Things to do in Ithaca
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Ithaca
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best months overall, with swimming in summer and foliage and harvest in fall.
Waterfalls at full flow and gardens peaking, but graduation spikes late May.
Frozen falls, low prices and closed gorge trails. Come for food, music and ice.
Worst stretch, grey and icy with trails shut and the market at its thinnest.
What's on
- Ithaca Festival first weekend of June
Downtown arts parade, music and food that takes over the Commons.
- Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance Mid July each year, Thursday to Sunday
Four days and four stages with camping at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds.
- Apple Harvest Festival Usually a Friday to Sunday in late September or early October
Cider, farms and 200 plus vendors on the Commons. Book lodging early.
- International Rutabaga Curling Championship December, at the winter Farmers Market
Ithaca's beloved winter market contest, held at the Farmers Market pavilion.
Best things to do in Ithaca
Taughannock Falls State Park
A 215 foot plunge into a rock amphitheatre, seen free from the overlook or up close on a flat gorge trail.
Ithaca Farmers Market
Weekend market of local farms and cooked food stalls on the inlet, best before 10am before stalls sell out.
Cascadilla Gorge Trail
A free gorge climb from downtown to Cornell past eight waterfalls, stone bridges and steep stone steps.
Ithaca Falls
A wide and powerful 150 foot falls a short flat walk from a city street, free and open all year.
Cornell Botanic Gardens
Free gardens, arboretum and Beebe Lake trails that slow a Cornell day down between the bigger sights.
Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art
Free art museum in an I M Pei tower with strong collections and one of the best lake views in town.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Birding headquarters with exhibits, a pond overlook and flat sanctuary trails, best in spring migration.
State Theatre of Ithaca
Restored 1928 theatre on State Street for touring music and comedy within walking distance of dinner.
Where to stay in Ithaca
Downtown and the Commons
first trip, walk to dinner
Walk to restaurants, the State Theatre and Cascadilla, then drive out to the parks each morning.
Cornell and Collegetown
campus trips and alumni
Campus at your door, with downtown restaurants a steep walk or bus ride away.
South Hill
families, spa and quiet
Space, free parking and fast access to Buttermilk and Treman, with a car needed for dinner.
Trumansburg and the lake
wine country and romance
Lake bluff quiet by Taughannock and the Cayuga wine trail, a short drive from Ithaca dining.
Think twice about
- Route 13 and South Meadow Street motel strip
Multi lane big box arterial, unwalkable to the Commons, with tired motel stock. Stay only if nothing else is available.
- Lansing and mall airport cluster
Safe but dull chain hotels by the mall, a drive from every sight. Fine for one road night only.
- Commons west end and Green Street garage blocks after dark
Recent reviews report an encampment by the Seneca Street garage, litter and panhandling at the west end. Use lit central streets at night.
- Steep hill rentals in winter
Bargain rentals on icy East Hill and South Hill roads are a real problem without winter tyres. Stay on ploughed main routes.
Best restaurants in Ithaca
Gola Osteria
Hidden Italian serving house made pasta and daily mozzarella, the one special dinner to book in Ithaca.
Moosewood Restaurant
Historic vegetarian pioneer in the Dewitt Mall, still a good farm driven lunch with daily changing menus.
Simeon's American Bistro
Polished bistro on the Commons for chowder, short rib and brunch, the reliable room for any group.
Antlers Restaurant
Lodge style steakhouse by Cornell with dry aged cuts and a serious bourbon list, worth the short drive.
Mia Tapas Bar and Restaurant
Pan Asian small plates on Restaurant Row, versatile for dates and groups and strong for vegetarians.
Maxie's Supper Club and Oyster Bar
New Orleans leaning supper club with oysters, live music and a porch, the best group dinner in town.
Saigon Kitchen
Family Vietnamese kitchen for pho and generous plates at student prices, where locals eat weekly.
Viva Taqueria & Cantina
Bright Commons cantina for smothered burritos and margaritas, cheap, lively and strong for vegans.
Outdoor things to do in Ithaca
Robert H. Treman State Park
The best full gorge hike near Ithaca, with a dozen falls, Lucifer Falls and a guarded swimming pool.
Buttermilk Falls State Park
Closest falls to town, with a guarded pool at the base and a gorge loop families can manage easily.
Watkins Glen State Park
Day trip gorge with 19 waterfalls in under two miles, worth it early on a weekday before crowds build.
Sheldrake Point Winery
Benchmark Cayuga estate for dry Riesling and lake views, with seated tastings and a terrace to the water.
Thirsty Owl Wine Company
Relaxed lakeside tasting room and bistro with low cost flights, a dock and the best value lunch on the trail.
Paddle-N-More
Kayak and paddleboard rental and guided paddles on calm south Cayuga, best on a summer morning or sunset.
Black Diamond Trail
Free 8.3 mile rail trail from Cass Park to Taughannock for walking, running and riding under tree canopy.
Robert Trent Jones Golf Course
Authentic Robert Trent Jones Sr course at Cornell, excellent value if you have a university affiliation.
Best hotels in Ithaca
Argos Inn
Ten room boutique hotel in a restored mansion a block from the Commons, with a serious cocktail bar.
Canopy by Hilton Ithaca Downtown
Modern and reliable downtown hotel on the Commons edge, the no surprises mid range base in Ithaca.
Ithaca Marriott Downtown on the Commons
Full service hotel directly on the Commons, useful for groups and families who want a larger property.
The Statler Hotel at Cornell University
Cornell's teaching hotel and the only full luxury stay in town, unbeatable for campus trips.
The Dorm Hotel
Design led budget hotel in a former dorm in Collegetown, small smart rooms at the lowest good price.
William Henry Miller Inn
Grand 1880s bed and breakfast near the Commons, loved for its rooms and cooked breakfast.
La Tourelle Inn & Spa
Inn and spa on 70 acres with a bistro and trails toward Buttermilk, the quiet couples splurge.
Firelight Camps
Seasonal glamping in safari tents with real beds, a campfire and a bathhouse better than expected.
Is Ithaca expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | $85 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | $175 a person |
| Splurge | $340 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- State Theatre of Ithaca: weeks ahead
- Watkins Glen State Park: a few days ahead
- Paddle-N-More: a few days ahead
- Robert Trent Jones Golf Course: a few days ahead
- Discover Cayuga Lake: weeks ahead
- Argos Inn: weeks ahead
- The Statler Hotel at Cornell University: months ahead
- William Henry Miller Inn: weeks ahead
- Cornell graduation in late May books hotels a year ahead at the top end and doubles prices across town.
- Book Gola Osteria days to weeks ahead, and sunset cruises and weekend kayaks ahead in summer.
Is Ithaca safe?
- Gorge trails are wet stone with drop offs. Stay on trails, behind railings and out of closed sections.
- Downtown after dark, stick to lit central and eastern blocks and expect panhandling on the Commons. Emergency number 911.
Ithaca travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Swimming is allowed only at guarded areas in Treman and Buttermilk in season. Cornell and Taughannock gorges are no swimming.
- Do not do all three gorge parks at a run in one day. Do Treman properly and Taughannock briefly.
Getting around Ithaca: public transport and more
- Walk downtown and drive 10 to 15 minutes to each park. TCAT buses cover the Cornell to downtown axis well.
- Downtown garages charge modestly. Cornell campus parking is permit policed on weekdays, so use visitor lots.
Who Ithaca suits
| Solo travellers | Great |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Ithaca your trip
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