Letchworth Park, Corning Glass Museum, Watkins Glen Air Museum one day loop

[MacDoc]

The nice loop for is Letchworth and Corning for the Glass museum and perhaps the Air museum at Watkins Glen.

Here is the entire loop 500 km not on freeways based from Lewiston so add an hour at each end for the GTA

http://goo.gl/maps/BjTs0

You'll get a mix of scenery and colour and the park is lovely as well as good food. 10 miles of winding road through the park.
The route takes you to the bottom but you want to enter at the top...there will be signs.
$8 entrance and you get it back at the Inn at the bottom end against your meal. Old style classy setting ( think Dirty Dancing era ) with great food and great prices.
Figure an hour for the park drive and food

http://www.letchworthpark.com

Corning Glass Museum has superb food and the museum very interesting.
3 hours looking about is lots with food. Don't be put off by the cafeteria look....they are serious about their food there....mighty impressed.
http://www.cmog.org

Have not done the Curtis Air Museum yet but might tomorrow Sept 28th
http://www.glennhcurtissmuseum.org

For s 3 day trip you could add in the Smithsonian Air Museum
http://airandspace.si.edu/visit/udvar-hazy-center/

Freak out for plane and space buffs. My photos here
https://picasaweb.google.com/113408714888195024530/SmithsonianAerospace?authuser=0&feat=directlink

You can sneak into this from the north without getting engaged in the mess around Washington.

 

[parillaguy]

Letchworth park is worth riding from top to bottom. The speed limit is pretty low but the scenery is really nice (Blue Ridge Parkway nice!). The Curtiss museum is great with both planes and motorcycles. It is on the road from Bath NY to Hammondsport. Worth stopping. Try the Mexican restaurant between Bath and museum There is an air museum just east of Corning about 15 minutes drive that has a decent collection of warbirds. Worth stopping for that too. Go back up along one of the finger lakes (Kueka is the best for scenery in my opinion) parillaguy

 

[SeaBreez]

Hi MacDoc and djez etc, thanks for the feedback and great routes for Letchworth State Park. Myself, my wife and a friend will be taking a modified route (based on your suggestions) this thanksgiving weekend. I'll post the pics in here...http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforu...70-Letchworth-State-Park-NY-Route-Suggestions. I'm reluctant to post for a group ride as a family member is ill and may require a last minute trip cancellation. I hope everyone has a great long weekend ride(s) and lots of turkey.

 

[Dilligaf0220]

How do you guys find the Lewiston crossing on your bike? I sail through Ft. Erie no probs, might even filter without batting an eye, but Lewiston always gives me the stinkeye.

 

[MacDoc]

I'll be winging out to Los Angeles this weekend to peer through the gates of all the closed National Parks

Have fun

I've never had a hassle at Lewiston but then we go every week for biz. I have Nexus now so even easier and good line jumping at Lewiston

Even coming back on a weekend it saved me 15 minutes or more
There is still some construction but nowhere near as bad as it was

 

[jc100]

Is it just the national parks that are closed? I'm off to Watkins Glen for the weekend but that's just a stake park right and therefore open?

 

[SeaBreez]

How do you guys find the Lewiston crossing on your bike? I sail through Ft. Erie no probs, might even filter without batting an eye, but Lewiston always gives me the stinkeye.

I can't stand the slow long wait at Lewiston, we usually take the Rainbow or Peace Bridge. Much faster crossing. Hopefully the Peace Bridge is quick this Saturday morning...

 

[MacDoc]

State Parks not affected AFAIK

 

[kiley]

I always cross at Erie and never have a problem.
Funny thing about Nexus….took 4 bikes to PA Sept 27
All 4 bikes breezed through and the Nexus line was backed up to the bridge.
We all got quite a chuckle out of this.
Sort of makes me wonder why even bother.
I mean it’s pretty ridiculous that all 4 of us got through and that line hardly moved.

 

[suzuki2000]

with nexus, you shouild use the whirlpool bridge. no reason to go to the other 3 at all once you have nexus

 

[MacDoc]

Because it's out of the way.
If traffic is light on Lewiston you just breeze through in the commercial lane coming into Canada.

 

[jc100]

Horne's ferry is still running until Oct 20th it seems. That's a nice relaxing crossing for me at the eastern end of the lake.