By Isabel Prontes
Ithaca is a city located in upstate
New York in the Finger Lakes region. The city is popular with tourists because of its abundant natural scenery and beauty, including waterfalls, panoramic viewpoints and gorges. However, the city also has a lot of museums, theaters and galleries as well. There is no shortage of exciting tourist attractions to see while visiting Ithaca, New York.
Cascadilla Creek Gorge
The Cascadilla Creek Gorge is one of the many gorges (from the ice age) that Ithaca is famous for having. Located by Cornell University's southern portion, this gorge has six exquisite waterfalls and includes a vibrant walk (1.3 miles). This is a wonderful haven located in Ithaca's downtown district. The gorge's trail is on the steep side, which can make it a pretty rigorous walk. It is popular both due to its extreme natural beauty, and also because it is an easy path between the city's downtown area and Cornell University.
Ithaca Falls
Ithaca Falls (part of Fall Creek) is a one-hundred-and-fifty foot waterfall that is one of the most majestic in the area. It is a Cayuga Lake tributary that can be easily viewed from the Lake St. bridge. It is notable for being one of the most powerful waterfalls around. Ithaca Falls is an essential stop for anybody who is checking out the Finger Lakes waterfalls. This is a beautiful site for lush, natural scenery. It is also very easily accessible.
Museum of the Earth
The Museum of the Earth at the Paleontological Research Institution is an extensive natural history museum that focuses on the Northeastern area of the United States and its paleontology and geology. This museum is noteworthy for having one of the country's largest and most detailed fossil collections. Be sure to check out the fascinating Hyde Park Mastodon skeletons that are on display here. This museum is open every day, all year long.
State of the Art Gallery
The State of the Art Gallery is a cooperate fine art space that displays artwork from local, Finger Lakes area artists. The gallery concentrates on new artworks that represent different points of view. It seeks to promote the community's creative spirit as well as its economic livelihood. There are a lot of revolving exhibitions at the State of the Art Gallery. This is one of the most unusual and fascinating art galleries in Ithaca.
Ithaca Clock Museum
The Ithaca Clock Museum is a fun and interesting museum that showcases American clocks in history. If you want to learn about the Ithaca area's clock making traditions, this is a terrific place to visit. There are also various slide shows and discussions put on by horology (the "measuring time" science) experts. The ambiance of the museum is very elegant, tranquil and serene. There are over one-hundred different clocks displayed at the Ithaca Clock Museum.
About the Author:
Isabel Prontes is a freelance writer and traveler residing in Manhattan, NY. She has traveled to five continents and counting. Her work has appeared on a number of websites, such as Travels, eHow.com and "Happy Living Magazine." Prontes has a professional background in public relations; she received a bachelor's degree in communication studies from Pace University.
