Set sail for True Love, a truly enjoyable time!…read more Bottom Line Up Front: We had a wonderful, relaxing, and fun time for a good price. The Good: The history of the John Alden designed schooner is worth reading before you go. We had some more "salty" members of our group that recognized the name of the schooner from the 1956 movie "High Society" starring Bing Crosby, Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra and after that we were on board for a wonderful time. We even were seated in the seats once occupied by Gene and Bing. We purchased our tickets after being approached by Terry who negotiated a decent price with us because he wanted a full boat for the next trip. Captain Bill was an experienced Captain and is well known in the area. He got us underway and was a delightful host regaling us with stories about the "True Love", Seneca Lake and surroundings, as well as, some stories about racing the "True Love" and his crew, Spencer and Marena. Captain Bill even assisted another sailing boat that was in distress and precariously close to the lake edge. The trip was two hours long and on time. The crew served non-alcoholic and adult beverages (some free, some for a price) while underway and also sold some souvenirs (Whisky and glasses). The Bad: There was nothing bad, from start to finish, this was a very enjoyable trip and the crew definitely enjoyed sharing their love of the "Trie Love" with the joyful passengers. The Ugly: Absolutely nothing other than we could not be out for longer. If you find yourself in Watkins Glen, this is definitely an enjoyable to kick back, relax, and let the wind fill your sails. They say a picture is worth 1000 words, so I am going to end my post with a few that we snapped along the way. May you have fair winds, and following lake waters!

Excellent sailing experience The crew was great and was…read morevery eager to make sure we had a great time The boat was in excellent condition

Our group of 12 ladies had the most amazing time on the boats! The guys were so much fun and…read moreaccommodating. They planned the whole day perfectly and the three wineries we visited were great. We were so happy that we booked with this company, the owner Rick answered all my many questions in the months prior to our trip up until the night before regarding potentially bad weather. Turned out to be the best day of our trip, thank you to our captains Scott and Mike for making it so fun and dealing with our crew :)

Had a great experience with captain Mike and Rick this weekend! We booked the tour knowing the rain…read morecould be a factor but Mike got us to 2 vineyards in between storms and shared fun facts and a lot of knowledge about the area and wineries. We got stuck in a storm at our second and Rick came and picked us up in his car and arranged a third tasting close by. Super accommodating and even bought us an extra tasting and refunded some of our money. I highly recommend schools out charters- best way to see the wineries and wonderful customer service!

We stayed here to attend our son's graduation at Cornell. Leslie was very welcoming and made…read moreamazing breakfasts each morning, with an endless supply of coffee and a great selection of fresh fruit! It is only a few minutes outside of Ithaca and very nicely renovated. Leslie aims to please, adjusting breakfast time based on our plans, loaning us an umbrella, and providing lots of recommendations.

We decided to take a somewhat impromptu trip to Ithaca and wanted to stay at a B&B instead of a…read morehotel -- Besemer Station clearly stood out in the best possible way. Leslie was so friendly and helpful, and the care she puts into making her guests comfortable is unparalleled. She left literature specific to our needs and interests on the bed, made a beautiful breakfast (pictured, but also included bacon and muffins), and recommended future places to visit the next time we are in Upstate New York. We also took advantage of the picnic lunch for our day at Seneca Falls - we left with full bellies and fond memories of our stay. We can't recommend Besemer Station enough!

