10 miles W of Seneca Falls; 54 miles W of Syracuse; 19 miles E of Canandaigua; 45 miles SE of Rochester

Geneva, tucked midway between the region's two largest cities, Rochester and Syracuse, is a gracious and historic small city hugging the north end of Seneca Lake. With about 15,000 residents, it's one of the larger towns in the region, an eminently livable small city and classic college town (it's home to Hobart and William Smith colleges). During the 19th century, Geneva was the major commercial hub of central New York; today, its revitalized downtown boasts an architecture fan's cornucopia of restored and stately century-old row houses and Victorian mansions with stunning backyards fronting the lake. The deepest of the Finger Lakes at 632 feet and more than 200 feet below sea level, Seneca Lake is a huge draw for outdoor activities.