The Finger Lakes Region in Upstate New York, is one of the state's top tourist destinations with its patchwork of rolling hills, beautiful lakes, and hundreds of vineyards. The area is comprised of eleven freshwater lakes that resemble the fingers of a hand, situated between the cities of Syracuse and Rochester. It is New York State’s top wine producing area which includes Seneca, Cayuga, and Keuka Lakes. Seneca is the largest and the deepest of the Finger Lakes, and Cayuga is the longest. Over 100 wineries and vineyards are located around these lakes and is a popular area for summer homes. The region contains evidence of pre-Iroquois habitation and is an important part of the Iroquois history. Seneca and Cayuga Lakes are named after their tribes, as are Lake Oneida and Onondaga Lake. The Finger Lakes area is made up of several small towns and farmlands including Canandaigua, Geneva, Penn Yan, small and quaint Skaneateles, along with the more well known towns of Watkins Glenn, famous for car racing, and Ithaca, home to Cornell University. Photo of Seneca Lake, from South Main Street in Geneva, New York, courtesy of Wikipedia and RochesterNY (public domain).
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