
Next, think about how you can support small businesses that embrace high quality, local ingredients or menu options that prioritize plants. Sustainable dining options and wineries abound in the Finger Lakes abound, so you’ll have plenty of spots to choose from. We love how all of the restaurants up here are great about giving shout outs to the local farmers, butchers, cheesemakers, bakers, and other artisans in their menus! Those focusing on a vegan or plant-forward diet will love Moosewood and Angel Hearts Diner in Ithaca, Green Elephants and Graft Wine + Cider in Watkins Glen, Kindred Fare in Geneva, and The Cellar in Corning.
Wineries like Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, focus on sustainable viticulture practices while others like Glenora Wine Cellars work with experts, like those found at the Rochester Institute of Technology and the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute, to make green improvements to their operations. Glenora has been recently recognized for implementing state of the art sustainability practices, like using cross-flow filtration in their winemaking process, and already have robust recycling and waste reduction programs. Wagner Vineyards reduces their water consumption using dry farming techniques and also has hundreds of solar panels across outbuildings and the cafe to generate much of the energy they use throughout the year. At Lakewood Vineyards, you’ll also find a rich history of sustainability (since 1951!) -- they’re the first New York vineyard to receive a New York Agricultural Management Award. Definitely make these wineries a stop on your itinerary!
Outside of wineries and restaurants, you can also think about how to get out into nature and appreciate the region’s natural bounty. Birdwatching, hiking, photography, sketching, or forest bathing are all great activities to take part in throughout the region’s parks with minimal impact to the flora and fauna. Make sure to take any trash with you if you plan on snacking or picnicking outdoors while you’re exploring!
Those are just a few suggestions on how to make your visit to the Finger Lakes a little greener, but we’d love it if you shared more of your tips with us. Feel free to drop us a note with your sustainable travel ideas!