Our Weekend at the Inns of Aurora
Buying Christmas gifts for my husband may be the hardest thing in the world!! As we get older, we both have realized that material things don’t come close to experiences and time spent together. With that being said, I thought it would be nice to spend a weekend in the Finger Lakes in an area we’ve never been to. I have seen pictures and posts of the beautiful Inns of Aurora and knew that this would be the perfect place for a relaxing adult/couples getaway.
If you’ve never heard of the Inns of Aurora, let me give you a little background. This luxury lakeside property consists of five historic inns in the town of Aurora with beautiful views of Cayuga Lake . The Aurora Inn (which is the main inn) was built in 1833 and renovated in 2001. It has 10 guest rooms, a restaurant with lakeside veranda dining and banquet room for special occasions. A stone terrace, lawns, and gardens were created to link the inn to the shores of Cayuga Lake. I booked room #10 in the Main Inn. Our room had a direct view of the lake and also a balcony. The drive is about 2.5 hours from Buffalo, NY and about 30 mins from Ithaca, NY.
The Inns provide an activities calendar with everything from archery lessons to tarot card readings to chocolate/wine tastings. I figured since it was a bit of a drive and the forecast was pretty cold, that we would stay close and have dinner at Aurora Cooks! This was a cooking demo dinner and we both enjoyed this experience so much. The theme of the meal was garlic and the cooking technique used was sous vide. It was fun to watch our chef turn the ingredients into a beautiful dinner of sautéed vegetables and shrimp scampi over spaghetti squash. Please note that the menu is not published ahead of time so go in with an open mind. Our dinner was delicious and Grace, the chef, was knowledgeable and so personable. Wine from local wineries is included with dinner.
The next morning we were up bright and early to head to the spa!! I had an appointment for an aromatherapy massage and my husband purchased a day pass. We were greeted by the nicest workers, given some refreshing cucumber water and were given a tour of the 15,000 square foot building. Wow! I was immediately impressed with how it felt like we were the only people there! There are saunas and steam rooms in each of the locker rooms and also a joint sauna located outside by the pools. They keep two of the outdoor pools heated to 103 degrees in the winter so we braved the freezing cold temps to take a dip. I would rate our experience a 10/10. My favorite part of the day though was relaxing and enjoying the onsite cafe. Included with your treatment or day pass is access to a seasonally inspired, complimentary grazing table with light food options and coffee and tea. Espresso, wine and beer are available for purchase. The cafe is open all day for guests of the spa. Even if you decide not to stay at the Inns, the Spa is 100% worth the drive!!
After the spa, the rest of our afternoon and evening was spent relaxing and eating haha!
Quick afternoon snack - The Fargo Bar & Grill - I had the burger and it was great!
Cheese Tasting at Aurora Cooks! We sampled local cheeses and sampled local wine! I loved this and would recommend this for sure. There is also a chocolate/wine pairing but it was sold out so maybe next time.
Dinner at 1833 Kitchen - the staff and food was wonderful! We were pretty full from our afternoon of constant eating but we managed to try a few appetizers and the scallops.
There is also a grab n go market with coffee, soups, snacks and local products attached to the Aurora Inn.
Some other places we stopped during the weekend that are worth noting:
Honey Bee Embassy at Bright Raven Farm - so many unique items to purchase here, not just honey! And its just a cool place to check out. In the warmer months they do honey tastings on their back porch. The farm is located on the Western side of Cayuga Lake.
Taughannock Falls - if you’ve never seen this waterfall, put it on your list. This park is beautiful year round but is especially pretty with the icicles and snow surrounding it. There is a viewing area to see the waterfall from above, but there is also a short walk you can take that takes you to the base of the falls. Incredible! The park is also located on the western side of Cayuga Lake.
Milkstand - this amazing restaurant is located in downtown Ithaca and was hopping on a Sunday morning! They do not take reservations but our wait for a table was only about 20 minutes and worth every minute. I ordered a delicious mimosa and the Brie French Toast. My husband ordered the honey butter toast and we both loved everything. I plan on going back to try other menu items because everything just looked that good!
So here are my honest thoughts on our weekend! I loved the quiet, relaxing vibe of the Inns of Aurora.
Would I go back?? Yes!
Would I go with children? No!
Would I go as a girls trip? No!
This to me is 100% a couples getaway. If you are looking for a small town, no stress vibe, then this is it. All of the food and wine we had was wonderful and showcased the region. That was cool. The spa is top notch and really made our trip! With that being said, I am sure the vibe is different in the summer so keep that in mind. I actually loved how quiet the hotel and town was. I also recommend signing up for their emails so you’ll be notified of any promotions they are offering. The property was beautiful and well kept and even though I did not get the chance to see any of the other Inns, I suspect they are equally as incredible.
Drop me a comment if you’ve been to the town of Aurora or the Inns before and what your thoughts are!
x, Julie