Things to do in Ithaca
Alan H. Treman State Marine Park
the largest inland marina in New York State, and one of the largest in the Northeastern US. There are 399 slips, 39 reserved for transient use. Picnic tables, fishing, boat launch areas, pump-out station, showers. Best Western Ithaca lodging is nearby. Call 607-272-1460 for more information.
Route 89, Ithaca, NY
Buttermilk State Falls State Park
Hills, woodlands, deep gorge, natural pool with 10 waterfalls ad 2 glens. The creek descends more than 500 feet in a series of cascades and rapids. Summer and winter activities are available here. Call 800-456-CAMP for more information.
Carl Sagan Planet Walk
Visit the Ύ mile scale model of the solar system that was named after the astronomer. Ten stations represent the sun and none planets. The outside exhibit is open anytime. Call 607-272-0600 for more information.
601 First Street, Ithaca, NY
Cayuga Lake Cruises
Cruise the Cayuga Lake aboard the M/V Manhattan with panoramic vies. Sailing daily from the Bistro Q restaurant. Operating May October. Private charters, lunch, Sunday brunch and group cocktail cruises are all available. Call 607-256-0898 for more information.
702 W. Buffalo Street., Ithaca, NY
Cayuga Nature Center
Enjoy 5 miles of trails on 135 acres overlooking the Cayuga Lake. Recreation and adventure programs are available along with the treetops structure and butterfly exhibit. Open year round, with the trails open dawn dusk; Office, lodge & store open Monday Friday 8:30am 4pm, Saturday & Sunday noon 4pm. Call 607-273-6260 for more information.
1420 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca, NY
Community School of Music & Arts
With humble beginnings in a living room, The Community School of Music and Arts has grown enormously - it now enrolls more than 1,700 students a year, taught by seventy faculty members with wide teaching experience, excellent academic and professional credentials, international standing, and a strong commitment to excellence. When describing CSMA and its mission, one must also look at its philosophy: a deep belief that the arts are an intimate part of human nature, and that instruction in music, dance, theater and art should be made available to any community member who desires to learn. Call 607-272-1474 for more information.
330 E. State Street, Ithaca, NY
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Glass wall observatory overlooks the pond and brings nature sounds indoors. Displays and nature trails. Trails open dawn dusk. Monday Thursday 8am 5pm; Friday 8am 4pm; Saturday 10am 4pm. Call 800-843-BIRD for more information.
159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY
Cornell Plantations
Cornell Plantations is a museum of living plants with a network of trails through campus providing natural areas for hiking and nature study. Plantations' grounds are open free of charge to individuals and families from sunrise to sunset daily. Call 607-255-2404 for more information.
One Plantation Road, Ithaca, NY
Cornell University
High atop a windy hill on an overcast October day, the first Cornell students, 412 strong, gather for the opening ceremonies of a great scholarly experiment. Some are young and green - fresh from secondary school. Some are salty veterans of the Confederate or Union armies, hoping to make a better place for themselves in the world. Some have deserted other institutions, lured by promises of a more relevant education. For information about the university and the Ithaca area, contact the Information and Referral Center (IRC), which is located in the main lobby of Day Hall. The IRC is open from 8am - 5pm, Monday Saturday Call 607-254-INFO for more information.
DeWitt Historical Society
Tompkins County Museum - This award-winning museum features permanent and changing exhibits on the varied history of the county. Our programs and exhibits are inspired from our collection of over 18,000 objects, 100,000 photographs, and thousands of historic documents. A gift shop and reference library are also available (the reference library is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays only, 11am - 5pm). Weekly programs are offered on Saturdays at 1pm and 2pm - call for more information. Admission is free. Museum hours are Tuesday - Saturday 11am - 5pm. Call 607-273-8284 for more information.
401 East State St., Ithaca, NY
Dire Wolf Natural History Tours
Tours of gardens. Sanctuaries, museums and natural areas. Open Year round. Call 607-273-6316 for more information.
