View of East Hill, Ithaca

Ithaca is a small city in the Finger Lakes region of central New York, at the southern tip of Cayuga Lake. In addition to being the home of Cornell University and Ithaca College, Ithaca is known for its several gorges and waterfalls, small eclectic shops and restaurants, and deep interest in politics.

Understand

Ithaca (New York)
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       0     31 15       0     34 17       0     42 23       0     56 34       0     67 44       0     76 53       0     80 58       0     79 56       0     71 49       0     59 38       0     48 32       0     36 22 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       0     88 59       0     93 63       0     108 73       0     133 93       0     153 111       0     169 127       0     176 136       0     174 133       0     160 120       0     138 100       0     118 90       0     97 72 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches

Ithaca is a town of contrasts, and it attracts many different types of visitors. It is very much a college town, but it is also home to a solid and vibrant permanent community. The town is compact yet surrounded by extensive outdoor attractions. Even Cornell University is a study in contrasts: it has the noble, refined air of the Ivy League school that it is, yet as the state's land-grant university, it excels in agricultural and veterinary research.

Ithaca has a humid continental climate, and is markedly cooler than New York City. Winter is cold, sometimes bitterly so, with temperatures reaching 0 °F (−18 °C) or lower several times a year. There is also significantly more snow and more cloudy days than along most of the coast. The best time of year to visit is summer, as it is the sunniest and driest season; days are pleasantly warm but rarely too hot, and nights are crisp. Fall is also pretty—the fall foliage in the area, which peaks in early October, rivals that of anywhere in New England. The first snowfall can occur as early as around Halloween.

Visitor information

• Official website
• 1 Ithaca/Tompkins Convention and Visitor's Bureau, 904 E Shore Dr (Rt 34), ☏ +1 607 272-1313. Call, go online, or come into the Visitor's Center for maps, and help finding lodging, dining, events and attractions in Ithaca and Tompkins County. Visit the website for information on planning group accommodations including weddings, conferences, reunions, etc. 
• 2 Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce, ☏ +1 607 273-7080. Relocation packets, and information on local businesses. 

Get in

By plane

The 1 Ithaca Tompkins International Airport (ITH  ^IATA), northeast of the city, has flights on Delta Air Lines to and from New York City (JFK) and on United Airlines to and from Newark (EWR). Hourly bus service to the Ithaca Commons and Cornell University are available on TCAT Route 32 (weekdays) and 72 (weekends), until around 11PM each night (4PM on Sunday) for $1.50. Taxi service is also available, although you may have to wait for a cab to arrive, especially during peak hours. It's a good idea to call as soon as your plane lands and the crew notifies you that use of mobile phones is permitted. Ride hailing services such as Uber and Lyft are also available to transport you from the airport upon arrival.

Airports in Syracuse, Elmira, and Albany offer additional departures and sometimes cheaper fares, although Ithaca's fares have become much more competitive since the addition of United.

By car

By car, Ithaca is about 1 hour south of Syracuse, 1 hour north of Binghamton, 2 hours southeast of Rochester, 4 hours north of Philadelphia, and 4 hours northwest of New York City. The main routes into the city are New York highways 13, 79, 89, and 96. Interstate 86 (formerly NY State Route 17) intersects NY State Rt 13 in Elmira, about 45 minutes southwest of Ithaca. Interstate 81 connects with NY State Rt 79 half an hour from Ithaca at Whitney Point, and with NY State Rt 13 about 20 minutes from Ithaca in Cortland. You can reach Interstate 81 by taking NY State Route 17 (parts of which are co-signed as Interstate 86) West from New York City, or Interstate 476 North from Philadelphia. Interstate 90 connects to NY State Rt 96 near Geneva, NY, about 45 minutes from Ithaca.

By bus

Cascadilla Creek in winter

• Greyhound offers daily direct departures to Binghamton, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and New York City, Albany and Boston via Binghamton, and Rochester, Buffalo, and Toronto via Geneva, from the Ithaca Bus Terminal.
• Shortline (Coach USA) offers several daily departures to New York City via Binghamton, although Shortline primarily serves the Cornell University Campus and some departures skip the Ithaca City Bus Terminal. If using Shortline, your best bet is to board at Collegetown (across from Collegetown Bagels), all departures serve this stop and you can easily connect to the TCAT system here. Connecting busses are available in Binghamton to other destinations in the Southern Tier: Corning, Elmira, Big Flats, Olean, Jamestown, Dunkirk/Fredonia and Buffalo.
• Trailways is a regional carrier primarily serving Western New York that offers service to Rochester, Buffalo, and southern Ontario in Canada.
• OurBus. Service between Ithaca and New York City, with a stop in Binghamton. (updated Oct 2019)

By train

Although Ithaca once had rail connections to New York City, Scranton, Philadelphia, Buffalo and several cities in New England, the last passenger train left Ithaca in 1961, with the majority of service ending in the 1930s. Today, the nearest Amtrak stations are on the Empire Corridor in Syracuse and Rochester. There is one bus per day to Ithaca (Greyhound Station) from the Syracuse Amtrak station and two to three buses per day to Ithaca from the Rochester Trailways Bus Station, a three-minute walk from the Amtrak station. The two colleges sometimes run shuttles to the rail stations around semester breaks.

