Captain Dave was so easy to work with. He was extremely thoughtful, friendly, and helped make our…read moreengagement super special! Would recommend Ithaca Boat Tours to everyone :)

Very nice and relaxing Sunset Cruise along Cayuga Lake for a great price. We were about two minutes…read moreaway from when they were going to launch and Captain Chris called to check in if we were on our way before they left without us. Our tour guide was very sweet and made sure we were all comfortable during the two hour ride. They also have Eco tours, which we could definitely tell she was into. A smaller lake close by was closed off completely due to a deadly algae, which she then collected algae from the lake and took the sample under a microscope and invited anyone to come check it out. Her interest made it that much more personable and I enjoyed it. Not the bad algae though, obviously. She even offered to take pictures for us. The sunset was beautiful and on the way back we saw some water falls. Something to consider before booking. The difference between this sunset cruise and the Charter sunset cruise is because it is more private with 6 passengers per tour at a higher rate and starts at 6:30pm-8:30pm with daily cruises available, whereas Ithaca boat tours allows up to 24 people starting at 7:30pm-9:30pm with cruises only on Friday/Saturday. We didn't mind if there was going to be more people on board, but there were only about 8 of us on the boat that night anyway. I also like that it starts at a later time so we could relax and get a nice meal beforehand. I would recommend this tour. Don't forget it's BYOB! Have fun!

A group of 5 of us leveraged this tour (private, winter tour) and we were sadly very, very…read moredisappointed. 1. Transportation - this was one of the only pluses to this overall experience. We were picked up and dropped off door-door for this tour. The van that we were in was comfortable and clean. It was equipped with water bottles (one of two souvenirs) and snacks. We were charged a driving fee based on our distance - an extra $82. 2. Guide - our tour guide, George was very nice and well-informed. He clearly had passion and experience. The BEST part of our tour was the "off script" stop George made to one of the wineries en route between "planned" stops. This off-script stop was how the entire route should have been. Modern, clean converted farmhouse with gorgeous views, amenities and great vintages. Absolutely tragic that the rest of the stops were NOT aligned to this really perfect place. He was super eager to help us with pictures and answer any and all questions we had with the region and wine in general. Our second souvenir was a really great printed pic he took of our group. Again, one of the only highlights was George. I think the company should absolutely leverage his hospitality experience to help curate better partnerships and stops for the Seneca route. 3. Snacks/lunch - the winter tour advertised snacks, water and lunch was included/provided. The water was in a reusable water bottle (that we got to keep)- fine but I guess I would have expected additional bottles in a cooler. Maybe even some seltzer or soda for the price point. Snacks were just individual serve baggies from Costco - decent variety but again, for the price point not aligned. We expected snacks to be food pairings at each stop. We really only got that with chocolate bites at the first stop. On site lunch - this was a huge disappointment for the price point. At our first winery we had bites of chocolate for a flight pairing. The pairing and chocolate were nice. The second stop we had three cheeseboards to split between 5 of us - again, fine but no meat (so no significant protein) and we each got a bowl of soup. That was it. That was lunch. For a 7 hour tour this was simply not enough. And we aren't big eaters generally but definitely expected way more for a 7 hour alcohol tour. This was honestly terrible for the price point. I would have expected cheese/bites pairing at all stops with an actual lunch (at least a full panini or sandwich). 4. The wineries - this was where it really all fell down. We stopped at three places on Seneca. First stop was Damiani. We were NOT brought to the tasting room but rather the barn where the wine was made. Let's just say having your first stop pull up to a metal barn when you've paid ~$400/pp is NOT the best first impression. The wine itself and the staff member, Noah, were actually the best of the three stops. But the aesthetic of it was again, not it. Second stop was red newt - this was at least a more "expected" tasting room set up. We were brought to the back and had our flight/tasting there. The wine was OK at best - sadly we did buy a bottle with our "wine bucks" to have with lunch (again not great considering the price point that lunch didn't just come with a complimentary full glass) and one of us in the group got a whole mouth full of legitimate sediment (like straight grit she had to spit out). It was off putting to say the least especially since we had to buy this to have with "lunch". The pours themselves at ALL the stops was exactly that - a tasting pour. It wasn't more "generous" - just a standard 1oz pour and no one was pouring more. When we had "time" at the end we weren't offered more or even a half glass - we instead felt very pressured to buy bottles (and sadly, none of the vintages were really purchase a whole bottle worthy). Again, not expected for the price point - we thought with the "curated" experience and "lasting partnerships" the tour has with these stops we'd at least get heavier pours or extras. Def did NOT happen. The last stop was Flatt Rock - again, sold as a farm/mom and pop shop - that's what it was. The tasting room was not aesthetically a vibe. The wine was also not great and we were told they had a great champagne style drink - we didn't get any. Overall, we were looking for an all-inclusive. No one in our group wanted to plan the itinerary because we didn't want to invest the time but I think it would have been much more worth it to just do that. The three "on route" places we were brought to were old and just not what we expected for the price point. Maybe their public tours on other lakes is better but I can say with confidence the Seneca lake, private winter tour is NOT the vibe for the price per person.