798 Elm Street, Ithaca, NY
Downtown Ithaca Commons
One of the largest pedestrian malls in America. An eclectic mix of unique shops, restaurants and art galleries. Call 607-277-8679 for more information.
Commons on State Street, Ithaca, NY
East Hill Recreation Way
Explore this 2.2-mile multi-use trail that runs parallel to Cascadilla Creek and up through the Cornell Plantations. Open year round dawn t dusk Closed during the hunting season. Call 607-273-8035 for more information.
Maple Avenue., Ithaca, NY
Fall Creek Gorge
Located on the Cornell campus, with many trails leading to several waterfalls and around Beebe Lake. The views from the several bridges that cross Fall Creek Gorge are spectacular - and most have good views of various waterfalls, some of which are in steep, deep, and narrow parts of the gorge that are otherwise inaccessible.
Finger Lakes School of Massage & Aromatherapy
A Journey Worth Taking. Our hands-on, innovative education qualifies you to enter the exciting health care profession of massage therapy with confidence & earning power. Call 607-272-9024 for more information.
1251 Trumansburg Road, Ithaca, NY
Greater Ithaca Art Trail
Designed to bring together 59 regional artists. Self-guided tours of studios, sculptures, paintings, photography, woodcarvings and more. Call 607-273-7386 for more information.
Maple Avenue, Ithaca, NY
Hangar Theater
This professional theater offers evening shows at 7:30 and 8pm with matinees at 3pm. Contact us for schedule of shows. Call 800-284-8422 for more information.
Taughannock Blvd. at Cass Park, Route 89., Ithaca, NY
Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Fine Art
Designed by I.M. Pei, the museum houses an impressive collection that spans forty centuries and six continents with particular strengths in prints as well as Asian and contemporary art. Offers panoramic views of Cornell, Ithaca, and Cayuga Lake. Admission is free. Open Tuesday - Sunday 10am - 5pm. Call 607-255-6464 for more information.
University Avenue at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Ithaca College
The College is a private, coeducational, residential college with an enrollment of approximately 5,650 undergraduate students and 250 students enrolled in graduate study. Nearly 40 states and more than 70 countries are represented in the student population. Our 12:1 student-faculty ratio allows a substantial degree of individual attention, yet the College provides a diversity of educational opportunities generally found only at large universities. Five schools are offered - Business, Health Sciences and Human Performance, Humanities and Sciences, Music, and the Roy H. Park School of Communications with more than 100 degree programs, from biochemistry to business administration, journalism to jazz, philosophy to physical therapy. For more information contact us. Call 607-274-3124 for more information.
Ithaca College Theatre
Located at 201 Dillingham Center at Ithaca college. This theatre presents 5 theatre productions during the school year (September May). The office is open Monday Friday 9am 5pm. Call 607-274-3920 for more information.
Ithaca Falls
Enjoy the gorge, six waterfalls, cascades and rapids that this area has to offer. You will find a park on the south side of the trail for picnics. Open year round dawn to dusk. Call 607-273-8035 for more information.
Lake Street., Ithaca, NY
Ithaca Farmers Market
Located at Steamboat Landing every Saturday and Sunday. Here you will find fresh produce, plants, flowers, crafts, clothing, fine art, ethnic food and entertainment in this open-air market. Hours are Saturday 9am 2pm; Sunday 10am 2pm. Call 607-273-7109 for more information.
Kitchen Theatre Company
no audience member is further than 10 feet from the stage. Presenting contemporary plays and new work in a variety of theatrical styles. Matinee programs available for youth and families. Open year round. " Call 800/28ITHACA for more information.
historic Clinton House, 116 North Cayuga Street, Ithaca, NY
Paleontological Research Institution (PRI)
Founded in 1932, PRI houses one of the largest fossil collections in the nation. Changing exhibits help visitors understand the history and diversity of life on earth. Admission: donations encouraged. Hours: Summer Monday - Saturday 11am - 4pm; Winter Wednesday - Saturday 11am - 4pm (closed holidays). Call 607-273-6623 for more information.
