Suggestions for Ithaca, NY area?
 

I'll be spending a week or so near Ithaca in September or October. Any suggestions on where to stay and don't-miss sites? I'll have a rental car.

There are a lot of "outdoorsy"-type things to do. Besides checking out Cornell University campus, Ithaca commons, a waterfall and a few lakes, http://www.visitithaca.com/attractions/attractions.cfm may be useful.

Ithaca Suggestions from a Former Cornellian
 

It depends on why and where you need to be in/near Ithaca. I am a big fan of The Statler Hotel on Cornell's campus, which is run by Cornell's Hotel School. It's basically a student-run hotel, where many of the Hotel School students gain real-hand experience by working at the hotel. I've stayed there a few times myself, very convenient location if you need to be on Cornell's campus:

http://www.statlerhotel.cornell.edu/rooms

Not sure what you like in terms of hotels, but people swear by Taughannock Farms Inn. I've only had dinner there and thought that it was lovely. It's about a 10 minute drive from Cornell's campus. It's a small B&B with a small number of rooms near the entrance to Taughannock Falls Park (very beautiful waterfall...now that I am back on the West Coast, I miss seeing the Fall leaves, which are beautiful in Ithaca). More information at:

http://www.t-farms.com/about.htm

Since this is FT and you might want to get points from a chain hotel. The Holiday Inn is right in the middle of downtown and it's a decent Holiday Inn. I stayed there a few years ago as it was going through its renovation. There are also a few other cheaper chain hotels further from campus (such as Ramada and Super 8). The map below might be helpful for you to choose a hotel:

http://www.chess.cornell.edu/aboutus...els%207105.pdf

Personally, I would go for the B&B option, as there are some great ones (I've been told) in the area. More information about other B&B's at:

http://www.bbithaca.com/

First of all, I would suggest a stroll through Cornell's campus. The waterfalls are nice and there is much to see on the campus itself. Definitely make a stop at the Dairy Bar and try Cornell's own ice cream. There's also a modern art museum on campus.

You can then grab a bagel at my favorite place in Ithaca -- Collegetown Bagels -- as you stroll through Collegetown. Walking down the fairly steep hill that I walked up and down for 2 years when I lived near the bottom of the hill, you will get to downtown Ithaca. The Commons has a bunch of smaller shops, but not much to see, IMHO. One highlight is the famous Moosewood Resturant at 215 N Cayuga in the Dewitt Building(http://www.moosewoodrestaurant.com), which should be one of your required stops for a great vegetarian meal.

I've also been told that the wine tours are great, although I am not much of a wine drinker myself. I would also recommend the aforementioned tour of Taughannock Falls Park...I took my mother to dinner at Taughannock Farms Inn and just thought that it was, as they say in Ithaca, gorgeous. I am not much of an outdoors person, but there obviously are a lot of outdoorsy things that you can do. I've never been inside Ithaca College myself, but I know that there's quite a bit to see there as well.

Feel free to PM me with questions...now you got me wanting to plan a trip back.

If you're planning to be at Cornell the whole time, the Statler is very convenient. Otherwise, I wouldn't stay there, certainly not for the whole time; their rooms are terribly overpriced, plus being right in the middle of campus you'll need to contend with university traffic and pedestrians. There are numerous B&Bs in the area as well as chain hotels clustered on Rte. 13 (west and southwest of downtown) and near the malls on Triphammer Road (near Rte. 13 north of the city).

One way to view Cayuga Lake and the autumn foliage is to take a cruise, e.g. http://cayugalakecruises.com/ . I've never taken a dinner cruise but the cocktail cruise is very relaxing.

Cornell has a pretty campus, IMHO they blend the "sculpted" landscaping with the "wild" gorges and groves very well. The new Ornithology Lab museum/sanctuary has generated a lot of buzz. For a nice view, you can climb the clock tower (161 steps) just before one of the daily Cornell Chimes concerts, or take the elevator at the Johnson art museum (aka the Sewing Machine). East of the main campus are the Cornell Plantations.

You can take the Cascadilla Gorge trail from Collegetown to downtown then radio a cab to go back up. Much less busy is the Six Mile Creek Gorge, so much less busy that it is the spot for skinnydipping in the summer (won't be much of that in October though). The Taughannock Falls trail is another pretty walk, and within walking distance of the well-regarded Taughannock Farms Inn. All would be good for fall color, if your timing is right.

All excellent recommendations. I especially second Taughannock Farms Inn for dinner. It's my favorite restaurant in the Ithaca area, and one of my favorites in the world. I've been eating there for 30 years, and make it my business to have dinner there whenever I get back to Ithaca. (I recommend the bittersweet ice cream pie in an almond crumb crust for dessert.)

As for lodging, the Statler on the Cornell campus is probably the best of the "traditional" hotels, but as noted, is also one of the most expensive. La Tourelle on South Hill generally gets high marks on www.tripadvisor.com. (La Tourelle is adjacent to an excellent steakhouse, the John Thomas.) And the proprietors of Taughannock Farms recently opened a new building on the grounds with additional rooms for overnight lodging. FYI: The Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Ithaca is new, and just opened for business this month.

Sunsets from the terrace of Willard Straight Hall, the student union located on Cornell's central campus, are spectacular. Truly, a don't miss.

Stops at Purity Ice Cream and the Ithaca Bakery, both downtown on Meadow Street (NY-13) are also highly recommended.

As another former Cornellian, the recommendations here are all excellent. I enjoyed wonderful Thanksgiving dinners at Taughannock Farms Inn two years in a row. The Heights is another very good restaurant. I would skip the Statler as a hotel (I agree with other posters that it is WAY overpriced), but their weekend brunch is good. For less formal dining, Sticky Rice, on E. State St., has very good Thai/Laotion carry out. For a drink, try the Chapter House . It's a little bit more mellow than some of the places in Collegetown, and they've gots lots of beers on tap. If you want to take a day trip, Seneca Falls is only about 45 minutes away - it's a lovely drive up the lake and there are wineries to stop at along the way.

Don't forget to buy an "Ithaca is Gorges" t-shirt!!!

Wow! Thanks for all the great replies. I've printed the thread and will certainly find my way to many of your recommended spots. I have found that hotels are surprisingly (to me) expensive, and many are full weeks in advance. So much for the sleepy little college town I was expecting. Thanks to all.