If you are looking for a small town lake in New York that is perfect for a relaxing day trip, then Owasco Lake needs to be on your short list of destinations this summer. Its water is perfect for swimming and boating, and there are a variety of attractions and accommodations around the lake. Put together, it makes for the best day trip in the Finger Lakes region of New York State.

Owasco Lake is situated in Cayuga County on the south side of the city of Auburn. When put next to its Finger Lake cousins, Owasco Lake’s size is somewhere in between the extremes—not too big, but not too small, either.
Cryo Mariena Flickr
Owasco Lake’s water is on the shallow side, which is great news for swimmers in the summer—the lake is very warm, and great for both swimming and boating.
Paul Malo Wikimedia Commons
The lake can be accessed from Emerson Park off of Route 38, which is on the north shore of the lake. From the park, you can partake in a variety of activities. There’s boating, fishing and swimming, obviously. But there’s also disco golf, playgrounds, picknicking and a whole lot more. There are even concerts!
Beth C Tripadvisor

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Fishing fans will appreciate hat you can catch a variety of trout, bass, walleye, northern pike, pumpkinseed, carp and many more varieties of fish on this lake. The southern end of the lake is great for panfishing, as well as northern pike and smallmouth bass fishing. You can catch lake trout all year round.
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If you need a great place to eat while you are are on the lake, we recommend Charlie's Lakeside Grill and Bar. They dish out great food all year round.
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Click here for more info on Charlie’s Lakeside Grill and Bar.
Want to make a weekend out of it? Springside Inn is located across the street from the western shore of the lake. It's a historic hotel that provides comfortable accommodations and even its own connected restaurant.
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Click here for more information on Springside Inn.

A trip to Owasco Lake is a mellow, low-key way to spend a day—or two, or three. While you are in the Finger Lakes region, why not check out this awesome ice cream road trip we put together, or take this ride on a hot air balloon.

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Owasco Lake, New York, USA