Out of the hikes I've done around Ithaca, Robert H. Treman State Park has been my favorite. The…read moregorge trail and rim trail loop offers beautiful views of the Enfield Glen gorge and waterfalls, especially with the fall foliage. It's moderate difficulty. There is a swim area by the bottom parking area. Both times I've visited this park it was closed due to being off season in October. $10 per car. You can use the receipt to enter any NY state park on the same day.

It's probably been always one of my favorite hikes in Ithaca. It gives like these Lord of the rings…read morevibes with the deep canyons and the Stone Bridges and the cliffs. It's just kind of epic with the moss. It has like a micro climate to it where it gets a little bit temperate rainforest with ferns and moss and it's just beautiful. I think there's four routes total. It's basically the upper and lower gorge or the upper and lower rim trails. We have the dog we're feeling kind of tired so we did the upper trail which is like under a mile and it takes you straight to the Falls and some epic sites. I honestly haven't done the lower trail but it's on my bucket list. It's 3 miles. I've can't come here as a tourist previously and just wanted to go for the I guess the money shot as its called definitely recommend.

This park is brimming with sights and activities!…read more It looks out on Lake Cayuga. There are lots of benches and swing seats that offer stunning and shaded views of the water. The grass is well-maintained and perfect for laying out a blanket. There are coal fired grills available. There's also a basketball hoop (not a full court) and a jogging/biking path. You can rent kayaks and cross a pedestrian bridge over the creek that runs through it. They also have a bird watching trail. There are public restrooms, which were clean but out of toilet paper and soap when I visited. Great place to enjoy the outdoors solo or with friends and family.

We were vacationing in the Ithaca area recently, and Stewart Park was hands down our toddler's…read morefavorite place during the entire trip. The play area for children is large, and accommodates children of varying ages and abilities. The adults in our group also had some fun on the playground, since there weren't too many other groups when we visited. Along the lake, there are a good number of benches for sitting, including bench swings. The main path of the park is paved, so it makes for easy walking, stroller pushing, little kid biking/scooting, etc. We liked this park so much that we came here twice on our short vacation. I would definitely recommend it for families with young children who need to burn off some energy.

[Tuh-Gan-Ick] Falls state park is one the of most beautiful state park in NY. It has spectacular…read morenatural attractions of waterfalls, and a lake front on the other side of the road The Gorge Trail to the waterfall is very easy to access. I visited in the winter to see the falls frozen over, and the park rangers had done an excellent job keeping the trail well maintained. It takes about 20 minutes to walk from the parking lot to the waterfall, and there's very little elevation change along the way. North Rim trail entrance was close during winter due to ice and snow. But you can skip the dangerous part of the trail by parking at the Taughannock Falls overlook point and start hiking from there. Then you will reach the upper falls. Parking is only $10. lot is small so warmer weather probably will fill up pretty quickly.

I visited here in the winter to see the falls frozen over, and it was such a cool experience! I…read morehadn't seen a frozen waterfall before, so it was really special to experience. I thought it was a fairly easy 1 mile hike out to the falls (though my coworker vehemently disagrees that 1 mile and easy belong in the same sentence - sorry Miss Sheila!), and there were some falcons swooping around. There is a fee to park, but were still spots remaining when we arrived. We should have received discounted parking with a Military ID, but the booth was unmanned that day, so we paid anyway. There is a restroom facility at the parking lot, and it wasn't bad. I actually think it was heated, so that was nice. I'd be interested in seeing the falls and hiking the upper trail when the weather is better!

Beautiful park right off the road with easy access. Parking is $10 and worth it whether you want a…read morerelaxed stroll or a longer hike. Buttermilk Falls is right at the entrance and super easy to get to, with trails branching off from there. There's also swimming available in season when lifeguards are on duty. Overall, a very relaxing spot I loved visiting.

Located just on the southern edge of Ithaca, Buttermilk Falls named as early as 1866, as it was…read morelikened to "a mass of thick, frothy foam" is a wildly popular spot for tourists and local residents, especially during the height of summer where some of us visited this park. Formed by Buttermilk Creek as it flows down the steep valley side toward Cayuga Lake ranging in height from 5 to 35 feet and descending more than 500 feet in a series of cascades and rapids, a natural pool at the base of fall provides swimming with the feel of an old swimming hole that was closed today due to lack of life guards. Like many NY state parks, there are two entrances. We walked from the parking lot at the lower park and hiked up the picturesaque dog friendly Gorge Trail until the cross-over bridge. Then we returned back down the other side of the gorge on the less travelled Rim Trail. Bathrooms were clean with 4 showers. If one carries in food or drinks into the park, one must carry out as there are no trash cans. Parking was $10 and our picnic lunch made for an inexpensive, fabulous day, which we can recommend.

