Fishing
There is a lot of good local fishing, starting with Cowanesque Lake about a mile from the house. Bring the rods and you will find water within a few minutes in almost any direction.
Explore the Region
Things to do in the area.
Real places, with real drive times measured from the front door. Some are eight minutes away, some are worth the hour. Every one of them is linked so you can plan before you arrive.
8 minTo the gun club
17 minTo the golf course
25 minTo Corning, NY
42 minTo Watkins Glen
Close to home
Under twenty minutes from the driveway.
You can do any of these and still be back at the pool by mid-afternoon.
Golf
Seventeen minutes away is Indian Hills Golf Club in Painted Post, NY — 18 holes, open to the public, with a driving range and restaurant. Tee times can be booked on their site.
Gun range
Eight minutes away is the Cowanesque Valley Rod & Gun Club in Elkland, with both rifle and pistol ranges. Membership runs about $35 for a full year — no per-visit fees, unlimited shooting while you are there, and you can go every single day of your trip at no extra cost.
Plan ahead: sign up on their site at least three weeks before your stay so your membership card arrives in time.
Shotguns & sporting clays
About twenty minutes south is Maple Ridge Sporting Clays & Game Farm. Check their page for current hours and pricing, and call ahead — small clay courses often run by reservation or limited days.
Hiking
The property itself is good for wandering — eight acres of woods, creek frontage, and room to walk. A few minutes' drive gets you to the Moccasin Trail, an easy out-and-back along the Cowanesque Lake shoreline with lake and hillside views.
For something bigger, Watkins Glen State Park is 42 minutes north — the gorge trail there is the one everyone photographs.
Hunting
There is no hunting on the property, but there are plenty of options nearby. Tioga Boar Hunting is about fifteen minutes away and runs guided hunts year-round.
Plan more outdoor time
We are in Tioga County, and the regional tourism board covers exactly the kind of thing people come here for — hiking, ATV trails, fishing, and seasonal events across Potter and Tioga counties. Visit Potter-Tioga will also mail you a free brochure if you request one before your trip.
Food delivery
Delivery options are thin this far out. The one place we have found that will bring food to the property is The Pizza Barn in Elkland — we like their pizza, and they do Mexican dishes as well. For anything else, plan on a pickup run or a drive.
Corning & Elmira
Twenty-five minutes to a proper night out.
Corning is the nearest town with real evening options, and Elmira adds theatre and live music another fifteen minutes past it. This is where to go when the weather turns or the kids need something to do.
Corning Museum of Glass
The home of Corning Ware, twenty-five minutes northeast. Tour the museum, watch a glassblowing demonstration, or book a make-your-own-glass project and take it home with you. The best rainy-day plan in the region and genuinely good with kids.
Art museum
The Rockwell Museum in Corning — American art and Western art, a Smithsonian affiliate, and a short walk from the Gaffer District. Easy to pair with lunch downtown.
The Gaffer District
Corning's historic downtown — food, drinks, museums, shops, antiques, and a steady calendar of events. Worth an afternoon on its own. See what's on in the Gaffer District.
Outdoor fun park
Park Avenue Sports Center in Corning has laser tag, mini golf, batting cages, a rock wall, a bungee jump, a driving range, and water wars. They also do burgers, hot dogs, and sixty flavors of ice cream — so you can make a whole evening of it without going anywhere else.
Movie theater
Spotlight Theatres in Corning — check showtimes before you drive over.
Indoor golf
Tee Time runs indoor golf simulators with locations near Corning and in Elmira. Book a bay by the hour — up to four people per bay — and play courses from around the world or just hit the virtual range. A good rainy-day or winter option.
Performing arts
The Clemens Center in Elmira brings in Broadway tours, concerts, comedy, and family shows. Check the season calendar against your dates.
Orchestra
The Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes performs throughout the region — worth a look if your stay lines up with a concert.
Community theater
Centre Stage Community Theatre is Corning's local company, staging shows through the year across the Southern Tier. Check their calendar for show dates.
Live music
Bars, breweries and venues around Corning book more live music than you would expect for the size of the town. See who is playing in Corning during your dates.
Rodeo
Reese Ranch Rodeo, just outside Corning. A real rodeo half an hour from the house is not something most weekends offer — check their schedule before you book your dates.
Minor league baseball
The Elmira Pioneers play summer ball in Elmira — cheap tickets, close seats, and one of the oldest ballparks in the country.
Day spa
If the point of the trip is to actually rest, book something. A Touch of Tranquility is in Corning, and Namaste Spa is in Horseheads. Book ahead — small-town spas fill up on weekends.
Worth the drive
Day trips in every direction.
Twenty-five minutes to an hour, and each one can fill an afternoon or a whole day.
The Pennsylvania Grand Canyon
About thirty minutes south is the PA Grand Canyon — Pine Creek Gorge, forty-five miles long and nearly 1,500 feet deep. Overlooks at Leonard Harrison and Colton Point, plus the Pine Creek Rail Trail for biking.
Waterfalls
Watkins Glen gets the attention, but it is far from the only one — the region is full of gorges and falls within an easy drive. Open the regional waterfall map to pick a route.
Finger Lakes wine tours
Call Scooter's party bus at (570) 418-0013 and he will drive you around for eight hours — wineries, food stops, wherever you want to go. Up to nine people for about $240 total, so split between three, four, six or nine of you it is genuinely cheap. We have heard excellent things about this service.
Plan your stops on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail.
Charter fishing on Seneca Lake
Five hours on the water for up to four people with a local captain — lake trout, rainbow, brown trout and salmon depending on the season. Book a charter.
Kayak & paddleboard rentals
Same outfitter rents kayaks, canoes and paddleboards if you would rather be the one doing the paddling. See rental options.
Watkins Glen International
One of the great American road courses. Race weekends, track days and events run through the season — check the schedule at The Glen and see if your dates line up.
Cherry Springs stargazing
One of the darkest skies on the East Coast, and worth the evening drive if the forecast is clear. Cherry Springs State Park — check their dark-sky program schedule and moon phase before you go.
Wellsboro at Christmas
Every December, Wellsboro puts on Dickens of a Christmas — gas-lit streets, period costumes, and one of the best small-town holiday festivals in the state. Worth planning a winter stay around.
Rent a boat on Cayuga Lake
Plenty of boats to choose from if you want a full day on the water — pontoons for a group, smaller craft for a couple. Try Cayuga Lake Boat Rentals or Clarkin Boat Rentals. Book well ahead for summer weekends.
Little League World Series
About an hour south in Williamsport, and free to attend. If your stay lands in late August, it is one of the best days out in Pennsylvania — check the tournament dates.
Music festivals
Moe-Town in Addison, NY books local, regional and national bands, and runs spring and fall music festivals with camping, food and vendors. Woodstock-lite, in the best way. Bring a lawn chair.
Casino
If you have the itch, Tioga Downs is about an hour east — casino, harness racing, and restaurants.
Make Serenity Woods your basecamp.
Book through Airbnb or VRBO for live availability and current rates.