Get around

As Ithaca is a college town, bus service by TCAT (Tompkins County Area Transit) is frequent and runs late into the night. Taxi service is an inexpensive way to get around the small city, and it is available by phone, but expect to wait an hour or more on busy or cold nights. Avis & Hertz Rental cars are available at Ithaca Tompkins County Regional Airport, and Enterprise-Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental, in Ithaca. Ithaca has a car share program that offers instant access to a network of cars throughout the city, 24 hours-a-day.

Parking

Parking is easy in most parts of Ithaca. However, there are some parts of Ithaca where it can be tricky. If you park illegally the chance you will get a ticket is higher than average. It is also illegal to leave your car in the same non-metered space for more than 24 hours, although this is generally not enforced on weekends.

Downtown and the Commons

Clinton House, a historic and still functioning building right next to the Commons

Street parking is metered and more difficult to come by (in some areas a 15 minute maximum on the meters), although there are always spots available if you're willing to walk. There are three municipal parking structures, one on Green Street just east of Cayuga Street, one at the corner of Tioga and Seneca Streets and the other on Cayuga Street to the south of the Commons. All three garages are free on evenings and weekends. Some local retailers will provide a token for an extra free hour. Parking at metered spaces and the garages is $1 per hour, up to a maximum of $10. Weekly and monthly parking passes are available at discounted rates.

Collegetown

Street parking in Collegetown is also metered with some non metered spaces a few blocks from University or Stewart Avenues. There is one, spacious parking garage on Dryden Road. Unlike the downtown garages, the first hour is not free, the hourly rate is $1.50 (with no daily maximum) and fees are charged around the clock including weekends with an automatic payment machine being used in the off-hours.

Cornell University

Bailey Hall at Cornell University

It is difficult to find parking on the Cornell University campus. It is generally best to avoid driving to campus at all. Bus service onto campus from downtown and other areas of Ithaca runs frequently during the day. One hassle-free and relatively fast parking option for visiting campus during the day is to park at the Seneca and Tioga streets parking garage in downtown Ithaca and then ride the Route 10 bus to campus. Route 10 departs from a heated bus stop located inside the parking garage every 10 minutes (7:30AM-5PM on weekdays, less frequently later in the evening) and the ride to Cornell takes only a few minutes. Check TCATbus for schedules and more information.

If you have to park on campus during the day, you will need to buy a visitor parking permit from one of the parking booths around campus, and then you can park in a spot labeled for visitor parking, which are few and far between. The parking booth attendant can give you a map showing visitor parking spots, but during a school day expect not to find anything. There are several small metered lots, including one behind Willard Straight Hall and one in the lower level of the parking garage by the football stadium, that are convenient to central campus but are often full. Larger (and rarely full) metered lots are located across from the Dairy Bar and next to Bartels Hall, but both are at least a 15 minute brisk walk to most places on central campus. After 5PM, some of the various "tiered" parking lots are available for general parking, but be sure to read the signs, as many lots have restricted parking until 8PM or 10PM and others are restricted at all times. If you are arriving on campus by car during normal business hours, expect to spend at least 10 to 15 minutes looking for parking, and 10 to 15 minutes more walking from your parking spot to your destination, so plan to arrive on campus at least 30 minutes before you need to be somewhere. You can park for free or for cheaper off campus in Collegetown or in Cayuga Heights, but expect your walk to be 20-30 minutes to your destination if it is on central campus.

Ithaca College

The parking situation at Ithaca College is also poor, as over the past few years, there hasn't been enough parking for on-campus students, despite significant fee increases and discounted public transit passes (in some cases student permits can run upwards of $500!) The only sanctioned visitor parking is a frequently full, visitor lot near the football stadium, and half a dozen spots near the main administrative building (Peggy R. Williams) specifically for visitors to the office of admissions. Elsewhere parking is reserved based on a color coded permit system: Blue (faculty and staff), Red (upperclassmen and graduate students), and Green (freshmen). If you are visiting a specific person on campus (such as staying overnight with an on-campus student) you may be able to obtain a temporary permit from Public Safety. Availability is not guaranteed and if granted, you will be restricted to a specific lot, usually one intended for commuters. You will need your vehicle registration and insurance card to obtain the permit.

Parking lots are supposed to be patrolled 24 hours a day year round, but in practice, permit enforcement is almost non-existent on weekends and during the summer. Unless you're parked somewhere an ordinary student would not be allowed to park (e.g. spaces reserved for maintenance vehicles), the odds of receiving a ticket for not having a permit are very slim.

