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Ellicottville, New York, may be best known for skiing at Holiday Valley and HoliMont, but there is much more to experience beyond the slopes. This Western New York mountain town has grown into a four season destination filled with outdoor adventures, scenic landscapes, restaurants, live music, festivals, shopping, golf, mountain biking, and attractions that make Ellicottville worth visiting throughout the year.
Located in the rolling hills of Cattaraugus County, Ellicottville combines mountain recreation with a walkable village and easy access to some of Western New York's most interesting parks and natural attractions. If you are visiting outside ski season, taking a day off from skiing, or simply looking for different ways to experience the area, here are 15 things to do in Ellicottville besides skiing.
Experience Holiday Valley from a completely different perspective aboard the Sky Flyer Mountain Coaster. The coaster winds through the wooded mountain landscape with twists, turns, descents, and elevated sections that make it one of Ellicottville's most distinctive attractions.
You control the speed of your own coaster car, allowing you to enjoy the scenery at a comfortable pace or make the ride considerably more exciting. The attraction operates during select seasons, so check Holiday Valley's schedule before planning your visit.
Take your Ellicottville adventure into the trees at Holiday Valley's Sky High Aerial Adventure Park. The park features elevated obstacles, platforms, bridges, climbing elements, and zip lines spread throughout the forested mountainside.
Courses vary in difficulty, making the experience suitable for different ages and ability levels. It is an excellent way to experience the mountain during warmer months when the ski trails have transformed into a green outdoor playground.
When winter ends, Ellicottville's mountains become a destination for mountain biking. Trails throughout the area take you through wooded terrain, rolling hills, challenging climbs, and fast descents while providing another way to explore the landscape surrounding the village.
Holiday Valley and HoliMont both contribute to the area's growing mountain biking scene, while additional trail systems throughout the surrounding hills provide opportunities for experienced riders and recreational cyclists.
Holiday Valley transforms into a scenic golf destination during the warmer months. The resort's 18 hole Double Black Diamond Golf Course sits among the wooded hills and changing elevations that define the Ellicottville landscape.
A morning or afternoon of golf can easily be combined with lunch, shopping, or dinner in downtown Ellicottville. During fall, the surrounding hills add another dimension to the course as the mountains turn shades of red, orange, and gold.
You do not need skis to reach the mountain. During select periods of the year, Holiday Valley offers scenic chairlift rides that provide an easy way to experience higher elevations and enjoy views across the surrounding hills.
Scenic lift rides are especially popular during fall foliage season, when the forests surrounding Ellicottville become a patchwork of autumn color. Bring your camera and allow time to enjoy the mountain scenery rather than simply riding up and down.
One of the best things about Ellicottville is how easy it is to explore the village on foot. Downtown is compact and walkable, with locally owned shops, restaurants, cafés, bars, galleries, and businesses concentrated around Washington Street, Monroe Street, and the surrounding blocks.
Spend an afternoon browsing shops, stop for coffee or lunch, and return in the evening for dinner and live music. Ellicottville's village atmosphere is a major part of the destination and gives you plenty to do even when you never set foot on the mountain.
For a quieter outdoor experience, visit Nannen Arboretum near the center of Ellicottville. This approximately eight acre botanical space features trees, shrubs, gardens, walking paths, a pond, and landscaped areas designed for peaceful exploration.
The arboretum provides a relaxing contrast to Ellicottville's more adventurous attractions and is an easy stop for families, couples, photographers, gardeners, and anyone interested in enjoying nature without leaving the village area.
A short drive north of Ellicottville leads to Griffis Sculpture Park in East Otto, one of the most unusual outdoor attractions in Western New York. Hundreds of sculptures are spread across hundreds of acres of fields, forests, hillsides, and trails.
Rather than viewing artwork inside a traditional gallery, you walk through the landscape to discover large scale sculptures integrated into the natural surroundings. The combination of art, hiking, forest, and open countryside makes Griffis Sculpture Park an excellent half day excursion from Ellicottville.
