Things to Do in Aurora, New York

Colonel E.B. Morgan, an Aurora native and co-founder of the New York Times, built the Aurora Inn in 1833. It was restored in 2003 and now anchors the Inns of Aurora, a group of restored historic houses on 350 acres. The collection includes a spa above the village and a 3.5-mile nature trail.

★ Good to know Even if you aren’t staying, you can eat at 1833 Kitchen & Bar inside the inn; reservations go through OpenTable.

Victoria and Richard MacKenzie-Childs started their ceramics business in 1983, and the company is still based in Aurora. Its headquarters sits on a 65-acre former dairy farm. You can see a 15-room farmhouse from the late 1800s, a quarter-inch-scale dollhouse called the Petit Palais, and the shop.

★ Good to know The visitor center and its short film are free; farmhouse tours run about 40 minutes and are booked online.

This Aurora-based company runs lake tours on a 27-foot pontoon and a Chris Craft. Choose a one-hour history cruise, a sunset trip, or Wineries by Water, which stops at lakeside wineries. It carried more than 2,000 passengers in 2025.

★ Good to know Most tours leave from the Aurora Inn dock; the 2026 season is open, and booking ahead is the way to get a spot.

This 296-acre park sits on the east shore of Cayuga Lake just south of the village. It has a four-lane boat launch, picnic areas, a playground, fishing and 4.5 miles of hiking trails. The grounds are open dawn to dusk all year.

★ Good to know A vehicle entry fee applies in the main season; an Empire Pass covers it if you visit New York state parks often.

Gary Barletta started making wine in his grandfather’s basement in 1976, and the family opened this winery in 1999. It pours from more than 18 grape varieties, from Riesling to Zinfandel. The 72-acre property sits on Cayuga Lake’s shore, just outside Aurora.

★ Good to know The tasting room is open year-round, and there’s a deli on some days; check the site for current hours.

Tom and Susan Higgins founded this winery in 2007, about five minutes north of Aurora in Union Springs. They focus on Pinot Noir, with Chardonnay and Riesling too. Cayuga Lake, nearly 400 feet deep, moderates the vineyard’s climate.

★ Good to know Walk-ins are welcome for tastings, but reservations are recommended, and the tasting room closes January to mid-February.

Quaker merchant Slocum Howland built this cobblestone store in 1837 in nearby Sherwood. He helped freedom seekers reach the North, and the store is a documented Underground Railroad site. Emily Howland, of the same family, became a noted educator and suffragist.

★ Good to know Admission is free; it keeps weekend afternoon hours in season, and off-season visits are by appointment with five days’ notice.