Staying in Palmyra ?

Thinking ahead possibly for next spring or summer--I%26#39;m looking for advice on lodging in or near Palmyra for 2-3 days.

I know Rochester has the biggest stock of lodging in the area, but it%26#39;s a little farther than I want. I%26#39;d probably be heading west later to see Niagara Falls and don%26#39;t want to keep retracing my steps. But just for my info, what sort of place is Rochester, any suggestions for nice affordable facility for solo female? Luxury amenities are not too high on my list and I don%26#39;t mind crossing the street to a restaurant.

I like to stay in a smaller towns for the local atmosphere. If I can%26#39;t find something in Palmyra, what about nearby towns like Newark, Manchester, or Canandaigua?

Is the Finger Lakes area worthwhile to go see? Are these glacial lakes?

Thanks!

Staying in Palmyra ?

I happen to live in Palmyra. May I ask why you%26#39;re looking specifically at our town? It is just that we don%26#39;t get many tourists, aside from Mormons who come to visit the religious sites and to see the Hill Cumorah Pagaent.

That aside, we do have some lodgings. There are a couple of bed and breakfasts. Or there is the fairly new medium sized Palmyra Inn which was built about a year or so ago. Nearby Newark has a Quality Inn. Canandaigua has more choices and is about twenty minutes from Palmyra. Being that it is a lakeside city, there are more choices, such as the Inn on the Lake.

Personally, I%26#39;d prefer to stay in Canandaigua as it is larger with more restaurants, shops, etc. But our village is nice too just with fewer shops and restaurants.

If you%26#39;d like to be closer to Rochester, I%26#39;d suggest staying in Pittsford which is a beautiful town.

Yes the Finger Lakes are worthwhile. The scenery is just beautiful. The lakes were indeed formed by the glaciers. If you%26#39;re into wine - you%26#39;ll especially love it as there are wineries up and down Seneca, Keuka, and Cayuga lakes.

Staying in Palmyra ?

Wow, thanks for the quick reply! I wasn%26#39;t sure how well frequented the Rochester forum was, but it seemed the logical place to ask about Palmyra.

Yes, I would be coming to see the Mormon historical sites, not sure if I could make it at the right time for the Hill Cumorah Pageant, but the Hill Cumorah would definitely be on my list of places to see, along with the Sacred Grove, Grandin Building, and other places around Palmyra, and perhaps Fayette as long as I%26#39;m coming all the way from CA. I wonder if staying over 2 nights would be adequate.

Thanks for your suggestion of places to stay. I%26#39;d prefer to stay close to Palmyra while visiting there, and then maybe in Rochester on the way west while I see the Niagara Falls area.

From what you said, it sounds like Palmyra isn%26#39;t too busy except around pageant time in July. Does that mean the rest of spring and summer are fairly quiet and I wouldn%26#39;t find big crowds everywhere? (I like :) quiet).

I%26#39;m interested in nature and have never seen a cluster of lakes like the Finger Lakes, so it sounds interesting. We have glacial lakes in CA, but they are up in the Sierra Nevada at 9,000-10,000%26#39; and aren%26#39;t shaped like that. I%26#39;m no geologist, but I can tell you the Sierra Nevada does not have drumlins. Do you know the elevations there? Also, should I plan on a day to enjoy Niagara Falls? And with the homeland security concerns of both the US and Canada, what documentation or precautions should I know about?

If you%26#39;re coming to visit the Mormon sites, then Palmyra is definately where you want to stay. Here%26#39;s the link to the Palmyra Inn%26#39;s website. I haven%26#39;t been, but it looks very nice and it is convenient to the Sacred Grove, the Hill, and Joseph Smith%26#39;s farm.

www.palmyrainn.com

Two nights should be plenty to see all the sites you%26#39;re interested in. One day is enough for the Mormon sites because they are so close to where you%26#39;d be staying. And you%26#39;re right - we really are only busy around pagaent time. So, you should have no trouble seeing what you want to see in a day or day and a half at the most. On the second day you could drive down to see the Finger Lakes. No matter which one you choose, you won%26#39;t be sorry. Seneca is my favorite because there is a national forest along much of the east side making it less developed. Keuka has a ';branch'; which makes for breathtaking scenery. Canandaigua is also very pretty, however, the town is probably the most ';touristy'; and busy. If you really wanted to, you could drive and see all three in one day with no problem.

I%26#39;m not sure of the exact elevation around here, but it is less than 1,000 feet.

Niagara Falls is only about 2 1/2 hours from Palmyra. So you wouldn%26#39;t need to stay in Rochester on the way if you didn%26#39;t want to. One thing I highly reccommend to try to do while you%26#39;re in the area is visit a Wegman%26#39;s grocery store (the Pittsford one if you can). Trust me - you%26#39;ve never seen anything like it.

For documentation, you don%26#39;t need a passport to cross into Canada until 2008. You will need your birth certificate and photo ID. The border crossing times are usually less than 10 minutes. We went up to Canada last month and had no problems crossing the border either way.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks for all the tips, Nettieplee. I might be back looking for other info as I start making more specific plans.

I just thought of something else. Does the weather in upstate New York tend to be warm and muggy in the summer? I was thinking that being near the Great Lakes and other bodies of water could make it fairly humid. I%26#39;d want to pack accordingly.

Yes, you%26#39;re right it gets rather humid here in the summer time.

Let me know if you think of anything else. I%26#39;d be glad to help!

I would also suggest checking out Canandaigua. both Cdga and Palmyra are small towns, but Canandaigua would really offer you a bit more in the way of scenery and shopping (including grocery shopping) Canandaigua is about 10 minutes to hill comorah. If quiet is your thing, look into some B%26amp; Bs. If budget is no problem, the best is the Morgan Samuels inn. For more budget friendly, I would look into the Chosen Spot inn or the Sutherland House. the super 8 in Canandaigua is also a good clean motel. Canandaigua has numerous beaches for great swimming, too. Lakes are swimable from Late June - Early September. Summer temps can range, but it is not usually too humid here, depends how you catch us. The quietest beach is Onanda park which also offers hiking and cabins you can rent - but lookinto them now, they book early.

Hope this is helpful. We can%26#39;t wait to see you in upstate NY!

also check out the following:

www.canandaigua.com

www.fingerlakes.org

Thanks for the additional ideas, Laenee!

I%26#39;ve never been to New York State at all, so all info is helpful.