What a nice experience!…read more Laura was a wonderful tour guide. She owns the company and is just so passionate about all things wine and the Finger Lakes. it was such a relaxing day filled with good wine and good food. Our tour included three winery stops, tastings at each winery, lunch at one winery and some cheese pairings at the other two. We didn't book a private tour but got really lucky because our hotel was an included pick up / drop off point. We spent a good amount of time at each winery and learned alot from all of the wine makers and Laura. If you want to spend a day drinking wine without worrying about driving or having to think about where to go / what to taste then this tour is definitely for you. Leave it to the experts, relax and have a good time and eat and drink well. You can't go wrong!

Came here with my fiancé for happy hour and we loved it! Strong drinks, tasty cornbread, fresh…read moreoysters and a giant portion of fish fry with a super tasty tartar sauce! We also got the crab and corn chowder which was delicious! Great service as well! 10/10 and would 1000% go back again!

My husband and I had dinner at Maxie's Supper Club & Oyster Bar last week, and we had a great time…read more Maxie's in a little bit of New Orleans in Ithaca, and it really excels at that. From the building and decor, to the drinks and decor, NOLA is everywhere on the menu and in the restaurant. We started with a State Street Hurricane (dark and light rum, passionfruit, and lime) and a Spicy Margarita, which were both great. We had a half dozen of both of their oyster selections (Malpeque from PEI and Spindrift from MA), which they serve with freshly shaved horseradish (a nice touch). Then we shared a Caesar salad, their fish fry, and their special of the night - pan-seared arctic char (with a creamy tomato sauce with capers, cheesy grits, and garlicy spinach). Everything was great. As usual, our eyes were bigger than our stomachs, and we couldn't eat everything we ordered. But the food was so good we ate most of our leftovers the next day for breakfast. The service was very good, and the vibes are great - it's comfortable, casual, and fun. We had a fun meal and some great food. I'd happily return.

Great short walk along the buttermilk falls. There are quite a number of stairs involved as well as…read morerelatively steep paths. Overall the hike should be like an hour from lower falls to upper falls (taking photos and enjoying the view along the way), and half hour on the way back if walking straight no side tracking. You'll know you're at the end of you see the massive stone bridge. Restrooms available at lower falls and upper falls entrances. Ten dollar admission for the day, same ticket can be used for other state parks in the area

My husband and I visited Buttermilk Falls State Park last week, when we were in the Finger Lakes…read morefor the Fourth of July. We arrived in the afternoon, paid the vehicle entry fee, and parked in the parking lot. After taking a look at the falls, which has a swimming area (open for swimming on summer weekends - check their website), and using the bathrooms by the falls, we started up the Buttermilk Falls Gorge Trail. The trail ascends about 600 feet from Buttermilk Falls, following Buttermilk Creek past pools, rocks, and smaller waterfalls. Around Pinnacle Rock (a 42-foot rock along the creek), you can turn back and head back down the same trail or cross the bridge over the creek and take the Rim Trail back to the falls/parking area. It was almost 100 degrees when we visited, so we opted to take the Gorge Trail back down as it appeared more shaded than the Rim Trail, which was getting a lot of afternoon sun. The trail was really beautiful and a great start for our holiday weekend in the Finger Lakes. I'd certainly love to return, hopefully next time wearing a swim suit so I can take dip in the pool at the base of the falls after a hike!