There are a few official exceptions for non-students during certain special events:

• School of Music programs: J Lot West (nearest the Whalen parking bridge)
• IC Theatre events: F Lot (directly behind Dillingham)
• Football games: L Lot/L Lot extension (between Butterfield Stadium and the Terraces residence halls) or CC Lot (Circle Apartments)
• Emerson Suites events: U Lot (Campus Center)

Many off campus students either walk or take the bus to school. TCAT service to the IC campus from downtown is plentiful, Routes 11 and 65 provide service every half hour or so during the day and every hour at night.

Other areas in and around Ithaca

Martha Van Rensselaer Hall, Cornell University

• Parking in Cayuga Heights is easy, but it is illegal to park overnight on streets in Cayuga Heights.
• Some parts of the City of Ithaca have dense housing and parking at night can be tricky, especially between November 1 and April 1, when alternate side of the street parking is in effect (typical for most locales in Upstate New York). There is no parking (from 2AM to 6AM) on the even side (house numbers) of the street on even days of the month, and no parking on the odd side on odd days of the month.

By bus

Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit.

By bicycle

Most destinations are easily accessible by bicycle with ample bicycle parking stands to secure to. Be sure to ride with working gears as the topography can present challenges to inexperienced riders. Some roads have painted bike lanes alongside parked cars and some 'sharrows', the painted arrows, also can be seen on some streets. It is advisable to pick up a map from a local bicycle shop to get the best information on where to ride.

In the downtown Ithaca area, as well as on the Cornell campus, there are Lime electric assist bikes that can be located using the Lime app. It costs $1 to unlock the bicycle and $0.15 per minute and require a smartphone and a form of payment to get started. The app shows the available bicycles and the battery levels for each bike so you may have to walk some distance to access.

To download the app use these links to get started. Apple App Store link Google Play Store link

See

• 1 Ithaca College, 953 Danby Rd, ☏ +1 607 274-3011. Keep an eye out for the free concerts in particular.  
• 2 Ithaca Commons.  
• 3 Cayuga Lake.  
• Waterfalls - many of the local waterfalls are located in state parks with hiking trails that were built (or rebuilt) by public works projects in the 1930s, often featuring stone staircases and bridges. The waterfalls are found along creeks that flow into Cayuga Lake. At parks with trails, you will typically find a "gorge trail" that follows the course of the creek, and a "rim trail" along the edge of the gorge, with overlooks to the falls underneath.
  • 4 Taughannock Falls State Park. See Trumansburg. (updated Mar 2024)
  • 5 Buttermilk Falls State Park (Route 13 S., King Road, and off Rt.96B in Danby). Swimming, hiking, picnicking, and camping. Even if you can stay for only a minute, you should still come and drive in to see the lovely falls at the lower entrance on Route 13. From the lower entrance you can take a hike up along the falls and gorge; from the upper entrance there is a less strenuous hike around the lake. (updated Mar 2024)
  • 6 Robert H. Treman State Park (Route 327 (off Rt.13 S.)). Swimming, hiking, picnicking, and camping. Hike along the gorge, a relatively vigorous walk if you do the whole loop. Or, you can dip in from the upper entrance and in a short walk see the main falls, called Lucifer Falls. The lower entrance area includes one of the more popular swimming spots in the area. It includes a diving board and the ability to swim underneath a waterfall. (updated Mar 2024)
  • 7 Cascadilla Creek Gorge. Easy to get to, free & beautiful. A stone staircase climbs spectacularly along the edge of the falls. The walk up from the entrance at Cascadilla Park up to the exit at College Ave. is an essential part of the Ithaca experience (after all, Ithaca is Gorges!) Closed from early winter until mid-spring due to icy, dangerous conditions. (updated Mar 2024)
  • 8 Ithaca Falls (near the mouth of Fall Creek). Ithaca Falls is 150 ft (46 m) high and 175 ft (53 m) wide. Though there is no trail, the base of the falls is accessible from the small park on Lake Street at the base of Gun Hill. (updated Mar 2024)

Cornell University

F.R. Newman Arboretum, Cornell University

Cornell University is part of the Ivy League and is one of the most selective universities in America. It has world class Veterinary, Hotel, Agriculture, Architecture, and Engineering schools. It is far above Cayuga Lake, on a hill overlooking Ithaca, separated from the city, yet an integral part of it.

• 9 McGraw Clock Tower.  
• 10 Johnson Museum of Art, 114 Central Ave, ☏ +1 607 255-6464, [email protected]. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM. Several of the floors have steady exhibits, but they bring in new art and other, sometimes interactive exhibits several times a year. The 5th floor houses an impressive collection of Asian art but also happens to have one of the nicest views of Ithaca, the Cornell campus, and Cayuga Lake.  
• 11 Cornell Botanic Gardens (formerly Cornell Plantations), 124 Comstock Knoll Dr., ☏ +1 607 255-2400. (updated Mar 2017)
• 12 Beebe Lake.  
• 13 Ithaca Falls.  
• 14 Wildflower Preserve. 
• 15 Cornell Concert Series. 

