Explore Letchworth Parkside Lodge
A long weekend at Letchworth Parkside Lodge
While the Lodge itself is tucked back in quiet, rural Upstate New York, there is still a ton to do and see in the area. Guests often choose a long weekend stay here, but find they could have spent at least a week with a full schedule of things to do and see! We spoke with some of our guests, and here are things they have enjoyed doing while visiting for a long weekend!
Right Off the Bat
While many of our guests take a road trip to us, some fly into Rochester or Buffalo airports, then rent a car and drive about an hour and a half to the cabins. The cabins are set back on the property, separate from each other. Both offer a chiminea for a cozy fire (complete with everything you need to get it burning) and a beautiful wooded area to admire and watch wildlife (including deer). There is also a cute little Gnome Home on the edge of the woods by the Moose Lodge, and other cute decorations around to admire. Time to kick back, relax, and soak it all in.
For meal time, there is an area in each cabin where you can warm up some snacks, make a sandwich, and have coffee. There is a refrigerator for cold cuts, cheese, and beer, and a small freezer for pizza rolls or small frozen treats. Each morning, Denise brings out fresh homemade muffins and places them in the muffin delivery box right outside each cabin.
Local Eateries
There are some great restaurants nearby as well! My guests love Parkside Diner, which is just a few miles down the road. Their focus is comfort food classics like pizza, salad, and sandwiches, plus all-day breakfast! Everything here is delicious, and the servers here are fantastic as well. Glen Iris Inn is also a popular option, on the fancier side. They offer unique and tasty appetizers and salads, high-end steaks and various seafood entrees, unique and tasty appetizers, and an awesome cocktail selection. This one is right in Letchworth State Park and a great spot to end a day of hiking at. The River Bend Bakery and Wolf Creek Deli are also nearby and have a great selection. Another popular spot, just a couple towns over is The Flipside Bar and Grill in Strykersville. Here you can feast on regional favorites like Poutine, BBQ and smoked meats, and Grinders, as well as various mac & cheeses, wings, pizzas, and salads.
The Main Attraction
A trip here would not feel complete without a visit to our namesake, Letchworth State Park. Although it is just a state park, there is so much to see! Here you will find 3 large waterfalls, more than 100 smaller cascades, plenty of hiking trails, picnic areas, and even a swimming pool during the summer months! Playing host to the beauty is, of course, the enormous gorge that winds through this part of Upstate New York. The Genesee River fords its way through the gorge, giving way to stunning views of lush greenery, rushing water, and heart-pumping heights. While not on the same scale as Niagara Falls, this NY state park is consistently voted #1 state park in the US for a reason. Don’t miss it!
Guests visiting the park highly recommend booking a hot air balloon ride with Balloons Over Letchworth State Park. The experience is exhilarating as you get an up-close and personal view of the falls from the balloon, floating right over the top of the falls right next to the rushing water. This is a unique, one-of-a-kind experience that you don’t want to miss out on. Book ahead of time to make sure and get the day and time you need!