Set sail for True Love, a truly enjoyable time!…read more Bottom Line Up Front: We had a wonderful, relaxing, and fun time for a good price. The Good: The history of the John Alden designed schooner is worth reading before you go. We had some more "salty" members of our group that recognized the name of the schooner from the 1956 movie "High Society" starring Bing Crosby, Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra and after that we were on board for a wonderful time. We even were seated in the seats once occupied by Gene and Bing. We purchased our tickets after being approached by Terry who negotiated a decent price with us because he wanted a full boat for the next trip. Captain Bill was an experienced Captain and is well known in the area. He got us underway and was a delightful host regaling us with stories about the "True Love", Seneca Lake and surroundings, as well as, some stories about racing the "True Love" and his crew, Spencer and Marena. Captain Bill even assisted another sailing boat that was in distress and precariously close to the lake edge. The trip was two hours long and on time. The crew served non-alcoholic and adult beverages (some free, some for a price) while underway and also sold some souvenirs (Whisky and glasses). The Bad: There was nothing bad, from start to finish, this was a very enjoyable trip and the crew definitely enjoyed sharing their love of the "Trie Love" with the joyful passengers. The Ugly: Absolutely nothing other than we could not be out for longer. If you find yourself in Watkins Glen, this is definitely an enjoyable to kick back, relax, and let the wind fill your sails. They say a picture is worth 1000 words, so I am going to end my post with a few that we snapped along the way. May you have fair winds, and following lake waters!

Excellent sailing experience The crew was great and was…read morevery eager to make sure we had a great time The boat was in excellent condition

Swing by for a tasting of their fine wines and beer. Wine's…read moreare award winning. Im hard pressed to find one I don't love. Picked up 3 bottles of their Riesling reserve they are to the moon. Caught a live blues music show last night. Check for events online. Phenomenal views from the outdoor patios onto the surrounding hillsides, pond and vineyards.

All of the wine my husband and I tasted was decent. We ended up buying three bottles. Like most…read moreFinger Lakes wineries, their whites are definitely better. The guy who helped us with our tasting was very well educated on the wines and very friendly. We were here in December so it was gray and brown, but I'm sure the views are beautiful when it's not winter.

Out of the hikes I've done around Ithaca, Robert H. Treman State Park has been my favorite. The…read moregorge trail and rim trail loop offers beautiful views of the Enfield Glen gorge and waterfalls, especially with the fall foliage. It's moderate difficulty. There is a swim area by the bottom parking area. Both times I've visited this park it was closed due to being off season in October. $10 per car. You can use the receipt to enter any NY state park on the same day.

Robert H. Treman State Park was the last of the state parks in the Finger Lakes we visited a week…read moreor so when we spent the Fourth of July in the area, and it was a great way to say goodbye to the region. The park encompasses both sides of Enfield Creek and has several options to enjoy. At one end of the park is the Upper Park Entrance. This entrance has the Old Mill and access to all three hiking trails and is closer to the Lucifer Falls. (If you want to see Lucifer Falls without a hike, park at the Upper Entrance and you're not too far from Lucifer Halls - an easy flat walk to it, really.) The other end of the park is the Lower Park Entrance. It has camping areas (well used over the Fourth of July weekend when we visited - we saw tons of families enjoying the holiday weekend here), access to the Gorge Trail and Rim Trail, the Lower Falls (a waterfall with a swimming hole at the base - the swimming pool even has a diving board!), and everything else you need for a day of swimming and exploring (bathrooms with showers, picnic pavilions, etc.). We parked at the Lower Park Entrance (the lot was almost empty around 9am on a Sunday morning - even though it was a holiday weekend) and started off on the Gorge Trail, which is a 2.12 mile hike along Enfield Creek. This was probably the hardest hike we did at any of the state parks we visited over this holiday weekend (Watkins Glen, Buttermilk Falls, and Taughannock Falls). It was steep. I also didn't think it had the best views for the first mile - you're not quite as close to the water or *in* the gorge as you are on some of the other Gorge Trails. But once we got down to the creek, the views were beautiful (a few small falls), and it wasn't as crowded as the other trails either. (FYI: it was buggy and humid and hot, so if the weather is hot, definitely start early.) I had read on AllTrails that the hike up to Lucifer Falls was tough, so I was a little worried. But actually I didn't find it the hardest part of the hike at all. And Lucifer Falls was absolutely the highlight of the hike and the park for us. It's a 115-foot waterfall and it sort of winds and meanders in this incredible way - different from the other falls we saw on our Finger Lakes hikes. If you're visiting the park, do not miss Lucifer Falls. We returned to the Lower Entrance on the Rim Trail, which wasn't as beautiful as the Gorge Trail, but ended up being a treat, too, for a surprising reason. The Rim Trail didn't take us back to where we had parked our car. It does take you near to the Lower Entrance, but on the South side of the Creek. So when you finish the trail, there's a sign telling you how to get back to the Lower Entrance Parking, and that way back happens to take you past the Lower Falls. So we got to see the Lower Falls - tons of people swimming and diving (with plenty of lifeguards, too). We now know to save some time for a swim at the base of the Lower Falls the next time we visit this park! There are a lot of great parks, hikes, and trails in the Finger Lakes, but I really enjoyed our visit to Robert H. Treman State Park. Lucifer Falls is special, and the park was a great way to get some exercise and get some amazing waterfall shots, too.

