This Somm is almost in the bridal suite! Less than 100 days to go, and like many, we were totally looking forward to the Bachelorette trip. Finding a fun and affordable place for me and my bridesmaids was fun. We decided on a wine inspired trip (of course) to an area I have never been before.

Two cars, 5 hours north, and we were in The Finger Lakes! This is one of the best regions in NY for winemaking and an insanely beautiful one at that. We decided to stay at Bristol View Lodge, a gorgeous Air B&B with wonderful hosts, amazing views, and a ton of space. This house was perfect, and everyone had their own bed, and a great kitchen.

Our first night we enjoyed some quiet time at the house, with food and plenty of wine! The house is just stunning, so we wanted to really enjoy it as much as possible. The Finger Lakes has a lot to do, especially if you like being on the water and doing adventure type activities. For this New Yorker, my idea of adventure is drinking wine outside, so our weekend consisted of Cocktails & Boating day 1 and then winery visits on day 2.

Seager Marine in Canandaigua, NY is the best place to rent a boat, or book your own private charter with a driver. We were having cocktails, and opted for the private charter and it was the best time we have ever had. The boat was comfortable and spacious, perfect for a party of 10 or less, but they do have other boats that do fit other side parties. Our driver was so knowledgeable and really fun, and lets us stop whenever we wanted to take photos, and enjoy the views. You can do boating activities as well, so we decided on one water sport, but they have plenty of options. You can BYOB which is amazing, and they’re so accommodating. Seager Marine also has a delicious cafe with fresh food made to order, for you to bring onto the boat or enjoy after your ride. The charter from start to finish is about 3.5 hours, which was perfect for our afternoon.

As the Somm and alcohol influencer on the trip, I of course brought the booze. I had to have FlyBird Margaritas, because they’re absolutely perfect for a boat trip. The flavors are great and my favorite was the Passion Fruit, as well as Blood Orange, however Prickly Pear came close in second. I will always have a love affair with their Baja Lime flavor, because it’s literally an instant margarita anytime you need!

Our second day, we went to three wineries. Thanks to The Finger Lakes Alliance for helping us out with such great tours. If you’re doing a wine trip, three wineries is honestly enough. We booked our car service through Sip Back and Relax Tours, which I highly recommend. Gary our driver was so fun and very attentive during the trip, and pulled out all the stops for us. He really went above and beyond, as did the owners who handled all my questions and requests well. We visited Glenora Winery, Weis Winery, and Dr. Frank Konstantin. Three amazing wineries with incredible views and even better wines. Our favorites were Glenora and Weis because of the intimacy of the wineries. Glenora felt very homey, and the staff was so friendly. Weis pulled out all the stops and gave us a private tasting in their winery, where we enjoyed a number of wines including a Cabernet Franc I fell in love with!

All the wineries offer some sort of food option as well as you can bring some of your own to most. The girls and I packed mini sandwiches, as well as bought bottles and cheese platters at the wineries to snack on. After a day of wine tasting Sip Back and Relax Tours brought us back to our house, where we enjoyed more food and wine.

If you’re looking for a great weekend getaway, a girls trip, a perfect couples trip, and more. I absolutely recommend The Finger Lakes. Bristol View Lodge can easily fit up to 14 people, and I am telling you, you can not go wrong with a boat day, and then a winery day!

Stay tuned to see how I throw a wine themed Couples Shower in August, as well as what wine this Sommelier has picked special for her wedding toast!