Depart Brooklyn and drive to Syracuse 

• Since you need to be at the marina around 12:30 pm, we have opted both times to do part of our drive the day before so that we don’t need to start our day super early. This year we stayed in Syracuse – in 2018 we stopped in Binghamton.  We liked our stay this year better, and Syracuse is only about an hour away from the marina which makes for a less stressful start to your first day on the canal.

• Middle Ages Brewing – We started here with flights and a pint. It was pretty crowded and the beer was decent, but they don’t have real food – just chips and hot dogs.
• Talking Cursive Brewing Company – We went here next for flights and a snack. They had a sign for “dill pickle chowder” which was intriguing enough to try. YUM! We paired a bowl of this with their reuben bites, and both were spectacular. We liked the beer here better, too, and we ended up sticking around for dinner. (Also, 5 stars for the super friendly bartenders!)

• Marina: 1125 Marina Parkway, Macedon, NY 14502 (mile 240.13)

• Video orientation
• Onboard orientation
• Depart dock and practice driving, turning around, and docking
• Lock through Lock 30 twice (mile 239.02) – we didn’t do this in 2021 since there were issues with the lock, but normally you will practice here
• Return to dock and drop off staff

• There was a $14 fee to stay overnight – the dockmaster came by to greet us and collect our money. Bring cash, especially small bills, for paying your docking fees. If you’re on one of the larger boats, your fee may be higher.

• Iron Smoke Distillery – This was one of our favorite stops in 2018. Get a whiskey flight or craft cocktail and enjoy their decor and some live music. Their apple pie whiskey is especially delicious!
• Triphammer Bierwerks – Grab a beer after your whiskey just a couple storefronts down from Iron Smoke. 

For more about Fairport, view our 2018 blog post.

• Smokin’ Hot Chicks Tex Mex BBQ – This place wasn’t around when we visited in 2018, but it’s in the same building as Iron Smoke and Triphammer. The bbq was good, but their cornbread was some of the best we’ve ever had! It’s on the sweet side, but it’s also super moist and buttery.

• Fairport (mile 246.58)
• Fairport Main Street Lift Bridge (mile 246.67)
• Pittsford (mile 253.43)
• Lock 32 (mile 255.14)
• Lock 33 (mile 256.40)
• Junction of Genesee River (mile 260.55)
• Brooks Landing (mile 1.05)

• Free dock. In 2018, we stayed at Corn Hill Landing, which is another 2 miles up the Genesee River and much closer to all the action in Rochester. Unfortunately, we found out during orientation that we couldn’t go back there this year due to “silting” causing the water levels to not be deep enough. This was a bummer because there wasn’t much to do in walking distance to Brooks Landing. It was also raining. A LOT. So even though we originally planned to stay in Rochester for 2 nights, we gave up and decided to move on after our first night. If you stay here, you will need to use Uber/Lyft or the provided bikes to get around.

• Check out our 2018 blog for more on Rochester. Since it was raining so much this year, we opted to just take a Lyft to a couple different breweries that we didn’t get to visit last time.

Breweries

• Three Heads Brewing – We each enjoyed a flight here. It was pouring down rain, but they have a huge outdoor area covered by a tent, so we were able to have our flights outside.
• Heroes Brewing – This place was packed with people watching a soccer match, and it was a bit warm and muggy so we opted to have a quick pint and head on our way. The beers were good, though, and they clearly have a loyal local following. You can walk here from Three Heads.

• We were tired and waterlogged from all the rain and opted to just grab some Chinese takeout near the Staybridge Suites rather than getting another Lyft and heading back into town. In 2018, we had dinner at Dinosaur BBQ!

• Brooks Landing (mile 1.05)
• Junction of Genesee River/Erie Canal (mile 260.55)
• Locks 33 and 32
• Pittsford (mile 253.43)

• Erie Canal Nature Preserve – When we docked, we saw a sign for a new nature preserve near the canal. We strolled along the canal a bit, walked in the preserve, and then found the Auburn Trail, where we discovered some remnants of an old train system that connected Pittsford to Rochester.
• Pittsford Cemetery – We proceeded to wander a bit through town, admiring the many lovely homes. We even took a quiet and peaceful stroll through the beautiful town cemetery. 
• Pittsford Pub and Grill – It was hot and humid, so after our walk we stopped in for a cold drink at the pub before heading back to the boat to relax for a bit.

For more about Pittsford, visit our 2018 blog post.

