Things To Do
In the heart of the Finger Lakes, adventure awaits every type of traveler. Dubbed "Napa East," the region is famous for award-winning wine country, culinary treasures and a vibrant farming community, art and music, and the stunning natural beauty of the surrounding lakes, waterfalls, gorges and parks.
During your stay, you can explore Downtown Ithaca, or journey to neighboring towns and lakes. To get you started, we've provided links and descriptions for some of our favorite locations to help you make the most of your stay. Check out Visit Ithaca’s upcoming events scheduled during your visit.
cafes & restaurants
Dolce Delight: Our closest cafe, featuring freshly-baked, gorgeous pastries and treats, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, smoothies and more.
Press Bay Alley: Offers a little bit of everything in the heart of downtown, from coffee and hand pies to beer tasting and donuts.
Gimme Coffee: The Cayuga Street location is a local haven serving up specialty coffee and espresso.
Maxie's Supper Club: New Orlean's style eatery and oyster bar
Northstar Public House: Comfortable, farm-to-table, neighborhood gastropub with a craft beer menu, creative cocktails and gluten-free / vegan options.
Purity Ice Cream: Classic and creative ice cream flavors daily
Hazelnut Kitchen: One of the region's best restaurants, serving creative, mouthwatering, farm-to-table food in a comfortable but elegant setting.
Mia Tapas Bar: Pan-Asian cuisine, located right on the Ithaca Commons. Open on Mondays!
Bar Argos: Our favorite local cocktail bar with an expansive and creative drink menu, indoor and outdoor seating, and perfect ambience in every season.
Gola Osteria: The best Italian food in the region with authentic dishes made from Finger Lakes-grown ingredients.
Hawi Ethiopian Cuisine: Rich and authentic in flavor. Be prepared to eat with your hands! BYO.
farmers markets & groceries
Ithaca Farmers Market: Set on the top of Cayuga Lake, this iconic farmers markets offers fresh produce, prepared foods, arts and crafts produced within 30 miles of the market. **Be sure to check out Dancing Turtle’s micro-green stand, a local black-owned business!
Greenstar Natural Foods Coop: Natural health food store with a generous selection of basic and locally-produced ingredients and supplies, prepared foods, and bulk foods.
Wegmans: The closest supermarket to Firelight Camps with an astonishing selection of groceries and prepared foods.
Ithaca To Go: Extensive list of Ithaca’s finest restaurants that can be ordered and delivered to the glampground.
delivery
wineries cideries breweries & distilleries
One of the best ways to experience the fabulous artisanal beverages of the Finger Lakes is to tour with Experience! The Finger Lakes offers experiential guided tasting tours to the area's premier wineries, with planned itineraries that allow guests to learn first-hand what makes the Finger Lakes one of the most popular wine regions in the country.
If you are more of an independent explorer, here is a list of some of our favorite producers in the region:
ITHACA:
South Hill Cider: Celebrating Finger Lakes Terroir by crafting distinct ciders from hand-foraged wild apples, abandoned orchards, and heirloom varieties. The closest to Firelight, 2 miles away!
Ithaca Beer Company: Fresh pub-style food and flights of the best beer in town, set on a sprawling farm with outdoor games and an on-site kitchen garden. Brewery tours available.
Lucky Hare Brewing: Luck Hare is Hector’s leading Farm Brewery dedicated to producing the highest quality Farm Brewed Beer in New York State. With locations at Press Bay Alley in the Ithaca Commons and their brewery in Hector NY.
Liquid State Brewing: Focused on creating high-quality, small-batch beers. The beer hall offers fresh Ales, Lagers, and IPA’s along with local wines and cider. The Silo Food Truck is also on site!
Ports of New York: Don't miss a visit to this historic building in downtown Ithaca to try French winemaker, Frédéric Bouche's award-winning ports.
Finger Lakes Cider House: Located on The Good Life Farm, a biodynamic farm and orchard operated with draft horses. The cider house has a stunning view of Cayuga Lake and offers a taste of the region’s best ciders with small bites.
Myer Farm Distillers: Alongside whiskey, this distillery offers unique spirits like Cayuga Gold and whiskey-barrel aged gin.
Sheldrake Point Winery: Was twice named New York State Winery of the Year, and has been listed among the Top 100 Wineries by Wine & Spirits magazine in three different years. Outdoor seating, snacks, and a dock with lakeside seating.
Finger Lakes Distilling: Stop into this beautiful distillery for a flight of locally-made whiskeys.
Stonecat Café: Located in the heart of Seneca Lake wine country, this restaurant serves sensational, seasonally-inspired dishes made from scratch, with impressive views from the back patio.
Hector Wine Company: We allow for long fermentations, often spontaneous, and don’t rush the wines into bottle. Our small production wines are carefully curated to express balance and terroir.
Standing Stone Winery: Our production showcases all that this exceptional site has to offer, from classic styles made from some of the oldest vinifera plantings in the region, to more innovative offerings made from lesser known varietals, like Saperavi.
FINGER LAKES NON-WINE TRAIL: A complete guide to each lake's virgin, craft beverages.
Go Finger Lakes is your complete, user-friendly guide to the best spots for hiking, biking, paddling, and outdoor recreation across our 6,000-square-mile area, including trail maps, pictures, descriptions and more.
Buttermilk Falls State Park: Miles of beautiful trails wind through the woods at these two interconnected parks. Upper Buttermilk is accessible from Firelight, but make sure you get all the way down to the swimming hole and waterfall at Lower Buttermilk.
Cayuga Waterfront Trail: A paved 2 mile walk, run, skate, or stroll - perfect for all ages. While you're there, visit the children's garden or the dog park, play tennis, swim, roller skate, or just sit and watch the lake. It's a perfect place to relax!
Taughannock Falls has everything you are looking for in a Finger Lakes adventure! From long steep hikes to short flat hikes, this state park has a little of everything. After you enjoy the woods and waterfalls, head across the street and play on the beautiful lakefront beach.
Sapsucker Woods and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology are among the biggest attractions in the area. Take a birdwatching hike in the woods or learn more about the research going on at this world-renowned facility.
Treman State Park offers beautiful waterfalls, steep hikes, moderate hikes, and a natural swimming hole with a diving board.
Paddle-N-More: Rent a kayak, tandem kayak, or SUP and make your own adventure. Insider tip - go early on Saturday or Sunday morning and you can kayak to the Farmers Market!
Discover Cayuga Lake: Boat tours, eco-cruises and private charters with hands-on exploration of the Finger Lakes waterways.
the great outdoors
August Moon Spa: Guests at Firelight are just a few steps away from a serene and relaxing getaway at the area's top spa. Choose from a variety of luxurious therapies and aesthetic treatments.
Vahana Yoga & Eco-Tours: Choose from a range of offerings, including Adult Day Camps and Retreats, yoga classes and yoga hikes, some of which take place right at Firelight Camps.
health & wellness
Fingerlakes.org: A directory of attractions in the Finger Lakes region including hiking trails, restaurants, museums, parks, wineries and breweries.
Ithaca Times: Ithaca has an incredible arts and music scene, plus lots of unique events happening every week. Use this site to see what's going on during your visit