Overview
Sterling is a rural town in the Finger Lakes region of New York. The village of Fair Haven is the primary population center.
2 things to do · 6 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Sterling
Sterling Renaissance Festival
For seven weekends every summer, the village of Warwickshire emerges from 16th-century England to appear in rural Cayuga County. Within you'll find all manner of traditional games, foods, rides, arts and crafts. Meet int…
Sterling Stage
The Sterling Stage, started in 1996, features what they call a "Kampitheater"—for your admission price, you get four days of music and a campsite where you can set up a tent and commune with your fellow music lovers. The…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 82°F; winter lows dip to about 19°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jul and Jun. (climate data from nearby Rochester)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- SYR Syracuse Hancock International Airport, Syracuse — 31 mi away (major hub). Directions
- ROC Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport, Rochester — 54 mi away (major hub). Directions
By road, Fairhaven is on NY state highway 104A, a branch of the 104 highway from Rochester to Oswego. From Syracuse, take NY 481 to Fulton, then NY 3 to its western terminus.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $20–$135 a night (typical $60), from 9 listed prices.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$60, mid-range ~$140, comfortable ~$300.
Options are grouped as Campgrounds in the Sleep guide ↓.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Sterling Renaissance Festival
- Afternoon Sterling Stage
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Get in
By road, Fairhaven is on NY state highway 104A, a branch of the 104 highway from Rochester to Oswego. From Syracuse, take NY 481 to Fulton, then NY 3 to its western terminus.
Air and rail connections are available at Syracuse.
Do
Do Sterling Renaissance Festival
For seven weekends every summer, the village of Warwickshire emerges from 16th-century England to appear in rural Cayuga County. Within you'll find all manner of traditional games, foods, rides, arts and crafts. Meet interesting people from common washerwomen to the Queen herself, and enjoy special theme weekends like the Pirate Invasion and the Highland Fling. Warwickshire's many denizens remain solidly in character at all times, and they love engaging with visitors. This is the premier upstate Renaissance festival, and is often counted among the best in the entire country.
Do Sterling Stage
The Sterling Stage, started in 1996, features what they call a "Kampitheater"—for your admission price, you get four days of music and a campsite where you can set up a tent and commune with your fellow music lovers. The lineup tends toward folk, roots music, and jam bands... pretty much exactly what you'd expect to appeal to the let's-camp-at-a-music-festival crowd.
Sleep
Sterling is a sleepy little town... except when the Renaissance Festival is going on. Even then, most visitors attend as a day trip from Oswego, Syracuse, or even Rochester. But if you do want to stay overnight, there are a surprising number of options for such a small community. Most of them are in Fair Haven, catering to Little Sodus Bay fishermen and boaters.
Stay Anchor Resort & Marina
A variety of accommodations available, from RV sites to cottages to a B&B all to yourself... though for that last one they only accept weekly reservations. Kitchen facilities available, and Wi-Fi throughout the resort.
Stay Pleasant Beach Hotel
Open since 1910, this is a venerable hotel with B&B-style accommodations. The food, by all accounts, is outstanding, and the hotel's restaurant is quite popular even among those not staying here. The rooms get more mixed reviews; some guests have found problems with upkeep and cleanliness, and the decor is seriously dated. The location is hard to beat, though, and some of the rooms have incredible views looking west over the bay. Closed winters.
Campgrounds
Stay Shady Shores Campground
Surrounded on three sides by water (Lake Ontario to the north, Blind Sodus Bay to the west, and Little Sodus Bay to the east), this campground has plenty of fishing and boating options nearby, as well as 1500 feet (450 m) of beach. Daily, weekly, and monthly rates.
Nearby
Wolcott
City / town · 4 listings · 11 mi away
Oswego
City / town · 31 listings · 11 mi away
Sodus Point
City / town · 7 listings · 18 mi away
Weedsport
City / town · 1 listings · 20 mi away
Auburn
City / town · 30 listings · 27 mi away
Williamson
City / town · 2 listings · 28 mi away
Skaneateles
City / town · 13 listings · 28 mi away
Newark
City / town · 3 listings · 30 mi away
My experience
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