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Ithaca
Explore this section
“There was no better option for me than Cornell Law and its location in Ithaca.”
Zellnor Myrie '16
New York State Senator
Cornell University overlooks Cayuga Lake, and many gorges and waterfalls are just steps from the Law School. Schedule a Law School or campus tour here.
Ithaca weather allows for a variety of outdoor activities, ranging from boating, swimming, and hiking in the summer to cross-country skiing and ice skating in the winter.
When taking a break from your studies you can jog or bike on trails in one of Ithaca’s local or state parks. Enjoy wine tasting year-round and apple picking in the fall. Rent a kayak or take sailing lessons on Cayuga Lake. Visit an organic winery or farm. Or head eight miles north to Taughannock Falls, the tallest waterfall in the northeast. There’s no end to the ways you can explore and get active.
It’s not uncommon to run into friends, neighbors, professors, or fellow students on any downtown street. Ithaca has more restaurants per capita than New York City, and it attracts diners from all around the world. Ithaca was recognized as one of the “foodiest” towns in the U.S. by Bon Appetit magazine. Ithaca is home to the famous Moosewood Restaurant, whose award-winning vegetarian cookbooks attract diners from around the country.
Activities
According to a local bumper sticker, “Ithaca is gorges”, and most people here would agree.
Located in the heart of the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, Ithaca is surrounded by waterfalls, gorges, lakes, and parks. With a four-season climate and close access to kite sailing, skiing, skating, mountain biking, hiking, polo, canoeing, windsurfing, and other sports, Ithaca is an ideal place for getting outside.
Outdoor Activities
State Parks and Waterfalls
- Cascadilla Creek Gorge Path and Falls
- Bebe Lake Loop and Dam
- Taughannock Falls State Park
- Buttermilk Falls State Park
- Cornell Botanic Gardens
Educational Outdoor Activities
Mountain Biking
- Shindagin Hollow State Forest
- Yellow Barn State Forest
- Hammond Hill State Forest
- Connecticut Hill State Wildlife Management Area
Golf Courses
Family Outdoor Fun
- Ithaca Farmers’ Market
The Ithaca Farmers’ Market is open from April-December. Best time to go, when it’s nice out and on a Saturday or Sunday! - Ringwood Raceway
Go-kart racing open April-October
Sledding
Sledding is one of Ithacans all-time favorite winter sports! Get a sled, find any hill in Ithaca, and go. Local favorites include Cornell Plantations and Taughannock Park. **Avoid Libe Slope, as it is dangerous and against Cornell regulations to sled down.
Downhill Skiing
Cross-country Skiing
Ithacans ski on many of the local golf courses, trails, or at Sapsucker Woods or Podunk Ski Touring in Trumansburg.
Ice Skating
Indoor Activities and Nightlife
Indoor Activities
- Sciencenter
- Museum of the Earth
- Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art
- Cornell Rock Climbing Wall
- Greater Ithaca Art Trail
- The History Center in Tompkins County
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology/Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary
For a more complete listing, please visit VisitIthaca.
Performing Arts
- Cornell Concert Commission
- Cornell University Department of Performing and Media Arts
- Hangar Theatre
- Kitchen Theatre Company
- Ithaca College Department of Theatre Arts
- Ithaca Ballet
- Cayuga Chamber Orchestra
- Cayuga Vocal Ensemble
Movie Theaters
- Cornell Cinema
Cornell Cinema screens nearly 400 films per year, including first-run, foreign, and classic films. The cinema is a program of the Department of Theater, Film, and Dance and is cosponsored by the Dean of Students. - Cinemapolis
Located downtown, Cinemapolis shows independent and new release films.
Nightlife
As a college town with a thriving local music scene, Ithaca has a wide variety of clubs and bars. Whether you feel like going for a few drinks or dancing all night, the list below will give you some ideas on what to do and where to go.
- Level B Bar and Night Club
Exquisite cocktails, precision staff, and plush decor transport you to another level.
- The Haunt
Live music and DJ’s and drink specials. Go to 80’s night on Saturdays for the most fun dancing in Ithaca!
- Mahogany Grill
The Mahogany Grill is a nice place for a casual drink and meal. Seating outside in the summer.
- Kilpatrick’s Publick House
Great pub food and great live Irish music weekly.
- Ithaca Ale House
Great food, atmosphere, and beer selection — nearly 20 on tap! Sit outside to people watch during the summer.
Ithaca is within easy driving distance to many popular cities in both the United States and Canada
Getting to Ithaca
Ithaca is located in the heart of the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. Natural beauty surrounds the campus with its many gorges, lakes, and parks. In fact, the Law School is bordered by Cascadilla Gorge. Its waterfalls and trail lead to downtown Ithaca.
Ithaca is easily accessible by plane, bus, and car. Most major Northeastern cities are a reasonable drive or a short flight.
Approximate Distances to Major Cities
- Syracuse: One hour
- Rochester: One and a half hours
- New York City: Four hours
- Philadelphia: Four hours
- Toronto: Four hours
- Boston: Five and a half hours
- Montreal: Five and a half hours
- Washington, D.C.: Six hours
Airlines, Taxi Cabs, and Rental Cars
Directions
Hotels and Restaurants
Ithaca has a wide variety of accommodations and cuisines.
