POSSESSING a vibrant personality and endless amounts of historic architecture along tree-lined streets, Canandaigua is a Finger Lakes region city of more than 11,000, Famous as the spot where Susan B. Anthony was tried for (shock horror) voting in the 1872 elections, Canandaigua once again made big news last year with the debut of its impressive, $7.5 million New York Wine & Culinary Center. Created in private-public partnership, the center is dedicated to promoting locally-produced food and wine, from Niagara to the North Fork.
WHAT TO DO
Start with the town’s showpiece, the New York State Wine & Culinary Center. This is a veritable shopping mall of opportunities to engage with regional foodie culture.
Have a seat at the upstairs bar for a glass of North Fork red or a bottle of Ommegang brew, before moving onto a complete dinner in the Taste of New York restaurant, where dishes (utilizing local ingredients, of course) are paired with your choice of NYS wine or beer.
If you’re in the mood to learn, check out the schedule of classes in the state of the art exhibition kitchen (Baking with apples! Things we can do with clams!). Or, just keep drinking: Visit the wine tasting room, where a generous flight of five is $7 or $8, depending.
Alas, it is New York State wine, after all – you might be happier with the fruit juice tasting for $3, or more beer upstairs (nywcc.com).
Little known fact: The same guy who founded what is today’s Citibank also founded the bank known today as Chase (sorry, JP Morgan Chase). His name was Frederick Ferris Thompson. He summered in Canandaigua. (Smart guy.)
A whopping 52 acres of the property – including the mansion itself – are now the Sonnenberg Gardens State Historic Park, open to the public. Mrs. Thompson redesigned the gardens after her husband’s death, incorporating many regional garden styles (ranging from Italy to Japan) in the planning. Hurry – the gardens close in early October (admission $10, sonnenberg.org).
The busy Canandaigua Farmers Market kicks off at 8:30 a.m. on Saturdays through late Oct. Just head down to the parking lot on Lafayette, east of Main St.
The mix extends beyond produce to encompass baked goods and homemade preserves. Quick breakfast or picnic supplies for later? We report, you decide.
STAY
What few hotels there are in town fail to inspire, and in fall, they stay booked with weekenders.
A better bet are the town’s bed and breakfasts. We like the handsome Gifford room at the Inn on the Main, a historic property dating back to 1840 that was once part of a 14-acre fruit farm. Today it’s downtown (from $115, innonthemain.com).
GETTING THERE
Canandaigua is located near Exit 43 off the New York State Thruway, approximately 5 hours from NYC.
JetBlue provides daily, nonstop service from JFK to Greater Rochester, about 25 miles to the northwest. Fares currently begin at $69 each way (jetblue.com).
More info: canandaigua.com