• Every year, there is a bike tour from Buffalo to Albany in mid-July. During both our trips, we’ve encountered the cyclists on their way through since we’ve traveled the same week both visits. While resting on the boat, we saw hundreds of cyclists passing through, many of them stopping at the brewery and ice cream shop across the canal from where we were docked.

• Lock 32 Brewing – We each enjoyed a flight at this small brewery right alongside the canal. They have a great outdoor seating area where you can enjoy your brew with a view!

• Aladdins – We had dinner here in 2018, too. The food is good, and they have a bi-level patio right on the canal. We both got the mixed grill platters which had so much food that we were able to take some home and get two days worth of breakfast out of the leftovers! The steak, chicken, shrimp, and veggies were perfect with some scrambled eggs, wrapped up in a tortilla.

• Pittsford Farms Dairy – We loved this place so much in 2018 we knew we were going to have to come back! You must try one of their sundaes. They’re huge and oh so delicious.

• Pittsford (mile 253.43)
• Fairport Main Street Lift Bridge (mile 246.67)
• Lock 30 (mile 239.02)
• Lock 29 (mile 236.04)
• Newark Canal Port (mile 226.68)

Arrive in Newark (mile 226.68) – Free dock. We were happy to arrive and get settled in Newark. We had been watching the radar and knew a storm was coming, so we wanted to get tied up fast and on our way before the rain started. The wall here is pretty high, so you’ll need to get a bit creative tying up your boat if the smaller, lower dock is already full (which it was).

• Parker’s Grill and Tap House – We discovered Parker’s had pool tables, so we scrambled over the bridge and got inside about 10 minutes before the sky just opened up and poured down several inches of rain. There are three pool tables and we were the only ones there, so we had the whole room to ourselves for a couple hours while we enjoyed some beers.

• Parker’s Grill and Tap House  – We decided to just stay put and moved over to the dining room to enjoy our dinner. I had a hot turkey sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy and it was sooo good. My husband had a burger, which he also enjoyed. The place was packed with families, small groups, couples, and folks at the bar, so it’s clearly the place to be in Newark.

• The rain mostly held off the rest of the evening, but there were storms happening all around us. We sat on the stern of the boat under the canopy and enjoyed the cooler evening air and watched the clouds and far-away lightning of the nearby storms before finally calling it a night.

• Newark Canal Port (mile 226.68)
• Lock 28B (mile 226.25)
• Lock 28A (mile 222.27) 
• Lock 27 (mile 220.99)
• Lyons Town Dock (mile 220.82) 

• Lyons Town Dock (mile 220.82)
• Lock 27 (mile 220.99)
• Lock 28A (mile 222.27)
• Lock 28B (mile 226.25)
• Newark Canal Port (mile 226.68)
• Port of Palmyra (mile 235.03)

• Muddy Waters Cafe – This is right near the dock. They have food, but we only stopped in for iced tea/coffee.
• Pal-Mac Aqueduct County Park – From the cafe, if you head off toward the right you’ll find the canal trail that leads you to this park. You’ll walk between a couple marshy sections and eventually find yourself down by Lock 29. Here you can see the remnants of the aqueduct, as well as an old bridge that once spanned the canal. We walked back along the canal and then went to explore town a bit. Don’t forget to find the four churches – it’s an intersection where each building on the corner is a church. Downtown Palmyra is lovely, so definitely enjoy a stroll here!

• Lock 29 Tavern – It was SO very hot walking around, and we found cold (and super cheap!) drinks here. They also had a pool table, so we stuck around and played for a while.

• Mark’s Pizzeria – We were in the mood for pizza, and this place was just down the street from the tavern. Mike got a small pizza, and I had a calzone and both were pretty tasty. It’s more of a takeout place, but there were a few families and a group of teenagers all in the dining area with us. You’ll need to order from the counter before sitting down.

• Port of Palmyra (mile 235.04)
• Lock 29 (mile 236.04)
• Lock 30 (mile 239.02)
• Erie Canal Adventures Marina (mile 240.13)

Visit Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion – This is a lovely state historic park with multiple gardens and a beautifully preserved mansion. It threatened to rain the whole time we were here, but we spent a couple hours following their map to all the gardens and exploring the inside of the mansion. It’s a short ride from Macedon and well worth a visit!

• Eddie O’Brien’s – We headed toward Main Street and parked our car in a municipal lot since all of Main Street was taken over by a street festival. We went in search of a place for dinner, but everywhere was PACKED! I’m not sure if it’s like this all the time or just because of the festival, but we eventually found a table with no wait at Eddie O’Brien’s. I had a Cuban sandwich that was surprisingly delicious, and their fries were extra tasty, too.