Vineyard Villas is located at 3708 Mathews Road, Burdett, NY 14818 — nestled in the heart of Seneca Lake wine country in Schuyler County, New York. We sit on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake, just north of Watkins Glen and in the center of the Finger Lakes region.

• New York City — approx. 4.5–5 hours (via I-87 N / I-88 W)
• Boston — approx. 5–5.5 hours (via I-90 W)
• Philadelphia — approx. 4.5 hours (via I-78 W / I-81 N)
• Buffalo, NY — approx. 2.5 hours (via I-90 E / NY-14 S)
• Syracuse, NY — approx. 1 hour (via I-81 S / NY-79 W)
• Rochester, NY — approx. 1.5 hours (via I-390 S / NY-14 S)
• Pittsburgh, PA — approx. 4 hours (via I-79 N / I-90 E)
• Toronto, Canada — approx. 4 hours (via QEW / I-90 E)

• Elmira/Corning Regional Airport (ELM) — ~30 minutes south; most convenient option — www.flyelmira.com
• Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) — ~1 hour northeast; largest nearby hub — www.syrairport.org
• Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC) — ~1.5 hours northwest — www.rocairport.com

A rental car is highly recommended — exploring the wine trails and state parks is much easier with your own wheels.

Trailways and Greyhound serve Watkins Glen and nearby cities, but once you arrive you'll want a car. We strongly recommend renting one at the airport, or booking a guided wine tour. Local operators offering transportation include:

• Pico's Transit Authority https://www.facebook.com/picostransitauthority/ 607-767-5528
• Quality Wine Tours: www.qualitywinetours.com — 877-424-7004
• Finger Lakes Winery Tours: www.fingerlakeswinerytours.com — 315-828-6289
• Main Street Drivers: mainstreetdrivers.com — 888-327-4460
• Grapevine Country Tours: www.grapevinecountrytours.com — 315-585-6769

Vineyard Villas sits on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail — the largest and most celebrated wine trail in the Northeast, with over 35 wineries ringing the shores of Seneca Lake. Visit senecalakewine.com for maps and events. We're also a short drive from the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail (cayugawine.com) and the Keuka Lake Wine Trail (keukawinetrail.com).

• Chateau Lafayette Reneau - producing wine for 40 years
• Ryan Williams Vineyard - 100% estate grown grapes
• Flatt Rock Wine Cellars - great dry red wine
• Shalestone Vineyards - Seneca Lake grown grapes
• Forge Cellars — right up the hill on Mathews Road; exceptional Riesling and Pinot Noir — forgecellars.com(Blackbarn)
• Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars — award-winning views and wines — lamoreauxlanding.com
• Red Newt Cellars & Bistro — great wines and excellent lunch — rednewt.com
• Atwater Estate Vineyards — stunning lakeside tasting room — atwater.wine
• Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards — fun and festive; famous for their Red Cat — hazlitt1852.com
• Wagner Vineyards Estate Winery — iconic estate with brewery on-site — wagnerwine.com
• Standing Stone Vineyards — beloved family winery with spectacular views — standingstonewines.com
• Damiani Wine Cellars — acclaimed Bordeaux-style reds — damianiwine.com

The Finger Lakes has earned a global reputation for dry and off-dry Riesling — often compared to the best from Germany and Alsace. Other standout varieties include:

• Gewürztraminer & Grüner Veltliner (aromatic whites)
• Cabernet Franc (the top red grape of the region)
• Pinot Noir and Lemberger
• Sparkling and ice wines
• Native varietals: Catawba, Concord, and Niagara

Absolutely — guided tours let you visit more wineries safely without worrying about driving. Recommended operators:

• Finger Lakes Wine Rack Tours: FingerLakesWineRackTours.com — 585-733-6025
• Quality Wine Tours: qualitywinetours.com — 877-424-7004
• Wine Wagen Tours: winewagentours.com
• Experience Finger Lakes: experiencefingerlakes.com
• PICO Transit Authority: https://www.facebook.com/picostransitauthority/ 607-767-5528
• Lakeside Trolley Tours: https://www.lakeside-trolley.com/
• Main Street Drivers: mainstreetdrivers.com — 888.327.4460

Yes! Our on-site restaurant, Hector Hideaway, serves locally inspired food in a relaxed setting — steps from your villa.

