We had a gathering of coworkers for a summer get-together today at this park, and it was wonderful…read more The place is beautiful, with plenty of beach area to set up a tent, spread out lawn chairs, and they also have grills around for people to cook meals. The beach area is enclosed into a square, guarded by at least three lifeguards. There are plenty of parking spaces, a food concession and restrooms in the main building and plenty of restrooms and showers behind this front building. The weather cooperated and it was perfect. ​

Lovely state park with clean facilities. Admission is…read morecurrently 9 dollars (if you have a NY state empire pass, this covers the admission fee) There is a snack shack on site but it was closed when we visited. As we visited on a holiday it was very busy, but we arrived early and had no trouble finding parking. The park had staff on hand to direct traffic and assist in finding a spot.

My wife, two teenage sons, miniature poodle, and I visited this state park on a hot day in July…read more2025. We parked on the East Bay Drive entrance (which has a very steep but short climb to view the bluffs). Please note the east entrance to the Bluff Trail has a limited number of parking spots with two porta-potty units instead of a full restroom. This is NOT the main entrance to the state park (which offers a larger parking lot and picnic benches). Although we did not have enough time to explore the other sections of the park or walk the full 1.3 miles of the Bluff Trail, I think the dramatic view of the drumlins with Lake Ontario in the background was more than worth the 1 hour drive from Penn Yan (on Keuka Lake) where we stayed for vacation. Another benefit of parking on the east end of the Bluff trail is that you have convenient walking access to Dragon View Beach (a popular spot to go swimming in the summer).

Nice walk from west parking. Be sure to spray for mosquitoes first! Maps don't all show, but…read morethere is also parking On the east side. From there it's stairs to the view vice the 1.3 mile walk from the west. For me, I prefer the walk. Noisy jet skis kind of detract. Walk it nice and smooth with nothing too steep or rough.

Lovely beach at the end of Sodus Point, the park has a large parking lot, a big covered picnic…read moregazebo and a playground. A nice walk on the pier out to the lighthouse though an awful lot of small flying insects. Of course, the lighthouse is accessible from here too. These two lighthouses protect Sodus Bay, the largest natural harbor on Lake Ontario. This light was first established in 1858, the new lighthouse was replaced in 1938 with this 51 foot tall structure. The view over Lake Ontario is fabulous, especially this early in the morning. At 7:00 am, I had the park to myself. Highly recommend. [Review 1531 of 2024 - 447 in New York - 22554 overall]

Free Parking, rocky shoreline, sandy beach, snack shack, pavilion, life guard on duty, small town…read morewith a few restaurants and marinas.

What a great park with an absolutely stunning beach area! I was pleasantly surprised to learn about…read morethis place... even tho I've lived here all my life lol! Had some family photos taken here, the location was recommended by the photographer. We meet at the parking area near the white lady castle area. We walked down to the water where there's a small opening... and bam you are greeted with the beach area. Super happy with the area and how it became the perfect backdrop for our photos!

On July 30th, while swimming at Durand Beach on Lake Ontario, I noticed a man hiding behind a tree…read morewatching women and masturbating. I got out of the water and, from a distance, he exposed his genitals to me. He is tall, with a strong build and dark skin. I recommend that visitors stay alert and that the beach administration increase security.

So I've been wanting to go to Chimney Bluffs for a while, but I've heard that Chimney Bluffs has a…read moretrail closed down... and other trails may be less dog friendly. Since I'm taking my pup, Redford, with me on all my hikes and everything (yay for socialization + exercise)..? Having a dog friendly walk/hike spot is a necessity. So! I opted to pick another park in a similar area. Beechwood State Park is new for us, about a 20 minute drive from Chimney Bluffs, AND seems to have significantly fewer people visiting (which, during this pandemic, is especially nice... though be aware that the parking lot probably only holds about 15-ish vehicles)... plus, a colleague of mine visited back in July and said it was an interesting spot with plenty of little side trails for the pup. :) Now managed by the Town of Sodus, Beechwood State Park is a former Girl Scout camp that's now, well, pretty dilapidated after it was forced to close in the late 1990's due to financial issues. Now totaling about 288 acres, with plenty of trail branches to wander, it also borders Lake Ontario (with some trails that go near the Maxwell Bay area as well). Though erosion has resulted in the lake's beach area being covered in some fallen trees, there's still a narrow pebble beach to wander. There are some cliff-type areas, so be sure to watch the trails, be aware of the erosion going on, and not to let yourself, those you're with, and your own pups get too close. There can also be some areas near cabins that have bits of broken glass... so something else to consider and watch out for. Town of Sodus staff do seem to check out the trails regularly (we saw 2 or 3 park carts driving through during our walk), but part of the appeal of this park is that it's off the beaten path a bit. It's the park-version of a hole-in-the-wall diner, if you will. Bonus: since it's getting close to Halloween, the rundown cabins and other camp buildings seemed especially fitting. There was even a group having a spooky photoshoot in a wooded area that had what appeared to be the remains of a burned camp building.

