Kids Corner
The Finger Lakes area is a fun place for kids. Because we look forward to your visit and want you to have the vacation of a lifetime, we have assembled the information below to prepare you for your upcoming vacation adventure. We have a staff that loves kids and can provide many ideas on fun kid activities. Our region is full of blue lakes, farms, wildlife and rolling hills, and we also have malls, skateboard parks, movie theaters, water & amusement parks and many other places that kids enjoy.
Activities for Children in the Finger Lakes . . . .
Call us and let us know what you like to do and we will send you information and/or steer you to information that helps you prepare for your Finger Lakes adventure. Below is information and links that highlight many things kids do when they come to lake country.
Boating/Water Safety
http://nysparks.state.ny.us/boating/docs/boaters_guide.pdf
http://www.usa.safekids.org/content_documents/ACF2780.pdf
Boat Rentals (Canoes, Kayaks, Paddleboats, Motorboats, Jet Skis
Conesus Lake
Smith Boys Jansen Marine of Conesus
5750 E. Lake Rd., Conesus, NY 585-346-2060
www.jansenmarina.com
Honeoye Lake
Trident Marine
5226 East Lake Rd., Honeoye, NY 585-229-2271
www.tridentmarina.com
Canandaigua Lake
German Bros.
3907 West Lake Rd., Canandaigua 585-394-4000
www.germanbrothers.com
Sutter's Canandaigua Marina Inc.
808 S. Main St., Canandaigua 585-394-0918
www.suttersmarina.com
Pelican Point Marina
4801 County Rd. 11, Rushville 585-554-5416
Jansen Marina
7099 Rte. 21, Naples 585-374-2384
www.jansenmarina.com
Keuka Lake
Basin Park Marina
46 West Lake Road, Branchport 315 -595-8808
www.basinparkmarina.com
Harbor Club Marina
42 West Lake Road, Branchport 315 -595-6669
Keuka Bay Marine Park
55 West Lake Rd., Hammondsport 607-569-2777
Keuka Watersports
8436 Route 54 , Hammondsport 607-569-2889
www.keukawatersports.com
Morgan Marine
100 East Lake Road, Penn Yan 315-536-8166
www.morganmarine.net
East Bluff Harbour
654 East Bluff Dr., Penn Yan 315-536-8236
North Country Kayak and Canoe Rentals
12789 W. Lake Rd., Hammondsport 607-868-7456
North End Landing
3553 West Lake Rd., Branchport 315-595-2853
Reagan's Canoe & Kayak Livery
440 Hall Road, Himrod 607-243-9100
www.reaganskayak.com
Seneca Lake
Reagan Canoe & Kayak
440 Hall Rd., Himrod607-243-9100
Glen Harbor Marina
Watkins Glen 607-535-2751
Roy's Marina
32 Clarks Point, Geneva 315-789-3094
Terrapin Outfitters
219 N Franklin St
Watkins Glen, NY 607-535-5420
Other Fun Activities
- Cruise Boat Rides
- Swimming, Water Play, Snorkeling, Floating
- Water Skiing and Tubing
- Fishing
- Stone Skipping
- Beach Fires with S'mores, Singing and Ghost Stories
- Amusement/Water Parks
- County Fairs and Carnivals
- Fireflies/Frog/Crayfish Catching
- Rock Collecting
- Storytelling
- Sports (Basketball , Volleyball , Mini Golf ,· Croquet, · Tennis
- Nature and Gorge Hiking
http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/
- Hot Air Ballooning
- Museums/ Corning Museum of Glass, George Eastman House (photography)
- Races (Watkins Glen, Dundee)
Neat Information about the Area
ABOUT the Finger Lakes
http://www.fingerlakes.org/
http://www.finger-lakes.info/
ABOUT Finger Lakes Wildlife
http://www.fws.gov/r5mnwr/
http://www.gofingerlakes.com/listings/nature.htm
http://www.dec.ny.gov/23.html
Traveling with Children
Time flies when you’re having fun - The miles fly by too! You can make a long family car trip seem a lot shorter if you have fun with your kids along the way. Plan ahead with a few car activities, and making the journey to the Finger Lakes can be as much fun as the destination. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Make a Trip-Journal or Scrapbook
Give everyone a big spiral bound sketchpad and a box of crayons or markers. Each day of the trip or for each event along the way, draw a picture of what you did that day, or draw a map of where you went, and write about it. You can also paste in souvenirs.
