Bike the Erie Canal — July 8–16, 2023
My first major group bike tour — 400 miles, 8 days, countless memories.
Starting from the Edward Hotel in Buffalo
In July 2023, I took on my first major group cycling tour: Parks & Trails New York’s annual “Cycle the Erie Canal” ride — an eight-day, 400-mile journey following the historic Erie Canalway Trail from Buffalo to Albany. PTNY does an exceptional job blending history, small-town charm, and cyclist camaraderie. Every day included optional museum stops, canal-side towns, interpretive sites, food trucks, and guided visits coordinated through PTNY’s logistics and their lively Facebook posts.
Even though I brought my camping gear, a good night’s sleep matters — so I chose hotels when I could find them. That made my nightly routine a mix of bike-tour culture + creature comforts, which ended up being the perfect combination for my first long-distance group adventure.
Buffalo, NY — Check-In & Orientation
Overnight: The Edward Hotel, Buffalo
The tour kicked off at the Nichols School in Buffalo with registration, packet pickup, safety briefings, and the festive atmosphere that PTNY is known for. Their 2023 Facebook feed shows tents popping up across the campus lawn, food vendors feeding hungry riders, and musicians welcoming everyone to the adventure.
PTNY highlighted pre-ride stops like the Buffalo Naval & Military Park, the Canalside district, and walking tours of revitalized waterfront projects — all reminders of how the Erie Canal shaped Buffalo’s rise as a major commercial gateway.
I stayed at The Edward Hotel on Delaware Ave — just a short drive away — to get one last night of quiet sleep before the big week began.
Buffalo → Medina
Overnight: Garden View B&B (instead of camping)
Mileage: ~45 miles
This first stretch runs along the Tonawanda waterfront, through charming villages, and past original stone locks and canal features. PTNY’s posts that day celebrated riders arriving at the historic town of Medina, home to the Medina Railroad Museum and its enormous HO-scale model train display.
While the official campsite was at the Medina Schools complex, I booked the Garden View B&B for better rest. It was still easy to join all the PTNY evening activities — live music, food vendors, and officials welcoming cyclists from across the country.
Medina → Fairport — 61 miles
Overnight: Home (Serge pickup)
This was a long but beautiful ride past Brockport, Spencerport, and the Rochester locks. PTNY featured stops at the Erie Canal Museum in Brockport, the lift bridges in towns along the way, and scenic stretches of canal trail shaded by huge old trees.
Fairport is one of the most beloved canal towns on the route — filled with restaurants, pubs, and scenic riverfront paths. Instead of camping at Center Park West, got the luxury of sleeping in my own bed, courtesy of Serge picking me up.
A favorite Ice Cream stop for every canal tour.
Fairport → Seneca Falls
Overnight: The Gould Hotel
Mileage ~50 miles
This day arcs through historic canal villages and farmland before diverting toward the birthplace of the women’s rights movement. PTNY emphasized the significance of this day’s featured museum stops:
Women’s Rights National Historical Park
The Wesleyan Chapel (site of the 1848 Convention)
National Women’s Hall of Fame
Seneca Falls greeted riders with festival energy, boutiques, wineries, and patriotic July warmth. I spent the night in the beautiful and centrally located Gould Hotel — one of the most charming accommodations on the route.
Seneca Falls → Syracuse
Overnight: Courtyard by Marriott Syracuse Downtown (Armory Square)
This section crosses beautiful stretches of the old montezuma wetlands, one of the most unique natural areas along the entire route. PTNY’s posts that day encouraged riders to explore the Montezuma Audubon Center, where many riders spotted herons, osprey, and other wildlife.
Entering Syracuse, riders were welcomed with music, food trucks, and optional tours at:
The Erie Canal Museum (in the 1850 Weighlock Building)
Downtown Syracuse and Armory Square shops
The Hotel in Armory Square was right in the middle of the action — perfect for dinner, a cold drink, and people-watching.
Syracuse → Rome — 50 miles
Overnight: Hampton Inn Rome
This day traced some of the oldest engineered canal sections and ended in Rome, the official birthplace of the Erie Canal. PTNY highlighted the evening program at:
Fort Stanwix National Monument
Reenactors and historical interpreters
A celebratory “mid-week milestone” gathering
Jan helping me with a flat
Riders camped at Fort Stanwix, but there was a huge storm so I opted for the Hampton Inn — another smart move for a restorative night in air conditioning after long, hot July miles.
Rome → Canajoharie — 63 miles
Overnight: Canajoharie High School (limited lodging options)
One of the tougher days of the ride — longer mileage and rolling terrain through the Mohawk Valley. PTNY’s updates from this day highlighted:
The Remington Museum visits
Lock 20 and 21 scenic viewpoints
The powerful history of the Mohawk River corridor and Indigenous homelands
Canajoharie is beautiful but not known for its hotels — so this was a true “bike tour culture” night with the group. Tents everywhere, people sharing stories, musicians performing, and tired riders collapsing into bed early.
My tent weighs only 1 lb but is perfect size
Canajoharie → Schenectady — 46 miles
Overnight: DoubleTree by Hilton, Schenectady
This scenic stretch wound along the river before entering Schenectady, with PTNY encouraging visits to:
The new waterfront development at Mohawk Harbor
The Stockade District, one of America’s oldest neighborhoods
The restored Proctors Theatre area
We camped at the Schenectady JCC.
Schenectady → Albany — 31 miles
Finish Line: Corning Preserve Boat Launch
The final day was short, celebratory, and scenic. PTNY’s feed was full of joyful finish-line photos, custom jerseys, riders raising bikes overhead, and groups hugging after completing the 400-mile journey.
The route descended into Albany’s waterfront, passing interpretive signs that highlight the final transportation corridor connecting New York City’s port with the Great Lakes.
From the Corning Preserve you had options: stay with Diane or have Serge bring you home — either way, you finished your first official long-distance group bicycle tour. A huge milestone.
Cycling the Erie Canal for the first time was both a historical immersion and a personal endurance challenge — a journey through museums, wetlands, small towns, and the shared spirit of 700+ cyclists traveling across New York State together.
It was the perfect introduction to multi-day touring — long miles during the day, community in the evenings, and enough comfort (hello hotels!) to let me enjoy every moment of it.
