Plan B - July 2026
Our beginner level Wild Swim adventure was scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. Tara, Lorin, Lisa and I planned to meet at my house, with Bonnie meeting us at Buttermilk Falls State Park. The morning didn't quite go as planned.
Buttermilk Falls State Park
Tara arrived right on time, and we drove over to pick up Lisa and Lorin. Lorin was up and dressed, but Lisa was still asleep. After several knocks on her door, she finally answered—wearing the dress she'd worn to my party the day before. Tara and I decided to head to Ithaca while Lisa and Lorin caught up later.
A little over an hour later we arrived at Buttermilk Falls State Park, one of the Finger Lakes' best-known natural attractions. Buttermilk Creek tumbles nearly 500 feet through a dramatic shale gorge before emptying into a large natural swimming basin. It's one of the region's classic summer swimming spots and the destination for our July Adventure Club outing.
Halfway up the Falls Overlook Trail
The weather couldn't have been better. The tornadoes, torrential rain, and high winds the day before had finally pushed the Canadian wildfire smoke out of the area. The sky was brilliant blue, the temperature was in the low 70s, and a cool breeze made it perfect for hiking.
Unfortunately, the heavy rains had washed mud into the natural pool at the base of the falls, turning the water mud brown.
Checking out the swimming hole at the bottom of the Falls.
Instead, we walked partway up the gorge trail, stopping at overlooks to admire the waterfalls from above.
Bonnie met us at the park entrance, and after a short hike we headed into Ithaca for Plan B.
The Ithaca Farmers Market, located on the Cayuga Lake waterfront, is one of the best farmers markets in New York. More than a farmers market, it's a gathering place filled with local farms, artisans, musicians, wineries, breweries, and food vendors.
We sampled local honey, tasted lilac wine, and shared grilled cheese sandwiches made with homemade sourdough bread and local cheeses.
After lunch, Bonnie headed to a birthday party while Tara and I drove back to Canandaigua for the annual Art & Music Festival.
Downtown was alive with artists, musicians, food vendors, and handcrafted goods. We wandered the booths with boozy coffees from Simply Crepes and I found several pendants made from antique pocket watches and vintage compasses that will make fun Christmas gifts.
I stopped to chat with Jessica Kay, of Viking Candles, one of the vendors selling handmade candles and essential oils. She told me that during yesterday's sudden tornado warning, festival visitors had rushed over to help her pack her merchandise into bins and lower her tent before everyone took shelter. Her products survived. Her tent didn't.
The next day she was back selling from a borrowed tent, while several neighboring vendors displayed their goods from folding tables because their tents had also been destroyed in the storm. I bought a bottle of essential oil from her to support her business.
While we were shopping, we ran into Siobhan, who joined us for a while as we wandered through the festival, and then all headed over to my house.
Our planned wild swim never happened, but we still ended the day in the water with a swim in our backyard pool.
