Road trip stops from Philadelphia to the Finger Lakes

The Finger Lakes region of New York holds lush, and geologically unusual scenery, relaxing vibes, and small town charm. It’s also easily accessible from Philadelphia and other areas in the Mid-Atlantic USA. This makes it a great destination for a weekend getaway or vacation. There are many great stops along the way, making this a fun road trip destination. Below are our favorite stops heading from Philadelphia to the Finger Lakes region of New York.

Road trip stops in Pennsylvania along I-476 to the Finger Lakes

Bethlehem

If you’re looking for a town stop about an hour and a quarter north of Philly, stop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The town is located right off I-476. Historic Bethlehem encompasses a beautifully preserved Moravian downtown reminiscent of its Czechoslovakian roots. The remnants of the former Bethlehem Steel plant is now a well-known arts and culture venue. Bonus if you go during the holiday season, when it turns into a European-style Christmas market.

Jim Thorpe

Another 45 minutes north on your road trip brings you to the town of Jim Thorpe. The town is known as the “Gateway to the Poconos Mountains,” or as the “Switzerland of America.” This attractive Mountain town features Victorian architecture, charming one-of-a-kind shops and dining options, and popular scenic railway rides. There’s lots of good hiking nearby, which brings us to our next stop…

Hickory Run State Park

Hickory Run State Park has a lot of great hikes. Some are short enough to make a great road trip stop or family-friendly hike. On our recent Finger Lakes road trip, we did a hike on the way up. Then we did a different hike there on the way back. Here is some additional information about each:

Hawk Falls is the most well-known hike in this park (which has more than 40 miles of hiking trails). It is a .6 mile out-and-back trail that leads to a beautiful 25-foot waterfall. Easy to find, your GPS will take you to the Hawk Falls Trailhead and Parking. It is located less than 10 minutes off your route. The trail is lined with rhododendron – you can even walk through a tunnel of it! It typically blooms in late June to early July, but the trail is lovely any time. The waterfall is most impressive after snowmelt or a heavy rain, but again, it is lovely throughout the year.

Another fun trail is the Shades of Death Trail – it’s not as ominous as it sounds! The trail is slightly longer at one mile and is also an out-and-back trail. It passes through very dense forest (hence the name) and we found lots of mushrooms of many types and colors. You’ll also see lovely waterfalls and rushing water, and some interesting rock formations. We enjoyed hiking along the stone staircases and through tunnels in between rock walls. This trail was slightly farther off the route (about 15 minutes) and takes a bit longer. But I wouldn’t want to miss it – it was fun!

Scranton and Nay Aug Park

Scranton is a little more than half way there, and makes a nice, easy stop very near I-476 and I-81. If you’re looking for some history or have a transportation fan, check out the Steamtown National Historic Site to see massive steam locomotives, or visit the Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour. These are both fun outings that our family has enjoyed.

For a quick outdoor stop in Scranton, check out Nay Aug Park. There is a lovely, short waterfall hike from the parking lot, and a fun tree house that overlooks the gorge.

Stops In Northern Pennsylvania near the New York Border

At this point, routes may vary depending on which part of the Finger Lakes region you are aiming for. You will be heading toward the New York border, and many routes will take I-81. If you’re taking the most direct route toward central Seneca Lake, you may want to stop at an overlook along the way. Wyalusing Rocks Scenic Overlook was directly on our route, and was beautiful – it is pictured at the top of this blog post.

If you’re up for going about 15 minutes off of I-81 for another stop, head to Montrose.

Montrose and Salt Spring State Park

Montrose is a cute little town with some homey dining options like Uptown Grill or Amato’s Burgers and Scoops. Nearby Salt Spring State Park is beautiful and offers what is becoming a theme for this road trip… a short waterfall hike. Park at the first parking area and head up the hill and along the rim of the gorge to reach this beauty.

