Local Favorites

Champs Restaurant and Catering

Campbell's own family-run restaurant, and the closest sit-down meal to the cabin — pizza, American comfort food, and takeout five minutes down the road. Saturdays they run a charcoal chicken BBQ out front that sells out most weeks, so go early.

pizzacomfort foodchicken bbqtakeout

📍 8833 State Route 415, Campbell, NY 14821 🚗 2 mi · 5 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 527-4020 🕒 Tue–Thu 4–9 pm; Fri–Sat 11:30 am–9 pm; closed Sun–Mon 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Casa Mezcal | Flavors of Mexico

Bath's Mexican kitchen and full bar, ten minutes up Route 54 — sizzling fajitas, carnitas, and burritos, with a margarita list to match. The closest real sit-down dinner to the cabin after Champs.

mexicandinner outfull bar

📍 7500 State Route 54, Bath, NY 14810 🚗 8 mi · 15 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 622-4140 🕒 Mon 9 am–8 pm; Tue–Thu 11 am–8:30 pm; Fri–Sat 11 am–9 pm; Sun 11:30 am–7:30 pm 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Beartown Peaches 'n Cream

A classic roadside market and ice cream window in Painted Post — big scoops at old-fashioned prices, plus fresh peaches, sweet corn, and local produce in season. Ten minutes from the cabin and worth every one.

ice creamfarm stand

📍 5 Beartown Rd, Painted Post, NY 14870 🚗 9 mi · 15 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 937-5219 🕒 Ice cream daily 10 am–9 pm in season 📅 Open seasonally, weather dependent 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Casa Mezcal Selecto

The Painted Post sister of the Bath restaurant, and a little more ambitious — smothered burritos, molcajetes, and a deep tequila and mezcal shelf, right on the way into Corning.

mexicandinner outtequila

📍 304 S Hamilton St, Painted Post, NY 14870 🚗 9 mi · 15 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 377-5358 🕒 Mon–Thu 11 am–9 pm; Fri 11 am–10 pm; Sat 11:30 am–10 pm; Sun 11:30 am–8:30 pm 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Jelly Beans

"Where everyone is a regular" — a Painted Post diner doing big honest breakfasts all morning and a Friday fish fry worth planning around. Fifteen minutes from the cabin and the best cheap breakfast nearby.

breakfastdinerfish fry

📍 319 S Hamilton St, Painted Post, NY 14870 🚗 9 mi · 15 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 936-2290 🕒 Sun–Wed 8 am–2 pm; Thu–Sat 8 am–8 pm 🔗 Visit their website ↗

The Last Stand

A local drive-up coffee and ice cream stand — espresso, their signature Energy Blasts, loaded breakfast sandwiches, and sundaes, from 6:30 in the morning. Handy on the way out for a day trip; there's a second stand in Horseheads.

coffeebreakfastice creamdrive-up

📍 73 Victory Hwy, Painted Post, NY 14870 🚗 9 mi · 15 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 377-5097 🕒 Opens 6:30 am daily; open till 8 pm Fri–Sat 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Little Boomers' Burrito Bar

Build-your-own burritos, tacos, and taco salads on Corning's historic Market Street — fresh, fast, and easy on the wallet. Don't skip the queso, and look out for Taco Tuesday.

burritostacosquick lunch

📍 30 West Market St, Corning, NY 14830 🚗 12 mi · 20 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 438-1117 🕒 Mon–Sat 11 am–9 pm; closed Sundays 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Butcher's Son

A proper butcher shop on Corning's west end that also griddles some of the best smash burgers in the Southern Tier — go for the original with Son sauce, or pick up steaks to grill back at the cabin.

burgersbutchertakeout

📍 127 W Market St, Corning, NY 14830 🚗 12 mi · 20 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 973-2220 🕒 Tue–Thu 10 am–7 pm; Fri–Sat 10 am–8 pm; closed Sun–Mon 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Ella's Acres Homestead

A family homestead's farm-to-table kitchen in the Gaffer District — breakfast and lunch built on what's in season locally, and a knockout fish fry. Their Homestead Baking Co. is a few doors over on Market Street for pastries and bread.

farm-to-tablebreakfastbakery

📍 36 Bridge St, Corning, NY 14830 🚗 12 mi · 20 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 333-5531 🕒 Mon–Fri 7 am–3 pm; Sat–Sun 8 am–3 pm (bakery daily 7 am–5 pm) 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Aniello's Pizzeria

Corning's pizza institution since 1972, and named one of the best pizza places in New York State — thin New York–style slices, subs, and calzones on Market Street, open late.

pizzalate nightmarket street

📍 68 E Market St, Corning, NY 14830 🚗 12 mi · 20 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 962-2060 🕒 Sun–Thu 11 am–10:30 pm; Fri–Sat 11 am–11 pm 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Atlas Brick Oven Pizzeria