A group of 5 of us leveraged this tour (private, winter tour) and we were sadly very, very…read moredisappointed. 1. Transportation - this was one of the only pluses to this overall experience. We were picked up and dropped off door-door for this tour. The van that we were in was comfortable and clean. It was equipped with water bottles (one of two souvenirs) and snacks. We were charged a driving fee based on our distance - an extra $82. 2. Guide - our tour guide, George was very nice and well-informed. He clearly had passion and experience. The BEST part of our tour was the "off script" stop George made to one of the wineries en route between "planned" stops. This off-script stop was how the entire route should have been. Modern, clean converted farmhouse with gorgeous views, amenities and great vintages. Absolutely tragic that the rest of the stops were NOT aligned to this really perfect place. He was super eager to help us with pictures and answer any and all questions we had with the region and wine in general. Our second souvenir was a really great printed pic he took of our group. Again, one of the only highlights was George. I think the company should absolutely leverage his hospitality experience to help curate better partnerships and stops for the Seneca route. 3. Snacks/lunch - the winter tour advertised snacks, water and lunch was included/provided. The water was in a reusable water bottle (that we got to keep)- fine but I guess I would have expected additional bottles in a cooler. Maybe even some seltzer or soda for the price point. Snacks were just individual serve baggies from Costco - decent variety but again, for the price point not aligned. We expected snacks to be food pairings at each stop. We really only got that with chocolate bites at the first stop. On site lunch - this was a huge disappointment for the price point. At our first winery we had bites of chocolate for a flight pairing. The pairing and chocolate were nice. The second stop we had three cheeseboards to split between 5 of us - again, fine but no meat (so no significant protein) and we each got a bowl of soup. That was it. That was lunch. For a 7 hour tour this was simply not enough. And we aren't big eaters generally but definitely expected way more for a 7 hour alcohol tour. This was honestly terrible for the price point. I would have expected cheese/bites pairing at all stops with an actual lunch (at least a full panini or sandwich). 4. The wineries - this was where it really all fell down. We stopped at three places on Seneca. First stop was Damiani. We were NOT brought to the tasting room but rather the barn where the wine was made. Let's just say having your first stop pull up to a metal barn when you've paid ~$400/pp is NOT the best first impression. The wine itself and the staff member, Noah, were actually the best of the three stops. But the aesthetic of it was again, not it. Second stop was red newt - this was at least a more "expected" tasting room set up. We were brought to the back and had our flight/tasting there. The wine was OK at best - sadly we did buy a bottle with our "wine bucks" to have with lunch (again not great considering the price point that lunch didn't just come with a complimentary full glass) and one of us in the group got a whole mouth full of legitimate sediment (like straight grit she had to spit out). It was off putting to say the least especially since we had to buy this to have with "lunch". The pours themselves at ALL the stops was exactly that - a tasting pour. It wasn't more "generous" - just a standard 1oz pour and no one was pouring more. When we had "time" at the end we weren't offered more or even a half glass - we instead felt very pressured to buy bottles (and sadly, none of the vintages were really purchase a whole bottle worthy). Again, not expected for the price point - we thought with the "curated" experience and "lasting partnerships" the tour has with these stops we'd at least get heavier pours or extras. Def did NOT happen. The last stop was Flatt Rock - again, sold as a farm/mom and pop shop - that's what it was. The tasting room was not aesthetically a vibe. The wine was also not great and we were told they had a great champagne style drink - we didn't get any. Overall, we were looking for an all-inclusive. No one in our group wanted to plan the itinerary because we didn't want to invest the time but I think it would have been much more worth it to just do that. The three "on route" places we were brought to were old and just not what we expected for the price point. Maybe their public tours on other lakes is better but I can say with confidence the Seneca lake, private winter tour is NOT the vibe for the price per person.

What a nice experience!…read more Laura was a wonderful tour guide. She owns the company and is just so passionate about all things wine and the Finger Lakes. it was such a relaxing day filled with good wine and good food. Our tour included three winery stops, tastings at each winery, lunch at one winery and some cheese pairings at the other two. We didn't book a private tour but got really lucky because our hotel was an included pick up / drop off point. We spent a good amount of time at each winery and learned alot from all of the wine makers and Laura. If you want to spend a day drinking wine without worrying about driving or having to think about where to go / what to taste then this tour is definitely for you. Leave it to the experts, relax and have a good time and eat and drink well. You can't go wrong!