• Stonecat Cafe — 1 mile north; farm-to-table, locally sourced cuisine
• Red Newt Cellars Bistro — casual lunch inside a great winery
• Seneca Harbor Station — waterfront dining in Watkins Glen — senecaharborstation.com
• Graft Wine + Cider Bar — hip spot for local wine and craft ciders, Watkins Glen
• Jerlando's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria — a Watkins Glen institution
• Nickel's Pit BBQ — no-frills, outstanding smoked meats
• Curly's Restaurant — beloved local breakfast and lunch spot
• The Elf in the Oak — charming breakfast and lunch cafe on Rt. 414 — theelfintheoak.com
• Seneca Lodge — rustic log-cabin atmosphere, classic dinner near park entrance

• Burdett Exchange — www.theburdettexchange.com — 5 miles
• Walmart Supercenter — Watkins Glen, NY — 8 miles (includes groceries)
• Tops Market — Watkins Glen, NY — 9 miles

• Watkins Glen State Park — 19 waterfalls along a 1.5-mile gorge trail; one of the most dramatic hikes in the U.S. — parks.ny.gov
• Taughannock Falls State Park — 215-foot waterfall off Cayuga Lake; taller than Niagara; easy hike — taughannock.com
• Corning Museum of Glass — world-class museum with glassblowing demos; budget a full day — cmog.org
• Watkins Glen International Speedway — home of NASCAR and world-class racing — theglen.com
• Finger Lakes National Forest — 16,000+ acres of trails within walking distance of Vineyard Villas
• Schooner Excursions — sailing and boat tours on Seneca Lake — schoonerexcursions.com
• Havana Glen Park & Buttermilk Falls — quieter gorge walks worth seeking out

For a comprehensive list, visit thevineyardvillas.com/local-finger-lakes-area-information

Seneca Lake is the deepest of the Finger Lakes (618 feet!) and offers a wide range of water activities:

• Kayaking & fishing — Summit to Stream Adventures: summittostream.com
• Boat rentals — Glen Harbor Marina rents powerboats by the hour or day
• Sailing & cruises — Schooner Excursions: schoonerexcursions.com; Captain Bill's lake cruises at Seneca Harbor Station
• Wine boat tours — Seneca Wine Boat Tours: senecawineboattours.com
• Swimming — Smith Park and Lodi Point State Park both have swimming areas and boat ramps

• Watkins Glen State Park — the gorge trail is doable for kids and magical
• Corning Museum of Glass — kids can make their own glass art in the studio
• Horseback riding — Painted Bar Stables: paintedbarstables.com
• Swimming at Smith Park or Lodi Point — shallow, calm beach areas
• Kayak rentals and fishing — great introduction to lake life for kids
• Buttonwood Grove Winery on Cayuga Lake — visit their friendly Scottish Highland Yak!

Yes — Attuned Life Massage and Wellness (attuned.life) offers on-site massages at Vineyard Villas by appointment. Call or text 607-288-3866 to book. There's nothing better than a massage after a day of wine tasting and hiking.

Seneca Lake rarely freezes due to its depth, moderating local temperatures year-round. Pack layers in any season!

Fall is the undisputed favorite — September through mid-October brings grape harvest, stunning foliage in reds and gold, and the famous Seneca Lake Wine Trail harvest weekends (senecalakewine.com/events). Tasting rooms are buzzing and the landscape is breathtaking.

Summer is busy and vibrant — ideal for lake activities, kayaking, outdoor dining, and the NASCAR race at Watkins Glen International.

Spring and winter offer the most peaceful, affordable visits — fewer crowds, lower room rates, and the wineries are never empty.