Sayre, Pennsylvania

Once you’ve gone as far as Sayre, you have reached the Pennsylvania-New York border, and you’re getting close to the Finger Lakes. On our recent trip, we stayed at the Comfort Inn and Suites in Sayre, and found it quiet, comfortable, spacious enough for our family of 6, and affordable. It is about 45 minutes from Watkins Glen, which was the main attraction on our visit. However, there are several attractions there that make nice road trip stops or could be explored should you make this your base on your vacation. These include:

Waverly Glen Park, which features easy parking, restrooms, beautiful trails, a waterfall, a playground, picnic tables, and tennis courts. The atmosphere is peaceful and the grounds are well-maintained.

Farmland Animal Park, which features lots of friendly animals to feed and interact with, along with other fun activities like zip lines, paddle boats, and wagon rides. Admission is affordable at $10 per person.

Attractions in the Southern Finger Lakes Region

Depending on which part of the region you are visiting, there are a number of stops you can make from here. I will highlight three that our family loved.

Corning

If you are heading toward the Western part of the region, Corning is a charming town well-known for the Corning Museum of Glass, which is definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area. Admission costs $25 per adult, and kids under 17 are free, making this a nice value for families.

You can also add on a souvenir that you make yourself for about $15 and up. These vary by day, so if you have kids you’ll need to check the minimum ages (some are for older children or adults) and some need to be picked up the next day, so you’ll want to factor that into your planning. We did not make our own souvenir, but still spent quite a bit of time at the museum.

It is large and contains a varied collection of absolutely beautiful glass artwork. You can also watch various demonstrations in different parts of the museum throughout your visit. If you’re spending a few days in the area, you can purchase combined tickets with Rockwell Museum, another art museum nearby, for $35. Tickets are valid for two days. The hours for both museums are 9-5 daily (except in the winter, when hours are reduced). The gift shop at Corning Museum of Glass is huge and fun to explore, and there is also a nice cafe.

Havana Glen Park – Eagle Cliff Falls

About a half hour Northeast of Corning is this lesser known park, where we had a great time over the summer. There is a playground at the parking lot and a lovely small waterfall. Follow a short trail and you will come to the much larger Eagle Cliff Waterfall (put Eagle Cliff Falls in your GPS to find the right lot).

There were lots of signs posted saying no swimming, and the trail was a bit slippery. That being said, we saw visitors wading in and around the waterfall and in August it seemed quite safe to do so. We spotted some chipmunks, which are common in the area but much less so in our hometown in Delaware. We also found lots of caterpillars and other fun bugs, so this park was a real hit for our family.

Watkins Glen

If you are headed toward the central lakes region (and maybe even if you aren’t), Watkins Glen is an absolute bucket-list destination. It is a fantastic hike with kids, with 19 waterfalls in the short span of one mile, and you can either hike another mile back or take a fun shuttle ride back to your car for $6 per person.

The hike goes through a deep shale gorge, with beautiful stonework stairs and bridges, paths behind the waterfalls, and fun suspension bridges that you can add to your walk. The park is only $10 per vehicle to enter.

It does get crowded! Because it is so beautiful, unique, and convenient, you’ll want to plan for crowds. We suggest going early in the morning, late in the day (about an hour and a half before sunset) and/or on a non-holiday week day for a more enjoyable experience. Watkins Glen is located about 10 minutes South of Seneca Lake.

Seneca Lake – Clute Memorial Park

Clute Memorial Park is only about 10 minutes from Watkins Glen, so if you are in the area and would like to actually see one of the Finger Lakes before heading to your destination, this is probably the quickest and most accessible way to do that from Watkins Glen.

The park features a gorgeous lakefront setting with lovely views. It’s great for very young children, as it includes a clean splash pad, clean restrooms, and well-maintained facilities. The little “swimming beach” is also very small and shallow so you could feel quite safe letting your little ones wade around in it. But, I should note that this was in August and it may be deeper at other times. You can also kayak and the playground is large and great for kids of all ages. Admission is $8 per vehicle.

We hope you have a wonderful time on your road trip from Philadelphia to the Finger Lakes region of New York. For more road trip ideas in Eastern Pennsylvania, check out this post.