Free
Clift Park and the pier
A lakeside park and a long pier on Skaneateles Lake.
Finger Lakes, New York
Skaneateles
A small village at the top of one of the cleanest Finger Lakes: a park and pier on the water, Genesee Street's brick shops, lake cruises and Harriet Tubman's home in Auburn nearby.
Photo: Skaneateles village seen from the lake, Kiran891, CC BY-SA 4.0
Skaneateles sits at the north end of Skaneateles Lake, long known for its clear water. Clift Park and the village pier look straight down the lake, made for lingering.
Genesee Street's 19th-century brick buildings hold shops and restaurants. Auburn, 15 minutes west, has the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and the Seward House.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Free
Skaneateles Lake views
The clear lake and the village seen from the shore.
Free
Charlie Major Nature Trail
A flat path along Skaneateles Creek on an old rail bed.
Free
Emerson Park, Owasco Lake
A park and beach at the top of Owasco Lake near Auburn.
Cheap
Fillmore Glen State Park
A gorge trail with waterfalls south of Owasco Lake. About 35 minutes.
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Cheap
Skaneateles Historical Society
Local history in the old Creamery building.
Cheap
Harriet Tubman National Historical Park
Tubman's home, church and grave in Auburn.
Paid
Seward House Museum
The Auburn home of William Seward, Lincoln's Secretary of State.
Paid
Mid-Lakes Navigation cruises
Lake cruises on Skaneateles Lake, including the mail boat.
Season Seasonal, check official site.
Markets, shops and festivals
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Free
Dickens Christmas
Weekends in December, with Dickens characters on the village streets.
Book a tour or activity
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Also bookable, listed above
These are in the lists above, so we don't repeat them here.
- Mid-Lakes Navigation cruises Cruise
Part of our Finger Lakes guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- A lake cruise and dinner in the village make a slow evening.
- Auburn's history sites fill a second morning.
- Summer chamber music concerts happen in the evenings.
Nearby and worth the drive
Ithacaabout 70 min · Guide ↗
Gorges and waterfalls.
Watkins Glenabout 1 h 30 · Guide ↗The gorge trail.
Syracuseabout 30 min
The nearest city.
Ready-made trips with Skaneateles
Good to know
- Tourism: skaneateles.com.
- We list only places we can check against an official source. Hours, seasons and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Photos on this page
Photo: Skaneateles village seen from the lake, Kiran891, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: The pier on Skaneateles Lake, Kiran891, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Skaneateles Lake from Clift Park, Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Owasco Lake from Emerson Park, Googoo85, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Genesee Street, Skaneateles, Kiran891, CC BY-SA 4.0