[itinerary | lodging] You’re craving a fancy cocktail bar in the middle of the forest. Wooden, vaulted ceilings and the smell of fresh pine and clover. Maple-infused bourbon sipped to the sounds of folk songs and acoustic guitars. It’s time to be tourists in your own back yard again. In your third year, you seek out the common food and beverage trails organically springing up among the valleys and mountains: the wine trail, the bar crawl, the burger tour. It’s been a while since your last bourbon drink, so you plan a personalized whiskey trail. The smell of local distilleries entices you to make the trek out to Naples and beyond, to Keuka Lake’s southern shores of Hammondsport.

Hollerhorn Distilling

Naples has been a favorite destination since your first Grape Festival in 2023. Essentially occupying a single main street winched between two glacial ridges, the Village of Naples opens its arms to catch you cascading down steep mountain passes crawling with vineyards and canyon views sighting all the way to Canandaigua Lake. One spot that has eluded you until now, Hollerhorn Distilling, sits triumphantly on the southern slope of Hunt Hollow Road, as if guarding over its viticultural siblings of the surrounding Naples Valley. The business has recently opened after some construction, and you park easily next to the Hollerhorn sign, a totem pole built from bourbon casks.

You know a good distillery when you can smell the whiskey’s aromatics before you even pull into the driveway– hints of maple, cinnamon, and smoke. The parking lot is relatively busy as well, and Finger Lakes distillery-dwellers tend to have good taste. You strap the little one in your Kangaroo and mosey toward the grand entrance. Your travel companion brings the go bag with toys and a bottle. You’re thankful when the friendly host offers a high-chair immediately upon arrival and settle into a comfortable four-top across from a mural.

^{Interior of Hollerhorn Distillery in Naples, NY – hand-carved wooden bar + a mural by one of the co-owners}

“Painted by one of the owners– a husband/wife team,” your server explains. It looks painstakingly applied with a thorough attention to detail: a girl with curly, billowing hair next to a man playing the trumpet. You admire not only the visual art, but the artistry of the distillery itself.

“In fact,” she continues, “the husband built the whole place himself.” Indeed, every inch of the building is carved woodwork, a reflection of the forest nearby and, perhaps, the flavors of Hollerhorn’s craft spirits. You go to order a flight of whiskey when the server points to a section of the menu labeled “Tree Spirits.”

“We actually distill a type of spirit that’s complete unique,” she grins. “They’re not whiskeys. They’re Tree Spirits.” She explains the use of maple syrup instead of sugar, which is why the flights feature maple prominently in their bouquets. You like the sound of anything made with maple syrup. You go for the Tree Spirits while your companion chooses the signature Naples Mule — a mule with, as you would have guessed, grape juice made from local concord grapes.

^{Maple-based “Tree Spirits” flight + Naples Mule w/ grape juice}

The server gathers your food orders: your travel companion always likes to try a good fried chicken sandwich, while you remain steadfast on the signature burger. In the meantime, you toast with your companion to the upcoming season, your third summer in the Finger Lakes. The Tree Spirit flights are even better than you expected. Just a tiny taste of the spirit is enough to ignite your tongue with an explosion of spices, tampered by the sweet, distilled syrup. You wish you could pour it on your pancakes for breakfast. Little one gazes at you from the high-chair. Is it something sweet for her? “Not for a few years, honey,” you say. Your travel companion tries to hide her grape-infused mule in her tummy. Grape juice and maple syrup — the stuff of any kid’s Saturday morning breakfast.

^{Someone who appreciates a good whiskey flight}

Relaxed after a little tree spirit, you slow down and take in the atmosphere of the Hollerhorn. Outside the nearby window, you observe the back deck, currently closed due to the recent heavy rains. Naples Valley is just down the road, and beneath the distillery you observe a wooden stage. Concerts here must be nice in the summertime. You turn back toward the bar, where presently a bachelorette party has taken seat at a large table in the dining room, the bride-to-be’s cowboy hat lit up like Christmas with blinking LED lights. You can’t help but look into the future and think of your own little girl’s eventual engagement, marriage, your grandchildren — maybe it’s best to live in the moment now. You’re not ready for her to grow up.

All these Tree Spirits have given you an appetite, but not for pancakes. Your food arrives with perfect timing, hearty sandwiches served on sesame seed buns and a side of chips or dressed greens. You don’t exaggerate when you say it’s one of the best burgers you’ve ever had: warm, grilled goodness surrounded by gooey cheese and a delightful homemade drive-through burger sauce. The chicken is a hit with your companion, who is your litmus test when it comes to the classic fried chicken sandwich. It’s a rare treat to find distilleries that serve amazing food. Hollerhorn hits it out of the park, with a burger that you’d count among the best in the Finger Lakes.

“Room for dessert?” your server asks. The little one seems content playing with her elephant keychain. If she’s not bored, why not? While your companion orders a slice of decadent chocolate cake, you opt for today’s special ice cream flavor: maple ice cream with candied honey crumble. It’s a perfect ending to a perfect Saturday morning breakfast at the distillery. It’s just missing the cartoons.

