While wine was the focus of my recent trip to the Finger Lakes, my group and I also took advantage of various nearby outdoor activities.

Our Airbnb on Cayuga Lake had private lake access as well as kayaks. One cloudy afternoon my friend and I decided to take the kayaks out for a cruise. I have not used a kayak in years, and I forgot how much of a workout it can be! We pushed out from the dock and paddled north. We didn’t track our distance, but we were on the water for about 1.5 hours — enough time to work up an appetite for dinner!

Unfortunately, we did have a few rainy days during our visit which limited our outdoor time. One non-rainy day we made our way to Taughannock Falls State Park for a quick hike and view of the stunning falls. We walked on the Gorge Trail to the falls. The waterfall plunges 215 feet through rocky cliffs, 400 feet above the gorge. The drop is 33 feet higher than Niagara Falls.

We spent a little bit of time walking around downtown Ithaca, a short drive from the house. I would like to spend more time exploring on my next visit.

— Katie Skrzek, vice president/digital director