The town of Chautauqua is located in the western part of Chautauqua County on the northwestern end of Chautauqua Lake. In case you missed it, Chautauqua is in and on Chautauqua. Not only that, but Chautauqua is famous as the home of the Chautauqua Institution which is the birthplace of the Chautauqua Movement of educational and cultural centers; I’ll share that with you later.
The town is named after Chautauqua Lake. The traditional meaning remains "bag tied in the middle". The suggested meanings of this Seneca Indian word have become numerous: "the place where one is lost"; "the place of easy death"; "fish taken out"; "foggy place"; "high up"; "two moccasins fastened together", and God knows what else. This is a fact that’s not really pertinent, just interesting. I personally prefer “place of easy death” and may be visiting Chautauqua in a few years.
Many tourists and guests choose to visit the lake and county for summer vacations and spend a week or two. Bring the family or friends and stay at a cottage or vacation home. There are many activities and events to keep you entertained. For example, you can experience Chautauqua Institution. The Chautauqua Institution is a not-for-profit, 750-acre community on Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York State, where approximately 7,500 persons are in residence on any day during a nine-week season, and a total of over 100,000 attend scheduled public events. CHQ is dedicated to the exploration of the best in human values and the enrichment of life through a program that explores the important religious, social and political issues of our times; stimulates provocative, thoughtful involvement of individuals and families in creative response to such issues; and promotes excellence and creativity in the appreciation, performance and teaching of the arts.
If you feel like being less mentally stimulated, there are several marinas where you can rent a boat and enjoy fishing, sailing, waterskiing or cruising on the water. It something more strenuous fits your idea of a vacation, then hike Chautauqua Rails to Trails, the Overland Trails, or the Audubon Nature Center in Jamestown.
Many vacationers prefer activities that are a little more sedentary. If this is what you’re looking for, visit the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum and Center for Comedy. Do you have a taste for the fruit of the vine? Take a wine tasting tour to the 23 wineries in Lake Erie Wine Country. Tour our many breweries or distilleries.
Casual or fine dining can be found in the lakeside villages from Lakewood to Bemus Point. French cuisine, village taverns, breakfast and coffee shops, or Italian and American restaurants encircle Chautauqua Lake. Many of these eateries offer dining with views of the lake and some even provide boat slips and the perfect vantage for watching the sunset.
There’s something for everyone in the town of Chautauqua, the county of Chautauqua or the lake of Chautauqua.