^{CBR Fried Chicken Sandwich w/ Kimchenius-Pimento Cheddar, Classic Burger, Chocolate Cake, Candied Honey Ice Cream}

The morning is not without its wacky amusement, nevertheless. On your way back to the parking lot, you are greeted by a large ungulate’s antlered skull flanked by two brass horns — presumably the double-meaning of “horn” in Hollerhorn. You stare down the spirit elk behind the soundtrack of the bachelorette party, whose energy has grown since one or two Tree Spirit flights, overlaid with the sounds of your little one’s delightful shrieks. It’s the sounds of community and cheer. From Kangaroos to cowboy hats, Hollerhorn caters to all who appreciate good spirits.

Birdseye Hollow Farm and Distillery

From Hollerhorn and Naples, it’s a 40-minute scenic drive through deep, wooded mountains surrounding Prattsburgh, NY, and the Urbana State Forest, to Hammondsport — Keuka Lake’s southern port. You’ve enjoyed your previous times on this lake, including a couple brief visits to Hammondsport’s quaint, historic downtown square. You’ll make your return to Depot Park later, but first you seek the pinnacle of cocktail-bar-in-the-forest-type places: Birdseye Hollow Farm and Distillery.

Situated tightly within the trees deep in its namesake Hollow (or “Holler” as they might say in Appalachia), Birdseye Hollow Distillery exudes a sneaky confidence, like you’ve stumbled upon a secret underground club. Some might call it the rural speakeasy; others, your standard mountain rathskeller. You only hope you know the password. Given your earlier visit to Hollerhorn, and the sweet aroma of syrup once again tempting your nose, you wonder if the password’s not “maple-infused.”

^{Birdseye Hollow Farm and Distillery in Wayne, NY, just outside Hammondsport}

“I hear live music,” your companion says. She’s always got an eye and an ear for detail. The sound lures you around back, where you see an open porch filled with distillery-dwellers enjoying the canopy and comradery. A white-bearded gentleman croons out a folk song over amplified acoustic guitar, which still resonates once inside the main lodge. You settle your family into a comfy sofa and pony up to the bar. A clearly popular gem in the forest, Birdseye Hollow’s bar is busy, giving you time to study the menu and to take in the scenery: tin ceilings and Edison-bulb chandeliers, solid wood rafters, hip mixologists — a little taste of cosmopolitan in the country. You order the Maple Old Fashioned and a Margarita pizza. Back at the sofa, you’re happy to see the little one is already enjoying her beverage as well.

^{The main lodge at Birdseye Hollow, complete with the appropriate beverages and fresh hot pizza}

Birdseye Hollow’s atmosphere is light and sunny, with shades of natural green complementing the golden oak and pine of the main lodge. The distillery equipment peers through tall windows from behind the bar, while a cheerful yet longing folk tune wafts its way in through the open windows from the back porch. Your Old Fashioned is sweet, smokey euphoria in a glass, elevating the experience without hogging center stage. There is much to compare with your earlier visit to Hollerhorn, but you appreciate that each establishment brings its own unique vibe to the middle of the woods. Most importantly, both distilleries are accommodating to your little companion, allowing you to responsibly enjoy one of your favorite past-times without compromising anyone’s comfort.

Admittedly it’s been quite some time since you last wrote about your travels. Being a dad is a full-time job, but bit by bit you and your travel companions have started touring the Finger Lakes again. You’ve become pros at packing the go bag, choosing the best snack and lunch for the little one, ensuring there’s always a couple diapers, toys, and spare onesies ready to go. Your little companion might require a bit more preparation, but her presence only makes your travels all the more fun. Now there’s someone sitting in between you and your travel companion with a fresh pair of eyes — a sense of wonder and excitement at the smallest little detail, from her first time tasting fresh-picked strawberries to watching a popcorn machine popping corn. She makes you feel young again, and she provides a greater purpose for you in this world.

^{Trying a little pizza with dad; watching the corn popper}

Depot Park

As your distillery tour draws to a close, you make sure to leave time for your tired companions to get a refresh. On the way back to Conesus Lake, you stop at Depot Park in Hammondsport where a section of the Lake is open to the public for swimming. Operating out of the former rail depot station, a nearby boat touring company can barely keep up with the turnover of riders. As soon as a pontoon full of high school kids departs, a large family reunion moors to disembark and stretch their legs. Today is not a boat touring day for your family, but you take note for future reference and decide to stroll down the dock while the little one and her mother go for a swim. A little more than two years ago, you stood here in the dead of winter and pondered the mysteries of Keuka Lake. Now a bit older and wiser, the Lake is not as mysterious as it once was — but still full of surprises and wonder. Each Finger Lake is a land of opportunity, an empty canvas of water on which to splash the paint of your imagination. Whether it’s building a distillery from scratch, selling grape pies, or providing a comfortable space for travelers, you can do it all in upstate New York. And for you, family is all.

Ready to explore? Click below for lodging options around the Finger Lakes.