Welcome to Ellery, NY

Overview

Ellery is a town in central Chautauqua County and on the shoreline of beautiful Chautauqua Lake. The town is bordered to the north by Stockton, to the east by Gerry and Ellicott, to the southeast by the city of Jamestown, to the south and west by Chautauqua Lake and beyond that by the village of Lakewood, the towns of Busti, North Harmony and Chautauqua. The town of Ellery includes the lovely village of Bemus Point, which is home to many restaurants and a “floating stage” that hosts musicians during the summer.



Essentials

Bemus Point has loads of eclectic and specialty shops like Petals & Twigs, Lakeside Cottage Shop, Imagine! and the Stone & Outdoor Living Center, as well as traditional shops like the century-old Skillman’s department store and more. Bemus Point also has small grocers; for a wider variety of grocery shopping, Tops Friendly Markets stores are in nearby Mayville and Jamestown. Wegmans has a supermarket in Jamestown, where you’ll also find an Aldi’s store.



Recreation & Entertainment

The Bemus Point-Stow Ferry is a lovely way to traverse Chautauqua Lake and has been operating for more than 200 years. Midway State Park in Bemus Point includes what is labeled as the 16th-oldest continuously operating amusement park in the country. Bemus Bay Pops is a series of outdoor concert events featuring local and world-class musicians. The concerts are held at the Floating Stage, which also hosts “Lake Night at the Movies” and the “Chautauqua Lake Voices Contest,” a local version of “American Idol.” Long Point State Park has a swimming beach and more.



Transportation & Traffic

The Southern Tier Expressway (Interstate 86 and Route 17) crosses Chautauqua Lake at Bemus Point. Route 430 follows the east shore of the lake, and Route 380 is a north-south highway in the town.



Pros & Cons

Like the neighboring town of Chautauqua, Ellery is one of the premier summertime destination spots in Chautauqua County. This town has plenty of things to see and do, and its location on the shore of Chautauqua Lake – and proximity to both the Chautauqua Institution and the city of Jamestown – are huge plusses.