Canandaigua

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!

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. Also on the grounds (with no admission required) are the Finger Lakes Wine Center (see listing below), the High Noon Café, and a lovely gift shop.

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.

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.

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. The tasting room, gift boutique, and café are open daily, while the hands-on kitchen, educational theater and private dining room host frequent special events. All of them feature the best New York has to offer; in fact, the Tasting Room is the only one in the state allowed to serve wine, beer, and spirits in the same place! Anyone interested in cooking, dining, or drinking should check it out.

Sharing Muar Lake with Roseland Waterpark, the Wake Park is run by the same owners but has a completely separate admission. It's the first cable wake park in the Northeast. What does that mean? Instead of wakeboarding behind a speedboat, they've got a cable system that pulls riders on a giant loop around the lake, up to nine at a time! It's best if you've wakeboarded before; for first-timers, they have a learn-to-ride program every weekend day that guarantees you get up and running in two hours ($49).

Named after a long-lost lake-shore amusement park, the largest waterpark in the Finger Lakes has six slides, a lazy river, a water playground, and a giant wave pool. If those don't strike your fancy, buy a bucket of water balloons and have a battle, or rent a paddleboat from the marina.

An 87-acre park in the southern part of the Town of Canandaigua, this former YMCA camp still features the old-fashioned amenities your parents might remember. Swimming, fishing, hiking, boating—everything summer is made of.