Thanks for that ...I'll check it out

Cheers

Dot

While it will be busier, travel times won't be that much worse. As you plan, three things to keep in mind: Canadian Thanksgiving is in October and the Finger lakes are a popular destination, the college towns may be busier on the weekends especially if there is a home football (or handegg if you prefer) game, and overall it's just a very busy time of year.

That said, Penn Yan is a decent second location for it's central location. I'm very partial to the Ithaca area, or the city of Canandaigua (city in the loosest sense of the word) would be a decent option. Also, Skaneatales is pretty popular.

My personal feel is that Ithaca has more natural beauty in the immediate area and is a vibrant college city with a lot of options, Penn Yan is a good location for the whole area (I really don't make it there that often). Canandaigua has a neat main street and the Finger Lakes Wine and Culinary Center, and Skaneatales is considered more "upscale" for shopping and spas.

Keep in mind that from corner to corner (Canandiagua to Ithaca or Skaneatales to Naples) the entire region is about an hour's drive time.

Another factor is what route you want to take to Kingston. The thruway is the easiest (and most boring), but if you choose that route you will want to stay toward the northern FL cities. A slightly less direct route, and a little more driving, can be had from the southern FL destinations.

Since you are coming from the UK and I assume you don't get here often, you really should stay in or near Ithaca as it has great lodging and dining options and provides access to many more activities than some of the other towns such as Penn Yan and Skaneateles. There are three glorious state parks that provide flexibility for hiking (or not), a great weekend farmers market, an art trail, a cheese trail and direct access to the Cayuga Lake wineries and relative access to those on Seneca. Watkins Glen is only 20 miles away and is worth an excursion to check out the state park there. The small towns of Aurora (east side) and Trumamsburg (west side) along Cayuga could fit the bill if you want a (very) small town ambiance. Trumansburg is also nearlyt adjacent to one of the state parks (Taughannock).

If you want to stay further west, I really like Naples (very quaint small village at the south end of Canadaigua Lake) as it is near many wineries and has easy access to amazing views and nice hikes and walks. It is also convenient to Canandaigua, which has the wine/culinary center and Sonnenburg Gardens among its attractions and a good selection of dining options. You could easily check out Keuka Lake using either of the towns as a base.

Thanks for that info....you are right ...its our first time in this part of the US ..hence knowledge from "the locals" is such a help to make the best of our visit...I'll check it all out ...perhaps we'll be able to see more than I had thought.......we hope we have got the timings right .....around the 7/8 Oct.in the Finger Lakes area to see the foliage in the fall......we are starting in Boston going north on the 23 Sept then through New Hampshire, Vermont NY state and going back to Boston through MA and fly back to UK 17 Oct....

Thanks for all the info I have received from everyone ...very much appreciated

Cheers

Dot