Canandaigua, NY Road Trips

Before European settlement, the principal village of the Senecas was located on a hill just north of Canandaigua Lake. It was called, in various transliterations, "Ga-nun-da-gwa", "Ganondagan", or "Kanandarque". By the time the Treaty of Canandaigua was signed in 1794, the area had begun to be settled by white men. Canandaigua became the county seat of Ontario County, which at the time encompassed the entirety of New York west of Seneca Lake. From then until the Erie Canal opened in 1823, Canandaigua was the largest and most important community in Western New York. Once the Canal opened, Canandaigua was surpassed in prominence by Buffalo and Rochester. But it continued to grow and in 1913 incorporated as a city.

1 Granger Homestead and Carriage Museum, 295 N Main St (at Granger Street), ☏ +1 585 394-1472, fax: +1 585 394-6958. early Jun - late Oct: Tu W Su 1PM-5PM, Th-Sa 11AM-5PM (Sleigh rides: Jan-Mar, Su 1PM-3PM, weather permitting). A classic example of Federal-style architecture, the Granger Homestead housed four generations of the family starting in 1816. Now the 13,000-square-foot mansion (and its several outbuildings, as well as the estate grounds) are open for touring. The antique carriages are the centerpiece of the collection, but the entire estate provides a window into 19th-century life in Western New York. In the winter time, enjoy rides in an authentic one-horse open sleigh, so long as the snow is deep enough! Adults $6, seniors $5, students $2 (Sleigh rides: Adults $8, children $5). 2 Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park, 151 Charlotte St (Main St to Howell St), ☏ +1 585 394-4922, fax: +1 585 394-2192. 1 May - 31 Oct: Daily 9:30AM–4:30PM; open until 5:30PM Memorial Day - Labor Day. Sonnenberg Gardens is a can't-miss attraction for Canandaigua visitors. The main building is an 1887 mansion built by Mary Clark and Frederick Farris Thompson as a summer retreat. The gardens were originally designed in the early 20th century; all nine have been restored to their former glory. The mansion is open for touring (check to see if guided tours are available), and the gardens are a great place for a relaxing afternoon stroll.

1 Canandaigua Lady (Steamboat Landing), 205 Lakeshore Dr, ☏ +1 585 396-7350. This authentic paddlewheel steamboat is popular for banquets and other charter excursions, but it also offers public rides during the boating season. Due to the shape of the Finger lakes, the east and west shores are always in sight, which makes it a great way to ogle the many expensive lakeside cottages lining the water. It can get a bit breezy on the lake, so consider bringing a jacket even in the summer. Lunch cruise (2 hr): Adults $33/under 12 $20; Afternoon cruise (90 min): Adults $18/under 12 $13; Dinner cruise (2 hr): Adults $50/under 12 $21. 2 Constellation Brands - Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center (CMAC), 3355 Marvin Sands Dr (Take Routes 5 & 20 east to State Route 364, follow signs), ☏ +1 585 394-4400. The biggest performing arts venue in the Finger Lakes region, the CMAC hosts both national touring acts and local performing groups throughout the summer. It's a semi-enclosed amphitheater with lots of seating under the roof and even more seating on the lawn behind it. Ticket prices vary; parking $10/car. 3 New York Kitchen, 800 S Main St (Take Main St all the way to the pier), ☏ +1 585 394-7070, fax: +1 585 394-3037, [email protected]. Folks from out of state may not think of New York as a hub for agriculture and food production, but the non-profit New York Kitchen is out to change that. Food and beverages from throughout the state are featured here in a variety of settings.

