Last year during the late summer and early fall months I noticed so many of my friends posting on Facebook that they were going to the Finger Lakes. Honestly, other than the quick reference in an episode of The Office, I never heard of the Finger Lakes. However with so many people headed up there I figured there must be something special in this area. It is a quaint area; most notable attractions would be Farm Sanctuary and Watkins Glen State Park. Unfortunately as of this post, Farm Sanctuary is still restricting visitors due to COVID-19. Watkins Glen State Park is, however, open (masks required).

My wife started looking up some places to stay and she came across a cute vegan Bed and Breakfast called JuneBug Lodge. It is run by Matt and Courtney, a lovely vegan couple, who operate this B & B on 135 acres of lush greenery with trails that you can spend the day wandering. They also have an area set aside where they pamper their rescue ducks, chickens, roosters, and one young deer. We visited last September and loved it so much we booked ASAP for this season. So the images in this post will be of both stays.

Of course with COVID there are some adjustments to how things normally work. For the 2021 season they have the Tiny Village available, currently made up of a Tiny House and three A Frame structures.

We most recently took advantage of staying in the Tiny House and can I just say – WOW – we absolutely loved it! Like so many people, we watch the tiny house shows on cable and always imagined what it would be like to live, or even stay in one. Again I have to say, I am happy to have made the choice. It is cozy and has all the comforts of what you would need in a vacation home. Hot and cold running water. An induction stove and fridge/freezer in a mini kitchen as well as a toaster and Keurig. It also has a shower and a dry flush toilet – pretty nifty piece of engineering! There is a little deck right off the front of the house with two relaxing swing chairs that overlooks the property’s serene pond. If you are lucky you may get to see Big Boy, the resident king Muscovy duck go for a bath and a romp! There is an area just off the pond to set up a bonfire and a planned grill for all those Beyond Sausages and Burgers you can bring with you and cook up!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

One of the best things to do – start out on the trails and just get lost for a few hours! Matt mows some trails through the 158 acres – some of it very challenging uphill hikes. You will come across lots of flowers, butterflies, and the randomly placed hammocks and yoga platforms-ideal on a sunny day to hike out with your favorite drink and vegan cheese and stop halfway through for an impromptu picnic.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Honestly this getaway is perfect to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Cell and internet service can be spotty on the property, so it makes you disconnect from your phone – at least for a little while. Perfect way to rest, recharge and reset yourself. I can’t recommend this place enough – Matt and Courtney were even nice enough to offer my followers a discount code – use Philly_Vegan_Guy at time of booking for 10% off! This code is good for bookings now through October 31, 2021. Super cool of them – Thanks to Matt and Courtney!!

The Finger Lake area also has countless wineries, breweries, and distilleries within a short drive of JuneBug, many of which have vegan wines and beers. Barnivore will be your friend in your quest for vegan drinks. In Watkins Glen there are also a good number of restaurants that offer vegan options. To keep this post somewhat short, I will be doing a second Finger Lakes post highlighting these places.

Thank you for stopping by and if you wind up heading out to JuneBug please shoot me a message and let me know what you think!