Around the lake
Naples, New York: The Valley West of Keuka
Drive west out of the Keuka valley and the land climbs, then drops into another one. Naples sits at the bottom of that second valley, at the southern tip of Canandaigua Lake. It is the next piece of grape country over, and it feels different from ours.
Where is Naples, New York?
At the southern end of Canandaigua Lake, in Ontario County, west of Keuka Lake. The drive from Hammondsport crosses the ridge between the two valleys and takes the better part of an hour depending on the route.
The valley around it is steeper and narrower than the country around Keuka. That shape is the first thing visitors notice: hills close on both sides, with the village on the floor between them.
What is Naples known for?
Grapes, and the valley they grow in. It sits in the western part of the Finger Lakes growing region, with vineyards on the slopes above and orchards through the valley. The village itself is small, with the shops on one main street.
Canandaigua is the westernmost of the large Finger Lakes, which makes Naples the natural stop for anyone approaching the region from Rochester rather than from the south.
Fitting it into a trip
- An hour or so from Hammondsport, over the ridge between the valleys.
- The natural first stop if you are coming down from Rochester.
- Better as its own outing than as a detour on a Keuka day.
- The drive is part of it. The road between the valleys is worth the time.
Should you combine it with Keuka?
Only with a full day for it. An hour each way plus stops fills the time, and trying to add Naples to an afternoon on Keuka means rushing both. Give it its own day, or treat it as the arrival or departure leg of the trip.
If you are choosing between lakes rather than trying to see them all, our guide to which Finger Lake to visit lays out the differences.
How far is it from us?
About an hour, over the hills to the east. We are on the east side of Keuka Lake at 13920 State Route 54, outside Hammondsport, open daily from ten to six.
If you are driving between Naples and Keuka, the route itself is one of the better ones in the region. We cover the roads worth taking in our scenic drives guide.
What is Canandaigua Lake like?
It is the westernmost of the large Finger Lakes, and the closest to Rochester. Naples sits at its southern tip, where the valley narrows hard between steep hills. The northern end, at Canandaigua itself, is flatter, busier and more developed.
That north to south contrast holds across most of the Finger Lakes. The southern ends sit in tighter valleys with more relief; the northern ends open out into farmland. Keuka does the same thing, which is why Hammondsport feels enclosed and Penn Yan does not.
Why is Naples a wine village?
The same reason as the rest of the region. Deep water below and steep slopes above give a longer autumn than the latitude would otherwise allow, and cold air drains downhill past the vines rather than settling on them. Naples has that geography in a particularly compressed form.
The valley is narrow enough that the slopes rise close on both sides. Growers there work with a shape of land that has more in common with parts of Europe than with the open country further north.
The Finger Lakes Wine Alliance sets out the growing conditions across the region. We wrote about how it all started, on our own lake, in how wine came to the Finger Lakes.
Coming from Rochester?
Then Naples is your natural first stop. Canandaigua is the closest of the large lakes to the city, and the drive south along it brings you to Naples at the bottom. From there, Keuka is another hour east over the hills.
Visitors flying into Rochester often plan around the northern lakes for that reason and never reach Keuka. It is worth knowing that the extra hour buys you the smallest and quietest of the group. Our guide to getting here covers the airports and the drives.
When is the valley at its best?
Autumn, and more so here than elsewhere in the region. The valley is narrow with steep sides, so the colour surrounds you rather than sitting on a far shore. Late September into October is the stretch, with the timing moving a week either way each year.
The same shape that makes autumn dramatic makes winter dark. The sun clears the ridge late and drops behind it early, and the valley floor sees less daylight than the open country north of it.
An hour east of Naples, on the east shore of Keuka Lake.
Which lake is Naples on?
Canandaigua Lake, at its southern end. It is the westernmost of the large Finger Lakes.
How far is Naples from Keuka Lake?
About an hour from Hammondsport, crossing the ridge between the two valleys.
Is Naples worth a detour from Keuka?
As its own day, yes. Squeezed into a Keuka afternoon, it means rushing both. It works best as an arrival or departure leg.
Written by
The Domaine LeSeurre Team
Céline & Sébastien LeSeurre and the team at Domaine LeSeurre — a family winery on Keuka Lake, in Hammondsport, New York. French roots, Finger Lakes soul.
