Discover Why Ithaca Is America’s Best Town To Visit Right Now

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Yes, nan Best Small Town successful America successful 2025 is, Guys, nan municipality you couldn’t bring yourself to support successful 2020 has been named America’s astir charming burg by CNN Travel! Beating retired hundreds of different entrants crossed America, Ithaca’s operation of earthy beauty, taste activities, and bully eats, group successful a genuinely unsocial earthy location, makes it nan only spot to spell for a recreation escapade to remember. Located successful nan Finger Lakes region, Ithaca is renowned for its earthy beauty, which is afloat of waterfalls and gorges, that has made it a mecca for outdoorsmen.

The town’s tagline, “Ithaca is gorges,” is simply a testament to nan earthy beauty this municipality has to offer, which is highlighted by specified earthy wonders arsenic nan breathtaking Buttermilk Falls and Robert H. Treman State Park. The pursuing landmarks and nan town’s stunning way make it celebrated among thrill seekers. But Ithaca’s entreaty goes good beyond postcard-perfect relaxing – it’s a location for a robust arts and civilization scene, a robust nutrient front, and a vibrantly divers organization that keeps nan municipality humming year-round.

Natural Beauty and Outdoor Adventures

The earthy situation is nan bosom of Ithaca’s attraction. In nan bosom of nan Finger Lakes, nan municipality is simply a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. With its gorges, waterfalls, and authorities parks, it’s a haven for hikers, photographers, and quality lovers. Buttermilk Falls State Park, pinch its tumbling cataracts, provides a quiet retreat, while astatine Robert H. Treman State Park, visitors will find rugged hiking trails that meander done scenic gorges.

CNN Travel besides noted nan town’s proximity to immoderate of nan astir stunning lakes successful New York. With Cayuga Lake and neighboring Tompkins County offering a scope of outdoor h2o experiences — boating and fishing, to sanction a fewer — Ithaca lures quality enthusiasts of each stripes. With these landscapes, nan hills and forests that envelop them, this municipality is beautiful and 1 of nan places you should not miss if you are visiting nan neighborhood.

A Vibrant Cultural Scene

Sure, Ithaca’s earthy surroundings are a awesome draw, but nan town’s taste and arts segment make it a can’t-miss recreation destination. Cultural diverseness abounds successful Ithaca, populated pinch Cornell University and Ithaca College students, which contributes an world and taste vibrancy to nan community. A pulsating section arts segment encompasses nan likes of nan venerable State Theatre, nan Hangar Theatre, and Cinemapolis, each packed pinch unrecorded theatre and arthouse flicks.

Those willing successful deeper taste experiences tin sojourn nan Dalai Lama Library and Learning Center, a one-of-a-kind abstraction that hosts nationalist meditation classes and different gatherings designed to bring group together for contemplation and mindfulness. Classic standbys – for illustration nan Ithaca Farmers Market, wherever section nutrient melds together pinch handcrafted equipment – connection visitors a sensation of nan region’s civilization and consciousness of camaraderie. Plus, South Hill Cider is celebrated for its tastings and unrecorded music, making for a awesome spot to relax and immerse yourself afloat successful section culture.

The Influence of Higher Education

One of what makes Ithaca unsocial is its being a assemblage town. One of nan hidden gems of Ithaca is nan beingness and effect of Cornell University and Ithaca College connected our municipality successful position of diversity, creativity, and energy. Amid this, location are curios, arty venues and net cafes, arsenic good arsenic 2 awesome institutions that connection an array of activities, including open-air concerts and assemblage sports, ensuring a rich | taste offering each year.

The town’s already rich | taste life is complemented by field assets, including nan Cornell Cinema, nan Cornell Botanic Gardens, and nan Johnson Museum of Art. The power of nan colleges connected Ithaca is inescapable, a youthful power and son-of-Cornell world patina that animates nan town’s taste scene.

Culinary Hub That Has Some Great Food

CNN Travel’s shout-out to Ithaca eateries adds to nan town’s burgeoning nickname arsenic a mecca for foodies. Plant-based Dining options are popular, and galore are supporting section farms by serving their caller produce. The town’s clasp of sustainable, locally originated products has turned it into a basking spot for vegetarian and vegan eating options.

Moosewood Restaurant is 1 of Ithaca’s culinary treasures and is America’s longest-running vegetarian restaurant. With its good-for-you cuisine, Moosewood is nan benignant of spot that gets a cult following. Angelhearts, a celebrated section bakery, is known for vegan donuts; Asempe Kitchen, Tacos CDMX, Franco’s Pizzeria, and New Delhi Diamond’s connection a blend of world cuisines that bespeak nan town’s rich | culinary tapestry.

If you’re a instrumentality of trade drinks, Ithaca has a booming cider and brew culture. The municipality is radiated pinch a twelve aliases truthful section cider makers for illustration The Watershed, The Downstairs, Liquid State Brewing Company, and Personal Best Brewing, serving up cool drinks successful an unpretentious, friends setting.

A Welcoming Community

Ithaca’s beardown consciousness of organization is 1 logic it’s picked arsenic 1 of nan champion towns to visit. The municipality is location to immoderate 30 000 souls, and nan municipality gives you a very lukewarm Godchild type of feeling. Its operation of small-town convenience and big-city options makes it a awesome spot to stay, whether you are conscionable visiting for a short clip aliases readying an extended visit.

CNN’s ranking is put together considering specified aspects arsenic dining, attractions, scenery, and wide uniqueness. With outdoor adventure, culture, and section life each rolled into one, Ithaca earns apical destination position for travelers successful hunt of vibrant authenticity.

Why Ithaca Stands Out

Ithaca’s inclusion successful a akin database of nan apical towns to sojourn successful 2025 besides speaks to Ithaca’s continued expertise to pull divers visitors. Whether it’s nan postcard-worthy scenery, nan college-town vibe, aliases nan astonishing nutrient scene, there’s thing for everyone successful Ithaca. But only clip will show arsenic much and much visitors commencement to research this hidden gem of nan Finger Lakes, Ithaca, New York, is simply a trendy spot to sojourn successful New York State!