Skaneateles Area Guide: Village, Restaurants, Wineries and Day Trips

Drive times were checked in Google Maps in October 2026. Hours change by season, so check before you go.

Skaneateles Village (10 min)

• Clift Park and the village pier: the lakefront green with a gazebo, a long pier and a lifeguarded swim area in summer.
• Mid-Lakes Navigation: classic-boat sightseeing, lunch and dinner cruises from the village dock, typically mid-May into early fall.
• Skaneateles Historical Society at the Creamery (11 min): local history in the old creamery building on Hannum Street; open Friday and Saturday afternoons.
• Charlie Major Nature Trail (14 min): an easy walk along Skaneateles Creek past old mill ruins.
• Skaneateles Farmers' Market (11 min): Thursday afternoons from late May to early October at Austin Park.

Restaurants and Cafes

• The Sherwood Inn (10 min): a historic lakefront inn with a dining room and tavern facing Clift Park.
• The Krebs (10 min): fine dining in a restored house, with an award-recognized wine list.
• Doug's Fish Fry (10 min): the village's famous counter-service fish sandwiches and chowder since 1982.
• Bluewater Grill (10 min): casual lakefront spot for burgers, seafood and sushi.
• Skaneateles Bakery (10 min): doughnuts and morning pastries since 1959.
• Patisserie (10 min): tarts, pies and bread behind The Sherwood Inn.
• Rosalie's Cucina (11 min): Tuscan-style Italian with its own bakery.
• Mirbeau's Bistro & Wine Bar (12 min): French-inspired dining at the spa resort.
• Elderberry Pond (18 min): farm-to-table dinners in a barn on an organic farm; reservations required.
• Moro's Table, Auburn (21 min): chef-driven dinners for a special night out.

Wineries, Cideries and Breweries

• Anyela's Vineyards (17 min), Skaneateles Brewery (14 min) and Beak & Skiff's 1911 Tasting Room (18 min) are closest.
• The Cayuga Lake Wine Trail is 38 to 66 minutes away and Seneca Lake wineries are about 1 to 1.5 hours.

See our full list on Wine Tours & Tastings.

Shopping

• Skaneateles Artisans (10 min): a gallery of regional pottery, jewelry, painting and woodwork in the Old Stone Mill.
• HABA Toy Outlet (15 min): the U.S. outlet of the German toy maker, a hit with kids.
• The blocks of Genesee and Jordan Streets hold boutiques, galleries and gift shops worth an afternoon.

Groceries and Essentials

• Tops Friendly Markets, 40 Fennell St, Skaneateles (11 min): the closest full grocery store, open 6 AM to 11 PM.
• Wegmans, Auburn (21 min): a large-format store open 6 AM to midnight, with a pharmacy.

Day Trips

• Auburn (21 to 25 min): the Seward House Museum, the Harriet Tubman Home and Fort Hill Cemetery.
• Syracuse (34 to 37 min): Rosamond Gifford Zoo, MOST science museum, the Erie Canal Museum and Destiny USA.
• Seneca Falls (44 min): Women's Rights National Historical Park.
• Cazenovia (43 min): a lakeside village with a historic downtown.
• Green Lakes State Park (50 min): two rare blue-green lakes with an easy 2-mile loop.
• Ithaca (57 min to 1 hr 2 min): Cornell Botanic Gardens and the Ithaca Commons, then Taughannock Falls (1 hr 16 min).
• Watkins Glen State Park (1 hr 34 min): the famous gorge trail past 19 waterfalls, typically open mid-May to late October.

Plan by Season

• Summer | Fall | Winter | Spring

Check dates and book Sunset Side Cottage on Airbnb