Hamlin Beach State Park…Definitely a Day at the Beach!

When I was a kid, my Mom’s side of the family often camped on the shores of Lake Ontario.  A day trip to Hamlin Beach State Park brought back a flood of memories… paint-by-numbers and laughter under a tarp as rain drizzled all around us, s’mores and ghost stories by the campfire, sand

My daughters mastermind their moat

castles decorated with shells and pebbles….  So, join me on our trip to Hamlin Beach State Park.

Last Friday was one of those sparkling summer days that delight me to have returned to the Finger Lakes.  My daughters and I gathered beach stuff and headed west on Lake Ontario State Parkway, a wonderfully scenic route that is part of the Great Lake Seaway Trail.

Visiting the Park:

When we arrived at the park, a cheerful gate attendant greeted us and we paid the admission fee. The vehicle entrance fee for the park from mid-May to mid-June and from mid-September-Columbus Day is $6 per car.  From mid-June to Labor Day, it’s $7 per car.  For Non-Profit Buses it’s $35 and for Commercial Buses it is $75.  There is no additional beach fee, and for 2011, the beaches are open June 18 through September 5.

Who doesn't love a snack at the beach?!

We headed to one of the two areas open for swimming.  As I unpacked the picnic lunch, my daughters began masterminding their moat to surround us.  It turns out we could also have purchased goodies at a  snack bars or brought food to grill and eat in the nearby picnic groves. I noticed how attentive the life guards were, and I loved the fact that playgrounds were so close to the beach and picnic area.

As a side note, parents or grandparents should be advised that kids will want shorts or pants on (rather than swimwear) when going down the slides – they’re the vintage metal “hot seat” super fast slides!  Several volleyball nets were set up along the beach and further up the beach, a basketball court stood ready for a game.  I understand that tennis courts are also available.

Hamlin Beach State Park is a biker's haven

The beaches were clean and the water was warmer than we expected, considering the relatively cool weather we’ve had this summer. The swim bathhouses have restrooms, changing and shower facilities and a limited number of lockers.  The beach was fairly empty for such a glorious day, but I’ve heard that it can be bustling on beautiful weekend days.

Activities:

Scenic vistas and wildlife abound

Swimming is allowed only when Lifeguards are on duty at guarded beach areas from Thursday to Sunday,  11 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. (bathhouse closes at 6 p.m.).

Hikers and nature lovers will enjoy Yanty Creek and the Yanty Creek Nature Trail, where I saw a large bird take loft that  may have been a heron.

Everywhere throughout the park, dozens of bicyclists who’d brought their bikes were enjoying leisurely rides on roads they had to share with very few other vehicles, but I understand that there are also dedicated biking trails.  Boat launch areas and a fishing pier make it easy for boaters and fisherfolks to enjoy their favorite pastimes!

In the winter, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing area also allowed.

Camping Information:

Luke reserves campers sites in a wall map

On our way out of the park, we stopped by the camping office and spoke with Luke and Ann, who were welcoming campers, carefully covering park rules and offering helpful directions and advice.

“It’s pretty busy for a non-holiday weekend,” Ann shared as she jotted down the pricing for me while Luke pegged another campsite as full on the wall-size map of the park.

There are currently 264 camp sites on five loops where tents & RVs are allowed on the wooded and generously-spaced sites that offer electricity.  Some sites are fairly open – great for groups camping

Ann welcomes campers to Hamlin Beach State Park

together – and others are surrounded by trees, offering more privacy.  Bathhouses are situated close to most sites and the camp store provides the convenience of a laundry.  A rec center is adjacent to the camp store.

We ran into Tricia and Terrance, who have been camping at Hamlin for a number of years. This year, they brought their spirited one year old pup, Cosmo. “It’s a great place to camp and it’s usually pretty quiet,” Tricia shared.  ” When we first came here, they only allowed pets in two of the six loops.  Now, campers can have pets in A, B and C too.”

Tricia loves that Cosmo can camp with her!

Campers are allowed a maximum of 2 pets per site, pets must be kept on a leash of 6′ or less and certificate of current rabies shots is required.  This pertains to the pets of visiting guests as well.

Camping is available from May 14 through October 11, 2011 and the fees are $21/night/site for Sunday through Thursday nights and $25/night/site for Friday and Saturday.  Out-of-state residents pay an extra $5.  Ann was kind enough to clarify that there is an additional one-time fee of $7  to park a second car on the camp site  and a third car would incur a $7 per night fee.

