Finger Lakes, New York
As my husband and I were discussing where we'd like to celebrate our fifteenth anniversary, we tossed around ideas that included Mexico and the Caribbean. During this discussion a Facebook friend happened to post some pictures of the Finger Lakes region of New York and we knew we'd like to explore the area. I went to Trip Advisor which highlighted Mountain Horse Farm in Naples NY and our decision was immediately made. It's a bed and breakfast that sits on 33 immaculate acres of land that houses a lodge, a carriage house, three tipis (that you can sleep in!) and five magnificent horses.
Of course the weekend we were there the Northeast was hit with an artic blast, and Friday's high was a balmy 23! It didn't matter to us at all, though, as we took full advantage of the farms services which included our own private deck with a jacuzzi, a couples massage and we used the sauna on site. It was positively incredible! Add to all of that and each morning we had the most incredible breakfasts and we so enjoyed chatting with the owners of the property Suzanne and Ruud. They have rescued many of their horses and they give them an enviable retirement. The vision that they share for this property is awe inspiring, and as a result of their execution of that vision we had the most incredible weekend and we cannot wait to return!
While in the Finger Lakes, we visited Letchworth State Park which is referred to as the 'Grand Canyon of the East', and it did not disappoint. It's home to multiple waterfalls and although we arrived past peak foliage, the colors were still incredibly strong. I can't imagine how breathtaking it is at peak! About an hour's ride from the B&B, we spent about two hours exploring the park, and even though it was cold that day too, it was completely tolerable, and my husband was still able to wear his signature shorts!
The area is home to countless vineyards and wineries, and although that's not really our thing, we did take full advantage of some of their unique restaurants. Our absolute favorites included Simply Crepes and New York Wine and Culinary Center, the latter of which we visited more than once. The Culinary center offers cooking and education classes and houses a tasting room where we sampled a variety of hard ciders and cream based liquors.
