So Taste of the Nation and Ithaca Festival have already passed us by, but don't fear! There's plenty to do in Ithaca yet this summer.
You haven't truly appreciated Ithaca's beauty until you've stayed there for a summer. And whether you want to participate in outdoor activities with scenic views or hear some great music, Ithaca has much to offer.
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1. Explore the Gorges
There's a reason why everyone says that Ithaca is "gorges." Hiking around the gorges and swimming in some of them is a great way to spend a summer day. Here's a list of just a few of the many waterfalls in Ithaca. My favorites are first dam and second dam.
2. Go Boating
Though swimming in Cayuga Lake is prohibited, people are free to boat it up all summer. Plenty of boat rental companies exist on the shores of Cayuga, and if you don't want to sail yourself, you can book boat tours and cruises.
3. Paddle Boarding
Another thing that the lake is great for is paddle boarding. It takes balance, but it's a lot of fun once you get the hang of it.
4. Visit the Wineries
I can't forget the gems spread across the outskirts of Cayuga Lake: the wineries. A particular favorite of mine is Americana, which often even hosts its own events on the weekends, such as concerts. Tours of the wineries are also offered if you don't want to organize your own.
5. Fox Trot 5K Marathon
Several 5Ks are held throughout Ithaca during the summer, but this one trails through fields and forests, providing beautiful scenery while you run. It takes place at the Cayuga Nature Center this year on September 18th, 2016.
6. Found in Ithaca
Found is an quirky store with all your antiquing needs. It has everything from vintage dresses to unique furniture. Found also hosts a flea market several times throughout the summer, which 45 different antique dealers attend.
7. Lively Run Dairy
This isn't just a dairy. It's a GOAT Dairy. At Lively Run you can pet and possibly even bottle-feed baby goats. The Dairy also has a store where you can purchase their homemade goat and cow cheeses.
8. Karaoke
Karaoke is held at several bars in Ithaca throughout the week: Mondays at The Dock, Wednesdays at The Haunt, Wednesdays at Scale House Brewery & Pub, Thursdays at Kilpatrick's Publick House, and Thursdays at Lot 10.
There is another bar called K-House Karaoke, an Asian-style karaoke bar where you can rent out private rooms –each with their own theme – or sing at the bar.
9. Cayuga Lake Creamery
Serving delicious homemade ice cream, Cayuga Lake creamery offers all the classic flavors as well as some unique ones, such as Maple Bacon. They also offer Wine Sorbets made with Cayuga Lake wine.
10. Workshop Wednesday at CU's Johnson Museum of Art
Cornell University's Museum of Art holds workshops every Wednesday for people interested in creating their own art. You don't have to be a professional artist to attend these – amateurs are welcome. The museum only charges five to 10 dollars per person which covers the cost of materials. (The outside of the building is also super cool).
11. Grassroots Festival
The Grassroots Festival is the biggest music event held near Ithaca, this year featuring 80 bands! The type of music include folk, bluegrass music, reggae, hip-hop, rock, electronic, and more. Four day passes and one day passes are available for purchase. This year the festival is taking place from July 21 to July 24 at the Trumansburg Fairgrounds, and a culture camp is running from July 17 to the 20, which features music and dance workshops, yoga workshops, nightly dinners and dances, and more.
12. Cornell Observatory Public Viewing Nights
Cornell's Fuertes Observatory holds public viewing nights in which the public can observe the sky through their main telescopes every Friday night at 8 p.m.
13. Ithaca Farmers Market
The Ithaca Farmers Market features fresh food, delicious pastries, homegrown vegetables and fruit, unique art and jewelry, local cider and wine, and even colorful handwoven hammocks for sale. In the summer, the farmers market is located at the Steamboat Landing pavilion, a beautiful waterfront venue, and at two satellite markets at Dewitt Park and East Hill Plaza.
