Vine Valley Beach
Middlesex
Canoe, Kayak, and Swim
Vine Valley Beach is the Town of Middlesex's public swimming beach on the east shore of Canandaigua Lake, in the small lakeside hamlet of Vine Valley in Yates County, New York. The town owns and runs it, hires its lifeguards each summer, and keeps a public restroom building there. Canandaigua Lake is the westernmost of the major Finger Lakes, about 16 miles long and as much as 276 feet deep, and Vine Valley sits on its quieter southern half, roughly 5 kilometers west of Middlesex village and about 19 kilometers south of the city of Canandaigua.
From Middlesex village, where NY 245 and NY 364 meet, take North Vine Valley Road (County Road 10) west down the valley until it reaches the water. The beach is at the lake end of the road, beside a public concrete boat ramp. There is no large lot. Parking is along the street, and paddlers who use the ramp say it fills up on summer weekends, so a weekday or an early start makes things easier. Several of the lanes along the shore here, such as Glen Cove Drive, are private cottage roads, so stick to the public streets.
The swim area is a small beach in front of the hamlet, and it is supervised in summer. Each year the Town Board appoints a lifeguard staff, led by a head lifeguard and all holding American Red Cross lifeguarding certificates that include deep water. Guarded hours are set each season and are not posted online, and in 2022 the town told residents that a shortage of certified guards had forced it to cut back swimming hours. The town also does not publish depth or bottom details, so call the town hall at (585) 554-3607 for the current schedule. Canandaigua Lake is deep and cold below the surface, and the shallows only warm up properly in July and August. Outside the guarded season there is no one watching the water.
There is no admission charge. The town's fee schedule lists no beach or parking fee, and the town describes the restrooms as open to the public, generally from Memorial Day through Labor Day each year. The town's newsletter adds two rules: no animals on the beach at any time, and visitors take their own belongings and trash home with them.
The main hazard on this lake in late summer is harmful blue-green algae. The Canandaigua Lake Watershed Association tracks blooms around the lake, and in August 2019 Vine Valley Beach stayed open after testing while blooms were reported along other stretches of shoreline. The city of Canandaigua has closed its own beaches at the north end during blooms. If the water looks like spilled paint or pea soup, or there is scum along the edge, stay out and keep children and pets away from it. The Community Science Institute also samples a Vine Valley Swimming Area site for bacteria. Because the boat ramp sits right next to the beach, swimmers should stay inside the guarded area and well clear of boats backing in and pulling away.
The ramp also makes this a handy public place to put in a canoe or kayak, and the steep, wooded east shore is worth paddling. Vine Valley itself is a quiet cluster of cottages and the historic Vine Valley Methodist Church, and the village of Naples and the wineries around the south end of the lake are a short drive away.
More Information
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Middlesex
- Head west on Kearney Ave toward Old Matawan Rd (0.1 mi)
- Turn left onto County Rd 527 S/
Old Matawan Rd Continue to follow County Rd 527 S(0.2 mi) - Turn right onto County Rd 516/
County Rd 527 S (384 ft) - Keep right to continue on Old Bridge Matawan Rd (0.1 mi)
- Continue onto State Rd 18 N (0.1 mi)
- Merge onto NJ-18 NPass by McDonald's (on the right in 1.6 mi)(5.8 mi)
- Keep left to stay on NJ-18 N (0.9 mi)
- Keep left to stay on NJ-18 N (2.7 mi)
- Exit onto River Rd (3.8 mi)
- Slight right to merge onto I-287 N (10.8 mi)
- Take exit 21B on the left toward I-78 W/
Easton Pa (1.2 mi) - Merge onto I-78 WToll roadEntering Pennsylvania(35.9 mi)
- Take exit 71 for PA-33 N toward US-22/
Stroudsburg (0.4 mi) - Continue onto PA-33 N (22.4 mi)
- Continue onto PA-33 N/
US-209 N (2.1 mi) - US-209 N turns slightly left and becomes PA-33 N (signs for I-80 W/
Bartonsville/ Hazelton) (3.1 mi) - Take the exit on the left onto I-80 W toward Hazleton (9.0 mi)
- Take exit 293 for I-380 N toward Scranton (0.5 mi)
