Right in the heart of the village, directly across West Genesee Street from the Sherwood Inn, Clift Park is the beating pulse of Skaneateles. It’s where the lake meets the village. And it’s where locals and visitors alike end up — whether they planned to or not.
The park sits on the north shore of Skaneateles Lake. It’s small but beautifully appointed. A charming gazebo anchors the space and serves as the focal point for community events throughout the year. A cement walkway runs along the waterfront. Benches line the edge. And from almost any spot in the park, the view south down the lake is genuinely breathtaking — the water shifts from emerald to deep sapphire depending on the light, and on a clear day it seems to go on forever.
The pier is one of Clift Park’s best features. It stretches out into the lake and gives you a perspective of both the water and the village that’s hard to get anywhere else. Mid-Lakes Navigation launches its cruises from here too. Furthermore, the park serves as the departure point for the famous Mailboat tour during the summer season.
In summer, the public swimming area opens from late June through the end of August. Lifeguards are on duty daily from 11am to 7pm, weather permitting. The water is extraordinarily clear — that Caribbean-blue clarity that Skaneateles Lake is known for. Non-residents pay a small daily fee to swim. Additionally, every Friday evening in summer the park hosts free community band concerts in the gazebo, which turn into a lovely local tradition well worth catching if you’re in town.
Just next door to the west sits Shotwell Memorial Park — a quiet tribute to the area’s veterans of foreign wars, with terraced grounds and a small monument, equally worth a few minutes of your time.
Clift Park is free, open year-round from dawn to dusk, and right in the middle of everything. It’s the perfect place to start or end any day in Skaneateles.