Expand your Ellicottville getaway with a visit to Allegany State Park, one of New York's largest state parks. The park encompasses roughly 65,000 acres of forests, lakes, hiking trails, scenic roads, picnic areas, wildlife habitat, and year round outdoor recreation.
Explore the Red House or Quaker areas, hike through the forest, paddle or fish on the lakes, visit Thunder Rocks, enjoy a picnic, or simply drive through the park's wooded mountain landscape. Allegany State Park makes an excellent day trip when you want to experience more of the Southern Tier countryside.
Autumn is one of the most beautiful times to visit Ellicottville. The hills surrounding the village become covered in brilliant fall color, creating scenic views along mountain roads, ski slopes, hiking areas, golf courses, and nearby countryside.
Take a scenic drive, ride a chairlift, walk through the village, explore nearby parks, or simply enjoy the view from your vacation rental. Fall foliage also coincides with some of Ellicottville's most popular events, making October an especially lively time to visit.
Ellicottville maintains an active calendar of festivals and special events throughout the year. Seasonal celebrations bring live music, food, beverages, races, outdoor activities, and entertainment into the village and surrounding resort areas.
Popular annual events include the Summer Music Festival, Jazz and Blues Weekend, Taste of Ellicottville, Rock n' Roll Weekend, Fall Festival, EVL Half Marathon, Beer and Wine Festival, Christmas in Ellicottville, and other seasonal celebrations. Planning your trip around an event can completely change the atmosphere of your Ellicottville getaway.
Dining has become an important part of the Ellicottville experience. You can move easily from casual cafés and pubs to breweries, Italian restaurants, contemporary dining rooms, and lively après ski destinations without traveling far from the village center.
Popular options include Dina's, Ellicottville Brewing Company, West Rose, Villaggio, Trattoria Partenope, The Gin Mill, Katy's Cafe, and Balloons Restaurant & Night Club. Spend the day outdoors and make dinner in the village part of the experience rather than simply a place to eat.
Ellicottville has a surprisingly active live music scene for a small mountain town. Restaurants, bars, festivals, and special events regularly feature local and regional performers, particularly on weekends and during peak travel seasons.
Venues such as Villaggio, The Gin Mill, Balloons, and other downtown establishments frequently combine dining, drinks, and entertainment. During festival weekends, live music can extend throughout the village and continue well into the evening.
Some of the best scenery around Ellicottville is found beyond the village limits. Country roads wind through wooded hills, valleys, farmland, small communities, and the rolling terrain of Western New York's Enchanted Mountains region.
A scenic drive is especially rewarding during fall, but the landscape changes dramatically with every season. Head toward East Otto and Griffis Sculpture Park, explore the countryside surrounding Great Valley, or continue south toward Allegany State Park for a longer Western New York road trip.
Not every Ellicottville experience needs to involve an activity. Part of the appeal is simply spending time in a small mountain village surrounded by the hills of Western New York. Have breakfast downtown, browse the shops, take an afternoon walk, relax at your vacation rental, and return to the village for dinner or live music.
A cabin, chalet, condo, or vacation home can give you additional space to slow down and enjoy the destination at your own pace. A quiet morning overlooking the hills can be just as memorable as a day packed with attractions.
Skiing may have put Ellicottville on the map, but the mountains are only part of the story. Mountain biking, golf, scenic chairlift rides, outdoor adventures, parks, art, dining, live music, festivals, fall foliage, and the character of the village have helped make Ellicottville a true four season destination.
Visit during summer for mountain recreation, return in fall for spectacular foliage, plan a festival weekend, or spend a few days exploring the surrounding countryside. Even if you never put on a pair of skis, you can easily fill an Ellicottville getaway with memorable experiences.
Turn your visit into a complete Western New York mountain getaway by staying in an Ellicottville vacation rental. Choose from professionally managed chalets, cabins, condos, townhomes, and vacation homes near Holiday Valley, HoliMont, downtown Ellicottville, and the surrounding countryside.
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