DAY 1
After a quick drive upstate, head straight to Homer Hops Brewing, a homegrown craft brewery in the quaint village of Homer serving up IPAs, Stouts, Sours and Porters, and seasonal ales. Grab a bite from their rotating lineup of food trucks, or enjoy a meal at Dasher’s Corner Pub in the Village of Homer, offering time-tested dishes and classic cocktails. Check into the Best Western Finger Lakes Plus, a hotel that combines ease of access to the region, elegant design, spacious rooms, and rates that won’t break the bank. Take a quick drive to cute and historic downtown Cortland for dinner at BRIX. With its industrial chic decor, brick-oven pizzas, wings, and large selection of beers on tap, it’s easy to see why this is a Cortland favorite. Have you ever heard of Chicken Rigs? Order this regional classic and thank us later.
DAY 2
Fuel up for a full day at BRU 64 in downtown Cortland – a unique, upscale coffee lounge serving up freshly roasted coffee and killer bagel breakfast sandwiches. After breakfast, pick your mode of snow transportation: snow shoe, cross-country ski, or hike Lime Hollow Nature Center where snow recreational equipment is available for rent in the visitor center. Immerse yourself in nature on one of their 12-miles of scenic and serene trails on 592 acres of natural land. The Art Trail opens into an Art Meadow filled with immersive and interactive works of art including a variety of sculptures created by different artists. On your way back toward Ithaca, grab lunch and a pint in historic downtown Cortland at Brewer’s Kitchen and Taproom in Dryden. Serving up inventive and hearty pub fare (think poutine, kimchi tater tots, and apple brie burger), Brewer’s has a seriously impressive selection of craft beers with many cans from breweries across the Finger Lakes.
After lunch, take some time to browse the many boutiques, eateries, vintage shops, and art galleries in downtown Ithaca at the Ithaca Commons, a four-block pedestrian shopping area downtown; the Dewitt Mall, a former school from 1914 now filled with unique shops and dining; and Press Bay Alley, the newest retail development with micro-retail spaces. Don’t miss Buffalo Street Books (one of Ithaca’s cooperatively owned independent bookstore), Angry Mom Records (for its vast selection of vinyl records), Mockingbird Paperie (offering cards, stationery, and art from around the world), and Ithacamade (for all things crafted in Ithaca).
For dinner, head to Bickering Twins Restaurant & Tequila Bar, a popular restaurant (yes, run by twins) focusing on made-from-scratch dishes with a unique blend of Latin American flavors. With a large selection of tequila, this spot is known for its tequila flights, margaritas, and craft cocktails.
DAY 3
Stop by Prandium Cortland for breakfast. Prandium is a cafe serving Coffee Mania coffee (a small family-owned coffee roaster in Cortland), specialty coffee drinks (Honeycomb toffee latte, anyone?), and indulgent breakfast items like sweet or savory Belgian waffles, crepes and breakfast sandwiches. Head to the west side of Cayuga Lake to make the easy and mostly flat trek to Taughannock Falls, the tallest single-drop waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains. The falls turn into an icy, natural masterpiece during the winter months as the falls are literally frozen in time. It’s quite a beautiful and majestic sight to behold. Before departing, stop by Creekside Cafe for lunch in the quaint town of Trumansburg. Perched over the Trumansburg Creek and specializing in locally-sourced, farm-to-table fare, the cafe hits the spot with dishes like Kimcheese Panini (with homemade kimchi), the Creek Burger Bowl (with a shitake-black bean burger), and tasty treats. Before heading out of Trumansburg grab a locally-roasted coffee to go at Gimme Coffee or specialty grocery items from impeccably curated Trumansburg Main Street Market.
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