1 Rheinblick German Restaurant, 224 S. Main Street, ☏ +1 585 905-0950. 11:30AM-2PM for lunch and 4:30PM to close for dinner. Awesome German restaurant. Great Beer Garden type outdoor seating available! All import and German style beers. Good wine selection. Amazing food! 2 Peppers Deli & Pasta, 101 E Lake Rd, ☏ +1 585 394-0780. Where locals eat. Homemade chips. 3 New York Kitchen Café, 800 S Main St. W Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 11AM-8PM. New York Kitchen's café, with their great view of Canandaigua Lake, is a fun place to catch a meal. With 80% of the ingredients on the menu grown or produced in New York State, you'll be getting a literal taste of what New York has to offer. The menu comprises casual foods like pizza and sandwiches, as well as a few larger plates, but all created with the freshest possible ingredients. The prices are a bit higher as a result. $10-36. (updated Jul 2021) 4 Casa de Pasta, 125 Bemis St (parking lot off of Coy St), ☏ +1 585 394-3710. Tu-Su 5PM-9PM. "Casa de Pasta" is an appropriate name for this house converted to an Italian restaurant. The close quarters contribute to a lively atmosphere inside. The menu is unpretentious, though the daily specials can be somewhat more interesting. Either way, though, the house-made ingredients enliven even the simplest dish. There's no mistaking that the toothsome pasta and rich red sauce are made in-house. Desserts (from Sweet Expressions over on Main St) are intriguing variations on the familiar. Reservations recommended unless you can arrive right at opening. $18-28.

1 Finger Lakes Premier Properties - Canandaigua/Honeoye, 22 Lakeshore Dr, toll-free: +1-888-414-LAKE (5253). Finger Lakes Vacation Rentals (mini-weeks, full weeks, extended stays) and real estate. Specializing in lake front properties. 2 1795 Acorn Inn, 4508 Route 64 South, Bristol Center, toll-free: +1-866-665-3747. AAA Four-Diamond Award bed and breakfast in the Bristol Valley surrounded by gardens and forest. Four guest rooms and one suite, all with private baths. Outdoor Jacuzzi. The Lake House on Canandaigua, 770 S Main St, ☏ +1 585 394-7800, toll-free: +1-800-228-2801. Opened in 2020 in the former Inn on the Lake (a popular lakeside retreat for decades), The Lake House is a 125-unit resort right on the shore. They emphasize sustainability in their decor and amenities, lending the property an atmosphere of modernity mixed with classic style. Guests will enjoy four-poster beds, communal fire pits, and easy access to boating and swimming on the lake. On-site casual bar (The Sand Bar), upscale restaurant (Rose Tavern), and day spa (Willowbrook Spa). $200-500. (updated Jul 2021)

1 Canandaigua Airport (FAA LID: D38) is just northwest of the city limits, off Brickyard Road. It's small, with no commercial flights, but there are some services available, including a Hertz car rental counter. If you need commercial airline service, fly into Rochester. The same goes for Amtrak train service. As befits a town that was once the center of activity in Western New York, there are a number of highway routes that intersect in Canandaigua. Long distance travelers will likely use the New York State Thruway (Interstate 90), which runs east-west about six miles north of the city. From the east, take Exit 43 for State Route 21; from the west, use Exit 44 and take State Route 332. Route 21 also comes in from the south, west of the Lake, connecting to Naples. State Route 5 and U.S. Route 20 (or just "5 and 20" to locals) run concurrently along the western and southern edge of the city, providing a more scenic east-west connection than the Thruway.

Canandaigua is a remarkably simple city to get around. The street grid is angled off north-south a bit, with the main drag, Route 332, heading NNW from the lake shore toward Farmington. The city's historic downtown retail strip is along the very wide 332, with secondary roads branching off. There's plenty of parking right on Main Street. Routes 5 and 20 intersect 332 a short distance north of the lake, leading to a more modern commercial strip to the east; that's where the major big-box retailers and strip malls are. Running right along the lake shore (and where you end up if you take Main Street past 5 and 20) is, appropriately enough, Lake Shore Drive; it's a scenic boulevard that provides access to lakefront attractions. Almost everything you need, as a traveler, will be within a short distance of these three roads. If you need to rent a car, Enterprise (on Route 332) and Hertz (at the Airport) have locations just outside the city.