Of the five Finger Lakes closest to Rochester, Canandaigua Lake has the most to offer visitors in terms of activities. Located 30 minutes southeast of Rochester, the city is known for its historic downtown area, which features several charming shops, restaurants, and museums. Surrounded by stunning natural landscapes, Canandaigua Lake is a favorite spot for swimming, boating, and fishing.
Plan Your Day Trip to Canandaigua
Breakfast
Start your day with something savory from Patty’s Place, Gateway Grille, or Simply Crepes.
Morning
Explore Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park, a magnificent late 19th-century Victorian estate featuring a Queen Anne-style mansion and nine formal gardens in this 50-acre New York State Historic Park. Marvel at the Lord and Burnham-designed glass greenhouse conservatory.
Lunch
Canandaigua has numerous excellent restaurants to choose from. Start with Green Front, Eric’s Office, Flavors of India, or Rio Tomatlan. Or head to the lake for dining at Nolan’s, Coho Pizza & Wine Bar, or a farm-to-table experience at New York Kitchen. Wegmans is a fantastic choice for preparing a lakeside picnic. Save room for ice cream from Cheshire Farms Creamery or Scoops.
Afternoon
Continue your historic homes tour at the Granger Homestead. Afterward, walk along South Main Street to visit the local shops. Then, head to Canandaigua City Pier to check out the nearly 80 charming boathouses, some dating back to 1888, along Boathouse Row—one of the most photographed places in Canandaigua. Cross Lakeshore Drive to Lagoon Park, where you can follow the gravel pathway around Goodwin Island to explore the Canandaigua Outlet wetlands. Alternatively, you can play in the water at Kershaw Park Beach, Roseland Waterpark, or Roseland Wake Park—the first and only cable wake park in the northeastern United States. Visitors can rent kayaks or cruise around the lake on the Canandaigua Lady, a 19th-century steamboat replica.
For those seeking a tasting experience, several local breweries are worth visiting, including Naked Dove Brewing, Twisted Rail Brewing, and Other Half Brewing. You’ll find Star Cider next to CMAC. The New York Kitchen Tasting Room offers a range of New York State wines, beers, ciders, spirits, and alcohol-free options. Alternatively, visit the Finger Lakes Wine Center to taste and purchase some of the region’s best wines.
Dinner
Enjoy a fabulous meal at Rheinblick German Restaurant, Eddie O’Briens Grille and Bar, Bon Ami French Bistro, Nick’s Chophouse, Il Posto Bistro, Casa De Pasta, or KiX ON MAIN, which offers rooftop seating. Head to the lakeshore to one of The Lake House’s elegant restaurants—the Rose Tavern or the Sand Bar.
Evening
If you’re planning a day trip around a concert at Constellation Brands-Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center (CMAC) or Lincoln Hill Farms, both venues offer a delicious selection of food and beverage options. You can also enjoy a show at the Fort Hill Performing Arts Center.
Signature Events
Arts in the Gardens
mid-July
Visit the 50-acre estate at Sonnenberg Gardens for a day of art, music, food, and beverages.
ChamberFest of Canandaigua
mid-July
This annual series celebrates creative and intimate classical music performances. World-class musicians perform at Fort Hill Performing Arts Center and other locations.
Canandaigua Lakefront Art Show
late July
Attend the two-day event at Kershaw Park on the north shore of Canandaigua Lake and enjoy regional arts, music, and food.
Ontario County Fair
late July
The Ontario County Fair Committee, established in 1843, hosts their annual event at the end of July.
Pageant of Steam
mid-August
The multiday celebration showcases antique steam-powered equipment through parades, demonstrations, and tractor pulls.
The Skeleton Army
October
Head out to Hopewell near Canandaigua for this fantastic Halloween display! Over 200 skeletons (humans, horses, dinosaurs, and dogs!) are marching on the home, heavily defended by trees (think of the Ents from The Lord of the Rings).
Visit the Haunted House on CR-4 on Facebook.
Canandaigua Treaty Day Commemoration
November 11
The Canandaigua Treaty, signed on November 11, 1794, established peace and friendship between the United States of America and the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. This event is a unique opportunity to witness the past and present coming together and remind us of the treaty’s significance and the bond it has created between the two nations.
