Finger lakes, forests and mountains galore.

A magical tour of New York’s finger lakes region.

This classic sports car tour features:

• Hub-style tour structure - No packing and unpacking your bags each night
  
• Turn-by-turn navigation through custom-programmed GPS unit
  
• Professional photography of you and your vehicle
  
• Hand-selected dining experiences
  
• All-inclusive food and beverages, including an open bar once each day's driving has concluded, aside from one night’s dinner
  
• Historic sites
  
• Inside looks at mind-blowing private automotive collections
  
• Natural attractions brimming with unique wildlife.
  
• Twisty back roads
  
• A judgement-free, friendly group of up to 30 couples
  
• And much, much more!
  

Keep scrolling down to view full itinerary…

Tour registration also comes with a one-year subscription to Classic Motorsports Magazine.

WHEN

September 6-11, 2026*

WHERE

Hub-style tour based at the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel

PRICE

$3,549 per person (double-occupancy)

All lodging, meals and attractions included (except for dinner Tuesday night).

*Dates subject to change

 

 

 

 

 

 

Empire State Tour Itinerary:*

We just wrapped up the 2025 tour and are now working on new adventures for 2026. Here’s where we went:

Day 1: Sunday

Check in with us at our new host hotel to receive your welcome packet, then settle in for the afternoon.

Our hotel is located right on the shores of Seneca Lake in Watkins Glen, so you can kick back and relax on the patio, walk along the lakeshore, or watch the boats go by from the dock.

After you’ve had some time to get comfortable, we’ll convene for our welcome dinner at the hotel and get to know each other before our adventure begins.



Day 2: Monday

We’ll start our tour by heading way north toward the Rochester area, specifically Fairport, NY, “the crown jewel of the Erie Canal”. There, we’ll board the Colonial Belle for a private cruise down the Erie Canal and lunch on the water. After that, we’ll make our way back to Watkins Glen on scenic roads.

Once we’re back at the hotel, we’ll reconvene at our signature parking lot bar before getting ready for dinner.



Day 3: Tuesday

Today we’ll visit the fascinating Finger Lakes Boating Museum, dedicated to the history and preservation of the region’s wooden boat crafting heritage.

Then, we’ll journey up the hills towards the beautiful Bully Hill Vineyards, where we’ll enjoy lunch with sweeping lake views.

But the day doesn’t end there: Next, we’re off to Corning to see the world-famous Corning Museum of Glass. With exhibits and live demonstrations of the artistry, history and science of glassmaking (not to mention a lovely gift shop full of works by the museum’s in-house artisans), there’s something there for everyone.

Feel free to spend more time at the museum or head out on your own adventure. Dinner tonight is your choice, so you can grab a bite in Corning, find a spot to stop along the route home, or eat back in Watkins Glen.



Day 4: Wednesday

Gentlemen (and ladies), start your engines: today we’ll head Watkins Glen International, the former home of the Formula One United States Grand Prix. We’ll drive the current race track, head back into town to grab some lunch at the Seneca Harbor Station, and then drive the public roads that made up the original Watkins Glen Grand Prix Course from 1948-1952.

After all that driving, we’ll visit the International Motor Racing Research Center, then we’ll finish the day with cocktails and dinner at the famous Seneca Lodge, a favorite watering hole for many racers passing through the Glen. After dinner, we’ll all head back to the hotel to rest for the night.

Day 5: Thursday

We’ll start our final driving day with a stop at the breathtaking Taughannock Falls, a natural wonder that stands out even in a region known for stunning waterfalls. After that, we’ll have a delicious farm-to-table lunch at the charming Elderberry Pond restaurant.

Our final stop of the tour will be at the Glenn H. Curtiss Aviation Museum, a 60,000 square foot facility housing an incredible collection of aircraft, vintage motorcycles, automobiles, and aircraft engines and focusing on the works of Glenn Curtiss, a contemporary and sometimes-rival of the Wright Brothers.

Back at the hotel, we’ll gather for a farewell dinner and celebrate the good times we’ve shared with a magnificent meal.

 

2025 Classic Motorsports Empire State Tour

To call our Empire State Tour simply a driving tour of New Yorks’ Finger Lakes region would be doing it a disservice, as the participants did much more than drive–they visited historic sites, took in breathtaking scenery, enjoyed hand-selected dining experiences and, overall, enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime tour through one of the most beautiful parts of the country.

While you can read more about the day-to-day happenings at the links below, here are some highlights of what you missed:

Traveling “The Nation’s First Superhighway,” the Erie Canal, by boat.
Exploring the Finger Lakes' unique history of boating, flying, glassmaking, and, of course, motorsports.
Driving on the legendary Watkins Glen road circuit.

 

Experiencing the breathtaking scenery of the Ithaca and Taughannock Falls, as well as the flora and fauna lining some of the country’s best driving roads.

And did we mention driving? Nearly 600 miles of it in total–that's a lot of seat time for you and your favorite classic car.

 

Touring “The Nation’s First Superhighway” | Empire State Tour Day 1

By Colin Wood
Sep 8, 2025

Exploring the forests and mountains of New York’s Finger Lakes region from behind the wheel of your favorite car?

That’s what’s in store for the participants of our 2025 tour taking place this week, September 7-12.



Today, September 8, our guests embarked from the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel to Fairport, New York, for a ride on what’s called “The Nation’s First Superhighway,” the Erie Canal, on the Colonial Belle.



Completed in 1825, the man-made wonder was instrumental in connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean and helped put Fairport on the map.



After the ride on the Erie Canal, we headed back to the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel for a chance to freshen up and enjoy a Tours tradition, the parking lot bar, before boarding a bus to dinner at Veraisons Restaurant at Glenora Wine Cellars.



Stay tuned for daily updates from Empire State Tour,