Visiting Ithaca
See also: Moving to Ithaca
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Visiting Ithaca with 1 and 3 yr olds
Feb 2007
This summer we are traveling to Ithaca for my brother's wedding. I know it is beautiful, and I am trying to figure out what will be fun with two little ones? Any ideas? Where are some good places to eat? Thanks! Laura
We lived in Ithaca for a year (several years ago) when our kids were 5 and 9. It's a fun place to visit. You don't say how old your ''little ones'' are, but for almost every age, I highly recommend the Sciencenter, which is a kids' science/exploration museum. Similar in many ways to the Exploratorium, but way more low key and manageable http://www.sciencenter.org/ Check out the Sagan Planetwalk - or part of it - if your kids are at all into space and planets. http://www.sciencenter.org/saganpw/
We haven't been there in a while, but we used to like ''Just a Taste'', which is a nice little tapas place downtown. The small plates were great for kids and adults alike, and if you go early-ish, it's fine to have kids there.
And if you are the outdoorsy type, don't miss Buttermilk Falls State Park (or one of the others) - it's gorges!
For ice cream (and in the summer, you're gonna want it), you can't beat the Cornell Dairy Store, on Cornell's campus. http://www.dairystore.cornell.edu/ They experiment with new flavors regularly, as well as old standards. R.K.
Visiting Ithaca with 2 young children
July 2001
We will be traveling to New York this summer, specifically to Ithaca and the upper Hudson Valley River (near Kingston). With a 2 year old and 6 year old, I am looking for fun activities like parks, casual dining, swimming, places to go on rainy days, in these areas. Any suggestions? Jennifer
Ithaca NY is a great town for kids in the summer. First of all there are the Gorges: Buttermilk and Treman have good swimming areas; Upper Treman has the most beautiful trail for hiking (lots of stairs, but you can stop along the way and play in the creek); at Taughannock, you can walk along a trail or the creek bed all the way to the falls (both are flat walks, wear water shoes for the creek). Across the street at Taughannock is a lakeside park, with a rocky beach and swimming in the lake. Cass Park has a big pool, a great wading pool with sprinklers, and lots of plastic playhouses. Stewart Park is at the bottom of the lake and has a big sprinkler, lots of playground equipment and a merry-go-round. On weekends check-out the Farmers Market, quite a scene, often with entertainment. On rainy days, The Sciencenter, a hands-on science museum is the place to be (worthwhile even if it's not raining). Sapsucker Woods is a great bird sanctuary, with a beautiful little nature center and boardwalk trails. Cornell Plantations is fun if you like gardens. Pick up the free Ithaca Times paper for local events. There are lots of free outdoor concerts, like every Saturday night at Taughannock Park. Have Fun! Daryl