This Small Upstate New York Town Has The Best Downtown

While Upstate New York is largely known for its mountains, valleys, and lakes, just as much can be found in the region’s small towns. Among these notable towns is Skaneateles, a small community on the northern shore of Skaneateles Lake in the Finger Lakes Region.

While only a few thousand people call it home, its downtown district is arguably one of the most beautiful in the area. It becomes lively with several eccentric festivals each year, and its cultural scene is preserved through galleries and museums. Its bakeries and breweries are just as impressive, setting a new standard for downtown dining. As you begin planning your weekend excursions for the coming year, don’t sleep on the bustling town of Skaneateles.

Downtown Festivals

If you love finding a reason to celebrate, Skaneateles has an entertaining calendar of events to check out downtown. July brings a couple of the most prominent events: the Curbstone Festival and the Skaneateles Boat Show. The Curbstone Festival takes place in the first half of July and is one of the town’s most anticipated events, drawing families from all over the region. More than 50 merchants participate during the weekend, with highlights in past years including pop-up ice cream, sales on toys and puzzles, deals on clothing, and more.

The Antique and Classic Boat Show takes place near the end of the month in Clift Park, with exhibitors arriving from all over the East Coast and the Midwest. Around 80 displays were exhibited this past year, with attendees able to meet the owners of these classic vessels. Some of the events throughout the weekend include a boat parade, band performances, guided village tours, and a photo shoot.

As the holiday season rolls around, you’ll definitely want to have Skaneateles’ Dickens Christmas on your radar. Taking place on the weekends leading up to Christmas, activities throughout the festival range from the World’s Smallest Christmas Parade to carriage rides, a snowman building contest, and a Christmas ball!

Art Galleries & Museums

Even if you can’t make it to one of Skaneateles’ festivals, there are plenty of cultural activities to enjoy in town year-round. The town’s art scene is wonderfully showcased through several galleries, such as The Barrow Gallery. This gallery is one of the town’s most prominent, featuring over 400 oil paintings by painter John D. Barrow. If you’re looking to leave town with a unique souvenir, check out the Skaneateles Artisans, an art space that exhibits and sells works from artisans across the Finger Lakes and New York State. Pottery, paintings, jewelry, glass, wood, and fiber are a few of the media you’ll find here.

Travelers interested in history should also stop by the Skaneateles Historical Society Museum. Housed in the former 1899 Creamery, this museum showcases a diverse range of historical exhibits, including farming and manufacturing, art, architecture, recreation, and transportation.

Culinary Scene

Skaneateles is one of those towns where you will want to arrive hungry. The Skaneateles Bakery has you covered for breakfast, offering a bakery and cafe that prides itself on using high-quality, local ingredients. A few of the items you can try on the menu include handmade donuts, scones, cinnamon buns, muffins, Pop-Tarts, brownies, and cookies. All of the baked items are made fresh daily! For lunch, head over to the Bluewater Grill, a waterfront restaurant offering beautiful views of the lake from its interior. Here, you can enjoy an extensive sushi menu, along with tacos, burgers, sandwiches, and fish dishes.

To unwind a bit later in the afternoon, grab a beer from Skaneateles Brewery, a craft brewery that hosts live music performances, food trucks, and trivia events. The beer selection rotates frequently, featuring reliable classics alongside more adventurous experiments, depending on your mood.

Hotels & Inns

Some of the town’s best lodging options are conveniently located in the heart of the city, meaning that your car can stay parked the entire weekend. The Sherwood Inn is a lovely place if you want to remain close to the water, with the inn sitting just across from the waterfront Clift Park. This inn has been part of Skaneateles’ history for centuries, originally founded as a tavern by Isaac Sherwood in 1807. Today, the inn has a variety of uniquely furnished rooms to choose from, many of which have charming antique touches.

The Skaneateles Boutique Hotel is another charming place to stay for the weekend, a five-room property situated centrally on Fennell Street. The rooms here feature a timeless and modern design, each including complimentary coffee and an in-room mini fridge.

Don’t let the size of Skaneateles fool you: There is so much to do throughout town, whether your itinerary includes a lakefront stroll in the park or a night sipping craft brews at the local brewery. To top it all off, one of its charming inns or hotels awaits, allowing you to experience the town’s lovely atmosphere all weekend long. So go ahead and get packing, because there is so much more to discover!