An Incredible Couple's Getaway in Burdett (and a Surprise!)

Note from Danielle: Today's post is actually by one of our guests! Katherine and Kevin came to stay with us in July and couldn't wait to share their experience. Read through their adventure and see where their stay took them. It's full of sweets, eats, and a very special surprise!

Hi there! My name is Katherine Worth and I want to tell you about my amazing stay at FLX Escape Vacation Rentals! But first, let me give you a little background.

Although I was born and raised in New Jersey, my parents are high school sweethearts from Buffalo, New York (Go Bills!). And in true western New York fashion, my mom has a crazy big family -- emphasis on crazy. Every Fourth of July, me and all 30 of my family members (give or take it’s hard to keep track) gather on Lake Erie at my grandparent’s lake house.

Five years ago, I brought my brand-new, Massachusetts-raised college boyfriend, Kevin McManus, to come enjoy the long weekend with my family. Against all odds, this rowdy crowd didn't scare him off! In fact, he fit right in. Over the past five years together, Kevin has never missed a summer. The icing on the cake? Kevin is now a Bills fan.

What does this have to do with the Finger Lakes? Although spending time with my family is a blast, I thought it would be nice to break up the family time  -- and the eight-hour drive from Boston to Buffalo -- with a romantic getaway. Many of my family members have raved about their stays in the Finger Lakes, so we decided to see it for ourselves and booked a Micro-Cabin!

After five days with my family, we hopped in the car and headed to Burdett! Our first stop was Havana Glen. This quick walk brings you to a quaint watering hole and a stunning waterfall. This was a fun little pit stop, but we would recommend going early in the morning if you want to beat the crowds!

Next, we headed over to Watkins Glen State Park. We spent a few hours walking the trails and exploring different parts of the gorge. What makes this spot special is that you can walk directly behind the waterfall. We snapped a cool picture here and got to stick our hands in the refreshing water.

We made our way to our Micro-Cabin, and we were truly blown away. There are 4 Micro-Cabins right in a row and they sit looking out onto a breathtaking meadow. The cabin was adorably decorated inside with a huge window looking out onto the field. Plus, each cabin has a fire pit and there is wood available to buy.

We had a dinner reservation at Seneca Harbor Station, so we got dressed up for our date night. We were about to get in the car and Kevin asked if I wanted to take a picture in the meadow before we headed out. I went into the field outside our cabin as Kevin set up the self-timer on his camera.

Turns out Kevin was not taking a photo but a video, and he took this opportunity to drop down on one knee and... ask me to marry him! And of course, the answer was YES! Lots of ugly crying and hugs followed.

I have been joking that the engagement gives “Little House on the Prairie” vibes, but in all honestly it couldn’t have been more perfect. It was private and romantic with a spectacular backdrop.

In our engagement love bubble, we made our way to the Graft Wine + Cider Bar where we sipped on local sparkling wine to celebrate. We ordered some local bread as an appetizer, which seems like a weird choice but in my opinion, there is nothing better than freshly baked bread and butter.

Then we took a walk by the water enjoying the lake view. We still had some time before our dinner reservation, so we stopped into Horseheads Brewing Seneca Lake. When our waitress found out we were just engaged they gave us a drink on the house, which was so unbelievably sweet.

We finally made our way to the Seneca Harbor Station. This restaurant doesn’t normally take reservations, but Kevin called ahead and explained to them he was planning on proposing so they made an exception. They reserved us a corner table with a lake view. The staff was so kind, and I think the food was good, but honestly, I was in such a love haze it all seemed like a dream!

Before heading back to the cabin, we of course had to get some Ben and Jerry’s. Once we got back to our cozy stay, Kevin made a fire, and we watched the sunset. The fire pit is such a nice touch to these cabins, and it allowed us to sit back relax and just hang out together!

The next morning, I woke up early to the sun flooding into our cabin window. We took in the epic view and then set off on our day of adventures. First stop was Seneca Sunrise Coffee. This family-run coffee shop and roastery is such a neat spot. This family converted their garage into a roastery and they make a kick ass latte. Looking for some breakfast, we made our way to the Lakeside Resort & 3812 Bistro where we had a great breakfast with a water view. Plus, there was a cute walking path on the property that we enjoyed exploring once we were done eating.

On the hunt for another waterfall, we drove about 20 minutes to Taughannock Falls State Park. This was our favorite hike of the trip because it was the least crowded but still had amazing views!

After our hike we went back to the cabin to get dressed up and headed to a wine tasting at Atwater Vineyards. We had never done a wine tasting, but absolutely loved it!

We learned a ton about wine and really enjoyed getting to taste a variety of flavors. We also ordered a cheese board full of local goodies. This vineyard is absolutely beautiful and after the tasting, we each ordered a glass of wine and sat outside to enjoy the view.

We enjoyed Graft Wine + Cider Bar so much the night before that we decided to head back there for dinner. And let me tell you, this meal did not disappoint! This restaurant knows how to do farm to table. We ordered the pork and the steak and decided to split both meals. I’m honestly still dreaming of this dinner, it is a must if you are in the area.

There is always room for dessert. For us that meant stopping to pick up a bottle of local wine from The Wild Duck and some Cannoli from Scuteri's Cannoli Connection. A fire, a sunset, crisp white wine, and a cannoli was the ultimate night cap and the perfect way to spend our last night in our Burdett oasis.

The next morning, we were so sad to leave and defiantly felt like we could have spent more time here! Before heading back to Boston, we went to Glen Mountain Market Bakery & Deli where we got egg sandwiches and coffee to go.

It’s safe to say that this trip was one I will never forget. It was romantic, relaxing, and so gorgeous. There is definitely more to explore here and hopefully we can make stopping here part of our tradition for summers to come!

Note from Danielle: Congratulations to you both! Looking forward to the next time you come to stay in our FLX Escape! 

Planning a proposal? Many couples celebrate their love and pop the question in the Finger Lakes. If you're looking for recommendations on where to eat, how to make the day special, or sights to see, let us know and we're happy to help you plan the perfect romantic getaway!