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Ithaca is a small city of about 32,000 people at the southern tip of Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York. It is home to Cornell University, founded in 1865 on East Hill, and Ithaca College on South Hill, which give the town a youthful, progressive and outdoorsy character far beyond its size.
The landscape is the star. Creeks plunge through deep shale gorges on their way to the lake, inspiring the local slogan Ithaca is Gorges. Ithaca Falls drops right inside the city, the Cascadilla Gorge Trail climbs from downtown to the Cornell campus past a string of waterfalls, and Buttermilk Falls and Robert H. Treman state parks offer gorge hikes and summer swimming just outside town.
Culture comes from the campuses and a lively downtown. The pedestrian Ithaca Commons is lined with shops and restaurants, the Ithaca Farmers Market fills a waterfront pavilion on weekends, and Cornell offers the Johnson Museum of Art, the Botanic Gardens and the Lab of Ornithology. Wineries along the Cayuga Wine Trail and Taughannock Falls are a short drive north.
A broad waterfall on Fall Creek about 150 feet high, the last and largest in a series of falls that drop through the city toward Cayuga Lake. A short, flat path from Lake Street leads to the base, where the spray is refreshing on hot days. Swimming is not allowed; visit after rain for the biggest flow.
Cornell's botanic gardens include themed plant collections near the visitor center and the F. R. Newman Arboretum, a rolling landscape of trees, ponds and lawns beside Fall Creek. They are free and open daily from dawn to dusk. Pick up a map at the Nevin Welcome Center and allow an hour or two.
A stone path and staircase climbing about 400 feet through a narrow gorge from downtown Ithaca to Cornell's College Avenue, passing a string of waterfalls and pools. It takes about 30 minutes uphill. The trail is closed in winter and after storms, so check its status, and wear shoes with grip.
A state park on the south edge of town where Buttermilk Creek tumbles down a long series of cascades into a natural pool used for swimming in summer when lifeguards are on duty. The Gorge Trail climbs alongside the falls and the Rim Trail loops back. Expect stairs and slick rock; parking fee in season.
The city's lakefront park at the southern tip of Cayuga Lake, with broad lawns, a playground, a vintage carousel, picnic pavilions and lake views. The Cayuga Waterfront Trail starts here, and the neighboring Fuertes Bird Sanctuary attracts herons and waterfowl. Ideal for a sunset picnic.
The Ivy League university founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, set on a hill above the lake between two gorges. Stroll the Arts Quad, cross the suspension bridges over Fall Creek and Cascadilla, and listen for the chimes from McGraw Tower. Visitor parking is metered, so use the campus garages.
Cornell's art museum in a striking concrete building designed by I. M. Pei, with strong Asian, American and European collections and changing exhibitions. Do not miss the fifth-floor gallery, whose windows frame sweeping views of Cayuga Lake and the city. Admission is free; closed Mondays.
A natural history museum run by the Paleontological Research Institution, a few miles north of downtown on the road along Cayuga Lake. Highlights include a complete mastodon skeleton, a right whale skeleton and hands-on fossil exhibits about 500 million years of life. Good for families; allow about two hours.
A hands-on science museum for kids near downtown with interactive exhibits on physics, water, animals and outer space, plus an outdoor science playground. It is also the end point of the Sagan Planet Walk, a scale model of the solar system that starts on the Commons. Best for ages two to twelve.
The car-free heart of downtown Ithaca, a pedestrian mall since the 1970s lined with independent shops, bookstores, cafes and restaurants of almost every cuisine. Street musicians, festivals and outdoor dining keep it lively in warm months. Park in one of the downtown garages a block away.
A cooperative market in a timber pavilion at Steamboat Landing on the Cayuga Inlet, where local farmers, bakers, winemakers and food vendors sell their own goods. Saturdays are the main day, with weekend markets from spring to late fall. Come hungry, bring cash, and grab a lakeside seat to eat.
A world-renowned bird research center set in the Sapsucker Woods sanctuary, with a visitor center whose huge windows overlook a pond full of birds. Several miles of easy trails and boardwalks wind through woods and wetlands. The trails are free and open daily; bring binoculars and visit early in the morning.
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