Upstate New York Family Vacation

Kids will quickly realize this is an area interested in keeping them happy. Great pains are taken at every seemingly adult tourist attraction to make them feel excited and welcome. And whether they're learning how to blow glass as hot as molten lava in Corning or trying their hand at piloting a Curtiss Jenny airplane in Hammondsport, kids seem comfortable and at ease.

There's plenty to do year-round, but the Finger Lakes area is at its finest during the summer months (especially in July and August), when weather permits plenty of time outdoors and attractions are at the peak of their family-friendly offerings. September and October usher in the brilliant colors of the changing leaves, but much of that will be lost on a teenager just looking to have a good time.

You'll know when the seasons are changing in the Finger Lakes -- the seasons are distinct. Temperatures range from the mid 50s to high 60s in spring, the mid 60s to high 80s in summer, the mid 60s to low 70s in the fall, and the mid 20s to low 30s in the winter. Get more weather info.

Elmira/Corning Regional (ELM) services travelers to the area, as do two international ones: Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC) and Syracuse's Hancock International Airport (SYR). Amtrak and Greyhound also service the area. But most visitors opt to arrive by car, taking in the winding views and beautiful terrain along the way.

You'll need a car to take advantage of all that the region has to offer. Public transportation is available in larger cities but can prove inconvenient.

Small festivals have an intimate feel in this part of the state. They celebrate the art, wine, and harvests the area is known for.

• Light in Winter Festival (Jan.)
• Kids West (July)
• Festival of Art (July)
• Apple Harvest Festival (Sept.)
• Jazz & Harvest Festival (Sept.)
• Holiday Parade of Ice (Nov.-Dec.)

There are 14 counties in the Finger Lakes region. Start your search for helpful information at one of the umbrella sites and then narrow your way to the area that feels best suited for your needs. The following sites are great places to start: FingerLakes.org, VisitFingerLakes.com, and FingerLakesWineCountry.com.

Try FingerLakes.org, VisitFingerLakes.com, and FingerLakesWineCountry.com or visit the individual sites of the attractions you intend to visit for additional deals.

• Surrounding the lakes between Rochester and Syracuse, the Finger Lakes region is made up of 14 counties and stretches over 9,000 square miles.
• The area has strong ties to the Civil War, aviation history, the women's rights movement, and the Underground Railroad.
• According to the tourism board website, nearly 70,000 grape pies, (a Finger Lakes specialty born out of a surplus of local grapes in the pre-wine-producing years) are sold annually in New York.