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X years ago, it looked like the charming Finger Lakes hamlet of Aurora, N.Y., might be another small boondocks whose Principal Street, along with its fortunes, was destined to decline. Luckily, however, the Aurora Foundation--a partnership between Aurora-based Wells College and Pleasant T. Rowland (the creator of American Daughter dolls and a Wells graduate)--stepped in. The Foundation undertook the restoration of the hamlet's historic downtown, financed a multimillion-dollar facelift for the Aurora Inn, opened restaurants, and ready about putting the sleepy town dorsum on the vacation map--a feat that involved Rowland buying Mackenzie-Childs, one of the boondocks'southward largest employers, and steering the company out of defalcation. Today, visitors reap the benefits of the lakeside village'southward renaissance, enjoying gorgeous scenery, first-grade inns, adept restaurants, and easy admission to the Cayuga Wine Trail.

How to get at that place: Located on the eastern edge of Cayuga Lake, Aurora is just nether a five-hour drive from Philadelphia and New York City. If you plan to fly, book your flight into Syracuse or Rochester, N.Y., then rent a car for the hour bulldoze to Aurora. For additional data, visit auroranewyork.com.

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With a multimillion-dollar renovation, the Aurora Inn is the premier place to stay when visiting this charming village

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The welcoming 1833 Aurora Inn (higher up) offers 10 beautifully decorated guestrooms, most of which accept a balcony. Rates beginning at $125, breakfast included; (866) 364-8808; aurora-inn.com. Some other option is the elegant East.B. Morgan House, an 1858 mansion with seven rooms, cute common areas, and a lakefront patio. Rates from $125, breakfast included; (866) 364-8808.

Antique lovers should drive n from the Aurora Inn on Main Street, take a right on Sherwood Road, then drive iv miles until they see Cleaveland's Antiques. Operated by Eleanor Cleaveland for forty-plus years, this eclectic precious stone overflows with dishes, vintage vesture, costume jewelry, and more. Open up Thursday to Saturday, 1 to v P.M.; (315) 364-7266.

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Side trips: Aurora is just 36 miles from the hiking trails at Taughannock Falls State Park, a wonderland of glacial gorges, rocky cliffs, and a 215-foot waterfall. Likewise, garden enthusiasts can reach Cornell Plantations, the botanical outpost of Cornell University, in Ithaca, in nether an hour by car.

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See where it all happens at the Mackenzie Childs compoundskilled artistans testify off their pottery and furniture, take a tour of their restored farmhous and store for yourself at their retail shop

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Around Aurora: Swing by Dorie's on Main Street for sometime-fashioned penny candies. Buy tickets for the summer customs-theater productions held at the 19th-century Morgan Opera Business firm, located above the Aurora Gratis Library. Spend an afternoon at the MacKenzie-Childs chemical compound, where skilled artisans create the company's whimsical handmade pottery and furniture (pictured higher up). You lot can explore the perennial gardens and retail shop and tour the restored farmhouse (decked out in Mackenzie-Childs finery, of course). See the low-cal at Vintage-Lighting, where Michael Montgomery offers affordable oil lamps, crystal chandeliers, and gilded floor lamps from the 1860s to the 1920s.

Where to Eat: At Dorie'south, a popular luncheonette with a breezy lakefront deck, order soups, salads, sandwiches, and retro favorites such every bit Chicken a la King and chili dogs. Save room for a super-sized banana split from the restored soda fountain. Fargo Bar and Grill is the place to go for coincidental pub food, frosty mugs of beer, and a game of pool or horseshoes. Side by side door, Pizzaurora offers subs, calzones, and mitt-tossed pizzas in a renovated 1940s garage. For grocery items or a quick snack, try the Hamlet Market. Housed in an 1820 farmhouse, Pumpkin Loma Bistro offers sweeping views of the countryside along with delicious slow-cooked pot roast, chicken pot pie, and freshly fabricated soups and salads. Take in the sunset--and a delicious repast--from the Aurora Inn's lakeside dining room or veranda.

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