Or explore vestiges of abandoned canal sections, preserved stone locks, and grassy towpaths once trodden by mule teams and now restored for hikers and bicyclists in canalside parks. Old lock 52 is adjacent to the New York State Thruway. To truly appreciate New York's Canals you can't be a landlubber. From May through November, it's on a boat that the canals truly come alive. Use your own boat or rent a fully equipped canal boat, and chart your own course.
Marinas provide a full range of services for transient boaters.
You can tie up and explore quiet, 19th-century canal towns, bicycle to nearby wineries for a tour, then dine aboard as the sun gently sets. Tour boats also operate on all the Canal System's waterways. Cruise for a few hours or a few days, stopping at quaint inns and waterside restaurants along the way. See life from a different perspective. A solitary blue heron resting at the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge in Seneca Falls.