Why Ithaca, NY?

From its natural beauty to its vibrant cross-cultural neighborhood life, Ithaca is one of the nation's best places to live. See what it has to offer by reviewing this collection of accolades Ithaca has received over the years.

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Top Things to do in Ithaca

Trust the Kate Seaman Team, Ithaca's Leading Real Estate Agents, to give you the details of the area!

Places to visit: Johnson Museum of Art - https://museum.cornell.edu/

Museum of the Earth - https://www.museumoftheearth.org/ 

Tompkins Center for History & Culture - https://www.tompkins-center.net/visit/ 

Sagan Planet Walk - https://saganplanetwalk.com/ 

Sciencecenter - https://www.sciencenter.org/ 

Cornell Museum of Vertebrates - https://www.cumv.cornell.edu/

Ithaca Farmers Market - https://ithacamarket.com/ 

Red Feet Wine Market - https://www.redfeetwine.com/

Ithaca Beer Co - https://ithacabeer.com/

Six Mile Creek Winery & Distillery - https://sixmilecreek.com/ 

South Hill Cider - https://www.southhillcider.com/ 

Finger Lakes Cider House - https://www.fingerlakesciderhouse.com/ 

 

Fun Ithaca Trivia

Cayuga Lake Fun Facts

Can you guess: 

Length, Max Depth, Widest Point, and Volume of Cayuga Lake?

Were you right?

Length: 40 Miles

Max Depth: 435ft

Widest Point: 3.5 miles

Volume: 2.5 Trillion Gallons 

Lights, Camera, Action!

What do making movies and Ithaca have to do with each other?

History is Fun!

Ithaca was a film capital from 1913-1920 with numerous silent films produced at Wharton Studios in Stewart Park.

AND

Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum was a likely visitor to Ithaca while his future wife attended Cornell University. At the time, yellow bricks paved local roads. 

Waterfall Fun

How many waterfalls are in Ithaca, NY?

MORE THAN 100!

Ithaca is famous for its many waterfalls, more than 100 within 10 miles of downtown. If you put them all together it's a waterfall that is 7,342 feet tall, that's 1.39 miles of falling water.

Leader in Vegetarian Cuisine?

Heard of the Moosewood Restuarant?

Google it!

The Moosewood Restaurant, famous for its award-winning vegetarian cookbooks, has been an Ithaca landmark since 1973.

Erie Canal System

Is Cayuga Lake a part of the Erie Canal System?

Yes!

Between 1905 and 1918, the Seneca River Canal was created to connect the northern tips of the Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. This canal connects to the Erie Canal system, creating a navigable water route from New York City and the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes.

Cayuga Lake Water

Can you think of a few things that the lake water is used for?

Multi-purpose!

The water from Cayuga Lake is used for both drinking and natural cooling. Many of Cornell's industries pump in the cold lake water and use it to cool machinery.

Lake Travel

Where can I go from Cayuga Lake?

Go out to sea and explore!

An intrepid boater can cast off from Ithaca and cruise the storied Erie Canal system all the way to NYC and the Atlantic Ocean. Westbound the canal leads boaters into the Great Lakes, the Mississippi, and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico.

Water Dispersement

How many residents does Cayuga Lake provide water with?

A fair few!

Bolton Point uses Cayuga Lake Water to supply municipal water to over 30,000 residents.

Ithaca Accolades

The 10 Best College Towns in America

Ithaca, NY gained the #1 spot for “The 10 Best College Towns in America” by The Discover Blog. October 2023

The Most Beautiful Place in Each State

The Finger Lakes Region was voted “The Most Beautiful Place In Each US State” by Travel + Leisure. May 2022

The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2022

The Finger Lakes Region voted “The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2022” by Travel + Leisure. Dec 2021

Best Places to Travel

Ithaca named one of the “Best Places to Travel…” by Forbes. May 2021

America’s Best College Towns

Ithaca named in “America’s Best College Towns” by Hemisphere’s Mag. August 2022

The Coolest Small Cities in the US

Ithaca named in “The Coolest Small Cities in the US” by Thrillist. June 2022

10 Most Liveable College Towns in America

Ithaca named in “10 Most Liveable College Towns in America” by Strategistico. July 2022

Top 10 American Cities for Family-Friendly Travel

Ithaca named one of the "Top 10 American Cities for Family-Friendly Travel" by Forbes.com. June 2019

10 Great North American Cities You Probably Haven’t Seen (but Should)

Ithaca named in “10 Great North American Cities You Probably Haven’t Seen (but Should)” by Forbes. February 2020

The Prettiest Town in Every State

Ithaca named the prettiest town in NY on Architectural Digest’s list of “The Prettiest Town in Every US State”. July 2018

Top 50 Most Underrated Cities to Visit in the US

Ithaca named to a list of the “Top 50 Most Underrated Cities to Visit in the US” by Thrillist Travel. February 2018