Ithaca travel guide

Ithaca Tourism | Ithaca Guide

You're Going to Love Ithaca

With a population of 30,014, Ithaca is a must-see destination in New York State, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Ithaca deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Where to Eat in Ithaca

If you’re looking for affordable options, Coltivare - Ithaca (235 South Cayuga Street) and North Star Dining Room - Cornell University (186 Cradit Farm Dr North Campus, Appel Commons, Third floor) are great picks.

When to visit Ithaca

Ithaca in December
Estimated hotel price
$123
1 night at 3-star hotel
Ithaca in December
Estimated hotel price
$123
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Ithaca in July, when the average temperature is 68 °F, and the highest can go up to 80.6 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 17.6 °F, with an average temperature of 24.8 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in July, when precipitation is around 3.9″. In contrast, January is usually the driest month of the year in Ithaca, with an average rainfall of 2″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Ithaca

Plane

When flying to Ithaca, you’ll arrive at Ithaca Tompkins County (ITH), which is located 6 km from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Ithaca departs from New York and takes around 1h 07m.

Car

Another option to get to Ithaca is to pick up a car rental from New York, which is about 280 km from Ithaca. You’ll find branches of Sixt and Kyte, among others, in New York.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Ithaca using Megabus or OurBus. The most popular bus station is Ithaca 131 E Green St, located 0.2 km from downtown Ithaca. Ithaca Cornell University is also a commonly used station, and is 1.1 km from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Ithaca, you’ll arrive at Ithaca Tompkins County (ITH), which is located 6 km from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Ithaca departs from New York and takes around 1h 07m.

Car

Another option to get to Ithaca is to pick up a car rental from New York, which is about 280 km from Ithaca. You’ll find branches of Sixt and Kyte, among others, in New York.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Ithaca using Megabus or OurBus. The most popular bus station is Ithaca 131 E Green St, located 0.2 km from downtown Ithaca. Ithaca Cornell University is also a commonly used station, and is 1.1 km from the city center.

Airlines serving Ithaca

Lufthansa
Good (4,676 reviews)
KLM
Good (845 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,623 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,256 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,582 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (488 reviews)
Air France
Good (979 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,109 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,432 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,984 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,995 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (228 reviews)
Finnair
Good (856 reviews)
LOT
Good (676 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (932 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,171 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (837 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,758 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (730 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (1,582 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Ithaca

Average rates range from around $223 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $276 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Ithaca

Most booked hotels in Ithaca

The Statler Hotel at Cornell University
4 stars
Excellent (9, 487 reviews)
$286+
Canopy by Hilton Ithaca Downtown
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, 261 reviews)
$199+
Hotel Ithaca
3 stars
Excellent (8, 885 reviews)
$150+
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Ithaca
3 stars
Good (7.8, 602 reviews)
$170+
Cayuga Lake Inn Ithaca Hotel Alt 
2 stars
Excellent (9.2, 5 reviews)
$251+
Best Western University Inn
2 stars
Good (7.4, 636 reviews)
$140+

Renting a car in Ithaca

Renting a car in Ithaca costs $81 per day, on average, or $162 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 4% cheaper than airport locations in Ithaca.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Ithaca (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. Compact (Ford Focus or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Ithaca, while also 48% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Ithaca costs $81 per day, on average, or $162 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 4% cheaper than airport locations in Ithaca.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Ithaca (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. Compact (Ford Focus or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Ithaca, while also 48% cheaper than other types, on average.