Brick-oven pizza, local beer and wine, and cocktails in a small restaurant and bar on Market Street — a good sit-down alternative to grabbing slices when you're spending the evening in Corning.

pizzabrick ovenbar

📍 35 E Market St, Corning, NY 14830 🚗 12 mi · 20 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 962-2626 🕒 Mon–Thu 11 am–9 pm; Fri–Sat 11 am–10 pm; Sun 12–9 pm 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Dippity Do Dahs

Homemade ice cream on Market Street — 22 signature flavors year-round plus seasonal ones, in waffle cones baked in house, with sundaes, shakes, and ice cream "pizzas" made on their own cookies.

ice creammarket streetdessert

📍 46 E Market St, Corning, NY 14830 🚗 12 mi · 20 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 542-9416 🕒 Tue–Wed 3–8:30 pm; Thu–Sat 12–8:30 pm; closed Sun–Mon 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Kyoto Hibachi & Seafood

Our go-to for hibachi night — teppanyaki tables, a full sushi bar, and a full bar, just off the highway by the Arnot Mall. Great for a fun dinner out with the whole crew.

hibachisushidinner out

📍 830 County Road 64, Elmira, NY 14903 🚗 15 mi · 20 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 739-8888 🕒 Lunch & dinner daily (dinner only on Mondays) 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Crooked Lake Ice Cream Company

A classic 50s-style diner and ice cream shop two blocks from Keuka Lake in Hammondsport — breakfast and lunch all day, scoops and sundaes after, beneath a mural of hometown aviation hero Glenn Curtiss. Over 30 years running.

ice creamdinerbreakfast

📍 35 Shether St, Hammondsport, NY 14840 🚗 15 mi · 25 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 569-2751 🕒 Daily 7 am–9 pm 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Jerlando's Ristorante & Pizza Co.

A Watkins Glen institution since 1993 — pizza, pasta, and steaks a short walk from the gorge entrance and the harbor. An easy dinner after a day on the trails.

pizzaitalianfamily-friendly

📍 400 N Franklin St, Watkins Glen, NY 14891 🚗 25 mi · 40 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 535-4254 🕒 Mon–Sat 11 am–9 pm; Sun 11 am–8 pm 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Blueberry Hill Farm

A u-pick blueberry farm with sweeping views over the Canisteo Valley — bring the kids and a bucket. Picking season is short — late July into August — so call ahead before making the drive.

u-pickblueberriesfarm

📍 549 O'Connor Rd, Hornell, NY 14843 🚗 27 mi · 35 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 324-5321 🕒 Mon–Fri 7 am–7 pm; Sat 7 am–5 pm; closed Sundays 📅 U-pick season roughly late July through August 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Oak Hill Bulk Foods

A Mennonite family–run bulk and specialty food store in the heart of Finger Lakes farm country — three generations of from-scratch baking, a deli and café, local cheese and milk, and pantry staples by the scoop. Don't leave without a fry pie.

bulk foodsdelibakery

📍 3173 Route 14A, Penn Yan, NY 14527 🚗 28 mi · 40 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (315) 536-0836 🕒 Mon–Sat 8 am–6 pm (café 7 am–4 pm); closed Sundays 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Spotted Duck

Award-winning small-batch frozen custard made with duck eggs from their own farm in Penn Yan — seasonal flavors like sweet corn and Dutch apple crumble, with ducks, chickens, and a peacock to meet while you eat. Voted the best ice cream stand in upstate New York.

frozen custardfarmfamily-friendly

📍 999 State Route 54, Penn Yan, NY 14527 🚗 30 mi · 45 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (315) 509-3939 🕒 Daily 12–5 pm & 6–8:30 pm; closed Wednesdays 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Seneca Farms

A Keuka Lake landmark for over 50 years — fried chicken and corn fritters from the kitchen, and more than 50 homemade ice cream flavors at the window. Worth building a Penn Yan day around.

ice creamfried chickenfamily-friendly

📍 2485 Route 54A, Penn Yan, NY 14527 🚗 30 mi · 45 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (315) 536-4066 🕒 Daily 10:30 am–9 pm 📅 Open seasonally 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Charcoal Corral & Silver Lake Drive-In

Chicken grilled over an open charcoal pit is the star here, backed by a pizzeria and an old-fashioned ice cream parlor — then stay for mini-golf, the arcade, and a double feature at the two-screen drive-in next door. The farthest trip on this list, and the most nostalgic.

bbq chickenpizzaice creamdrive-inmini-golffamily-friendly

📍 7037 Chapman Ave, Perry, NY 14530 🚗 60 mi · 1 hr 15 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (585) 237-5270 🕒 Daily 11 am–10 pm (till 11 pm Fri–Sat); drive-in gates at 6 pm 📅 Open mid-March through late October 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Cream at the Top

