A lighthouse in Oswego, New York on Lake Ontario. (Shutterstock)

Hill Island, Ont. - After a good night's sleep, I arose early, had a filling breakfast (included in the price of my room) and then hit the road. Within 10 minutes, I had cleared customs and crossed into the United States.

On this portion of my trip I again, where possible, hugged the shoreline of Lake Ontario utilizing the scenic Great Lakes Seaway Trail (www.seawaytrail.com or 315-646-1000). I headed towards Highway 180 South to 12 South (Clayton) back to 180 South to 3 West with Sackets Harbor as my first destination (this is a bit tricky so if you have GPS set it to 310 W. Main Street, Sackets Harbor). The hour-and-a-half drive is magical during the fall. Trees are wearing their autumn best splashed with flaming browns, scarlet reds and bright yellows. The reflection of foliage as you travel beside Lake Ontario is marvellous.

Sackets Harbor

This is a quaint community with a unique and important history. It's a must see for those who love history and a delightful place to while away a few hours. During the War of 1812 it was the United States' most important shipbuilding centre and the headquarters for the U.S. Navy on the Great Lakes.

Be sure to make time to visit the Seaway Trail Discovery Center. This fascinating centre was at one time the Union Hotel originally built in 1817. It's filled with numerous interactive exhibits covering a variety of topics including military, maritime and natural history. Check out the animated life-size figure of former U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant who meets you at the front desk. Really creepy! The animated cows are also wild. Admission is below $4.

Small shops line up on Main St. and the old buildings still charm. A favourite watering hole is the covered outdoor patio of Tin Pan Galley Restaurant on Main St.

Before you leave Sackets Harbor, take a few photos of the harbour, which is the focal point of the village.

Oswego

(www.oswegony.org or 315-343-7681)

I continued my lazy drive along Highway 3 West then Highway 104 West to Oswego (population 21,000), the largest U.S. port on Lake Ontario. Here I spent the night at All Seasons Inn (www.AllSeasonsInnCNY.com or 315-342-9771) on the outskirts of town. The young couple who manage the place, Michael and Anita Shiel, kept it as clean as a whistle and it was reasonably priced at $70.

Highlights for my visit included visiting Safe Haven Museum at Fort Ontario. This museum explains the history of the 982 refugees who were sheltered here while fleeing war-torn Europe and the Holocaust. It pays tribute to these refugees and the people of the town who welcomed them. A fascinating story.

This city boasts lovely majestic buildings in the downtown, one of which is the historic mid-1940s restored Oswego Theatre where they've managed to squeeze in seven different screens. I took in a movie that night. As strange as it might seem, check out the washrooms. Very different.

Charlotte, N.Y.

(www.visitrochester.com or 800-677-3079)

Continuing along 104 west my next stop was at the small village of Charlotte, west of downtown Rochester. I headed for the Port Terminal Building (1000 North River St.). This pretty village has one of Lake Ontario's best beaches at any time of the year. Ontario Beach Park, established in 1884, is a beach walker's delight. After my walk along the beach and the beautiful pier (It's like the pier at Port Dalhousie), I grabbed a coffee and a sandwich at Pier 45 Café, then sat on one of the pier benches and people watched for a while.

Heading home

By mid afternoon I was refreshed and ready to make the final leg on my trip around Lake Ontario and travel back to Niagara. Now pay attention, this is important. If you want one of the best stress-free rides in your life, connect to the Lake Ontario State Parkway as you leave Charlotte on Lake St.

This parkway continues to Lockport and it's like you own the road. No commercial traffic is allowed and, bar none, its one of my favorite scenic drives. It's part of the Seaway Trail. You'll pass through several small hamlets that sit right on the edge of Lake Ontario. At Lockport, take Highway 18 west to the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge to pass into Canada.

When I crossed the bridge, my odometer read 1,155 kilometres. I could have whittled off 400 or so kilometres if I'd travelled from point A to B, but over the many years that I've been travelling I've learned to enjoy the journey as well as the destination. It was an exhilarating trip.

Contact George Bailey at wonderful.life@sympatico.ca