Do

Memorial stained glass for Chaney, Schwerner and Goodman in Sage Chapel, Cornell University

Nature and science

• 1 Cayuga Nature Center, 1420 Taughannock Blvd, ☏ +1 607 273-6260. Cayuga Nature Center has over 5 miles (8 km) of trails and a lodge filled with indoor exhibits including a kids' activity room, indoor and outdoor live animal exhibits and a seasonal butterfly house. TreeTops, their six-story tree house, and 5 miles of trails are open from dawn to dusk. They also offer a wide range of educational activities including environmental and animal programs, an active outreach program and a "Team Challenge" ropes course.  
• 2 Farmers' Market. You’ll find wines, and beautiful flowers, unique gifts and specialty foods, clothing and accessories, and an array of paintings, pottery, woodworking, and jewelry offered by fine artists and craftspeople from around the region. Listen to live music or enjoy a waterfront picnic- and don’t forget to sample the burritos, sushi, Sri Lankan cuisine and dozens of other choices from the international cafés. 
• 3 Sciencenter, 601 First Street. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. The Sciencenter is a hands-on science museum for people of all ages with over 250 fun exhibits, educational programs, an outdoor science park, a seasonal 18-hole miniature golf course, an animal room, and a gift shop. The museum's traveling exhibitions change seasonally and there is always something new to explore. The Sciencenter, named the “2006 Not-for-Profit Organization of the Year” by the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce, welcomes more than 91,000 visitors per year. The Sciencenter is a proud member of Ithaca's Discovery Trail. $7 for adults, $6 for seniors, and $5 for children ages 3-17, free to members and children under the age of three.  
• 4 Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd, toll-free: +1-800-843-2473.  
• Ithaca Festival. 

Recreation

• 5 Cass Park. North off Route 89, just outside town. Skating in winter, swimming pool in summer. This is adjacent to Alan Treman State Park, which contains a marina and a large fenced off-leash dog park. (updated Mar 2024)

Performing arts

• 6 Kitchen Theatre Company. Bold, intimate, engaging. Kitchen Theatre Company is Downtown Ithaca's year round professional theare. Critically acclaimed, this theatre is nationally renowned and offers four performance series (Main Stage, Family Fare, Kitchen Counter Culture, Kitchen Sink). The Kitchen presents an engaging mix of contemporary, regional, and world premiere plays and musicals in an intimate 73-seat theatre that encourages a bold relationship between audience and actor. "Important conversations happen in the Kitchen."  
• 7 The Hangar Theatre, 801 Taughannock Blvd (two miles from downtown Ithaca on the shores of Lake Cayuga), ☏ +1 607 273-8588. Evening performances and matinees. A professional regional theatre presenting full-scale musicals, beloved classics, comedies, dramas, cabaret, world premieres, and a sparkling lineup of children's plays, musicals and education programs.  
• 8 Ithaca College Theatre. Performs two musicals, an opera, and several plays each year. 
• The Ithaca College 9 Whalen Center for Music has numerous free concerts and recitals almost every day of the week during the school year.

Outdoors

Hemlock Gorge, on the Cornell campus

• 10 Stewart Park, 11 Buttermilk Falls, 12 Robert Treman State Park and 13 Six-mile Park all offer nice walking/hiking trails. Some have parking fees on weekends and during high season. Cross country skiing is permitted on the golf course in winter.
• 14 The Alan Treman State Marina (not to be confused with Robert Treman State Park) offers a large marina, and a large fenced off-leash dog park nearby.
• There is one outdoor store in the downtown Ithaca area. 15 The Outdoor Store (206 E State St, +1 607 273-3891) on the Commons.
• Also check out 16 Cornell Outdoor Education which has rental equipment and an indoor climbing wall.

Buy

Ithaca is home to one of the world's most successful local currency experiments. The Ithaca Hour was Ithaca's local currency that was accepted by more than 600 local merchants and service providers, including the Autumn Leaves bookstore at Ithaca Commons that served as the unofficial home of the currency. Using Ithaca Hours contributed to Ithaca's economy and small businesses.

Shopping in Ithaca is in four major areas: Downtown/Commons, Meadow Street/Route 13, Collegetown, and Lansing/Mall area.