14. Cinemapolis
On a rainy summer day, you can drive down to The Commons to see independent, foreign, and locally produced films, most of which you can't see anywhere else. Cinemapolis isn't just a charming little movie theater; it's a cornerstone of culture that discusses contemporary issues. The film selection rotates often so be sure to look at the schedule before you head down.
15. Downtown Summer Concert Series
The Summer Concert Series is a free outdoor event featuring local and national acts performing in genres of music such as jazz, blues, reggae, folk, hip hop, country, bluegrass, and rock. The concerts take place every Thursday from June 23 through September 15 at the Bernie Milton Pavilion stage in the Ithaca Commons.
16. Natural Lands
The Natural Lands on IC's campus often go unnoticed, but their trails navigate through beautiful scenery and even lead to a scenic view of the lake, the town, and Cornell's campus.
17. Hangar Theatre
Open since 1975, the Hangar Theatre regularly puts on shows of professional quality. This summer, the theatre is putting on performances of "I Loved, I lost, I Made Spaghetti," "The Journey to Oz," and everything in between.
18. Cornell Plantations
The Cornell Plantations are home to a botanical garden, an arboretum, and extensive natural lands that encompass the full range of ecological habitats found in the Finger Lakes Region.
19. The Haunt
The Haunt is a nightclub featuring live music and regular events such as Trivia with Geeks Who Drink every Tuesday and Wednesday Wing Night. A calendar of scheduled musical acts is available. They also serve food and have a different special every day.
20. Taughannock Falls Summer Concert Series
This is the 38th consecutive year of the Taughannock Falls concert series. The series presents a wide variety of music performed along the shore of Cayuga Lake. The concerts run from July 9 through August 20 and begin at 7 p.m. each Saturday night.
21. Bowling
Pretty much every town has a shitty bowling alley, but Bowl-O-Drome and the bowling center at Cornell University, are more than just your average bowling alleys. Bowl-O-drome has a full bar, occasional nightly entertainment, arcade games, and food. The Helen Newman Bowling Center is not as modern as Bowl-O-Drome, but it has an antique charm to it.
22. Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary
The Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary is home to Cornell University's Lab of Ornithology, so it is abound with plenty of wildlife, especially birds. There are four miles of walking trails and many overlooks throughout the sanctuary.
23. Stewart park
Stewart Park has a beautiful view of Cayuga Lake. Bring a picnic to the park and enjoy a lazy day sprawled out on a blanket, or a picnic bench underneath one of the pavilions. There's also a carousel a playground, and swings spread out across the park.
24. Reggae night
Reggae night features a whole night of reggae music at The Dock that attracts both locals and college students. Reggae nights are relaxing, fun-filled evenings at one of Ithaca's nicer bar scenes.
25. Indian Creek Farm
At Indian Creek Farm you can pick your own fruits and vegetables. The farm is open from sunrise to sunset, July through November. Raspberries are available for picking in July and after that veggies are available also.
26. Disc Golf
There are two disc golf courses in Ithaca: Dotson Park and Robison Disc Golf Course.
27. Porchfest
Porchfest takes place in September every year when local artists perform on their porches. People come to listen and sit on blankets and chairs.
28. Rolled Ice Cream
15 Below is a new ice cream shop that just opened in The Commons. They make vanilla ice cream and top it with fruit and cookies.
29. Food
Ithaca has an endless number of restaurants – it actually has more restaurants per capita than New York City! Some of my favorites are Mahogany, The Boatyard, and The Carriage House. I've also heard that Gola Osteria is amazing. Here's a list of restaurants just around the commons.
30. Trivia
Trivia at Moonies is a summer favorite for IC students. Grab a couple of your friends and spend the night answering fun trivia questions.
31. Relaxing Drinks
There are a lot of great places to relax and get a nice drink, including The Westy and The Dock, both of which have areas for people to sit outside. Bandwagon is also a relaxing place to go after a long day of work.
32. Sunset Park
At the end of the day, everyone wants to see a beautiful sunset, and Sunset Park is the place to go. Located near Cornell's campus, this tiny park/scenic outlook is a really peaceful destination.