Owner is extremely rude on the phone. Literally yelled at me and told me to go to another company…read morewhen he couldn't provide a vehicle for my needs. I'm sure that this place would no longer be in business if it was in a larger market.

Wow. It has taken me 2 weeks to try to think of how to review this service. If there was a…read morenegative star rating, I would have chosen it. Here it goes: 1) The car is neither luxurious nor comfortable. The body is rusted. The interior is dirty. The console in front of the seat is broken and stuffed with a dirty pillow. The handles on all of the doors on the inside are broken. The doors can't be opened from the inside (which is super-creepy with a driver like Orlando). The car beeps for 3 minutes every 20 minutes or so, but Orlando assures you that there is no problem. I am not sure that the seatbelts in the back work (it's ok with Orlando because it's "legal"). The car shudders when it goes over 50 MPH. The 4th, 5th, and 6th people of your party have to climb over a seat into a raised seat with barely enough room for three (we are small people--all less than 160 lbs). 2) Orlando is offensive. Within 5 minutes of starting our trip, Orlando had succeeded in offending everyone in our party--Canadians, Drivers of Subarus, Democrats, Physicians. Orlando never stops talking, and it is not about the area and local attractions or what to look for. He lectured the car about how doctors are criminals who prescribe medications that people don't need--such as insulin for diabetes. "All you need to do is take large doses of cinnamon." You can cure cancer by,"mixing Flax oil in cottage cheese. Its a well known fact. It's on the google." 3) You will feel like Orlando's prisoner. We were a group that likes conversation. We usually have to keep two members of our party from chatting too much. Orlando talked non-stop the entire trip. We were taking turns sitting in the front seat next to him to share the burden. We ended our trip one hour (and one winery) early just to be able to get out of his car. Some of the topics that Orlando pontificated on: his past employment for the government--"I can't tell you what I did. They asked me to fake my death, but I wouldn't do it; so I had to quit." He also told us about the buried UFOs as big as a football field in the desert. He also commented on how there are, "so many democrats that you could bury them." I am not sure what that was in reference to. 4) Despite the number of times that Orlando will tell you about his 28 years of experience, he is not all that knowledgeable. I had been planning this trip to the Finger Lakes for many months as a birthday celebration for my wife. I had carefully selected wineries that I wanted to visit. Right after getting into the car, he argued with me about my choices and asked me if, "you know anything about this area?" and then told me that it would be impossible to include Ravines in our itinerary as the Winery is in Geneva. I told him that there was a tasting room on Keuka lake, and he said, "I don't know anything about that." I had to tell him that I was confident in my itinerary and essentially argue with him to accept it. I don't think that visiting three wineries and having lunch between 1030 AM and 6 PM is too much to ask. In the end we were dropped off at 5 PM. In summary if you are looking for a knowledgeable, friendly driver in a safe comfortable vehicle for a relaxing day touring the amazing Finger Lakes wineries, DO NOT BOOK WITH Orlando. However, if you are seeking a nightmare version of Carpool Karaoke, but instead of James Corden driving you around in a nice car with pleasant conversation, you want an ignorant, rude, offensive, conspiracy theorist driver with verbal diarrhea and a dirty unsafe and uncomfortable ride, then Orlando and Finger Lakes Transport and Tours is for you.

Had a great time, everyone was super professional. Our flight took us over Ithaca and out on to…read moreCayuga Lake then over Cornell where we gently landed in a field. your path might be different with wind patterns. The basket was comfortable, very well maintained, clearly cared for and in top shape. The team drove us back from our landing location to our cars in a new and comfortable van. Overall a wholly pleasant experience and a great way to spend a few hours in the morning or afternoon, best planned a couple days before.

Had one of the best experiences of our lives. Little Smokey from wildfires but didn't disappoint…read more The flight team was amazing and follow all the instructions in the emails. Can't recommend them enough. Thanks Dar, Josh and Dennis!

Nice, relaxed brewery without a lot of frills. There is a little bit of seating inside and several…read moretables outside. Not a ton of choices for beer, but the stout, pumpkin beer (complete with a cinnamon and sugar rim!), And two IPAs we had were good. Would definitely stop here again!

Nice waterhole on our way home from visiting Ithaca Waterfall and hiking...nice welcoming…read moreatmosphere with pets allowed, good selection of brew's and pleasant service staff...