• Downtown/Commons - The most typical Ithaca items can be bought downtown in the commons area. Local crafts are of exceptional quality. Ubiquitous green "Ithaca is Gorges" t-shirts can be bought here as well.
• Meadow Street/Route 13 - Also known as The Strip. The "big-box" stores have moved along Meadow St. Drugstores, cellphone stores, supermarkets, and major discount retailers are often present in multiple incarnations. There is not much exciting here for the out-of-towner although it is certainly practical. An exception is Northside Liquors (see the Drink section).
• Collegetown, just across Cascadilla Gorge from the Cornell campus, is mostly home to restaurants and businesses catering to the college crowd, and there are several shops specializing in Cornell- and Ithaca-related merchandise.
• Lansing/Mall - Finally, just north of Ithaca in Lansing is the 1 Shops at Ithaca Mall (formerly known as the Pyramid Mall), has Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Target, offering a fairly broad and ubiquitous selection of shops. Nearby are the

2 Triphammer and 3 Cayuga malls, which are less elaborate.

Books

A number of independent book sellers continue to thrive in the city and its immediate vicinity. Downtown Ithaca bookstores on or very near the Commons include the following:

• 4 Autumn Leaves, 115 E State St, ☏ +1 607 273-8239. Open 7 days a week. 60,000 books, 10,000 records and a café, all under one roof. (updated Mar 2024)
• 5 Buffalo Street Books, 215 N Cayuga St (DeWitt Mall), ☏ +1 607-273-8246. Sells new books. (updated Mar 2024)
• 6 Home Green Home, 215 the Commons, ☏ +1 607-319-4159. Has small book section with titles related to sustainable living. (updated Mar 2024)
• 7 Cornell University Bookstore, 135 Ho Plaza (on the Cornell Campus). Has a selection of general books in addition to textbooks. (updated Mar 2024)
• 8 Comics for Collectors, 124 W State St. Graphic novels and comics. (updated Mar 2024)

Within a 20-minute drive of Ithaca you can also find two barn-sized used-book sellers:

• 9 Book Barn of the Finger Lakes, 198 North Rd. Just off Rt. 13 in Dryden, across from the Tompkins-Cortland Community College entrance. 

Also, one "big-box" bookstore can be found in Ithaca:

• 10 Barnes & Noble, 614 S Meadow St. (Tops Plaza). (updated Mar 2024)

If you'll be in Ithaca in May or October, look into the dates of the huge Friends of the Library book sale, which lasts a week or two for each sale period and offers over 250,000 items for sale, with proceeds supporting the fancy, new (but cash-strapped) county library on the corner of Green and Cayuga Streets.

Eat

Ithaca has some of the best and most diverse dining options in all of upstate New York. The areas with the highest concentration of restaurants are in Downtown and Collegetown. Downtown and The Commons has the most variety, ranging from Pizza, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Indian to fine-dining establishments. If you are uncertain about what you want to eat, a stroll along downtown's "Restaurant Row" on North Aurora Street should provide almost anything one is looking for. Collegetown also has a wide selection of dining, but has fewer fine dining options. Also notable is the area to the west of Downtown known as the West End, or The Inlet. Elmira Road, south of the downtown and Pyramid Mall, north of Ithaca in the Town of Lansing, have a selection of fast food and chain restaurants.

Budget

• Collegetown Bagels/Ithaca Bakery (Five location). The Brous & Mehaffey family operates five locations around Ithaca, so Collegetown Bagels is something of an Ithaca institution. They offer bagels, sandwiches, and coffee with a whimsical, new-agey feel at reasonable prices. Some of the best authentic bagels and fairly traded coffee, and definitely the most Ithacan. Great for breakfast or lunch. $5-10. 
  • 1 Ithaca Bakery (Downtown), 400 N. Meadow St., ☏ +1 607 273-7110. (updated Mar 2024)
  • 2 Ithaca Bakery (Triphammer), 2255 N. Triphammer Rd. (Triphammer Mall), ☏ +1 607 257-2255. (updated Mar 2024)
  • 3 Collegetown Bagels (Collegetown), 420 College Ave, ☏ +1 607 273-0982. (updated Mar 2024)
  • 4 Collegetown Bagels (Commons), 301 E. State St., ☏ +1 607 273-2848. (updated Mar 2024)
  • 5 Collegetown Bagels (East Hill Plaza), 329 Pine Tree Rd., ☏ +1 607 273-1036. (updated Mar 2024)
• 6 Viva! Taqueria, 215 E. State St. (At the corner of State and Aurora Streets), ☏ +1 607 277-1752. Maximum calories for your money. Very vegetarian and vegan friendly. Be sure to check out the Viva! Cantina next door for an expanded menu, table service, and a bar featuring a large tequila selection. (updated Mar 2024)
• 7 Ned's Pizza, 139 Dryden Rd (Inside Center Ithaca), ☏ +1 607-219-3238. Bargain prices on basic and loaded slices. Probably the cheapest fill-up in Ithaca. (updated Mar 2024)
• 8 Lincoln Street Diner, 309 E. Lincoln St. (Between N Tioga and N Aurora, next to the Fall Creek laundromat), ☏ +1 607-216-1616. M-F 6AM-2PM, Sa 7AM-1PM. Cheap, good quality breakfasts and lunches. Favored by Fall Creek locals, construction and utility workers. Cash only. (updated Mar 2024)
• 9 Smiley's Mini Mart (formerly Rogan's Corner), 825 Danby Rd. Located right off the Ithaca College campus on Route 96B serves the "best pizza on South Hill" by the slice. 
• 10 Shortstop Deli, 200 W. Seneca St. (between Albany and Geneva), ☏ +1 607-273-1030. Open 24 hours. Specializes in large, delicious subs. Also has breakfast sandwiches, big cookies, soups, and many varieties of coffee. Veg friendly, with veggie burger and seitan subs and vegan chili. Counter service only, but you can sit on the window ledge outside. (updated Mar 2024)
• 11 State Diner, 428 West State Street (A few blocks west of the Commons), ☏ +1 607-272-6189. This railroad car diner is one of Ithaca's few 24-hour restaurants. (updated Mar 2024)
• 12 Ling Ling Restaurant, 331 Pine Tree Rd, ☏ +1 607-273-1668. Frequently voted best Chinese food in Ithaca. East Hill Plaza location has large dining room and 13 Elmira Rd location is mostly take-out. (updated Mar 2024)

