Chimney Bluffs State Park
A stop at Chimney Bluffs State Park is one of our regions popular attractions; make sure to bring your camera. Using its hiking trails, visitors can enjoy unique views of large clay rock formations towering 150 feet above the lake. The formation is a large clay drumlin formed six to ten thousand years ago by a glacier, then eroded by waves and weather. The park has approximately four miles of hiking trails, including a mile-long trail along the Bluffs from the West entrance to the East entrance.
Sodus Point Beach Park
When the weather is warmer a visit to Sodus Point Beach Park is in order. Cool off in the gentle waves of the mighty Great Lake Ontario, enjoying the wide sandy beach with playground, snack bar and new changing rooms. There is a smaller beach on the bayside and both beaches have lifeguards. You can walk the pier out to the old lighthouse or sit and relax and watch the boats come through the channel.
Montezuma Audubon Center
For the nature lover in all of us, a visit to the Montezuma Audubon Center is a must. This center offers year-round environmental education programs, exhibits and presentations. A wall of windows offers a panoramic view of restored grassland and marshes. On site, two freshwater marshes have been restored, 50 acres of native grasses have been planted, a one-mile hiking trail has been constructed, and an all-access observation platform has been built. They offer all kinds of “hands-on” activities for the entire family.
Hiking and Biking in Wayne County
Keep everyone fit and healthy with exercise and fun while hiking and biking in Wayne County! Our trails wind through picturesque lakeside communities, along the historic Erie Canal, quiet countryside roads and promise the traveler captivating beauty. Catch on to “Mural mania”, smell the apple blossoms or just enjoy our peaceful scenery. Family fun at its best! Click here to download out trails.
The Historic Erie Canal
Looking for some peace and quiet on the water? The historic Erie Canal traverses through Wayne County and offers the visitor a wide range of activities. Mid-Lakes Erie Macedon Landing located in the Town of Macedon offers a comfortable stop or convenient base for the canal traveler. Lockmaster canalboats are available for week long charter as well as canoes, kayaks, and paddleboats for rent.
Go Fishing!
Go Fishing! Listen to a screaming reel and picture a steelhead shooting out of the water like a torpedo. Or you might think about fighting the mighty chinook king until you think your hands will fall off. Does that sound like a fishing adventure? Yes, we do brag about Wayne County fishing. But, you have to realize when we have four bays, four streams, Lake Ontario and a historic Erie Canal within our borders, it's hard for us to keep a secret…Come Fish Us!!
Wayne County Wineries
Visit one of our great wineries…… Lakeside vineyards benefit from warmer weather into fall to ripen grapes, and cooler weather in early spring to prevent bud-break. Thorpe Vineyard is known by many as “The Little Winery on the Great Lake.” What started as a small barn on the shores of Lake Ontario is now a full-fledged production site for some wonderful New York State wines. Breathtaking views, fresh lake air, and Thorpe’s charming tasting room make this a “must” experience. JD Wine Cellars at Long Acre Farms is located at one of the premier Agri-tourism sites in New York State. The variety of handcrafted red, white, and fruit wines offers a wine for everyone and the tasting room adds to the already extensive list of family entertainment offered at the farm. In the heart of New York’s largest apple growing area is Young Sommer Winery, which specializes in award-winning grape and fruit wines that truly embody the unique climate that clings to the Lake Ontario shoreline.
Sodus Point Lighthouse Museum
The view is awesome at the Sodus Point Lighthouse Museum! Situated on a bluff overlooking the majestic waters of Lake Ontario is the Sodus Point Lighthouse Museum. The Sodus Bay Historical Society operates the museum and Gift Shop. The gracious and personable staff that greets you is charming and knowledgeable. Visiting the museum allows you to take a step back in time. Exhibit rooms will sweep you to a different era where coal and lumber were king and commercial fishing and shipbuilding were ways of life. The Major attraction for many visitors is the climb of the spiral staircase which leads to the lens room at the top of the lighthouse tower. From this vantage point, about 70 feet above the waters of the lake, a spectacular view!
The Architecture of Wayne County
The architecture of Wayne County is as varied as the people who live here. But one type of architecture better represents Wayne County than any other and that is Cobblestone masonry. Cobblestones are small rocks that can fit in the palm of your hand. Pioneers to western New York State found the cobblestones, which had been brought by glaciers, along the shores of Lake Ontario or in the fields they tried to plow. They used them to build their homes, schools, churches, smokehouses, etc. 90% of all cobblestone buildings in the United States are found within a 65 mile radius of Rochester, New York. The majority can be found in the towns that border Lake Ontario especially along Ridge Road and Lake Road.
Unique Museums that “spark your interest”
1Alling Coverlet Museum
The Alling Coverlet Museum has the largest collection of hand woven coverlets in America.
2Wm. Phelps General Store
The Wm. Phelps General Store is only one of two totally original, authentic general stores anywhere. It is 183 years old with products that date back to 1860. It is an original Erie Canal General Store built specifically to serve the Erie Canal in 1826.
3Grandin Building
The Grandin Building is where The Book of Mormon was first printed and sold.
4Museum of Wayne County
Museum of Wayne County houses the former Wayne County Jail and Sheriff's residence, built in 1856 and used until 1961. Tour the 10+ room home now used for gallery space, with the 24 cell blocks still attached to the back.
5Heritage Square Museum
Visit Heritage Square Museum and you will step into the past and relive a touch of mid 19th Century Americana. See the sights, hear the stories, experience being where families like yours lived over a hundred years ago.
6Hoffman Clock Museum
The Hoffman Clock Museum, located in the Newark library building displays over 300 timepieces. A special emphasis on the history of New York State clockmakers makes this museum a truly exceptional place to visit.
