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Geneva, NY

Recreation

Whether you’re a local looking for a fun way to spend the day, an Ontario County resident searching for new adventure, or a new visitor exploring Geneva for the first time, you’ll make memories in Geneva.

Geneva Recreation Department
The Geneva Recreation Department produces an impressive list of programs and activities for people of all ages, with careful attention paid to various skill levels and interests. Each year, the department puts on spring, summer and fall programs for young children, adolescents, adults and seniors.

Some of Geneva’s most anticipated events are presented by the Geneva Recreation Department. Summertime free concerts at Lakefront Park draw hundreds on Wednesday evenings, beginning the first week in July. Entertainment varies from jazz to orchestra, with just about everything in between.

Mid-June signifies the commencement of the Geneva Farmers Market, which takes place Thursday mornings at the Exchange Street parking lot. The Farmers Market is open weekly through the beginning of October. Fresh, homegrown fruits and vegetables; home-baked goods; and homemade crafts are all available in an open-air venue.

The Geneva Recreation Department’s Recreation Complex is home to a wide variety of activities and programs. Included in the selection are tennis instruction for youth and adults, adult tennis tournaments, women’s softball, girls’ lacrosse, kickball, street hockey, and preschool recreation two mornings per week for children 3 to 5 years old. Exercise enthusiasts will also find classes, including flex and tone, cardio resistance, Pilates, Tai-Chi and yoga.

Kids’ summer programs are a popular way to spend a day. Children ages 6 through 12 can participate in activities like Science Camp, Junior Chef Program and Creative Writing. On Fridays during the summer, kids can take part in Outdoor Adventure Days, in which they visit places like Roseland Water Park, Seneca Lake State Park’s Sprayground, Sampson State Park and more. The Summer Youth Program, which takes place Monday through Thursday mornings in July and August, offers organized sports, activities and games for kids. In addition, the Geneva Recreation Department sponsors a Children’s Summer Theater production at the Recreation Complex.

Swimming is an important skill in this waterfront community. The summer swim programs include Tiny Tots lessons for kids ages 6 months to 4 years and Learn to Swim lessons for kids ages 4 years and older.

Fall welcomes the opening of the ice skating rink, where kids and adults can take part in a variety of figure skating and hockey programs. The Recreation Complex’s ice rink is also home to the Youth Hockey League, the Hobart College Hockey Team, the Finger Lakes Figure Skating Club and the Over the Hill Men’s Hockey League.

The Geneva Recreation Department also offers lots of craft classes, including favorites like beginners’ one-stroke, basket weaving and painting. Other programs include adult trips to wineries and theater productions, dog obedience classes, adult volleyball leagues, and more.

For complete information on all of the department’s offerings, visit www.geneva.ny.us or call (315) 789-5005.

Wine Trails
Wine trail tours in and around Geneva have become increasingly popular in recent years. Dozens of wineries in the Finger Lakes region welcome visitors to take tours of their vineyards and sample some of the region’s finest wines.

Some trails host special events, like the Cayuga Wine & Herb Festival in April, The Lucky Leprechaun Chase on the Keuka Lake Wine Trail, or the Seneca Lake Wine Trail Deck the Halls Weekends. Bed and breakfasts, campgrounds, inns, and hotels offer accommodation for those looking to make a long weekend, or even a week, out of their New York State wine adventures.

For more information about Geneva’s wine trails, visit www.genevany.com.

Farm Tours
The Finger Lakes region is home to numerous farms and orchards that cultivate an astonishing variety of fruits and flowers. One of the most popular and abundant crops in the area is apples. Red Jacket Orchards, which has been family owned and operated since its founding in 1958, grows several types of apples, along with strawberries, raspberries, cherries, apricots, peaches, plums and fresh prunes. The Orchard also produces a selection of award-winning ciders and juices; in fact, Red Jacket Orchards’ Fuji apple juice recently earned the coveted Fancy Food Show Award for Outstanding Beverage of the Year for 2005. Group bus tours can be arranged for visitors to learn first-hand all that goes into growing, harvesting, preparing and marketing outstanding produce. For more information, visit www.redjacketorchards.com.

Abbey O.O.B., in nearby Stanley, offers a different kind of farm tour that gives visitors a glimpse into life on the farm in Victorian America. The reservation-only historic tour highlights daily chores and activities, farm animals, historic anecdotes, and more. This working family farm also offers classes and tea parties and operates a bed and breakfast and an old-fashioned general store. For more information, visit www.abbeyhistoricalfarm.org.

Seneca Lake
Spending time in Geneva wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Seneca Lake. The waters of the second-deepest lake in the nation are perfect for water skiing, fishing, sailing, swimming, and even scuba diving to inspect the glacial cuts on the bottom of the lake. Seneca Lake State Park is the perfect setting to enjoy swimming at the beach, picnics, fishing and ice fishing, biking, and more.

Geneva is home to several marinas, including Roy’s Marina and Stivers Marina. Stivers Marina, owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Bob and Donna Stivers since 1997, has been operating on Seneca Lake since the 1960s. The full-service marina offers dockage, repairs, fuel, ship store, parts, accessories, winter storage, and houseboat and powerboat rentals. What makes Seneca Lake such a popular destination? According to Bob, “it’s the friendliness of the people. Everyone’s glad to be here, relaxed and away from their hectic schedules.”

More Information
Don’t forget to check out Geneva’s bowling alleys, theatres, boat rentals and charters, antique and specialty shops, and area festivals — the list literally goes on and on. To find out what the buzz is about, visit one of the following Web sites:

Geneva Area Chamber of Commerce
www.genevany.com

Geneva Recreation Department
www.geneva.ny.us

New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
http://nysparks.state.ny.us/

Ontario County Tourism Bureau www.visitfingerlakes.com