Travel Lens
Waterfalls, gorges, lake views and a hilltop Ivy League campus make Ithaca an easy upstate New York getaway.
Ithaca’s tallest waterfall drops 215 feet into a glacier-carved gorge. The state park also has hiking trails, plus campsites and cabins above Cayuga Lake.
Set on a hill and ringed by waterfalls and trees, the campus is a landmark in its own right. Listen for the McGraw Tower chimes and tour the Johnson Museum of Art.
Browse homegrown vegetables, flowers and organic goods in a waterfront pavilion near Cayuga Lake. Live music and food make it a lively weekend stop.
Cornell’s storybook library is lined with lofty bookcases, ornate ironwork and arched alcoves. It began with the books of the university’s first president.
A three-quarter-mile path links downtown to the Cornell campus alongside eight waterfalls. Stay on the marked trail, which can close in icy weather.
Enjoy Cayuga Lake views, a duck pond, playgrounds and picnic lawns at this former estate, which doubled as a Hollywood film set in the early 1900s.
Hike the Enfield Glen gorge past a dozen waterfalls, including 115-foot Lucifer Falls. In summer you can swim in the park’s stream-fed pool.
A 165-foot cascade anchors this 811-acre park, which also has a gorge, a small lake, hiking trails, a playground and picnic areas.
Swipe up for all 25 things to do in Ithaca in our full guide.