Grab a coffee and a pastry at Ithaca Bakery on your way to Taughannock Falls State Park. Taughannock Falls – at 215 feet – is a popular year-round attraction. You can view the falls with just a short walk from the falls overlook or you can hike the 2-mile Gorge Trail. Extend your adventure with a hike a long the Rim Trail, a 2.6-mile trip that leads you to the less visited Upper Falls, a 100-foot cascading waterfall.

After your hike, cool off with a stop at a Cayuga Lake winery. We recommend Sheldrake Point or Hosmer Winery. Sheldrake has a great rose and Hosmer offers both inside and outside wine tastings. If you’re not a fan of wine and/or love ice cream, stop by the Cayuga Lake Creamery on your way back into town.

Our tour of Cornell focuses on the non-academic gems of the campus and only includes a quick stop by the Arts Quad to see Sibley Hall (home to the city planning program). Cornell Botanic Garden features 11 stunning types of gardens that will be in peak bloom in July. Trails from the Botanic Garden connect with the Mundy Wildflower Garden, Beebe Lake, the F. R. Newman Arboretum, and Cornell Campus.
Another stunning feature of Cornell’s campus is Beebe Lake. Take a 1-mile stroll around the lake and enjoy the views of one of many on-campus waterfalls.

Cornell’s campus also features two gorges – Fall Creek Gorge and Cascadilla Gorge. You can view Fall Creek Gorge from the suspension bridge across the street from Sibley Hall. We would be remiss if we didn’t recommend a trek on the Cascadilla Gorge Trail that connects downtown Ithaca with the Cornell Campus through one of the most picturesque gorges in the area. See 8 waterfalls on the 1.2-mile out and back hike.

Spend a day exploring the 150 waterfalls within 10 miles of Ithaca. Start with a visit to the 135-foot Ithaca Falls. The falls are easily accessed with a short 0.2-mile walk. Continue your exploration of Fall Creek Gorge by traversing the famous Cornell Suspension bridge – a pedestrian bridge suspended 138 feet above the gorge. The final stop in downtown Ithaca is Cascadilla Gorge with 8 waterfalls (1.2-miles out and back).

Grab lunch from Greenstar Co-op before heading down to south to:

• Enfield Gorge at Robert Treman State Park ($9 entry fee). There are 2 hike options – a 4.1-mile loop with 12 waterfalls and a shorter 1-mile roundtrip to the 112-foot Lucifer Falls. These are mildly strenuous hikes with stairs.

• Lick Brook Falls at Sweedler Nature Preserve. This nature preserve is a hidden gem. It should be a little less busy than Robert Treman or Buttermilk Falls State Park, but definitely one of our favorite hikes in Ithaca. You’ll see 3 waterfalls on the 2.6-mile moderate hike.

Start your Saturday or Sunday morning off with a trip to the Ithaca Farmers Market at Steamboat Landing on Cayuga Lake. All vendors produce their products – whether it’s fruits and veggies, artisan goods, or food – all vendors come from within 30 miles of Ithaca. Make sure you come hungry! We spent many mornings with crepes from Veronika’s Pastries and momos from the Tibetan Momo Bar. The lush bounty of the Ithaca Farmers’ Market during the summer months is something you should experience.

Your next stop is the Ithaca Commons. Located in the heart of downtown Ithaca, The Commons is a four-block pedestrian shopping area packed with more than 100 independently owned and operated shops and boutiques, gift shops, restaurants, art galleries, service providers, street vendors, and entertainers. We love Sunny Days of Ithaca, a gift shop that sells unique local gifts and souvenirs including the requisite Ithaca is Gorges t-shirt, The Cellar D’or Wine and Cider Shop, which sells a huge selection of small-production wines and ciders, and Autumn Leaves Used Books, with over 60,000 books, 10,000 records, and a cafe - all under one roof.

Cayuga Lake Wine Trail is the first-organized and longest-running wine trail in the country. There are 10 wineries officially on the trail, but several others that can be added to any excursion (though we don’t recommend trying all on the same day). Here’s a few of our favorites:

• Knapp Winery – cozy tasting room with an excellent selection. You could take home a bottle of almost everything you taste here.

• Goose Watch Winery – you’ll find some unique wines here. Definitely worth the stop.

• Cayuga Ridge Winery - old-school winery vibes. Their wines are on the sweeter side (which is saying something given that the area is known for Rieslings), but you can pick up some local cheese to make a delicious pairing to enjoy on the deck.

• Thirsty Owl Wine Company – beautiful property with great views of the Cayuga Lake and the surrounding vineyard. They also have a bistro on site for a snack, but not a lot of outdoor seating.

• Sheldrake Point Vineyard– stunning location and a great dry rose.

• Americana Vineyards and Winery – located in an 1820s barn, Americana has a tasting room and a café.

• Bonus: Bellwether Cider and Myer Farm Distillers
  

Take a paddle on Cayuga Lake! Rent a kayak or stand up paddleboard and spend some time on the water. Paddle-N-More offers reservations from Myers Park Lansing; Taughannock Falls State Park, Trumansburg; Stewart Park, Ithaca. When you’re done on the water, reward yourself with a sweet treat from Cayuga Lake Creamery or Purity Ice Cream (or both!)