Let's begin with the food. It was well presented, locally sourced, fresh, and absolutely delicious!…read more After our meal, we spoke with the owner/chef, expressing our compliments for his culinary skills. He was engaging and shared with us the history of the building and how it became Hazelnut Kitchen. In all, we had a great dining experience. I would

Great due to our excellent waiter who steered us away from what would have been awful local wines…read moreand allowed us to taste before ordering. This is a happening place - maybe one of the few good places in the area - so it was packed. Reservations a must. The hanger steak was one of the best I have ever had! Damages with drinks and tip for 2 was $175.

Wade lived up to all expectations. He arrived early and catered to our every need, both early and…read morelate in the trip. If you've ever desired to go on the perfect carefree hired wine tour, there is nobody other than Wade that you should choose!

Wade curated a several-stop winery tour along the SE Seneca Lake for a friend and me, with fun…read morebanter on the drive about animals (birds and dogs), local tidbits, advice for other activities and meals in the area, and more. The winery staff obviously had a fondness for Wade, and we definitely felt like VIPs, getting great seating with gorgeous views and visiting calm wineries (a vibe we wanted!). It was such a fantastic day trip for us. Would recommend

A lovely anniversary escape. We stayed at the Lakeview Cottage, and the room was immaculate. It…read morewas quiet and the view was serene and peaceful. The property was well maintained, and the staff were very friendly and attentive. Bathrooms are stocked and beautifully decorated, and showcase a very spacious jetted tub and separate rain shower. Not a huge fan of the glass window separating main room and bathroom, however there is a curtain for privacy. Continental breakfast is mediocre, but the views make up for that. Option to purchase the kitchen breakfast is available. We were happy with our stay.

We had a wonderful time. But, this is for most people, expensive dining ( our bill for 5 adults was…read morejust under $400 before tip). The ambiance is refined and overlooking Cayuga Lake and the state park. Parking is spread out but adequate. We had come up by boat from Ithaca the night before to watch the wonderful free fireworks display they host for the 4th of July. There was a large elegant wedding going on, on the property while we were there with live music. The entrees were presented and plated elegantly and very good. My youngest daughter (35) said it was the best steak she had ever had. The appetizers were fair. The desserts failed on every count. The alcoholic cocktails were uninspired. Our server tried, but, may have been overwhelmed and unable to give us top tier attention. She failed to tell us of the evening specials. This was a big deal as they were operating on an abbreviated menu of only 6 entrees. She neglected to offer us the fresh ground black pepper. She didn't collect staff to come sing happy birthday (she did join in with the family herself). The funniest comment of the evening when we were each deciding what to have from the 6 entrees we were aware of, was when she said one of them was "in their top five most popular."

The best winery in Ithaca with the absolute kindest and most hospitable owners! I cannot recommend…read morethis winery more! Delicious wines! My sister and I took part in their wine-making class with their red varietals and it was so much fun! We got to make our own bottle of wine and then drink it with lunch! Both Nancy and Kit, the owners, were so knowledgable and made the entire experience fun and one of a kind! Lunch itself, I had rather low expectations of, but the pasta with beef was actually really tasty! Nice and al dente and the vegetables were also superb! We did some more tastings after- loved the ice wine and the chardonnay (Waterfall)! Waterfall was perhaps my favorite wine (I'm partial to white wines). It was so unique! Come support the smaller wineries!!! They are much more in touch with their grapes and the whole process from start to finish. It was really interesting that they just decided to make a random icewine one year- which is likely something that would not have happened on a larger winery. Overall, I cannot recommend Bet the Farm Winery more. Everyone must go! Truly a phenomenal experience!

4.5 Super kind, knowledgeable, and accommodating…read morestaff--from the moment we arrived to the last pour. The ambience was clean, simple, and inviting. Our group of seven loved the wine list; every one of us found something we truly enjoyed. The setting was beautiful--slightly elevated with a gorgeous view. The outdoor seating on green grass overlooked the vineyard and the lake in the distance. A wonderful, relaxing experience all around.