Auburn sits at the north end of Owasco Lake in the Finger Lakes region of central New York. It is a small city with an outsized place in American history — most notably as the home of Harriet Tubman, who settled here after escaping slavery and continued her work for freedom and justice until her death in 1913.
The city grew up around the water power of the Owasco River outlet and became a prosperous manufacturing center in the nineteenth century. That era left behind handsome brick commercial blocks downtown and tree-lined residential streets with substantial Victorian homes. William H. Seward, Lincoln's Secretary of State, lived here too, and his house is now a museum. The Willard Memorial Chapel on Nelson Street contains the only fully intact Tiffany-designed interior in the world.
Today Auburn is a good base for exploring the northern Finger Lakes. Owasco Lake is the closest of the eleven lakes, with swimming beaches and boat launches a short drive from town. The wineries and gorges of the region are all within easy reach.