10 Best & Beautiful Afternoon Drives in Upstate NY

There is nothing like looking at your day planner and seeing, somehow, that you have nothing planned for the day.  Road Trip!

I love an afternoon drive as much as the next person.  OK, so not so much in the winter, but for the other three seasons, Upstate New York has a plethora of stunning and historic afternoon drive routes to fit your fancy.  From the Hudson Valley to the Finger Lakes through Central New York and (of course) along the highways and byways of the Adirondacks and the Catskill Mountains, our region's backroads are spectacular!

Here is a list of 10 curated afternoon road trips.  Some are short (15 miles) others are a bit longer (80 miles).  But all will be time well spent.  Who can resist riding along the stunning St. Lawrence River and stopping for lunch in historic Clayton?  Or sweeping up the Genesee Valley on I-390 as it curves up from the Southern Tier to Rochester?  These and others are here for your choosing.  Restaurants and historic highlights have been included in this post.

So, get in the car and go!  Now is the time to make a perfect afternoon road trip in our own backyard......Upstate New York.