Town

    Where to Stay in Aurora

    Aurora sits on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake, a National Historic District of under a square mile, where an elm-lined main street runs along the water. The Inns of Aurora are its main lodging: five restored 19th-century buildings, including the Aurora Inn, E.B. Morgan House, Rowland House, Zabriskie House and Wallcourt Hall, run together as one resort with a spa and restaurants. Wells College was here from 1868 until it closed in 2024. MacKenzie-Childs, the ceramics and home goods company, has its farm and studio 2 miles south on Route 90, open for tours. Wineries line both shores of Cayuga Lake, and Geneva and Ithaca are each about 40 minutes away.

    The Inns of Aurora

    The Inns of Aurora

    Featured Stay

    Aurora · Inn

    Five restored 19th-century buildings on the east shore of Cayuga Lake in Aurora, bought and renovated by Pleasant Rowland, founder of American Girl, starting in 2001. More than 60 rooms are spread across the Aurora Inn, E.B. Morgan House, Rowland House, Wallcourt Hall, Zabriskie House and Orchard Cottage, each with its own room layouts. Aurora is a small village, where Wells College operated until 2024, and sees less traffic than the Seneca Lake wine corridor.

    Five historic buildings and 60+ rooms, restored by Pleasant Rowland. On Cayuga Lake's east shore, away from the busier Seneca wine trail.

    UpscaleWaterfrontHistoric
    $$$$View lodge →

    Why Stay in Aurora

    • •The Inns of Aurora spread more than 60 rooms across five historic buildings on Cayuga Lake, with a spa and restaurants.
    • •Aurora is a National Historic District whose buildings date mostly to the 19th century, and much of its lakefront is undeveloped.
    • •MacKenzie-Childs's farm and studio is 2 miles south, with tours and a shop.

    What Makes This Area Interesting

    • •MacKenzie-Childs farm and studio: 2 miles south on Route 90; tours and the retail barn for the full colorful ceramics experience.
    • •Cayuga Lake Wine Trail: founded in 1983 and billed as the country's first wine trail, with wineries along both shores.
    • •Taughannock Falls State Park: about 45 minutes away on the west shore; a 215-foot waterfall, taller than Niagara Falls.
    • •Ithaca: about 40 minutes south; Cornell University, the gorges, the farmers' market and many restaurants.

    Explore Nearby Towns

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    Historic Inns of the Finger LakesLakefront Stays in the Finger Lakes

    Frequently Asked

    Summer for swimming, kayaking and the wine trail at its busiest. Fall is quieter, and foliage along the lake usually peaks in mid-October. The Inns of Aurora are open year-round.

    About 4.5 hours from the George Washington Bridge. From Rochester, about 1 hour 15 minutes via the New York State Thruway and Route 90.

    Non-guests are welcome at the Aurora Inn Dining Room and 1833 Kitchen & Bar, but reservations are recommended, especially on weekends during the summer wine trail season.
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