Hotels
The following business-style hotels are close to campus, and many have shuttles to campus and to the airport. This is just a brief listing of local hotels. If you plan to visit campus during Cornell University’s graduation weekend, be prepared to stay outside of Ithaca. Alternative towns include: Dryden, Cortland, Elmira, Syracuse, and Binghamton.
The Statler Hotel at Cornell University
On-campus
Best Western University Inn
Only about 2 miles from the law school and near food and stores.
Courtyard by Marriott – Ithaca
Close to the airport and the Ithaca and Triphammer malls.
Homewood Suites by Hilton
Located at the Triphammer Mall.
Hampton Inn Ithaca
Downtown location, newly built.
Hilton Garden Inn
Relatively new hotel off of The Commons.
Country Inn & Suites
Near Ithaca College on South Hill.
Hotel Ithaca
Near The Commons and close to everything downtown.
For a complete list including inns and B&B’s, please visit Visitithaca.com.
Restaurants
The following scale is per person for dinner with an appetizer, entrée, dessert and beverage plus tax and gratuity. Some of the restaurants have lighter fare as well; please call ahead to get exact estimates.
$$$$ – $50+
$$$ – $30+
$$ – $20+
$ – $15+
Heights Cafe & Grill
$$$$
Cayuga Heights/Corners Community
One of Ithaca’s most upscale restaurants with an extensive wine list.
Moosewood Restaurant
$$
Downtown/Commons Area
If you don’t know of this vegetarian restaurant by its world-famous cookbook, definitely you will remember forever after you taste the terrific food.
Maxie’s Supper Club and Oyster Bar
$$/$$$
Downtown/Route 13
Cajun menu with all the frills. Don’t forget your colorful beads when you walk into Maxie’s.
Taste of Thai
$$
Commons
Best place to eat wonderfully prepared Thai food that is priced just right and in a great location on The Commons to boot.
The Boatyard Grill
$$/$$$
On the Inlet
Comfort food with a twist. The Boatyard has one of the more beautiful views in Ithaca.
Glenwood Pines
$/$$
Route 89
Overlooking the lake and very casual.
Ithaca Bakery
$
Downtown/Route 13
Gourmet deli and bakery.
Viva Taqueria
$/$$
Commons
Good healthy Mexican food in a fun atmosphere with margaritas, of course.
For a complete list, please go to VisitIthaca.com.
4
hours to New York City, Philadelphia, and Toronto
5 1/2
hours to Boston and Montreal
6
hours to Washington, DC
A Sampling of National Accolades
- “The 10 Best Small Cities for Educated Millennials” Business Insider
- “The Best College Towns for Students” The Fiscal Times
- “10 Best Wine Travel Destinations” Wine Enthusiast Magazine
- “I Heart My City: Alizés Ithaca” National Geographic
- “The 16 Greatest Places to Live in America” Outside Magazine
- “Top 5 College Towns in the Country” Travelers Today
- “How well do you really know Ithaca?” by The Ithaca Voice
Debbie Morales ’25, Nate Lo ’25, and Ifrah Qadir ’25 discuss an amicus brief recently filed in the Tenth Circuit by the new Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Clinic.
The clinic is working with Cornell Law Professor Nelson Tebbe and Professor Lawrence Sager (UT-Austin) on this case, which concerns a challenge to Colorado’s Universal Pre-K program.
Learn more about this new clinic, led by Gautam Hans, by visiting the link in our bio.
#CornellLawClinics
Oct 29
Our Admissions Open House took place on Tuesday, October 22nd for undergraduate students interested in pursuing a law school education. The day was filled with a Q&A with some of our Admissions staff, followed by a student panel with some current law students, a law school tour, and ended at the Statler Hotel for Cornell`s pre-law conference with several other law schools from around the country. We love events like this which provide us with a much more intimate setting for meeting potential future students! #cornelllaw #lawyersinthebestsense #todothegreatestgood
Oct 24
Fall is arguably the prettiest time of the year in the Finger Lakes Region and even more breathtaking on a historic campus such as our own! Stay tuned for more beautiful fall foliage pics as the semester progresses! Photo credit: Cornell University media team. #cornelllaw #fingerlakes #upstateny #fall #fallvibes
Oct 1
Tonight our students enjoyed one of the many social mixers we host during the year…this is a time for our students to unwind and chat with their fellow classmates. As an added bonus, we had the Dean’s Advisory Council here tonight sharing their stories with the next generation of lawyers in the best sense! #cornelllaw #lawyersinthebestsense #todothegreatestgood
Sep 13
Welcome, again, to all our new students this week! Swipe for some words of encouragement, from some of our alums, as you take this next step in your professional journey! Visit the link in our bio for more notes from other Cornell Law School alumni. #CornellLaw #CornellLawAlumni #orientation2024
Aug 21
The Immigration Law & Advocacy Clinic recently supported a Cornell PhD student in her application for Advance Parole, a travel permission needed for DACA recipients to go abroad. Thanks to this success, the student presented her research at a neuroscience conference in Japan this summer! #CornellLaw #CornellLawClinics
Aug 20