Mid-range

• 14 Just a Taste, 116 North Aurora Street, ☏ +1 607 277-9463. Dinner every day, brunch 11AM-3PM on weekends. Great tapas bar with a large selection of wines available by the glass. You can also select from a number of "flights" of wine, with a small taste of 4 or 5 different wines. The menu changes frequently and usually features local produce. Probably the best "walk in" eatery in town, and has less students than many other places. Tapas range from $4-7. Expect to order 2-4 per person, and expect to share. 
• 15 Maxie's Supper Club and Oyster bar, 635 W. State St, ☏ +1 607 272-4136. Maxie's offers dinner daily until 11PM and midnight on Friday and Saturday, and brunch on Sunday until 3PM. Maxie's Supper Club offers a good selection of Cajun seafood food including an oyster bar, as well as authentic southern barbeque. The Cajun fries are delicious, but don't miss the shrimp and grits in tasso sauce, and definitely have lots of the honey butter they serve with the free cornbread. The Supper Club is an excellent place to grab some food and drinks after a late evening event. The restaurant feature locally-produced food and the wine list is award-winningly extensive and also features upstate wines, which often pair well with spicy food. Brunch $10-15, dinner $10-20. 
• 16 Moosewood Restaurant, 215 N. Cayuga St (Dewitt Building), ☏ +1 607 273-9610. Famous world-wide for their vegetarian cookbooks, this downtown institution offers reasonably-priced (for a famous brand) vegetarian fare and fish with a different menu every night and a good selection of local wines, beers and café beverages. Save room for dessert. Ask for a table in the furthest room. In the summer, the street level patio is quite pleasant. Lunch $10-15, dinner $15-25. 
• 17 Taste of Thai, 216 E. State St (The Commons), ☏ +1 607 256-5487. Taste of Thai has a lovely atmosphere. Heat scale 0-5, where 3 is hot and 5 is "on fire". Try the papaya salad, a curry, or one of the delicious fish or seafood dishes. Lunch $7-8, dinner $10-20. 
• 18 New Delhi Diamond's, 106 West Green St, ☏ +1 607 272-4508. Near the Commons. This restaurant serves a large variety of Indian dishes at dinner, and an $8 buffet at lunchtime. Dinner $15-20. 
• 19 Glenwood Pines, 1213 Taughannock Blvd (5 mi (8.0 km) N of Ithaca), ☏ +1 607 273-3709. Burgers and other American fare, family friendly, dining room with lake view. Known locally for the "Pinesburger" (large burger served on french bread). Convenient stop for folks returning from wineries farther up the lake. (updated Mar 2024)

Splurge

• 20 The Heights Restaurant and H Bar, 903 Hanshaw Rd, ☏ +1 607 257-4144. Lunch and dinner. This upscale American-style restaurant is hidden in the ritzy Cayuga Heights area of Ithaca. The menu is definitely among the pricier in Ithaca, but the food is well worth it. This is a great place for a special occasion. Lunch $10-15, dinner entrees $20-30. (updated Aug 2017)
• 21 Bistro at La Tourelle, 1150 Danby Road, ☏ +1 607 273-2734, toll-free: +1-800-765-1492. Continental French cuisine inspired by a seasoned chef. Entrees $20-30. 
• 22 The Boatyard Grill, 525 Taughannock Blvd, ☏ +1 607 256-2628. Great lively atmosphere right along Cayuga Inlet. Located on a peninsula directly across from Cornell University's boathouse, Boatyard Grill serves greasy food (in good portion sizes). Does not accept reservations but with "call-ahead" you can cut your wait time down significantly. Even with call-ahead, expect to wait awhile on parents' weekends as this is a student's favorite when mom and pop are in paying. Entrees $15-25. (updated Aug 2017)
• 23 Taughannock Farms Inn. see Trumansburg. (updated Mar 2024)

Groceries

24 Wegmans, the largest grocery store in Ithaca, has a very large selection of specialty and ethnic foods, and has a large food court-like "marketplace" where ready-made food ranging from pizza to sushi can be purchased and eaten in the pleasant on-premises eating areas. A tourist experience of its own, like the Wegmans around New York State.