- Continue onto I-380 N (27.2 mi)
- Keep right to continue on I-380 N/
I-84 (0.5 mi) - Merge onto I-81 NEntering New York(58.1 mi)
- Slight left onto I-86/
NY-17 W (2.3 mi) - Continue onto NY-17 W (5.3 mi)
- Continue onto NY-17 W (0.5 mi)
- Continue onto I-86/
NY-17 W Passing through PennsylvaniaEntering New York(90.7 mi) - Take exit 37 for NY-53 toward Kanona/
Prattsburgh (0.2 mi) - Turn right onto NY-53 N (14.3 mi)
- Turn right onto Block School Rd (1.0 mi)
- Turn right onto Italy Valley (0.7 mi)
- Continue onto Old Prattsburg Rd (1.9 mi)
- Continue straight onto Italy Valley Rd (4.5 mi)
- Turn left onto Sliter Hill Rd (0.9 mi)
- Turn right onto Shay Rd (1.5 mi)
- Turn left to stay on Shay Rd (2.7 mi)
- Turn left to stay on Shay Rd (105 ft)
- Turn left onto NY-364 W (0.5 mi)
- Slight left onto NY-245 S/
NY-364 W/ State Hwy 364/ State Rte 364 (335 ft) - Turn right onto NY-364 W/
State Hwy 364/ State Rte 364 (0.4 mi) - Turn right onto NY-364 N (1.3 mi)
- Turn left onto S Vine Valley Rd (2.1 mi)
- Turn left to stay on S Vine Valley Rd (0.3 mi)
- Turn right onto S Lake Rd (292 ft)
- Turn left onto N Vine Valley Rd (0.1 mi)
- Continue straight (49 ft)
Other Swimming Holes, Canoeing Areas, and Kayaking Areas Nearby
Kershaw Swimming Beach
Canandaigua
10.9 miles NFree, lifeguarded city beach on the north shore of Canandaigua Lake at Kershaw Park, open daily in summer (May 24 to Aug 21 in 2026). Swimming only in the marked area with guards on duty.
Canoe, Kayak, Swim
Champlin Beach
Hammondsport
22.9 miles STown of Urbana park and lifeguarded swim beach at the south end of Keuka Lake, just east of Hammondsport on Route 54, with picnic areas, kayak rentals and no listed entry fee.
Hike, Kayak, Swim
Stony Brook State Park
Dansville, New York
23.4 miles SWA stunning gorge park in Dansville with river swimming, three waterfalls, quiet pools, a two-mile rim trail, and a two- to three-hour adventure from lower pool to upper pool and back.
Swim
Rock Stream
Rock Stream, New York
25.8 miles SESwim near Rock Stream, New York
Swim
George Bridge
Scottsville, New York
29.4 miles NWSwim near Scottsville, New York
Swim
Cayuga Lake State Park
Seneca Falls
31.7 miles EA lifeguarded state park beach on the north end of Cayuga Lake, east of Seneca Falls. Swimming runs late June through Labor Day, with a $7 vehicle fee in season and frequent algal bloom closures.
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Taughannock Falls State Park Beach
Trumansburg, New York
39.2 miles ELifeguarded Cayuga Lake swim beach at Taughannock Falls State Park, a short walk from the gorge trail to the 215-foot falls, on NY 89 north of Ithaca.
Camp, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Treman State Park
Ithaca, New York
45.3 miles SELifeguarded swimming in a deep pool beneath a dramatic waterfall with a diving board — then hike the Gorge Trail above to the fantastically beautiful 115-foot Lucifer Falls.
Swim
Buttermilk Falls State Park
Ithaca, New York
46.8 miles SEOfficial swimming with a lifeguard and diving board in the large, deep pool at the base of Buttermilk Falls near Ithaca — a fee-required, easy-access alternative to Treman.
Swim
Fillmore Glen State Park
Moravia, New York
47.7 miles EA charming dam-formed swimming area at Fillmore Glen State Park near Moravia, New York — 6-to-7 feet deep with lifeguards, a jumping spot (no diving), grassy sunning area, and stairs to the water. $7 per car, or walk in free.
Swim
Skaneateles
Skaneateles, New York
48.0 miles ESwim near Skaneateles, New York
Swim
Six Mile Creek Area
Skaneateles, New York
48.7 miles SESeveral swimming spots in Six Mile Creek south and east of Ithaca, New York — clothing optional in some locations; see local guides for access details.
SwimNearby Campsites
Cayuga Lake State Park
Seneca Falls
31.7 miles EA lifeguarded state park beach on the north end of Cayuga Lake, east of Seneca Falls. Swimming runs late June through Labor Day, with a $7 vehicle fee in season and frequent algal bloom closures.
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Swim
Taughannock Falls State Park Beach
Trumansburg, New York
39.2 miles ELifeguarded Cayuga Lake swim beach at Taughannock Falls State Park, a short walk from the gorge trail to the 215-foot falls, on NY 89 north of Ithaca.
Camp, Hike, Kayak, Swim