Glad I got the chance to check out this check trail. It's been closed since I moved to Ithaca for…read moresome maintenance and just the winter but it's well worth it. You know it starts in the heart of College town right next to the theater in the law school and immediately spectacular fall with the stone arch Bridge. It's gorgeous the Falls continue Cascade down several bends and turns the trail comes right up to the Falls just pouring right next to you as your Spencer Street. There's another arch bridge and the final cascading Falls at the bottom. It was pretty nice. It was. It's kind of picture box by a nice little cherry blossom or I think maybe an apple rose blossom or something but well worth it on this nice spring day to check out now that it's open if you go to Cornell, definitely check it out. It's well worth it and it drops you off right at commons. So if you're taking the street to the commons from college town, considered this and said it's great.

This awesome trail is right in downtown Ithaca. Parking is a little tricky, but there are free…read morespots and park to pay spots. Definitely read the signage! I read some reviews about this trail before going and everything was accurate and amazing. It's a simple enough trail that is just over 1 mile out and back. Dogs are allowed and there are several steps. It's very peaceful and beautiful. There is a waterfall around every corner!

This waterfall is more of a walk-by spot, as there's no access to the bottom. However, there's a…read morebeach area and spots to launch a canoe or kayak. The trails appear to circle the lake, offering great fishing opportunities, which were quite popular during our visit. Parking can be a challenge, as most spaces are reserved for the nearby college.

There is a short trail around the Beebe lake which will make a circle around the lake and end at…read morethe fall. Interesting place to take a walk

One of the coolest places I've ever been! The outdoor trails are incredible, with beautiful…read morehabitats that attract a wide variety of birds. We saw during our short walk two Osprey and Ruby-crowned Kinglets while exploring. The inside is just as impressive, with one of the best interactive museums I've experienced, full of fascinating specimens and thoughtful learning opportunities in a gorgeous building. The gift shop is well stocked and collaborates with Wild Birds Unlimited. A must see if you're in the area and into conservation or wildlife!

Nice viewing area inside the building, with provided spotting scopes. The girl behind the welcome…read morecenter desk was nice and friendly. We did NOT see much in the way of wildlife or birds, like we had hoped we would. That could be from the time of year I suppose. I'm sure the place is teaming with wildlife in the fall months. The biggest complaint/suggestion I would give to the people that run it is to have a BETTER system for marking the trails. There are maps at trail intersections, but they are VERY confusing. EVERY time we thought we knew where we were going, we NEVER ended up in the right spot (and I'm a seasoned veteran of woodsmanship for over 50 years!). PLEASE COLOR CODE the trails to help people ensure they are on the CORRECT trail. Some areas we saw twice, other areas we missed. Not sure about when we might return.

This park is beautiful! It's tiny, with a small playground and a little pavilion with a grill…read more There is a little swing seat by the falls as well. There is a path down, but it was rushing enough that we didn't try to go down. But still, it was beautiful!

Small public park with a steep off beat path down to a waterfall overhang, small veranda and a lot…read moreof teens swimming in the watering hole here. The area is a little slippery with the rocks and you have to be careful to not turn an ankle. Not handicapped accessible to the falls aside from the view at the rim. Deep overhang helps keep it cool but also have to watch falling rock eventually.

Overlook is half way point of North Rim Trail. Since half of the trail was close during winter…read more People just drove and park here (free parking). There is a visitor center and bathroom but it wasn't open when I was there. View is not bad. It is a 2-minute stop. Take some picture and then go back to the car. Gorge trail has better view because you can get close and feel the energy of the waterfall.

The high point (literally) of the trail. It's definitely worth the hike!…read moreThe overlook gives an excellent view of the whole park! It's one of those once in a lifetime places that you have to visit yourself to truly appreciate.

Formerly known as the Cornell Plantations and consisting of 25 acres, Cornell Botanic Gardens is…read moreone of the most popular attractions around Ithaca and has something for everyone, which is why my partner, his family, and I came for a visit on this beautiful Saturday. Located in the center of the Cornell University campus, but also including the adjoining F.R. Newman Arboretum and over 3,500 acres of natural areas, there were hiking trails, nature walks, gardens, ponds, woodlands, meadows, glens, waterfalls, fens, bogs, and, of course, "gorges." The well-kept gardens were easy to access, easy to walk around, and were extremely quiet. It's very kid- and pet-friendly. The historic core revolves around the herb and perennial garden. Admission is FREE, but one does need to pay a parking fee to enter the park on weekdays. It runs you $1.50 per hour, so it's exceptionally reasonable, but it's free on weekends. We enjoyed our drive through the campus to get to the botanic garden, which we can recommend.

A great place to enjoy your weekend, peaceful and great variety of plants and flowers.read more