Watkin's Glen NY
July 8, 2025 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 72 °F
This is a pretty spontaneous road trip. We decided about 2 weeks ago that it was time to move a bit. We decided in this last week a loose itinerary. We know where we are going all the way until we turn around to come home. The rest is TBD.
I didn't take many pictures, mostly because I forgot I was doing Find Penguins and would need to add some.
Today is my birthday.
As my MIL would say, I am living my 70th year. I'm not sure I am ready to embrace that number, but today was a good start.
Richard drove all 6 hours. Since it is my day I didn't feel bad about saying I just didn't want to take a turn. It was a very pretty drive with lakes and mountains and dark heavy clouds that threatened but never rained and added such a soft light over the landscape. We reached our destination about 4 this afternoon.
Watkin's Glen is a very quaint town in the Finger Lakes region. We are staying in an inn that was built in 1892 on top of a hill overlooking Seneca Lake, the biggest of the Finger Lakes. It is a great old house and the host is very friendly.
We went to dinner at a farm to table restaurant called Graft and sat outside on the sidewalk. We started with a cheese board and wine and felt like we were back in Europe, sitting in a café, people watching. Our intention was to sit for a nosh and a drink, then walk and explore and go somewhere else for dinner. But the menu looked delicious and we had skipped lunch, so....... Everything they serve at Graft is locally sourced. Richard had halibut and I had duck, and nothing disappointed. It was all great. Dessert was a strawberry shortcake. It was a homemade biscuit about 5 inches in diameter with such sweet strawberries and fluffy whipped cream. So good.
After dinner we got a bottle of wine, walked around a bit and headed back to the inn. We sat on the front porch sipping our wine through sunset which we didn't see as we were facing east. But the view is spectacular and the weather was gorgeous. Once the sun went down the bugs came out and I retreated to my room. Richard is not bothered by mosquitos so is still enjoying outside.
Tomorrow we hike! I can't wait!!Read more
Watkin's Glen to Cleveland
Jul 9–14, 2025 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 81 °F
Another great day! And I went from taking barely any pictures yesterday to having so many today that I don't know how I will pick what to post!
We started with a delicious breakfast at the inn this morning. It was bacon eggs and a peach and blueberry cobbler to die for. It was accompanied by a special blend of coffee and a peach smoothie. Perfect fuel for our next few hours.
We discovered a very old cemetery abutting the state park we were going to. Many of the original inhabitants and wealthy owners of the summer mansions are buried there. We love a good cemetery and this one did not disappoint. Graves from the early 1800s until present day were scattered and intermingled through a beautiful forested park.
From there we went into the Watkins Glen State Park and hiked the Gorge Trail and the North Rim Trail. It was about 3 miles and 800 steps. By steps I do not mean the ones on your step counter, I mean actual stairs. This is not an exaggeration. It is in their printed literature. It was a bit tough as it was a hot and humid day, but the fabulous beauty kept you going to see what was coming up around the next corner. I will let my pics speak for the beauty. My words would never do it justice. Actually, the pics probably won't either, but you will get a sense.
Next was our drive to Cleveland. It was an easy 4 hours made easier by a good audio book. We arrived about 5:30 and checked in to the Fidelity Hotel right downtown. We rested a bit then had dinner in the hotel and a lovely walk around town as the sun was setting. I am surprised at just how pretty Cleveland is. It's not that I thought it wouldn't be, only that I hadn't thought about it before and found myself really enjoying all the sights.
Tomorrow, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, then on to Covington KY.Read more































TravelerHappy Birthday Arlene!
TravelerThank you!
TravelerHappy birthday Grammie!
TravelerThank you my little love!!!