A Perfect Fall Morning in Trumansburg, NY

The fall season is the BEST time to visit the Finger Lakes region of New York. This region has everything you could want for fall – foliage, scenic drives, wine tasting, apple picking and more! One adorable town worth a stop in the Finger Lakes is Trumansburg, NY. Trumansburg is a picturesque village close to Cayuga Lake. If you are visiting the Finger Lakes, here’s how to have the perfect morning in Trumansburg!

Head to E Main Street (Downtown Trumansburg)

E Main Street is the main drag in the village and is lined with shops and adorable restaurants. If you are staying in Trumansburg, you definitely want to stay within walking distance from E Main Street. During my stay, I stayed at an AirBnb on Cayuga Street. Cayuga Street is almost parallel to E Main St and just a short, foliage-lined walk away from the excitement. I loved getting up every morning, breathing in the crisp fall air and checking out the restaurants and shops on this street. If you’re not staying in Trumansburg, E Main Street does have a lot of street parking so it’s not too hard to find a spot in town!

Get Your Caffeine Fix at Gimme! Coffee

Gimme! Coffee is a small town coffee shop chain with locations in Trumansburg and the Ithaca, NY area. They have a good selection of specialty coffee and espresso drinks. My favorite was the salted maple latte.. yum! After you grab your coffee, you can head outside and enjoy it on their outdoor patio overlooking Trumansburg Creek and take in some more fall scenery. If you don’t want to do the stairs, you could also go back outside on E Main St and sip your coffee by the bridge overlooking the creek.

Check out the Breakfast Choices at Main Street Market and Creekside Cafe

Gimme! Coffee has a good selection of pastries and scones to go with your coffee, but if you’re looking for something a little heartier, check out the breakfast choices at Main Street Market (almost next door to Gimme!) and Creekside Cafe (across the street from Gimme!). Main Street Market has a really yummy breakfast sandwich and also sells local meats, cheeses, kombuchas and breads. Creekside Cafe has delicious French Toast (with real NYS maple syrup) and great lunch options, but is only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Take in the Highest, Single-Drop Waterfall in the Northeast

After filling up on great coffee and eats, head down to Taughannock Falls. It is only a six minute drive from downtown Trumansburg. Taughannock Falls is known as the highest, single-drop waterfall in the Northeast. At 215 feet tall, the waterfall is 33 feet taller than Niagara Falls! If you want to get a good view of the Falls from above, check out the Taughannock Falls Overlook. The Overlook offers a great view of the Falls without having to hike. There is a large parking lot just a short walk from the Overlook where you can park.

Hike the Gorge Trail at Taughannock Falls

There are three main trails to hike at Taughannock Falls: The North Rim, The South Rim and the Gorge Trail. If you’re looking for more of a challenging hike, you will want to check out The North Rim or South Rim Trails. However, these hikes don’t really pay off as the trails end at the Overlook so you will simply see the same view you can see by driving to the Overlook. Instead, I would suggest trying the Gorge trail.

On the Gorge Trail, you walk along the bottom of the gorge (the walls of which are almost 400 ft) and the views looking up the gorge are amazing! On the way to the Falls, you can even walk on the Gorge floor! Also, this trail ends at the bottom of the waterfall and the view from the bottom really does not compare to the top view seen at the Overlook or end of the North and South Rim trails. Best yet, the trail is pretty easy, less than 1 mile long and doable for most ages and abilities.

Relax by Cayuga Lake

After finishing up the Gorge Trail, end your morning by walking across the street from the start of the trail to get a beautiful view of Cayuga Lake!

See more NY travel ideas here and more US destinations here!