About pavilion rental, events and weddings in the park:

Beautifully rustic shelters offer affordable options for special events and weddings

For those looking for a place to hold a reunion, special event or a wedding, Hamlin Beach State Park has five beautifully rustic shelters that run from $50-$65 for the open shelters and $80 to $110 for the closed pavilions.  The one we saw had a stone fireplace inside and the porch outside had one with three grills. The pavilion was filled with well-tended picnic tables.  Weddings in any of the pavilions can be booked in the Park Office next to area #2 or by calling the Parks Manager during normal business hours between Tuesday and Saturday at (585) 964-2462, who will go over all details of holding a wedding in the park.

The campsites are wooded, well-spaced and have picnic tables, grills and electricity

Hamlin Beach State Park is located at 1 Camp Road in Hamlin, NY.  For those whose GPS does not recognize the address (mine did not), simply take Ontario State Parkway to the Hamlin Beach exit and follow the signs.  GPS coordinates are Latitude 43.355236 Longitude -77.946754.

Whether you stay a day or a week, Hamlin Beach State Park is a great family outing!

P.S. For those who enjoy historic re-enactment, there will be a Civil War Re-enactment at Hamlin Beach State Park from August 19 – August 21, 2011.  CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

All photos and text copyright 2011 © Carol White Llewellyn. All rights reserved.

 

Where to Buy Lilacs and Plants at Rochester’s Lilac Festival

Friday was a beautiful day for the start of Rochester’s Lilac Festival.  I saw many people carrying lilacs back to their cars and I plan to pick up several myself when I return to the festival on Tuesday as a bus tour guide.

Festival locations to purchase lilacs

If you’re thinking of planting lilacs this year, or you’re looking for a good source for other plants and expert information, you can find it all at the festival.  The Cornell Cooperative Extension has a tent set up outside their building located on Highland Avenue, as well as a larger tent set up behind their building.  There you can find lilacs as well as a large variety of beautiful and healthy other plants and flowers for purchase.  Master Gardeners are available on site to answer your questions.  All of the plants have been cultivated by the gardeners and proceeds go to support the Master Gardeners’ Program.

There are many ivaldifferent varieties of lilacs available for purchase at the fest

Just outside Lamberton Conservatory in Highland Park, you’ll find a tent set up with a wide variety of lilacs for purchase.  When I was there on Friday, I had the good fortune to speak with Kent Millham, Horticultural Aide for Monroe County’s Department of Parks. Kent is responsible for caring for the lilacs in the park and also works designing and caring for the seasonal exhibits at Lamberton Conservatory.  He is well known among lilac lovers because he edits to journal of the International Lilac Society.

In case you’re coming in from out of town and wish to purchase lilacs that will thrive in southern states, be sure to take Doc Lilac’s list of lilacs for warmer climates.  If you can’t get them at the festival, you can order them directly from Doc Lilac.

 

City Newspaper’s Best Busker Contest – May 12, 2011

Bob White captivating a family at last year's event

For those looking for a fun night out on Thursday, May 12, check out City Newspaper’s Best Busker Contest taking place from 5 – 9 p.m. in Rochester’s East End District.

This is the second year that City Newspaper has held this event and if last year’s Contest holds any clues, you can expect a “sell out,” according to Eric Rezsnyak, City Newspaper’s Features Editor and Director of New Media.  In his prior position at a Syracuse paper, some of their community events had been very successful, so he was keen to launch similar types of events at City Newspaper that would involve the community in Rochester.

Because of Rochester’s rich musical heritage, they chose to do a Best Buskers Contest of musical performances. This year’s 30+ performers  will line the main and side streets of East Avenue from Alexander Street to Chestnut Street. In addition to great music, this event also offers the opportunity to visit your favorite restaurants and sample new fare at some that are new to you because most area restaurants are offering specials that’ll make your mouth water and your tongue tingle, such as: $2 for British chips and gravy from The Old Toad (277 Alexander St.), $2 for 6″ chicken or hummus pitas from Pita Pit (311 Alexander St.), $1.50 for two spring rolls (meat or veggie) at Golden Port (105 East Ave.), $5 for chicken or beef quesadillas and $3 margaritas at Mex Restaurant (295 Alexander St.), $5 for 10 wings and 2-for-1 pitchers of Labatt Blue and Labatt Blue Light at Anchor Bar (355 East Ave., $2 shots of Jameson and $2 bottles of Bud and Bud Light at Dub Land Underground (315 Alexander St.) and many more.

This is an event that the whole family will enjoy! Get there early to pick up guitar picks at City Newspaper’s Tent to drop a pick in your favorite busker’s basket.  Not only do the winners of this contest get some great prizes (First prize winner receives a $500 gift certificate from event sponsor, Bernunzio Uptown Music) but you win a great  evening of music, food and fun on the town!

P.S. After 7 p.m., there’ll be free parking at the East End Garage, bordered by Main Street and Scio Street.