Pet-Friendly

A warm welcome awaits you in Watkins Glen and Schuyler County

Staying in Schuyler County puts you in the perfect location to enjoy all that the Finger Lakes has to offer! Beyond all that there is to see and do within the immediate area, you will also be within a drivable distance to a number of other areas of interest. In short, we are the perfect place to be your central hub during your visit! From romantic getaways to family-friendly excursions, there are a variety of lodging options for an affordable vacation on any budget. 
No need to leave your furry friend at home while you escape to Finger Lakes Wine Country. With plenty of pet-friendly activities, you and your four-legged friend will both enjoy everything the area has to offer. While locals have crowned the area “New York’s Wine Country”, the Finger Lakes region is that and so much more. It is an ideal family vacation destination with quaint downtowns, top museums and plenty of pet friendly options for you and your pets. 
The Seneca Lake Wine Trail is the mecca of New York wine trails. The largest and most active of the all the Finger Lakes wine trails, the Seneca Lake Wine Trail boasts over 30 wineries, a handful of breweries and even a distillery. The good news for pet lovers is that the trail features at least 13 wineries that are dog friendly, and while that list is always growing, some have restricted areas that are off limits. Lakewood Vineyards’ team collectively have almost half a dozen friendly dogs cavorting around the vineyards most days, and Miles Wine Cellars, one of the few wineries with lake frontage, and even a seasonal dock tasting room, is also very pet-friendly. If beer is more your thing, there happen to be several breweries along the wine trail. Grist Iron Brewing Company in Burdett, and The Beerocracy at Seneca Lake Brewing Company in Rock Stream, offers sunset or sunrise views, live music, and pet-friendly areas.
An Abundance of Forests, Parks, and Trails
Are you looking to explore nature during your time at the Finger Lakes? Most of Watkins Glen State Park, located right in downtown Watkins Glen at the base of Seneca Lake, is generally pet-friendly, ‘though for their own safety pets are prohibited from the popular Gorge Trail. The Finger Lakes National Forest, and all of our many State Forests, including Sugar Hill State Forest, Goundry Hill State Forest, Coon Hollow State Forest, and Connecticut Hill Wildlife Management Area are all pet-friendly. Both the Watkins Glen /Corning KOA and Clute Memorial Park and Campground, both located in Watkins Glen, are pet-friendly. And just 20 minutes north of Schuyler County is also Sampson State Park. Encompassing just over 2,000 acres on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake, Sampson State Park features camping and boating as the primary recreational activities. A key feature of the park is the beautiful view of the lake at its center, and the most picturesque sunsets in the Finger Lakes Region. Activities include tennis, horseshoes, basketball and volleyball, a sandy beach with guarded swimming, playgrounds, and a scenic lake trail. Best of all? It’s pet-friendly! Another great thing about Sampson State Park is that dogs are allowed to swim there! The Finger Lakes Trail is a vast footpath crosses through Livingston, Steuben, Schuyler, Tompkins and Cortland Counties in the Finger Lake Region, its pet-friendly but leashes are required. Likewise, weaving south from Seneca Lake through Watkins Glen, Montour Falls, and beyond is the Catharine Valley Trail, and it too is pet-friendly, though also requires that pets be kept on leashes. 
Summer is peak fruit season, especially throughout New York State. From strawberries to peaches, the Finger Lakes region is abundant with self-picking fruit farms, many of which allow dogs, or even other leashed pets, to come along for the journey. 
Pet-Friendly Restaurants:
Many restaurants in Watkins Glen and the county’s other municipalities offer outdoor seating, and sometimes even lake views, and are pet-friendly. The Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel offers patio seating at their restaurant, Blue Pointe Grill (open seasonally and weather depending) where you can enjoy delicious food while surrounded with flowers and water views.
Looking for pet-friendly lodging availability?
Give us a call at (800) 607-4552 or (607) 535-4300 for more detailed information on current lodging options- also including all types of accommodations like bed & breakfasts, cabins, camping and glamping, cottages, hotels and motels, inns, onsite restaurant, and vacation rentals- as we keep an updated list of availability in real-time, in-season, and are always happy to help!