The other main grocery store chain in Ithaca is 25 Tops. Tops is smaller and has less selection than Wegamans but is favored by some residents for just that reason. Tops has a better selection of foreign food than Wegmans. Most grocery stores in Ithaca are open 24 hours to serve the college market. There is an Aldi that sells deeply discounted store-brand foods with limited hours and no free grocery bags. There is a Walmart just off of Route 13 near the Tops store that offers a full produce section, a deli, frozen foods, meats, dry grocery, bakery and dairy section.

26 Greenstar is a food co-op on the west end of town and is open to everyone. They offer a good selection of organic produce and bulk dry foods. Also check out their smaller location, 27 Greenstar Oasis, in Dewitt Mall (near Moosewood) just off the Commons. If you're vegetarian and/or looking for organic selection, this is a great place to shop. It also has its version of the "marketplace" in its deli section where prepared foods are offered to either eat-in (there is a dining area) or take out. It is the only grocery store to offer fresh baked vegan desserts (which are very good). Here you will pay for the higher quality since it can get a bit pricey.

If you are in town on a weekend during the warm months (Saturday and Sunday April-October, Thursday afternoons June-August), you should consider getting your groceries and some bites to eat at the Ithaca Farmer's Market. There is a large selection of not only fresh herbs and vegetables, but also free-range and pasture-fed meat. The breakfast burrito is a local favorite. Many local artisans (soapmakers, woodworkers, etc.) also have kiosks, and there are about a dozen different food vendors. Local vineyards also have kiosks.

There are three main Asian grocery stores in town. The most popular are 28 Win Li, south of downtown on Elmira Rd., and 29 Ithaca Tofu, located in the "Small Mall" on Cinema Drive behind Triphammer Mall. Win Li is the largest and has a very big selection of fresh Asian vegetables and has seasonally fresh fish. They also have some Chinese housewares (pots, bowls, rice cookers, etc.) and a big selection of rice. Ithaca Tofu has a slightly more varied selection of fruit and vegetables (including fresh shiso/ohba), but has much more in the way of Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Korean sauces. In keeping with their name, they do have a large selection of all kinds of tofu, but they also have a lot of Japanese snacks, sushi-related items, and they get fresh shipments of pre-cooked Chinese deli staples (chicken feet, tripe, scallion rolls) from NYC every week.

Drink

Collegetown

• 1 Level-B, 410 Eddy St (Collegetown), ☏ +1 607-272-3888. Often with live DJs. Top shelf liquor - although drinks are expensive. It is the only decently clubby place in Ithaca. (updated Mar 2024)
• 2 Loco, ​308-310 Stewart Ave (Next to East Buffalo Street), ☏ +1 607-273-5626. Small low key bar with a Mexican theme. Provides nightly specials. More on the pricey side compared to other bars in Ithaca, but is often the least crowded or noisy. Has an upscale, hip atmosphere. (updated Mar 2024)

Downtown/Commons

• 3 Chanticleer, 101 W State St, ☏ +1 607-272-9678. Local hangout on corner of Cayuga and State Street marked by a neon rooster. Downmarket, excellent jukebox. (updated Mar 2024)
• 4 Pete's Cayuga Bar, 116 S Cayuga St. Popular with both locals and students who enjoy sports and a quiet atmosphere. (updated Mar 2024)
• 5 Simeon's, 224 E State St (At the Commons), ☏ +1 607-272-2212. Restaurant with great food also has a large selection of microbrew and imported beer on tap and bottle, as well as wine. (updated Mar 2024)
• Viva! Taqueria & Cantina, 215 E State St.. Mexican restaurant that serves Margaritas and has a large selection of Tequila. (updated Mar 2024)
• 6 Uncle Joe's Sports Bar, 302 W Green St.. Roomy sports bar on Green Street separated into a bar area with flat-screen TVs, main dining area for watching sports, and a gaming room with pool table and darts. Also serves American style food. (updated Mar 2024)

Fall Creek

• 7 Fall Creek House, 302 Lake St.. Dive bar where you can sit next to Grad students and Vietnam Vets at the same time. Just steps from Ithaca Falls. (updated Mar 2024)
• 8 Northstar House, 202 E Falls St., ☏ +1 607-216-8580. Restaurant and bar with an outside patio right in the middle of a quiet neighborhood. Often has live music on the patio in the summer. (updated Mar 2024)

Wineries

The Finger Lakes are a well-known wine growing region, and dozens of wineries with tasting rooms can be found along the shores of both Cayuga and Seneca Lakes within an easy drive of Ithaca. The region grows white varietals best and produces many good Rieslings and Chardonnays.

