Things To Do
Cascadilla Gorge Trail
This beautiful 1.3 mile trail connects downtown Ithaca to Cornell's campus. It's a brilliant example of the gorges Ithaca is famous for - conveniently located right in the middle of town! If walking bottom to top, enjoy lunch afterwards in Collegetown (CTB is a classic!). If walking top to bottom, check out The Commons for a broad selection of restaurants and quick bites!
Collegetown Bagels
Collegetown Bagels (CTB) is the lifeblood of the Cornell student population. It remains to this day the first and last stop Mary and Walter make when they're in Ithaca (it is our rock). With a menu ranging from bagels and sandwiches to beer and sangria pitchers, CTB has got you covered no matter the time of day or vibe you're seeking. There are three convenient locations - Collegetown (right at the top of the Cascadilla Gorge Trail, with a great outdoor patio), Downtown (off the Commons, on State Street), and East Hill Plaza (near the Best Western hotel). Mary's go-to order: the Lindsey Walter's go-to order: the Roundhouse
Ports of New York Winery
PoNY produces ports, sparkling and a red and white table wine using grapes all sourced from the Finger Lakes. Go for the excellent wines, stay for a history of the Bouche family's wine-making heritage, from Bourdeaux to Ithaca! Mary's dad, Rich, partners with Frederic in making the table wines. He recommends the red Quotidian, but be sure to taste Frederic's award winning ports 🍷🍷🍷.
Ithaca Commons
The Commons is Ithaca’s answer to New York’s Times Square. It’s chock full of restaurants, other fun shops, and lovely old buildings. Come on down, take a stroll, and soak in all that Ithaca has to offer in late summer/early fall!
Cornell University Campus
Come see where Mary and Walter’s learning adventures took flight. We know it's a big campus! To keep ya focused, a few of our favorite spots are pretty centrally located. They include: - The Arts Quad (incl. lovely historic buildings and McGraw Tower, which offers tours) - Beebe Lake - take a quick walk around the lake - The Suspension Bridge over Fall Creek (a big part of why Walter ended up coming to Cornell!) - Libe Slope (views of Cayuga Lake and scene of Slope Day debauchery in years gone by!)
Taughannock Falls State Park
As the highest single-drop waterfall East of the Rockies (take that, Niagara Falls!), Taughannock was a regular summer adventure for Mary growing up. Check out the two-mile gorge trail, which ends at the falls, for amazing views; bring water shoes if you plan to walk in the stream part of the way!
Buttermilk Falls State Park
This short but steep gorge trail will be great for those looking to get their steps in before a night of dancing! Pair this up with a trip to South Hill Cider afterwards for a well-earned post-hike beverage.
South Hill Cider
South Hill offers local, organic apple cider paired with stunning sunset views. It is one of Walter and Mary's favorite places to have an afternoon drink! And if your name is Kiran John, it is one of YOUR favorite places to play in rock piles and look at tractors.
Ithaca Farmers Market
The Ithaca Farmers Market is open Saturday and Sunday mornings and includes 130 local vendors offering produce and crafts produced within 30 miles of Ithaca. This is a great place to get breakfast or lunch and see a bit of the Cayuga Lake waterfront. (Given Walter's deep and abiding love of all farmer's markets, our guests may be surprised to learn that he has never been here. He pledges to rectify this before September.)
Purity Ice Cream Co.
Purity claims to have invented the ice cream sundae. While Mary has not fact checked this, she can confirm that the ice cream is fantastic.
Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art
Designed by I.M. Pei, this free (woo!) museum is renowned for its Asian art collection and its panoramic views of Cornell's Libe Slope and Arts Quad as well as Cayuga Lake. If you're short on time, take the elevator to the top floor and check out the view first! Also, if driving by at night, keep your eyes peeled for the Cosmos exhibit, an homage to Cornell professor Carl Sagan (it's visible from outside, you'll know it when you see it!).