Area Guide

Sitting on the shores of Cayuga Lake, the largest of the Finger Lakes, the hilly town of Ithaca is surrounded by dense forests, towering waterfalls, and awe-inspiring gorges.  Ithaca's natural beauty is rivaled only by the town's eclectic and engaging vibe. Home to two major colleges, Cornell University and Ithaca College, Ithaca is a college-town with all that comes with it.  The restaurants are many and culturally diverse, nightlife is abundant, the shops and street musicians on Ithaca Commons are far from mainstream, and galleries, theatres, music venues, and museums abound.  Visitors enjoy the The Discovery Trail, a partnership of top attractions including the kid-friendly Sciencenter, the world-famous Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the wild animals of the Cayuga Nature Center, the Cornell Botanic Gardens and arboretum, the amazing fossil specimens at the Museum of the Earth.