Active Pursuits in Canandaigua Lake

Public-access beaches on Canandaigua Lake include Butler Beach, West Lake Road (tel. 585/396-2752; free admission), on the west side of the lake; Deep Run Park, East Lake Road (tel. 585/396-4000), on the east side of the lake; and Kershaw Park, Lakeshore Drive (tel. 585/396-5060; fee charged), which has a sand beach and an 8-acre park.

If you'd rather see the lake from a boat, the Canandaigua Lady (tel. 585/396-7350; www.steamboatlandingonline.com) is a replica 19th-century paddle-wheel steamboat, available for lake excursions and lunch and dinner cruises. From May to mid-September, it departs from Steamboat Landing, 205 Lakeshore Dr. (at the north end of Canandaigua Lake). Fall foliage cruises (mid-Sept to Oct) board at Woodville dock, Route 21 South (south end of Canandaigua Lake). Cruise prices range from $14.50 to $45. Scuba diving, windsurfing, kayaking, and sailboarding rentals and instruction are available from Canandaigua Sailboarding, 11 Lakeshore Dr. (tel. 585/394-8150).

Golfers will not want to miss the Bristol Harbour Resort Golf Course (tel. 800/288-8248; www.bristolharbour.com), a beautiful 18-hole Robert Trent Jones-designed course right on Lake Canandaigua. Greens fees are $29 to $69.

Good hiking and cycling are available on Ontario Pathways, 200 Ontario St., Canandaigua (tel. 585/394-7968; www.ontariopathways.org), 23 miles of rails-to-trails. In winter months, you can ski at Bristol Mountain Winter Resort, 5662 Rte. 64, Canandaigua (tel. 585/374-6000; www.bristolmountain.com).