1259 Trumansburg Road, Ithaca, NY
Robert H. Treman State Park
Enfield Glen is the scenic highlight of this park. This is an area of rustic beauty with craggy gorges and winding trails bearing "fire and brimstone" names like Lucifer Falls and Devils Kitchen. Tent/trailer sites (some electric), trailer dump station, showers, cabins, picnic areas, shelters, swimming, hiking trails, fishing, playground areas, limited cross-country skiing, summer recreation program, old mill located at upper park. Call 607-273-3440 for more information.
Route 327 off Route 13 South, Ithaca, NY
Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts
High quality student and professional theatre. Cultural center with dance events and performances. Operating September April Monday Friday 12:30 5:30pm. Call 607-254-ARTS for more information.
430 College Avenue, Ithaca, NY
Sciencenter
Look, Touch, Listen...and discover. We are hands - on science museum and outdoor science playground. The Sciencenter boasts over 100 exhibits including a walk-in camera, water raceway, and a two-story kinetic ball sculpture. Sponsor of the Carl Sagan Planet Walk. Hours are Tues.- Sat 10am - 5pm, Sun. 12pm - 5pm. Open on Monday holidays. Closed on New Years, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Call 607-0272-0600 for more information.
601 First Street, Ithaca, NY
Six Mile Creek
The Creek flows through Ithaca by the new library, and its surrounding natural area extends miles upstream. A good place to start exploring is the parking area off Giles Street at the far end of the bridge crossing the creek.
Six Mile Creek Vineyard
Situated on historic ground containing a pre-Civil War cemetery and stagecoach stop, the vineyard produces wine that underscores its status as the only winery in Ithaca. Featured wines include Ithaca White, Cascadilla White, and Ithaca Red. The winery is open daily year round, 12noon to 5:30pm. Tours, tastings, and gift shop available. Call 607/272-WINE for more information.
1551 Slaterville Road (Rt.79E), Ithaca, NY
South Hill Recreation Way
Popular with walkers, joggers, bicyclists, Nordic skiers, and Ithaca College athletic teams, the trail also serves as a commuter route between South Hill residential areas, Ithaca College, and downtown. A self-guided interpretative nature tour begins near Crescent Place. Built on an abandoned railroad bed, this hard-packed gravel trail has a handicapped accessible entrance off Crescent Place, many benches, and level rest areas. Call 607-275-9487 for more information.
Hudson Street, Ithaca, NY
State of the Art Gallery
This not for profit fine art gallery exhibits regional artist. New exhibits every month. Open Thursday noon 6pm; Friday noon 8pm; Saturday & Sunday noon 5pm. Call 607-277-1626 for more information.
Taughannock Falls State Park
Taughannock Falls, from which this park takes its name, is one of the outstanding natural attractions of the Northeast. Exciting to view in any season, the 215-foot falls plunges through a rock amphitheater whose walls reach nearly 400 feet. Tent/trailer sites (some electric), trailer dump station, showers, cabins, concession, picnic areas, swimming (beach), shelters, hiking trails, nature trails, fishing, playground areas, marina launching site, pump out station, ice skating, sledding slope, limited cross-country skiing, summer recreation program. Watch for the Summer Concert Series in the Park schedules in May. Call 607-387-6739 for more information.
Treman Lake
A pleasant trail through a beautiful forest. Not far from Upper Buttermilk is another scenic area and trail at Lick Brook. A few miles beyond Upper Buttermilk (again off Route 96B), is another part of Buttermilk Park - Jennings Pond with swimming, picnicking, hiking, and fishing.
Route 96B on King Road, Ithaca, NY
Visitor's Center
904 East Shore Drive, Ithaca, NY