A Frequent Visitor in A College Town

When your children go away to college, you inevitably take many trips back and forth setting up the dorm and moving them out. During the year, you try to visit as often as possible and make sure to go out for a delicious meal because the dining hall fare is barely edible. If you enjoy a cocktail, you pray that there are some decent places to grab a few drinks and if you’re lucky, enjoy some live music.

When we first started the process, we always scouted the area around the potential school. We wanted to make sure there were great places to eat and plenty of things to see and do, not only for the girls but also for us. As parents, we wanted to become “locals” in their college town. I remember one school had an excellent reputation and a beautiful campus, but there was literally nothing to do unless you drove an hour away. I said a silent prayer that it would not be the ultimate finalist.

When they made their decision, they chose to go to school together. We breathed a sigh of relief as there was no guarantee that our twins would want to stay together.  We celebrated the momentous occasion at one of the local restaurants. The ambiance was lovely, and the food was terrific. Luckily for us, their college choice ended up being within driving distance for weekend visits. We wanted to embrace our children’s new home and get to know the places where we could spend time together. Three years later, we are still enjoying the Finger Lakes. Not only is the scenery absolutely stunning, but there are also new businesses sprouting up constantly.

In the summer when we drive up to move them in, we opt for a visit to some of the outstanding wineries. On the Seneca Lake Wine Trail, there are 35 wineries around the lake – more trails than in any of the other Finger Lakes. On a beautiful fall day, we often take a short drive to Watkins Glen State Park the hikes range from easy to challenging, and there are 19 waterfalls some of which you can climb over or under on the Gorge Pass. The views are incredible.

If you aren’t a wine drinker, the beer scene is outstanding. The Finger Lakes Beer Trail has over 20 craft brewers with taprooms all along the lake. The craft cider served alongside the craft brews is really fantastic with some of my favorites poured at         Lake Drum Brewing on 16 East Castle Street in Geneva, New York.

Being a foodie family, we are all about the good eats in and near the town. For casual,  road-side food, we love FLX Wienery. The homemade sausages, hotdogs, and burgers are elevated with suggested wine pairings from the chef who happens to be a master sommelier. If you want a traditional sit-down meal, try Ports Cafe on West Lake Road, Geneva, New York. The cozy restaurant is consistently packed because of the specials list, which is almost as big as the regular menu.

To say that we could not be happier that my children chose to attend school in the area around the Finger Lakes is an understatement. As we near our last year as college parents we are pondering what we will do when we no longer have a reason to make regular treks upstate. Then I remember that we have family that lives nearby and they love wine as much as we do.