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Writer's pictureSarah Krieger

Ithaca is Gorgeous! Find out why in this guide.

Updated: Oct 15, 2020

Hello friends! If you stumbled upon this blog post it is likely because you will be visiting Ithaca soon or you know someone who will be visiting and you wanted my top suggestions! Are you moving there to go to College? If so and you have questions about this college town, I am your gal. Ithaca is hippy-dippy, has a crazy intelligent community with being a college town, and is GORGEOUS. Ithaca is also known to be LGBTQ+ friendly. So much so there is a walking tour dedicated to highlighting the history. You can hear one of my friend's voices during the tour as they helped create it! You can find out more here.


If you are visiting in the winter be mindful of driving on the cobblestone hills with the ice and snow, they do get salted and plowed but it's a different experience driving in these conditions.

The following is a list of things to do in Ithaca/places to visit. The best time to visit is between May-September because you can be outside and festivals occur during these months. This is a general list I tell people, but depending on when you go depends on what you should do just like any location...Ithaca has more restaurants per capita than New York City! I’ve listed my favorites and times to go in the list: - B-fast on the commons at Waffle Frolic, go to Collegetown by Cornell and eat at The Carriage House, Collegetown bagels (no they aren’t like downstate but they have lots of special flavors and toppings as well as interesting drinks they also operate Ithaca Bakery), Dolce Delight (have to get a smoothie here), Sunset Grill (so many options), Mix (the only place for unlimited mimosas).

- Lunch at Shortstop Deli (I always have the pizza sub which is what it sounds like, sauce and cheese and seasoning on a sub roll.), Viva Taqueria or Old Mexico (Viva is probably the crowd favorite but both have great Mexican food and margaritas.), Moosewood (lots of vegan and vegetarian-friendly options and is super famous and popular).

- Dinner at Souvlaki House (Greek and Italian options), Zaza’s Cucina ($$$ Italian), Ciao (Italian...can you tell yet my favorite types of food??) Plum Tree (Japanese), Sumo (hibachi), Taste of Thai (it’s pretty good), Boatyard Grill (nice and right on the water).

- Desert (I have a sweet tooth and love ice cream, luckily there are many options here)


- Purity Ice Cream Co. (they also have brunch options)

- 15 Below Ice Cream (they roll your ice cream from a slab, hard to explain but cool to see)

- Cornell Dairy Bar

Places to go out to at night/bars (*Disclaimer this is a Collegetown so a lot of nightlife will have young college vibes even if you aren’t near the frats. This is especially true Wednesday to Saturday.*):


Kilpatricks Irish pub and on Thursdays karaoke night occurs, Ithaca alehouse (order a flatbread and a drink I don't recommend going next door to Reds Place... I don't know what’s in the food but every time I’ve gone (twice) and others have gone we’ve always gotten sick), Lot 10 (2 floors plus a garden area for options, more club feel, Level B has similar vibes), Moonies on the commons is a dive bar and everyone loves to hate it and hates to love it which is similar to Hideaway over in Collegetown. The Watershed is a cozy and classy establishment.

Places to get drunk pizza: Casablanca Pizzeria, Sammy's Pizzeria & Restaurant, Cornell area really doesn’t have options...there’s one place near Plum Tree that has NY style pizza but they often overcharge people


Scenic places: Stewart Park, Ithaca falls, Buttermilk falls (nice hike that isn’t too crazy and leads you to nice sets of waterfalls), Taughannock falls (amazing and y’all waterfall), Robert Treman State Park (best hike and swim), Wells falls (overlook by Cornell Chabad), Farmer's market, Cornell botanic gardens, the Ithaca fountains (you can view the fountains, flowers and the lake) and pond by the Muller Chapel.

Local attractions

I really enjoyed it while in college as they play unique movies at affordable prices.


-The Commons

For shopping, eating/drinking and of course festivals celebrating all can be found downtown in the commons.



*Grocery store info* although Green Star seems great with the selection of natural food, a few years back they somehow were part of the BDS movement Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions it is a Palestinian-led movement against Israel/its products.


Festivals to attend:


Ithaca apple harvest fest- If you are an apple lover this is the festival for you. It is fun to taste apples from a variety of local farmers and also have a create your own apple sundae. There are also delicious free samples of cider (sometimes hard as well as wine from local vineyards).


Porchfest- Annual music festival with musicians performing on porches around Fall Creek & Northside in Ithaca, NY.

Ice Festival- A weekend downtown filled with a national ice-sculpting contest, ice bar, food samples, beers, wines or hot coca at the bar made completely out of solid ice. 


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