Get a Good Songbook With All the Lyrics
It surprising how many songs you think you know, but you don't really know all the words. Have a singing marathon and learn the old classics by heart.
Give Your Kids an Allowance for the Day
Tell them that this money is for snacks, treats, souvenirs etc. Help them learn to budget their money and make good choices.
Let Your Children Have a Map
Give your kids their own copy of a map of where you are going. Show them how far you have come, how much further there is to go and let them mark it with a crayon. Every time someone asks "How much further?” let them see for themselves. You might also like to get a compass and show them how it works along with the map.
Have Bubble Gum Blowing Contests
The weirder the gum the better. Get it at the rest areas and try all the different flavors.
The License Plate Game
Print a U.S. map or list of states off the computer and color in the states as you see license plates from each one. See if you can get all 50 states between Memorial Day and Labor Day. You might even record the time and date and the state where you saw it. This can be a family project as you build your "collection" of license plates together.
Printable Car Games
Print some activities to bring along on your trip such as Car Bingo, License Plate game, tic-tac-toe, lines and dots, scavenger hunt and more. You can find lots of printable car games here. Go to www.crayola.com and WWW.FAMILY.COM for links to games and puzzles that can be provided
Cats Cradle or String Loops
You just need a piece of string for this one. See if you can make "Jacob's Ladder", "Kitty Whiskers", or play Cats Cradle!
Magnetic Board Games
Do your children know how to play classic board games like Chess, Backgammon, Checkers, or Chinese Checkers? What better time to learn than in the car to pass the time! The magnetic car versions of these games are nice because they are small and compact, and have easy ways to store the pieces so they don't get lost.
Counting Cows
Count the cows you see on your side of the car. If you pass a cemetery on your side of the car, you lose all your cows. The one with the most cows wins.
Read Out Loud
This passes the time quickly in the car for the reader and for the family members who are listening.
Lego Contest
Have a contest to see who can build the best item that relates to where you are going. Use a shoebox to store the Legos, or large zip lock bags.
Guess How Far Away That Is
Pick an object and have everyone guess how far away it is, then clock it on your odometer.
Play Favorites
Have everyone think of different "favorite" questions for the group. What's your favorite... movie, flavor of ice cream, song, game, toy, place to visit, restaurant, book, animal, fish, etc. Be creative and don't forget to ask the driver too!
Aluminum Art
Give everyone a sheet of aluminum foil. Have them mold it into anything they want: animal shapes, Frisbees, balls, jewelry, crowns, headband, necklaces and masks. Be creative. It’s inexpensive fun and easy to clean up. Toddlers love this one too.
Bring the Portable DVD Player!
During lulls, bring along you favorite movies to watch in the car, on the plane, and on rainy days!
Remember that it's sometimes nice to sit in the back of the van with your kids while Dad or Mom is doing the driving and play some games right along side them. You might be surprised at how much fun you have too. Happy travels!
Packing Tips
Make a checklist and start packing as far in advance as possible.
- Buy small, travel-size items for the trip.
- Pack one day’s supply of clothing separate from the main suitcase. If you need to grab some clean clothes quick, you won't have to dig through a plethora of clothing! Also, pack swimsuits, sunscreen, sunglasses and other beach items separately. This will save time when it's time to head to the beach!!!
- Prepare an emergency kit and keep it handy. It should contain the following: Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen, thermometer, motion sickness pills, cotton balls, DEET free insect repellent, band-aids, triple antibiotic and, of course, sunscreen.
- DON'T FORGET THE WET WIPES!! These always come in handy for life's little messes!
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