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P.J. Thomas: New York's lakes are a natural & culinary paradise

THE FINGER Lakes region in upstate New York is as beautiful as Italy's Tuscany or the Loire Valley, in France.

THE FINGER Lakes region in upstate New York is as beautiful as Italy's Tuscany or the Loire Valley, in France.

A Native American legend says that the Great Spirit thought that the area was so magnificent, he reached down and put his handprint upon the land, creating the long, narrow, finger-shaped lakes, thus giving the area its name. Scientists attribute the lakes' formation to glacier movement about 2 million years ago.

There are 11 Finger Lakes, but the largest and most well-known are: Cayuga, the longest at 38.2 miles; Seneca, the deepest at more than 600 feet; Canandaigua; Conesus; Hemlock; and Keuka. Each is surrounded by vineyards and neat rows of grapevines, giving the area a unique beauty.

The wineries are centered along three main trails, the Cayuga, Keuka and Seneca Lake Wine Trails, which cover the second-largest wine-producing region in the country after Napa, Calif. Among the vintages crafted here are Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Lemberger and a Riesling good enough to stand up to Old World wines of Europe.

"There are plenty of winter sports here, and people get out and enjoy them," said Scott Butler, director of marketing for the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance. "But when the snow melts, everything turns green quickly and everyone just bursts outdoors to enjoy the warm-weather activities."

The Finger Lakes region is slightly larger than New Jersey, covering about 9,000 square miles that reach from Syracuse to Rochester and south almost to the Pennsylvania border. The region's center is about 275 miles - a five-hour drive - from Philadelphia.

Lake Ontario and the historic Erie Canal, an engineering marvel in its day and still an active shipping route, are north of the Finger Lakes. Visitors still come to see the canal, but mainly they enjoy recreation pursuits along the canal-side paths.

The Finger Lakes region offers scenic gorges and waterfalls, along with historical attractions. Charming B&Bs and small inns overlook many lakes, offering guests a calming vista. Innkeepers are often happy to arrange sightseeing and wine-tasting tours for those in search of more activity.

"There are approximately 117 wineries, and the majority of the vineyards are family-owned operations where you're likely to have the owner or winemaker personally pouring during a wine tasting," Butler said. The Finger Lakes Wine Festival will be held July 16-18 this year in Watkins Glen, featuring more than 80 wineries, plus music, classes, food and even beer.

Passions naturally focus on the wine, but the region's love of agriculture is reflected in the restaurants and gourmet food purveyors who use produce from New York's farms, gardens, orchards and vineyards.

People here have been at the forefront of the organic and buy-local food movements. The opportunity to pair top-rated local wines with just-picked local fruits and vegetables is immensely appealing, which may be why the Finger Lakes Region claims as many top-rated chefs and restaurants as Manhattan. (Though in keeping with the region's casualness, neither dinner jackets nor fancy outfits are required, even in the finest dining rooms.)

The nonprofit New York Wine and Culinary Center, in Canandaigua, was founded with assistance from the state to promote New York's food, wine and agriculture through interactive exhibits, wine classes and cooking demonstrations that teach while entertaining visitors. It opened in 2006.

Fees vary, depending on whether you've chosen to prepare a simple meal of chicken or a more complex, four-course menu using more expensive ingredients such as seafood. Afterward you can enjoy the meal you've just prepared in the Taste of New York Restaurant.

A session with one of the wine experts will have you comfortable enough to "swish, sniff, swirl and spit" before heading out on a wine tour. The center also features a beer and wine tasting room where the libations come from - where else? - New York state.

"It's been very exciting, as there is nothing else like [the center] in the country. We receive 65,000 to 70,000 visitors annually," said Alexa Gifford, the center's executive director.

If history's more to your liking, the Finger Lakes' museums and historic homes offer plenty to satisfy.

William H. Seward, secretary of state under President Lincoln and the man credited with negotiating the purchase of Alaska, lived in Auburn, along Cayuga Lake, in what's now known as the William H. Seward House Museum. Auburn also was the last home and final resting place of Underground Railroad heroine Harriet Tubman.

Seneca Falls, home to the first women's-rights convention in 1848, is recognized as the birthplace of that movement with its Women's Rights National Historical Park. Each July, a celebration marking that first convention is held there. The home of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, one of the movement's founders, is available for tours under the direction of the National Park Service.

Tour the National Women's Hall of Fame, an extraordinary place that features photos, documents and artifacts of well-known women such as TV talk host Oprah Winfrey, chef Julia Child and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, as well as hundreds of lesser-known women. Each October, a group of women is inducted into the hall of fame.

The Corning Museum of Glass is a most popular attraction, where children will love the interactive exhibits and live glassmaking demonstrations. You can even make your own holiday ornaments or souvenirs, though registration is suggested for this popular workshop.

There's so much to do on a weekend getaway to the Finger Lakes. But the best thing may be doing nothing at all: Kick back with your favorite beverage on the porch of a Victorian-era inn and watch Mother Nature's main attractions as the setting sun bounces orange and yellow colors off the still lake waters.

For more about the Finger Lakes Region: Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance, 800-548-4386, www.fingerlakes.org. Other Web sites: www.FingerLakes.com; www.cayugalake.com; www.SenecaFalls.com and www.ILoveNY.com.

P.J. Thomas is editor and co-publisher of Pathfinders Travel Magazine for People of Color, a nationally distributed publication founded in 1997. Contact her at

pjthomas@pathfinderstravel.com or www.pathfinderstravel.com.