All aboard! This new trolley offers old school rides on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail

Katrina Gonsorick and Joe Irwin loved their first trip to a Finger Lakes winery — “great tasting, great food, exceptional service,” Irwin recalls.

The only problem arose after they had enjoyed all that great wine, and decided it was time to check out another one of the famed venues on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail.

That's when they discovered there were no Uber or taxi services available to take them to their next destination.

They were stuck.

“That’s where we had this idea,” Irwin said. “We walked around town asking people what needs they had, picking their brains about what they wanted to see in town. All fingers pointed to this business.”

The couple sold off their existing businesses in Pennsylvania, packed up and moved to the Finger Lakes in March. In May, they debuted Lakeside Trolley, a “hop on, hop off” service that operates along the eastern and western shores of Seneca Lake.

Irwin and Gonsorick are aiming to make wine tours a safer — and more social — experience with their new Watkins Glen-based transportation business.

“We hoped to solve a safety need as well as a convenience factor, but it’s more than that,” said Irwin. “We’re creating an experience. A single person can ride it or a group of eight can ride it. Because of that you get to commingle with a lot of people you wouldn’t otherwise get to meet if you were just in a limo. That’s a big part of it.

“Our drivers are trained and really good at getting people captivated and engaged with each other.”

Where does the Lakeside Trolley stop?

Lakeside Trolley rotates routes between each side of the lake. The western jaunt is focused on wineries and includes stops at Lakewood Vineyards, Barnstormer Winery, Glenora Wine Cellars, Fulkerson Winery, Toast Winery, and the Lakeside Resort & 3812 Bistro.

The eastern trip includes a mix of wineries, breweries and distilleries with visits to Finger Lakes Distilling, Damiani Wine Cellars, Grist Iron Brewing Company, JR Dill Winery, Solera Tap House, and The Oasis at Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards.

“I tend to tell people if you’re up here for the wineries pick the west side, but if you want more of the culture and enjoying a nice day out, take the east side,” said Irwin. “Or do both. We do have day passes available for that.”

The trolley also makes stops in Watkins Glen at Seneca Harbor Park, where the ticket hub is located at Horseheads Brewing & Lakeside Eatery, as well as at Franklin and 3rd, where the village’s iconic red phone booth sits at the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce.

How does the trolley system operate?

A day pass is $30; trolley routes on the western and eastern sides of the lake are held on alternating days. The trolley makes pickup and drop-off stops at each destination on the route roughly every hour. The trolley generally starts at 10 a.m. and runs until around 6:30 p.m.

Riders can start their trip at the Seneca Harbor ticket hub or at many of the stops on the route. Tickets, which can be purchased online, are scanned on the trolley and riders receive a bracelet.

Alcohol cannot be consumed on the trolley, a restriction Irwin said has created a better experience for riders.

“Stops are timed to pace them out. We’ve been operating for two months now and seen it works,” said Irwin. “You don’t really see the heavily intoxicated people you might get on those party buses that come around. We don’t mind people having fun, we just don’t want it to get out of hand where people are being disrespectful to the wineries.”

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What to know about the trolley

The Lakeside Trolley is a modern diesel bus that has been converted to look like a vintage trolley. It has modern comforts — like air conditioning — with an old school feel. Its maximum capacity is 41 passengers, and the business caps daily riders to around 60 to prevent long waits or overcrowding at the end of the day.

The trolley ride includes a drive by Hector Falls and other landmarks, plus scenic views of the lake.

Irwin and Gonsorick purchased two trolleys when they launched the business. One is currently in storage as a backup, but the couple hope to have two or even three trolleys on the road in the future.

“We do have a lot of plans for growth. The first step is proving the concept, and we’re getting there,” said Irwin. “The next step would be adding another trolley. From there we’ll keep adding incrementally. We’re testing different avenues currently and debating adding a whole different style of routes.”

This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Hitting Seneca Lake Wine Trail? Try this new trolley service