Ithaca

A multi-layered city, Ithaca, is home to renowned educational institutions — Ithaca College, Cornell University, and the Paleontological Research Institute — as well as stunning natural gorges and waterfalls. The colleges contribute to the city’s culture: the Ithaca College Museum of Art has changing exhibits by student artists; the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University offers exhibits of contemporary art and sculpture, and the university’s botanical gardens are beautiful year round. The Museum of the Earth at the Paleontological Research Institute is home to two million specimens found in the area ranging from micro fossils ...

A multi-layered city, Ithaca, is home to renowned educational institutions — Ithaca College, Cornell University, and the Paleontological Research Institute — as well as stunning natural gorges and waterfalls. The colleges contribute to the city’s culture: the Ithaca College Museum of Art has changing exhibits by student artists; the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University offers exhibits of contemporary art and sculpture, and the university’s botanical gardens are beautiful year round. The Museum of the Earth at the Paleontological Research Institute is home to two million specimens found in the area ranging from micro fossils to shells to Ice Age animals. Cayuga Lake, formed by Pleistocene ice sheets over the last several hundred thousand years, is ideal for fishing for bass and lake trout, canoeing, kayaking and swimming. The lake is in the middle of the Cayuga Wine Trail made up of sixteen wineries. Cascadilla Gorge, containing six waterfalls, starts at the southern end of Cornell and drops 400 feet through the town. The largest is Ithaca Falls at 150 feet high and 175 feet wide. It can be seen from downtown. The Cornell campus, bordered by a park, is ideal for picture taking and picnicking.

About the Expert

Frances Folsom is the author of CitySpot Palermo, a contributor to the Reiskits guides to Milan and Italy's Lakes Region, and Thomas Cook's Independent Traveller USA.