Family-Friendly Finger Lakes Hotels & Resorts

    The Finger Lakes' state parks give families plenty to do away from the wineries. Watkins Glen State Park's gorge trail passes 19 waterfalls, Taughannock Falls drops 215 feet, and Robert H. Treman and Buttermilk Falls, near Ithaca, have swimming below their falls in summer. Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel has an indoor pool and is within walking distance of the gorge, and The Hotel Laurel at Seneca has 2-room suites that look out on Seneca Lake.

    4 Properties

    Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel

    Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel

    Watkins Glen · Hotel

    A 107-room hotel at the southern tip of Seneca Lake, next to Glen Harbor Marina, where many rooms have private balconies facing the lake. Blue Pointe Grille and Coldwater Bar are on site, with outdoor seating on The Patio around a firepit. There is an indoor pool and a hot tub. Watkins Glen State Park, with its gorge trail and 19 waterfalls, is within walking distance.

    Family-friendlyWaterfrontDesign-forward
    $$$View lodge →
    The Chalet of Canandaigua

    The Chalet of Canandaigua

    Canandaigua · Lodge

    Three suites on a wooded property near Canandaigua Lake, with a private pond and walking trails. Each suite has a soaking tub, fireplace and private bath, and a three-course breakfast and evening desserts are included. A Select Registry member, and ranked in TripAdvisor's top 25 US B&Bs for six consecutive years.

    Family-friendlyRustic
    $$View lodge →

    The Statler Hotel

    Ithaca · Hotel

    A 153-room teaching hotel on the Cornell campus in Ithaca, run with Cornell's School of Hotel Administration since the 1950s. More than 300 students work alongside the professional staff each year. TavernaBanfi is the main restaurant, with The Regent Lounge, in-room dining and a student-run restaurant as well. Renovated in 2010. Ithaca's gorges are close by.

    Family-friendlyDesign-forwardHistoric
    $$$View lodge →
    The Hotel Laurel at Seneca

    The Hotel Laurel at Seneca

    Watkins Glen · Hotel

    The former Glen Motor Inn on Route 14, the first motel built in Watkins Glen, bought in 2022 and reopened in 2023 as The Hotel Laurel at Seneca after a full renovation. Every room looks out on Seneca Lake, and some are 2-room suites. The Grill at the hotel serves breakfast and dinner. Watkins Glen State Park is about 2 miles away.

    Family-friendlyBudget-friendlyDog-friendly
    $View lodge →

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    What Makes It

    • •Watkins Glen State Park's Gorge Trail runs about 1.5 miles past 19 waterfalls, with more than 800 stone steps, and the trail to the base of Taughannock Falls is a flat walk of about three-quarters of a mile each way.
    • •Lake swimming is easiest at the state parks, including Taughannock Falls on Cayuga Lake and Sampson on Seneca Lake, which have swimming areas in summer.
    • •The region is compact enough for a family to cover multiple activities without long driving: gorge hike in the morning, lake swimming in the afternoon, a family-friendly dinner in Watkins Glen or Ithaca in the evening.

    Similar Collections

    Wine Country Stays in the Finger Lakes →Lakefront Stays in the Finger Lakes →

    Frequently Asked

    Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel has an indoor pool and a hot tub and is within walking distance of Watkins Glen State Park. The Hotel Laurel at Seneca has 2-room suites with views of Seneca Lake, The Statler Hotel in Ithaca is on the Cornell campus near the gorges, and The Chalet of Canandaigua has a private pond and walking trails.

    Yes. The gorge trails at Watkins Glen and Taughannock suit children who can walk a mile or two, though the Watkins Glen trail has more than 800 stone steps. State park beaches on Cayuga and Seneca lakes are open for swimming in summer.

    About 4.5 to 5 hours by car from Manhattan, so the region suits a trip of three nights or more. Ithaca Tompkins International Airport has commercial flights, and Rochester and Syracuse airports are within about an hour of the lakes.