Ithaca is a beautiful place, known for its astonishing waterfalls and stunning hiking trail - so, of course, when we started planning our summer trip, it was at the very top of my list! During our visit upstate, we did what we like to call "Fall Hopping," and visited Ithaca Falls, Buttermilk Falls, Potter Falls, Robert H. Treman State Park and Taughannock Falls, all in one day! It was so much fun to explore and the falls were breathtaking.
Hands down, my favorite was Buttermilk Falls. After years of erosion, it has become so smooth that you can slide down it! (I'm not really sure if you're "allowed" to, but you can, and I did - over and over and over again!) I absolutely adore Ithaca and all of upstate New York.
We didn't just do "nature stuff" while in Ithaca - we also got to spend a lot of time around the college town. Cornell is one of the colleges that Mama and I (informally) toured on our Road Trip, and it was a lovely campus. Mama laughed at the thought that the pictures she took of me on campus might be recreated if I ended up going there for college (Which I would be more than fine with!) Cornell has amazing architecture, adorable flowers covering the grounds, and is in walking distance to a bunch of trails with - you guessed it - waterfalls! Can you imagine studying at the bottom of one? I sure can!
By far, my favorite restaurant in Ithaca was Collegetown Bagels. We shared the Big Red Pizza Bagel, the 6 Mile Creek, and the Mona Lisa - all three were so good, that I have to believe everything on the whole menu would be amazing!
We did not get a chance to see Lick Brook Falls or the Ithaca Children’s Garden during this trip, but next time we go, we are totally checking them off my list. They look so cool!
Ithaca is such a quaint city with so much to do, situated smack dab in the middle of the expansive New York countryside. It truly speaks to those of us that love the outdoors. I hope that you all get a chance to go and have as much fun as we did and if not more!
Must See Stops:
Ithaca Falls: 1 Mi
Ithaca Children’s Garden: 1.3 Mi
Cornell Law: 1.4 Mi
Buttermilk Falls: 2.5 Mi
Potter’s Falls: 2.9 Mi
Lick Brook Falls: 4.4 Mi
Robert H. Treman State Park: 4.9 Mi
Taughannock Falls: 10.1 Mi
Cayuga Lake: 22.2 Mi
Suggested Minimum Length of Stay:
Two Nights