We always have a great time when we visit Erie and head into the Lake Erie and Chautauqua Region into New York. This is such a serene and beautiful place, where rolling hills are covered in vineyards, and lead towards huge natural lakes, including Lake Erie, Chautauqua Lake, Findlay Lake, and others. We opted to spend a long weekend in this region and had a great time visiting the wineries, relaxing by the lakes, and taking in all of the scenery.
As autumn approaches, grape season goes into full swing. September and into October are the prime harvest times for grapes in this region. On Route 5, the Great Lakes Seaway Trail, the air will be filled with the fantastic smell of grapes. From the borough of North East, PA, up into New York, you see endless rolling hills, covered in vineyards, with numerous wineries along the way, especially along Route 5 and Route 20. For more detailed information on the grape culture and wineries in the region, check out our comprehensive article at this link.
Penn Shore Winery in North East, PA, makes some excellent wines and is a very laid back place to visit. Their pricing is also very reasonable.
Grapes nearing harvest at Penn Shore Winery
Barcelona, NY is home to a beautiful harbor and Lighthouse. The Lighthouse dates back to 1829 and is absolutely stunning.
A view inside of the lighthouse.
Johnson Estate Winery, on Route 20 in Ripley, NY is great in every way. Their wines are superb, especially their dry whites and rieslings. It is the oldest estate winery in New York State and their facility is absolutely beautiful.
The tan bottles hold their port wine, of which they make one of my absolute favorites. It is a tough call between them and Mazza when it comes to port wines.
The production area for Johnson Estate.
Sunset over Chautauqua Lake in Mayfield, NY.
A little peeper in the grass.
The morning brought some quick storms through the area, which was pretty exciting the watch.
The former Pennsylvania Railroad Station in Mayfield, NY. The railroad's old right-of-way has been converted into a walkway along the lake. It is home to a public art space and the Chautauqua Township Historical Society, which covers the history of the region.
The Chautauqua Belle Tour Boat. This boat is a nod to the past at Chautauqua Lake, when people would flock to the clean and unpolluted waters offered by the lake. Railroads would carry tourists to the lake, and then they would ride steamboats across the 17 mile long lake.
The clean reputation of Chautauqua Lake also lead towards the harvesting of ice in the winter months, which would be shipped by railcar and stored in Ice Houses as far away as Pittsburgh and Buffalo. The lake remains an idyllic place to visit.
As the storm headed into Mayville, NY, we decided to hop in the car and see the storm roll into the beautiful village of Bemus Point. There is lots of Victorian character in this old tourist village, which has remained a hub of tourist activity since the early days of railroading. Located nearby are Long Point State Park, which is home to beaches, a marina, and picnic areas, and Midway State Park, which is home to a family amusement park.
The sun reappearing after the quick storm.
The Hotel Lenhart was founded in 1882. This current building dates all the way back to 1892 and is absolutely stunning. The village's Casino is less than a block away, which is another stately old building. Bemus Point makes you feel as if you have traveled back in time.
Now we head back over to Lake Erie. The Luensman Overview Park in Brocton, NY gives a tremendous view of some of the vineyards of the region, and Lake Erie.
We naturally had to grab more grapes.
The Lake Shore Railway Museum in North East, PA has a great collection of old locomotives, railcars, and other railroad memorabilia. It is located in a former New York Central Railroad Station. For more information on the museum, check out this article from a previous visit.
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