Yes, the Finger Lakes receives snow typically December through March. Roads are well maintained, but we recommend:

• All-wheel or four-wheel drive if visiting in winter
• Carrying an ice scraper and small shovel
• Checking the National Weather Service forecast before departing: weather.gov/bgm

Winter at Vineyard Villas is magical — imagine sipping Riesling by a fire while snow falls over Seneca Lake.

Breweries:

• Two Goats Brewing — relaxed lakeside taproom — twogoatsbrewing.com
• Wagner Brewing — craft beers alongside Wagner's wines — wagnerwine.com
• 3 Brothers Winery & Warhorse Brewery — winery and brewery combo
• Lucky Hare Brewing — fun, approachable craft beers
• Grist Iron Brewing Company — popular local craft brewery
• Scale House Brewery — https://www.scalehousebrews.com/

Distilleries:

• Finger Lakes Distilling — award-winning whiskey, brandy, and grappa — fingerlakesdistilling.com
• Rock Stream Vineyard, Winery & Distillery — wine, beer, and spirits under one roof (Rt. 14)
• Myer Farm Distillers — small-batch spirits made with estate-grown grain — https://www.myerfarmdistillers.com/

Note: Our on-site restaurant Hector's Hideaway serves many local wines, beers and distilled beverages including vodka, gin and bourbon.

• Watkins Glen Gorge Trail — 1.5 miles through 19 waterfalls; one of the most spectacular short hikes in the East — parks.ny.gov/parks/142
• Taughannock Falls Trail — Easy 0.75-mile walk to the base of a 215-foot waterfall — taughannock.com
• Finger Lakes National Forest — 30+ miles of trails; within walking distance of Vineyard Villas — fs.usda.gov
• Havana Glen Park — quieter gorge walk just south of Watkins Glen
• Hector Falls — a roadside waterfall visible from Rt. 414 near our property

Yes! Seneca Lake is clean and swimmable in the warmer months. The best designated swimming areas include:

• Smith Park — swimming beach and boat ramp located right down the hill from Vineyard Villas in Hector — https://www.smithmemorialpark.com/
• Lodi Point State Park — beach swimming and a boat ramp on the east shore — parks.ny.gov/parks/89

Water temperatures peak in late July and August, reaching the low-to-mid 70s F at the surface.

We recommend at least 3–4 nights to do the region justice. A rough guide:

• Weekend (2 nights) — 6–8 wineries along one trail, one state park, and a couple of meals out
• 3–4 nights — Two wine trails, Watkins Glen gorge, Corning Museum of Glass, lake activities
• Week+ — All three wine trails, Taughannock Falls, Finger Lakes National Forest, multiple breweries/distilleries, and really settling into Seneca Lake life

Check our villa options at thevineyardvillas.com/the-villas to find the right size for your group. Note: Stay 4 nights or more and receive a 10% discount.

• Seneca Lake Wine Trail Weekends — Spring, Summer, and Harvest themed weekends — senecalakewine.com/events
• NASCAR at Watkins Glen International — typically mid-summer; book months in advance — theglen.com
• Finger Lakes Cheese Festival — celebrating the region's outstanding artisan cheesemakers
• Watkins Glen Grand Prix Festival — a street-course celebration of the village's racing heritage
• Harvest Season (September–October) — the entire wine trail buzzes with crush events and winery parties

For current event listings, visit FingerLakes1.com — the region's go-to news and events hub.

It's one of the most romantic destinations on the East Coast. Imagine private balcony sunsets over Seneca Lake, intimate winery tastings, lakeside dinners, in-villa fireside evenings, and morning mist over the vineyard. Fall is particularly magical.

Many couples have proposed and gotten engaged on our property.

View our villas at thevineyardvillas.com/the-villas or book directly at secure.thinkreservations.com/thevineyardvillas/reservations. For special requests, contact us at thevineyardvillas.com/contact-vineyard-villas

Many wineries, parks, and outdoor spaces in the Finger Lakes welcome leashed dogs — it's a very dog-friendly region overall. For Vineyard Villas' pet policy, please see our Policies page at thevineyardvillas.com/policies or contact us directly before booking.