A Meander Around Naples

07/27/2023

Story and photos by Lauren Chamberlain

When people think of New York, many picture bustling cities. However, when I think of New York, I picture places like Naples. The charming village of Naples is nestled at the south end of Canandaigua Lake. Though best known for its grape and wine production, as celebrated at the end of September during its Grape Festival, this town has so much else to offer.

The rumor is that Naples got its name because the remarkable scenery was comparable to that of Naples, Italy. The village and surrounding community is quaint with picturesque rolling hills, lush forests, meandering streams and hidden waterfalls. This area is a treasured destination for art, nature and food lovers – especially grape pie lovers like me.

My family drives through Naples all the time but we have never taken the time to explore the town. I finally said enough is enough and convinced my family to take a trip.

We started our journey with the renowned Lynnie Lou’s for some ice cream. I got some mocha ice cream that was so rich and flavorful. One of the great aspects of Lynnie Lou’s is its outdoor seating. They have benches outside with umbrellas or a pavilion for you to sit, relax and enjoy your ice cream.

Artizanns (out of photo to the right of the sign) has original creations from Finger Lakes artists.

Afterward, we went to Artizanns which is a gift gallery with a large variety of original artwork, gifts and accessories from local artisans. This store has everything including woodwork, hand-blown glass, jewelry, pottery, candles, soaps, fabric art and so much more. It was so fun walking in all the rooms both downstairs and upstairs. It was a surprise what you would find in every room you entered. In all honesty, it was so hard to not spend all my money here. I made a lot of mental notes of pieces to come back for on my next trip. I walked away with a beautiful art print of lilies by Life in the Finger Lakes editor Mark Stash that I could not resist as my family has a special connection to lilies. My mother’s maiden name is Giglio, meaning lily in Italian, so when I saw it I knew I had to have it.

Grimes Glen is a great place to wear water shoes and hike up the stream.

We decided to take a detour from shopping and go to Grimes Glen. I know we barely scratched the surface of what this park has to offer. As this excursion was based on a whim, we did not have the best attire to hike around. So, again, we made a mental note to come back and explore more.

A perfect end to our trip to Naples was Joseph’s Wayside Market. This market is astounding as it is one of the largest open-air farm markets in the Finger Lakes Region. It can be a convenient stop for ice and beer or be a destination for lush seasonal plants, gourmet groceries, fresh baked goods, delicious produce and unique decor.

On this trip, we bought some apricots, black raspberries and some of the most amazing sweet corn I have had in a long time. We also picked up a Finger Lakes t-shirt and a  Green Heart of the Finger Lakes sticker that my mom wanted for her car.

In the end, my family had a great day out together. We spent a bit of money and I found yet another reason why I love this area of New York. I know anyone else who spends even a few hours in this village will feel the same.

Lauren Chamberlain, originally from Irondequoit, NY, is double majoring in Writing & Communication Arts and Visual Communications Design at Keuka College. She will graduate in 2024. Lauren is a long time lover of reading and writing. At Keuka College she has created two publications including Who is Penn Yan? Volume 8 and the school’s literary magazine, Crooked Lake Collections.