Christkindl Market
November
At Granger Homestead, guests can wander the grounds and enjoy a fun start to the holiday season with German-themed food and drink. Artisans and vendors showcase their products under heated tents.
Contact Information
Bon Ami French Bistro 215 S Main St., (585) 905-3951, bonamibistro.com
CMAC 4355 Lakeshore Drive, (585) 394-4400, cmacevents.com
Canandaigua Lady 205 Lakeshore Drive, (585) 396-7350, cdgalady.com
Casa De Pasta 125 Bemis St., (585) 394-3710, casa-de-pasta.com
Cheshire Farms Creamery 10 Parrish St., (585) 396-9793, cheshirefarmscreamery.com
Coho Pizza & Wine Bar 811 S Main St., (585) 577-8008, cohopizzawine.com
Eddie O’Briens Grille and Bar 182 S. Main St., (585) 394-8810, eddieobriensgrille.com
Eric’s Office 2574 County Route 28, (585) 394-8787, ericsofficerestaurant.com
Flavors of India 35 Lafayette Ave., (585) 412-6342, orderflavorsindianresturant.com
Gateway Grille 151 S Main St., (585) 394-1647, gateway-grille.com
Granger Homestead 295 North Main St., (585) 394-1472, grangerhomestead.org
The Green Front 35 Niagara St., (585) 394-7015, thegreenfrontrestaurant.com
Il Posto Bistro 137 S Main St., (585) 905-0535, ilpostobistrony.com
Kershaw Park Beach 155 Lakeshore Drive, (585) 396-5060, canandaiguanewyork.gov
KiX ON MAIN 170 S. Main St., (585) 905-3056, kixonmain.com
The Lake House: Rose Tavern and Sand Bar 770 S Main St., (800) 228-2801, lakehousecanandaigua.com
Lincoln Hill Farms 3792 New York State Route 247, (585) 430-4661, lincolnhillfarms.com
Naked Dove Brewing Co. 4048 US Route 20, (585) 396-2537, nakeddovebrewing.com
New York Kitchen 800 S. Main St., (585) 394-7070, nykitchen.com
Nick’s Chophouse 5 Beeman St., (585) 393-0303, nickschophouseandbar.com
Nolan’s 726 S. Main St., (585) 905-0201, nolansonthelake.com
Other Half Brewing 24 Lakeshore Drive, (585) 337-0885, otherhalfbrewing.com
Patty’s Place 33 S. Main St., (585) 396-9470, pattysplacediner.com
Rheinblick German Restaurant 224 S. Main St., (585) 905-0950, rheinblick.net
Rio Tomatlan 106 Bemis St., (585) 394-9380, riotomatlan.com
Roseland Wake Park 250 Eastern Blvd., (585) 393-9253, roselandwakepark.com
Roseland Waterpark 250 Eastern Blvd., (585) 396-2000, roselandwaterpark.com
Scoops Ice Cream 10 Lakeshore Drive, (585) 770-8574, icecreambyscoops.com
Simply Crepes 101 S. Main St., (585) 394-9090, simplycrepes.com
Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park 250 Gibson St., (585) 394-4922, sonnenberg.org
Twisted Rail Brewing 169 Lakeshore Drive, (585) 396-0683, twistedrailbrewing.com
Wegmans 345 Eastern Blvd., (585) 394-4820, wegmans.com
The historical marker inscription reads, “The City Pier was built in 1848, and the first boathouses were built during the 1850s. Simple wooden boathouses contained mostly small skiffs while larger ones housed sculling shells, sailing and steam yachts. By 1888, over eighty boathouses were along the pier and in the “stream” basin. In 1903, the pier was enlarged to accommodate train and trolley tracks to service the steamboats transporting farm produce and passengers along the lake. At that time the village built the finger piers to accommodate the boathouses, which were either moved across the ice or demolished and rebuilt in their present location. This was done in the winter of 1903-1904. Soon after, The Boathouse Owners’ Association was formed to help protect and enforce the strict rules and regulations prohibiting people from living in the boathouses or using them as cottages. With their rustic nature, they are an attraction for artists, tourists and photographers and remain a unique and picturesque reminder of our heritage. In 1990, the City of Canandaigua added them to the Canandaigua Historic District to preserve their heritage.”
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Where are your favorite places to visit in Canandaigua?
I’d love to hear from you—please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
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