Skaneateles: Attracting Celebrities to This Quaintly Charming Town

This Small Town in Central New York is One of the Best-kept Secrets

Tucked into the Central New York region known as the Finger Lakes, Skaneateles is a quaint little village that grew up on the shore of Skaneateles Lake. Only a half-hour drive, through some of the region's most beautiful scenery, from Syracuse, Skaneateles offers a unique blend of seclusion and access to the benefits of a good-sized city. Tobias Wolff notes in Architectural Digest that Skaneateles is "…a gracious old village of Greek Revival and Victorian houses." But there is much more to the little town than this.

Homes on the lake have long been beautiful and large. However, an influx of people from Long Island is prompting the name "The new Hamptons." Travel and Leisure magazine reports that one Skaneateles real estate agent had three clients who sold their places in the Hamptons to buy property in Skaneatleles. The old Hamptons is becoming cramped and crowded, filled with people, cars and deteriorating views. Skaneateles offers all of the benefits once thought of as restricted to the Hamptons: lush gold courses, breathtaking views, waterside mansions, and exclusive location. Celebrities are taking notice, and sightings of the rich and the powerful are becoming more frequent.

The name of the lake itself comes from the Iroquois word for "long lake." And the lake is indeed long. It spans 14 miles of clear, well-oxygenated water that reaches to 300-foot depths. William Henry Seward, President Lincoln's secretary of state, referred to Skaneateles Lake as "the most beautiful body of water in the world." And this was at the conclusion of a trip around the world. Because of its ideal conditions and beautiful location, the lake hosts major sailing events, including two national regattas and one international regatta. Sailing has long been recognized as a sport for the rich and famous, and the marina at Skaneateles has a large number of yachts in addition to the smaller fishing boats still used by permanent residents to make a living.