Finger Lakes Region of New York

The finger lakes are several long finger-like lakes in central New York and 

it is a beautiful area with lots to do.

 We stayed in the area around Seneca & Cayuga Lakes.

There are many wineries in the area, but we opted to visit a goat dairy and have a cheese tasting!

The goats are much more personable than grapes!

Another destination was Taughanock Falls which are just a short walk from the road.

These dramatic 215 foot falls, the highest in New York, are worth a stop.

The area is known for its gorges and Robert Treman State Park also had a lovely gorge walk.

Culminating in the dramatic Lucifer Falls.

There was also an old restored mill there with lots of history and exhibits.

 Since it was Saturday, we went to the acclaimed Ithaca farmers market.

We got there early and found lots of wonderful garden goods, handcrafted items and yummy food.

 Breakfast was a luscious banana cream crepe freshly prepared at the market.

Our final stop was the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, a bird lover's delight.

I follow the lab on Facebook and use their app, Merlin to identify birds, so I wanted to see this educational library and lab.

 Right outside the entrance was a goose family, setting the mood for our visit.

 There are many pleasant hikes around the Sapsucker Woods, the affectionate name for the area around the lab.

And inside is a wall illustrated with the silhouettes and paintings of birds found all over the world.

It was interesting, educational and fun.

Next we move on to upstate New York and the Adirondacks.

Watkins Glen State Park

Watkins Glen has been on my bucket list after seeing it online.

What a beautiful region!
It was magnificent and didn't disappoint.

Although you might have heard of Watkins Glen for racing,
 the park features a well known dramatic gorge walk.

 The hike is 1.5 miles long and has 19 waterfalls.

Its stunning!

Expect to get your feet wet since many places you walk behind the waterfalls!

I have many more photos of the gorge, but you really need to hike it and experience the beautiful sights and sounds and feel the mist in the air!

Exploring Southern Indiana

We are visiting a landmark in southern Indiana,

West Baden Springs Hotel.

 This beautiful hotel was built in 1902 and was known as the eighth wonder of the world,

due to its awe inspiring atrium that spans 200 feet.

Its hard to capture the true beauty of the atrium due to its immense size.

The chandelier is from Tiffany and changes colors at night when lit up.

Our room was charming & comfortable.

We enjoyed this beautiful hotel.

While we were in the south of our state, we visited the charming town of New Harmony

on the Wabash River.  There is lots to see and do.

Our first stop was the Athenaeum Visitor Center, a surprisingly modern building in a historic town.

The town was an attempt at utopia in 1814 by a religious group called the Harmonites.

This is the Workingmen's Institute which now houses the town library and a museum.

 The Harmonist Society built labyrinths to provide a place of reflection as they made their way to the center. The Harmonist Labyrinth replicates is made of concentric circles of privet hedges and replicates one planted in the early 1800's.

 This is a the Roofless church. 

And there is a second labyrinth of granite not walk and reflect on.

This was a delightful place to visit.

Golf carts can be rented to explore the town and there is lots of historic buildings and shops to explore.