Taste the Fabulous Finger Lakes the N.A. Way!
5 Finger Lakes tasting experiences. None of them boozy, all of them buzzing with flavor. Which one will you try first?
The Finger Lakes may be famous for wine, cider, and craft brews — but some of the best tasting experiences in the region don’t involve alcohol at all! From frozen custard made with duck eggs to honey that tastes like the blossoms it came from, these 5 stops will awaken your 5 senses and prove that “the buzz” isn’t always about booze.
The Honeybee Embassy – Trumansburg, NY
The Honeybee Embassy in Trumansburg is a shrine to the quiet labor of bees that deepens respect for both the land and the bees that keep it buzzing. Founded by beekeeper Teresa Vanek and Brent Welch, the Embassy grew out of their Bright Raven Farm after years of selling honey at local markets. Tastings here are much like wine flights, but instead of Rieslings or Cab Francs, you’ll sample honeys side by side: wildflower, buckwheat, goldenrod—each carrying the flavor of a different bloom. The honeycomb-inspired building itself is part of the experience, impressive architecture filled with light and warmth.
Just a 10-minute drive away is Taughannock Falls State Park featuring a 215-foot waterfall (taller than Niagara Falls) which the perfect follow-up to a honey flight. Both experiences are about awe: the tiny, intricate labor of bees and the massive power of water and stone.
Spotted Duck Creamery – Penn Yan, NY
At Spotted Duck Creamery, every scoop tells the story of the farm it came from. Their frozen custard is made with rich Ancona duck eggs from their very own flock, giving it a silky depth that standard ice cream can’t match. Visitors can sample a custard flight while taking in the sights and sounds of ducks, chickens, and peacocks roaming nearby. Local favorites include Java Junction, Fleur Bleu, Ditch Mint, and Real Cookies n’ Crème! Over 95% of the ingredients are sourced locally, and everything is made from scratch on the farm, no mixes allowed.
I'd also recommend stretching your legs to let the sweetness linger with a stroll on the along shady Keuka Lake Outlet Trail just minutes away, for a perfect mix of sweet indulgence and Finger Lakes scenery.
Fulkerson Winery has been family-farmed on the western shore of Seneca Lake since 1805. In 1979, the family bought the old Jensen Juice Plant and began pressing grape juice for home winemakers, a move that earned them the nickname “the winemakers’ winery.” A decade later, Sayre and Nancy Fulkerson opened their own winery, but they never stopped pressing juice. Fulkerson still sells more than 30 varieties of juice to home winemakers each fall, keeping a Finger Lakes tradition alive.
They also offer something rare in wine country: a flight of pasteurized grape juices with the same varietals behind their wines. It’s a tasting that connects you directly to the vineyard without a drop of alcohol, and a reminder that grapes themselves carry all the magic. Pair it with a walk through the vineyards or, in the fall, their U-pick experience! Taste the juice, then pick the very grapes it came from.
Specc’s Chocolates & Fudge – Watkins Glen, NY
Just a few blocks from 19 waterfalls and an impressive gorge at Watkins Glen State Park, Specc’s Chocolates & Fudge turns indulgence into an intentional experience. This small-batch chocolatier invites visitors to create their own self-guided tasting—sampling truffles, fudge cups, bark, and seasonal specialties at their own pace. Their catalog is broad, from classic chocolate fudge to inventive novelties, and their mission is to redefine chocolate’s place in society, transforming it from an impulse buy into something memorable. Don't worry about overindulging - a hike on the Gorge Trail offers 800 steps total along its 1.5-mile scenic path.
Lively Run Dairy – Interlaken, NY
Lively Run Dairy is one of the country’s longest-running commercial goat dairies, and since 1995 it’s been run by the Messmer family. Susanne Messmer, who grew up in Pfalz, Germany, brought her European roots in cheesemaking to the Finger Lakes, where she and her family saw the potential for artisan goat cheeses to thrive. Their award-winning Cayuga Blue and Finger Lakes Reserve prove that goat and cow cheeses from this region can stand with the best in the world.
Visitors can experience a goat and/or cow cheese tasting as well as tour the farm and interact with the goats! This is what truly makes Lively Run so special —you’re not just tasting cheese, you’re connecting with the land and the animals that make it possible.