Legendary soft-serve custard and 39 flavors of hard ice cream at the top of the hill in King Ferry, with sugar-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free options. It's a haul from the cabin — save it for a Cayuga Lake day trip.

soft serveice cream

📍 1258 State Route 34B, King Ferry, NY 13081 🚗 65 mi · 1 hr 45 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (315) 364-8076 🕒 Wed–Sun 3–9 pm; closed Mon–Tue 📅 Open May 1 through August 31 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Watkins Glen State Park

The famous gorge trail climbs past 19 waterfalls in under two miles of stone steps, tunnels, and bridges — one of the most beautiful walks in the East, forty minutes from the cabin. Rim trails stay open year-round.

gorgewaterfallshiking

📍 1009 N Franklin St, Watkins Glen, NY 14891 🚗 25 mi · 40 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 535-4511 🕒 Dawn to dusk; $10/vehicle in season 📅 Gorge Trail open roughly mid-May through late October 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Taughannock Falls State Park

A 215-foot waterfall — taller than Niagara — plunging into a gorge with cliffs rising 400 feet, on Cayuga Lake's west shore. Gorge and rim trails, plus a swimming beach and marina in summer.

waterfallshikingswimming

📍 1740 Taughannock Blvd, Trumansburg, NY 14886 🚗 42 mi · 1 hr 5 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 539-4078 🕒 Dawn to dusk year-round; $10/vehicle in season 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Letchworth State Park

The "Grand Canyon of the East" — a 600-foot gorge on the Genesee River with three major waterfalls and 66 miles of trails. It's a longer drive, but an easy full-day trip guests rave about.

gorgewaterfallshiking

📍 1 Letchworth State Park, Castile, NY 14427 🚗 55 mi · 1 hr 10 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (585) 493-3600 🕒 Daily 6 am–11 pm, year-round; $10/vehicle in season 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Corning Museum of Glass

The world's largest glass museum, twenty minutes away — 3,500 years of glass art and science, live hot-glass demos all day, and make-your-own glass sessions in The Studio. Kids and teens 17 and under are always free, and tickets are good for two consecutive days.

glassmakingrainy-dayfamily-friendly

📍 1 Museum Way, Corning, NY 14830 🚗 12 mi · 20 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 937-5371 🕒 Daily 9 am–5 pm (closed Wednesdays Jan–Mar) 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Glenn H. Curtiss Museum

Aviation and motorcycle history in the hometown of pioneer Glenn Curtiss — early flying machines, vintage motorcycles, and Finger Lakes local history, just south of Hammondsport village. A great rainy-day stop, established 1962.

aviationmotorcyclesrainy-day

📍 8419 State Route 54, Hammondsport, NY 14840 🚗 15 mi · 25 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 569-2160 🕒 Daily 9 am–5 pm 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Wings of Eagles Discovery Center

An aviation museum in a hangar at the Elmira-Corning airport — warbirds and aircraft engines from WWII onward, flight simulators, a Science on a Sphere animated globe, and a how-to-live-on-Mars exhibit with two Mars-themed escape rooms. Only open Friday through Sunday, so plan around it. Twenty minutes out and close to the soaring museum.

aviationstemescape roomrainy-day

📍 339 Daniel Zenker Dr, Horseheads, NY 14845 🚗 15 mi · 20 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 358-4247 🕒 Fri–Sun 10 am–3 pm; adults $9, family of five $25 🔗 Visit their website ↗

National Soaring Museum

Perched on Harris Hill above Elmira, the country's museum of motorless flight — one of the largest collections of gliders and sailplanes anywhere, from 1890s craft to modern racers, plus the U.S. Soaring Hall of Fame. You can book a ride in a two-seat sailplane and go up yourself.

glidersaviationrainy-dayfamily-friendly

📍 51 Soaring Hill Dr, Elmira, NY 14903 🚗 16 mi · 25 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 734-3128 🕒 Daily 10 am–5 pm Apr–Oct; 10 am–4 pm Nov–Mar 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Harris Hill Amusements

An old-fashioned family amusement park on Harris Hill since 1947 — mini golf, go-karts, kiddie rides, batting cages, a driving range, and an arcade under the pines. Free parking and admission; you just buy ride tickets, and they don't expire. Cash only. Pairs perfectly with the soaring museum up the road.

mini golfgo-kartsarcadefamily-friendly

📍 557 Harris Hill Rd, Elmira, NY 14903 🚗 16 mi · 25 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 732-1210 🕒 Summer daily 12–8 pm; spring & fall Sat–Sun 12–8 pm, Mon–Fri 5–8 pm 📅 Seasonal, weather permitting 🔗 Visit their website ↗