• 9 Cayuga Lake Wine Trail. Nestled in the heart of the Finger Lakes is the Cayuga Wine Trail, a 16 winery member organization surrounding Cayuga Lake and offering a unique blend of fine wines. 
• Seneca Lake Wine Trail. Association of 32 wineries surrounding Seneca Lake (next Finger Lake to the west from Cayuga). 

Elsewhere

• 10 Red Feet Wine Market just off Route 13 at Franklin St offers an excellent selection of wines and spirits with an exceptionally knowledgeable and friendly staff. 11 Northside Liquors (identified by giant "Discount Beverage Center" letters) in the shopping center at the intersection of Elmira Rd. and Rte. 13. Northside Liquors has a very large selection of wines and liquors, with a rare wines room and probably the largest selection anywhere of upstate New York wines. If you go on a wine tour but in retrospect failed to buy your favorite wines, just go to Northside Liquors to pick them up instead of driving all the way back to the winery. Smaller, but also with a nice selection of wines, is 12 Triphammer Wines & Spirits in the Triphammer Mall off Rte. 13.

Sleep

Ithaca is not a large city, but between Cornell and Ithaca College, about 25,000 students attend school here, with thousands more people visiting daily for conferences, sporting events, and other university functions. On normal days, Hotel and motel rooms can be surprisingly hard to find and shockingly expensive when compared to the surrounding area. Finding lodging during major school events, like freshman move-in, parents' weekend, and graduation, is difficult bordering on impossible at the last minute. If you find yourself in Ithaca during those times, you may have to go as far as Cortland (20 mi (32 km) away) or Elmira (30 mi (48 km) away). In a real pinch, it is not inconceivable to stay as far away as Syracuse, NY. It is only about 60 minutes away, depending on weather conditions. Elmira and Watkins Glen are decent options, and lodging will likely be quite a bit cheaper there.

As a general rule, lodging that is downtown or close to campus will start at $150/night, while the downscale motel chains that are out of town start upwards of $100/night. Rooms for less than $75/night can be had at some of the locally owned (and decidedly not 5-star) establishments that are outside of town. Rates during major school events can more than triple.

• 1 Statler Hotel, 130 Statler Drive, ☏ +1 607 254-2500, toll-free: +1 800-541-2501, [email protected]. Cornell campus (circle driveway straight ahead from campus entrance on Hoy Road), ([email protected]). The Statler is run by Cornell's School of Hotel Administration students and the full-time staff, and is the most elegant and luxurious hotel in Ithaca. However, don't expect to get a reservation for graduation at The Statler! The hotel is reserved for dignitaries, trustees and guest speakers during graduation. During other times of year, rooms are largely available. It is a popular place for executive education students to stay during the summer. (updated Mar 2017)
• 2 La Tourelle Resort and August Moon Spa, 96B, 1150 Danby Rd, ☏ +1 607-583-0465. Near Ithaca College, a 10-minute drive to Cornell University. Great hotel with a B&B feel. Full service spa on site. Walking trails connect to Buttermilk Falls State Park. 
• 3 The Hilton Garden Inn, 130 E Seneca St.. Downtown Ithaca's newest hotel, immediately across from the commons. Garage parking available nearby. (updated Mar 2024)
• 4 The Courtyard by Marriott, 29 Thornwood Dr, ☏ +1 607 330-1000. Near the Ithaca/Tompkins regional airport. It has a free shuttle (by appointment) to Cornell, The Commons, the airport, and to a variety of locations along Triphammer Road, including the malls and restaurants. Many restaurants deliver to the hotel, and it is within walking distance to Ciabatta's, a restaurant that's open for lunch and breakfast. It also has its own restaurant for breakfast and offers onsite catering for meetings and receptions. 
• 5 Homewood Suites by Hilton, 36 Cinema Dr, ☏ +1 607 266-0000. Close to the Triphammer and Pyramid Malls, restaurants, and is fairly close to the Ithaca airport. Cornell is a 10-15 minute drive away. 
• 6 Holiday Inn Express, 371 Elmira Rd.. Although not the classiest hotels in the area, it gets the job done. Convenient location to both colleges. A short drive up the "hill" to Ithaca College. Minutes walking distance to the commons. So if you're just looking for a convenient place to lay your head, this is the hotel for you. This hotel books solid for all college events, so make reservations way ahead of time. (updated Mar 2024)
• 7 Log Country Inn Bed & Breakfast of Ithaca, 4 Larue Rd (Spencer), ☏ +1 607-589-4771. 
• 8 Hampton Inn Ithaca, 337 Elmira Road, ☏ +1 607 277-5500. 
• 9 The Dorm Hotel, 518 Stewart Avenue, ☏ +1 607-319-4611. A rather antiquated but cheaper option for those who would prefer to stay near Collegetown. 

Go next

Routes through Ithaca

Pulaski ← Cortland ←	N  S	→ Elmira → END
Rochester ← Trumansburg ←	N  S	→ Owego → Ends at