Scenery and wine in NY's Finger Lakes region

You might have a problem visiting the Finger Lakes region of New York state. Are you going to focus on recreation on and around the scenic lakes of this glacier-carved area, or will you spend your time studying the specialties of the many wineries that blanket the hillsides and sampling the area's restaurants?

Click on the box that says "Recreation In+Out" at the Finger Lakes Connection — http://www.visitfingerlakes.com/ — from New York Tourism. Click on "What to Do" to shop around for ideas for activities ranging from relaxing stuff like spas, museums and fishing, to active recreation and winter sports. There are outfits that will set you up for sailboarding on Lake Canandaigua and places that will rent you a bike or a boat.

Along with the lakes, you can enjoy the outdoors in the Finger Lakes National Forest — http://tinyurl.com/6bax9z — New York state's only national forest, tucked between Seneca and Cayuga lakes. It advertises camping and more than 30 miles of trails.

Or maybe you're planning more sedentary pursuits.

Don't think that all Finger Lakes wines are alike. According to Uncork New York — http://www.newyorkwines.org/ — Seneca and Cayuga are officially considered separate wine regions within the Finger Lakes because of their unique growing conditions. Click on "Wine Country" for the link to the Finger Lakes Region, then go to "Wine Regions" for links to the wineries around each of the four main lakes. Look to the left of the page for "Wine Trails," the lake-specific winery associations which offer information so you can plan your tours.

The four Wine Trails have directories of places to stay (listed under "Along the Trail" at Cayuga), and activities other than wine tasting. And look for package deals that might stretch your travel budget enough to let you buy a few extra bottles to take home. Browse through their events calendars; wineries along the Cayuga Wine Trail have fall and harvest festivals scattered through September and October, including a Sept. 14 German Festival at Lucas Vineyards.

Back at Uncork New York's Web site, click on "Information Station" and then "Grapevine" for recipes and wine tips.

Then return to the state's Finger Lakes Connection and explore "Where to Eat," where eateries are arranged in categories from casual to fine dining, along with a "local Food Guide" for farmers' markets and local produce. "Unique Settings" lists restaurants with a view or spots like the Cobblestone Restaurant in an 1825 farm house and the Lancellotti Dining Room in an Italian Renaissance Villa.

Visitors looking for a bit of excitement amid the scenery and wine can visit Watkins Glen — http://www.theglen.com/ — the historic race track outside the village of Watkins Glen where cars of all classes have been racing for the past half-century.

Schuyler County, the Southern Gateway to the Finger Lakes — http://www.watkinsglenlodging.com/ — is centered around Watkins Glen and wrapped around the southern end of Seneca Lake. Check out "Attractions" for links to things to see and do "just around the corner" from the county, including the Corning Museum of Glass — http://www.cmog.org/ — down the road in Corning, and the National Soaring Museum — http://www.soaringmuseum.org/ — celebrating non-motorized flight and offering computerized flight simulators. The Corning area — http://corningfingerlakes.com/ — also offers hunting and fishing, and more museums.

Most of the regional visitors' Web sites have directories of motels and other places to stay. If you're looking for the more personal touch of a small inn, consult the Finger Lakes Bed & Breakfast Association — http://www.flbba.com/ — the regional directory of Bed & Breakfast Inns Online — http://tinyurl.com/6j5suu — or Bed & Breakfast.com — http://tinyurl.com/69m6wb/.