The Windmill Farm & Craft Market

Saturdays-only market on 44 acres between Keuka and Seneca Lakes — 175+ shops with local produce, Mennonite baked goods, crafts, furniture, wineries, and a brewery. Free admission and parking; dogs welcome.

marketcraftslocal food

📍 3900 Route 14A, Penn Yan, NY 14527 🚗 30 mi · 45 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (315) 536-3032 🕒 Saturdays 8 am–4:30 pm 📅 Third Saturday of April through the last Saturday of November 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Museum of the Earth

Five hundred million years of natural history on Ithaca's west hill — the Hyde Park Mastodon, one of the most complete ever found, a 44-foot right whale skeleton overhead, and a Jurassic-themed Dino Zone for the little ones. Pair it with Taughannock Falls for a full Cayuga Lake day.

fossilsmuseumrainy-dayfamily-friendly

📍 1259 Trumansburg Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850 🚗 43 mi · 1 hr 5 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 273-6623 🕒 Thu–Mon 10 am–5 pm; closed Tue–Wed (Dino Zone closes 4:30) 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Sciencenter

A hands-on science museum in downtown Ithaca built for kids to touch everything — an animal room, a 15-foot air maze, water and engineering galleries, plus outdoor mini-golf and the Sagan Planet Walk scaled to the solar system. Our go-to when the weather turns.

hands-onsciencerainy-dayfamily-friendly

📍 601 First St, Ithaca, NY 14850 🚗 45 mi · 1 hr 10 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 272-0600 🕒 Daily 10 am–5 pm; $15 admission, under 2 free 🔗 Visit their website ↗

ReviveZone

Ithaca's virtual-reality venue, opened summer 2026 — free-roam VR games where your whole group moves through the same virtual world together, plus two golf simulator bays loaded with thousands of courses. Book ahead online; they don't post walk-in hours.

virtual realitygolf simulatorindoor

📍 2309 N Triphammer Rd, Suite 14, Ithaca, NY 14850 🚗 47 mi · 1 hr 15 min drive from the cabin 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Cascades Indoor Waterpark

Greek Peak's indoor waterpark keeps summer going whatever the sky is doing — a wave pool under a 30-foot waterfall, four slides, a toddler splash area, and a heated outdoor pool open year-round. Day passes are sold to non-resort guests, but buy ahead; it caps attendance and sells out.

waterparkindoorrainy-dayfamily-friendly

📍 2177 Clute Rd, Cortland, NY 13045 🚗 65 mi · 1 hr 35 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (800) 955-2754 🕒 Sun 10 am–6 pm; Mon–Thu 11 am–7 pm; Fri 11 am–8 pm; Sat 10 am–8 pm 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Shipwreck Amusements

A pirate-themed 18-hole mini-golf course outside Cortland that lays claim to the longest mini-golf hole in the world, plus an indoor blacklight course that glows year-round, an arcade, and Cornell Dairy soft serve at Captain Jack's. Worth the drive if you've got kids to tire out.

mini-golfarcadeice creamfamily-friendly

📍 759 State Route 13, Cortland, NY 13045 🚗 67 mi · 1 hr 40 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 758-8585 🕒 Summer Sun–Thu 10 am–9 pm; Fri–Sat 10 am–10 pm (last tee-off 45 min before close) 📅 Outdoor course summer only; blacklight course open year-round 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Sky Zone Trampoline Park

Wall-to-wall trampolines in Vestal, just past Binghamton — freestyle jump courts, dodgeball, a ninja warrior course, foam pits, and a climbing wall. A long drive, but the fastest way we know to wear kids out on a rainy day.

trampolinesninja courseindoorfamily-friendly

📍 161 N Jensen Rd, Vestal, NY 13850 🚗 72 mi · 1 hr 15 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (607) 238-7058 🕒 Mon–Thu 10 am–8 pm; Fri 10 am–10 pm; Sat 9 am–10 pm; Sun 10 am–8 pm 🔗 Visit their website ↗

Hooplas Family Fun & Longshots Grill

An everything-under-one-roof fun center down in Pennsylvania — mini bowling, mini golf, axe throwing, and a big arcade, with Longshots Grill for burgers when everyone's worn out. The farthest trip we recommend, but it's easy highway most of the way down Route 15.

mini bowlingaxe throwingarcadefamily-friendly

📍 1277 Lycoming Mall Circle, Muncy, PA 17756 🚗 86 mi · 1 hr 35 min drive from the cabin ☎️ (570) 935-0006 🕒 Tue–Thu 11 am–8 pm; Fri–Sat 11 am–9 pm; Sun 11 am–7 pm; closed Mondays 🔗 Visit their website ↗