Green Lakes is such a beautiful place. Love walking around the 2 lakes, such a quiet and peaceful…read morewalk. Lots of walking trails, campground, kayak rentals and swimming. Everyone should go to Green Lakes at least once, Highly Recommend !!

While renewing my Empire Pass last year at a local state park, I chatted with the ranger about…read morefavorite ones throughout the state. When he learned that I had been to over 100 of them but hadn't been to Green Lakes he urged me to check that one off the list pronto. And you know how that goes: when someone tells you how great something is, that place suddenly starts popping up more and more in your social feeds. Well, after seeing it featured on the socials for I Love NY and NYS Parks, I finally made the trip to Central New York outside of Syracuse (wait, I can call Syracuse "Central New York" on here, right? :) ), and I was not disappointed at all. My visit was early on an October Saturday, and lots of runners and walkers were around. And a fair amount of ducks too. A mostly level 2.5-mile loop around Green Lake and another mile-ish loop around practically adjacent Round Lake (which is also a Registered National Landmark) made for a wonderful morning stroll. I was just walking and taking pictures, but clearly this is a spot where runners meet and get in a workout together. The lakes are beautiful, and, yeah, have an emerald-green glow at times. I'm really glad I made the trip there, and will definitely revisit one day.

Hidden Gem in Irondequoit! Smack between Charlotte Beach and Durand Beach, it's private and cozy,…read morewith much much less people! I've never seen more than 50 people here at a time. It's got a long sandbar, making it an ideal place for boats to anchor and allow boaters to swim, and a great place for kids! We often see people on rafts or paddle boards! There is not a parking lot, street parking only, but honestly, still less walking than parking at Charlotte Ontario Beach park!

On a slightly overcast morning, this was a very calming and peaceful start to the day. A nice walk…read moreout on the pier to see the light beacon as I begin to make my way across Northern New York from Rochester. The Irondequoit Bay Outlet Bridge was closed so there was no opportunity to cross the harbor on foot or by vehicle without driving all the way around the harbor. So that's a downer. The pier is smooth and easy to walk. I think it could be wheelchair accessible. Enjoy the view of the lake and the light beacon! [Review 1527 of 2024 - 443 in New York - 22550 overall]

Hands down, this is my new favorite place to visit when in Rochester. The entire place is so…read morebeautiful. There is definitely something for everyone to enjoy. Boats, jet skis, canoes..... whatever you are looking for, it is here. There is even a small beach which people seemed to enjoy very much. A nice place to kick back and enjoy the weather while getting much needed rest and relaxation. I really enjoyed visiting this place and hope to visit again in the future.

Wonderful! Loved the trails and the rookery…read more It was worth a 6 hour drive to get here.

This is an amazing place full of different trails to bring you to fields, different areas of…read moreforest, bluffs, lakeside, bogs and more. I love walking and seeing new sections of Sterling Nature Center, and look forward to the completion of the new visitors center (though it's the outdoors that draws me here).

We stopped here on our way camping a couple weeks ago. The playground was fun, and included a…read morelittle zipline. The splash pad is huge. Staff sprays off everyone's feet so they don't bring in beach debris. The swimming beach is so shallow. My boys walked for the longest time and even when they started to swim, they could still stand if they wanted. Warm, too. Not the softest sand, but the way out into the lake isn't too bad. The way back, it feels a little more prickly. Guess the rocks face away from the beach. Plenty of parking, seating and shade.

Seneca Lake State Park has several good things going for it. It's nice to look at and clean; it's…read morealso a fun place to head for if you want to go jogging or take a walk. Tip: There's a path here which (upon closer examination) is actually an old street that's in a pretty far-gone state of disrepair. It's so far gone that it's actually too rough to ride a bike on :-( I suggest you learn from our mistake - if you're actually intended to go for a bike ride, you should seek out another destination.