Finger Lakes, NY

[skyguy918]

Yes the shuttle drop off point is accessible, there's a parking lot up there as well (non-shuttle driving probably only 5 min. from park entrance) not sure exactly how to get there though, maybe ask at the visitor center. I think an hour and a half is for sure enough for just the gorge trail.

I ended up setting Google maps to the Watkins Glen Upper Visitor Center. Paid the entry fee there and went in with my wife and kids. My in-laws both stayed in the car, driving around to the main entrance and waiting for us there. We did it pretty quickly due to time constraints - probably right around an hour. I wore my infant in a baby carrier, and also ended up carrying my 3yo down a bunch of the larger stair sections, but it wasn't particularly taxing for us overall. It's really a beautiful and pleasant walk when you do it backwards and don't have to hike up so many stairs. Thanks for the tip!

[avadah]

Is the watkins glen hike doable for a 3 yo?
Are there any activities for young children in the region?

[Iz]

Is the watkins glen hike doable for a 3 yo?
Are there any activities for young children in the region?

Not the entire hike. There are nice parks in the general area.

[skyguy918]

Is the watkins glen hike doable for a 3 yo?
Are there any activities for young children in the region?

See here:

I ended up setting Google maps to the Watkins Glen Upper Visitor Center. Paid the entry fee there and went in with my wife and kids. My in-laws both stayed in the car, driving around to the main entrance and waiting for us there. We did it pretty quickly due to time constraints - probably right around an hour. I wore my infant in a baby carrier, and also ended up carrying my 3yo down a bunch of the larger stair sections, but it wasn't particularly taxing for us overall. It's really a beautiful and pleasant walk when you do it backwards and don't have to hike up so many stairs. Thanks for the tip!

Find out if the shuttle is running, and if it is, you can do it one way from the 'end' to the main entrance. This allows you to walk down the stairs instead of up. If you can swing that, it's definitely doable with a 3yo.

[JuryDuty]

I just went on there last week. They said shuttkes should be operating starting July. I was surprised by the age of kids doing the hike - there were some really young kids. That said, I did the backpack carrier. There is also a pool by the lower entrance and a playground in the upper entrance.

I guess a little TR:

We went on a little boat tour called captain bills. There are kayaks to rent right next to Clute Park.

We also did the hike/walk by Taughannock Falls, which was 3/4 mile and flat.

There are two parks with waterfalls and swimming near Ithaca - Buttermilk and Treman.

There are plenty of u-pick fruits in the area.

We stayed in Single Island Shores. They're beautiful cottages, and I can probably get you a discount if you dm

[JuryDuty]

I just went on there last week. They said shuttkes should be operating starting July. I was surprised by the age of kids doing the hike - there were some really young kids. That said, I did the backpack carrier. There is also a pool by the lower entrance and a playground in the upper entrance.

I guess a little TR:

We went on a little boat tour called captain bills. There are kayaks to rent right next to Clute Park.

We also did the hike/walk by Taughannock Falls, which was 3/4 mile and flat.

There are two parks with waterfalls and swimming near Ithaca - Buttermilk and Treman.

There are plenty of u-pick fruits in the area.

We stayed in Single Island Shores. They're beautiful cottages, and I can probably get you a discount if you dm

Also, you can do part of watkins glen and turn around - the beginning is said to be the best part, and the one way covid restrictions are no longer in effect

[avadah]

I didn't know you could do watkins glen in both directions. I thought there were narrow stairways that only fit people going one way.

[skyguy918]

I didn't know you could do watkins glen in both directions. I thought there were narrow stairways that only fit people going one way.

It's not that narrow - can easily fit single file in both directions. It's actually on google street maps if you want to see.
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3716702,-76.8917425,2a,75y,24.79h,84.99t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZf8r1tFC11U2tEE1PYFfHA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

You park here:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Watkins+Glen+State+Park,+Upper+Entrance/@42.3730451,-76.8936425,16z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89d05ee64a18cc27:0x91f5ffe659a975e8!8m2!3d42.3740449!4d-76.8921296

Then when you get to the 'main' entrance at the end, you take the shuttle back to your car. Info is posted here:
https://parks.ny.gov/parks/142/hours-of-operation.aspx

[JuryDuty]

It's not that narrow - can easily fit single file in both directions. It's actually on google street maps if you want to see.
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3716702,-76.8917425,2a,75y,24.79h,84.99t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sZf8r1tFC11U2tEE1PYFfHA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

You park here:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Watkins+Glen+State+Park,+Upper+Entrance/@42.3730451,-76.8936425,16z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x89d05ee64a18cc27:0x91f5ffe659a975e8!8m2!3d42.3740449!4d-76.8921296

Then when you get to the 'main' entrance at the end, you take the shuttle back to your car. Info is posted here:
https://parks.ny.gov/parks/142/hours-of-operation.aspx

Definitely agree that most places there's enough room. At a handful of spots it is narrow.

We parked at the main entrance and went up to the upper. It's definitely more grueling, but has better views - always facing the waterfalls. Both are good options though

[JuryDuty]

Also, there are private taxis within Watkins Glen that'll take you between entrances if the shuttle isn't running. You can get their info from the info center by the main entrance.

Uber and lyft are not available most of the time, in my experience. We ended up hitching from one entrance to the other

[AYHG]

Once you are in the area, you may want to check out Letchworth State Park, about an hour and fifteen minutes from Watkins Glen. I stopped there around 10 yrs ago and thought it was beautiful. There's a deep gorge there with upper, middle, and lower falls. Google "Grand Canyon of the East" for pics.

At least some of it was visible from the road or a short walk from a parking lot without needing to hike if I recall correctly.

[JuryDuty]

Once you are in the area, you may want to check out Letchworth State Park, about an hour and fifteen minutes from Watkins Glen. I stopped there around 10 yrs ago and thought it was beautiful. There's a deep gorge there with upper, middle, and lower falls. Google "Grand Canyon of the East" for pics.

At least some of it was visible from the road or a short walk from a parking lot without needing to hike if I recall correctly.

Yeah I think I looked into that, it's great for a Niagra trip

[Iz]

Anyone know of a private house in the area for rent July 20-27?

[avadah]

is letchworth state park doable with little kids?

[Galitzyaner]

is letchworth state park doable with little kids?

Like most National Parks (I know this is a State Park, but it can easily pass as a NP), it really depends what exactly you want to do there, i.e. how much hiking, if any.
But personally, I think you can do it. You can see most (perhaps all?) of the main viewpoints without much walking from the car.
There's lots of picnic areas and even a nice playground FWIW.
Obviously if you have a baby, a baby carrier would always be very helpful.

[avadah]

Like most National Parks (I know this is a State Park, but it can easily pass as a NP), it really depends what exactly you want to do there, i.e. how much hiking, if any.
But personally, I think you can do it. You can see most (perhaps all?) of the main viewpoints without much walking from the car.
There's lots of picnic areas and even a nice playground FWIW.
Obviously if you have a baby, a baby carrier would always be very helpful.

thanks

[AYHG]

I don't know whether this was mentioned elsewhere, but I noticed that the Hyatt Regency in Rochester went down to cat 1 in March, and it offers incredible value with points. It's a nice spot to base yourself out of for day trips to the finger lakes, Letchworth, and maybe even Niagara (1hr 23mins). Moreover, there are minyanim and kosher food options.

For 8K points you can book their 700 SF Skyline Suite, which otherwise costs $559 for the nights I checked in August. That's 7 cents per point! (standard rooms are 5K.)

(closest minyan for shabbos would be a 49 min walk)