fun things to do with kids (and dogs) while visiting Ithaca
Whether you’re bringing your fur babies or your human ones, there’s plenty of things happening around town to keep everyone entertained.
playgrounds and outdoor recreation
Ithaca is a very child-friendly community with many fun things to see and do. Inventive playgrounds abound, including a brand new one at Stewart Park which also includes sprinklers and a carousel. The playground at Taughannock Park is also nice, located near the life-guarded swimming area, and a walk up to the falls at Taughannock in the shallow creek bed is a fun way to explore, with little pools of water to pop into. There’s a concession stand at Taughannock Park but it’s also a wonderful place to bring a picnic or grill out using one of the many grills scattered around the park. You could drive further up the lake to the Cayuga Creamery for some of the most inventive rotating ice cream flavors - I love the fluffer nutter with peanut butter and marshmallows, yum!
Buttermilk Falls and Lower Treman Falls both have stunning lifeguarded swimming areas underneath gorgeous waterfalls but both can get quite crowded in the summer. Myers Park in Lansing has a lifeguarded beach and playground, and is a fun place to explore, especially with all the shallow spots to wade and splash around in over, leading across the mouth of Salmon Creek River and over to Salt Point natural area to the north and out to the sand bar. Bring floaties and toys and spend the day there, and go for dinner at Salt Point Brewery, or on the porch at Rogues Harbor, both casual options for dining in Lansing.
The Ithaca Children’s Garden is an amazing local resource - a large playground laden with botanical features to adventure around in. The Cayuga Nature Center is also an excellent local resource, with miles of wooded trails to explore, live animal exhibits and a pollinator garden. And, as I only just discovered myself recently, there is a disc golf course called Dotson Park in Danby, NY.
the Bluebird Meadow at the Lansing Rec Trail.
I love the Lansing Recreation Trail for the wide mowed pastoral paths that lead to a Bluebird Meadow — our beautiful state bird— but be careful during nesting season, they will aggressively try to keep you away from the nesting boxes. Wear a hat and sunglasses, or better yet, stay out of the big open field where their boxes are during late June and July. I especially like the little woodsy trails that feature a children’s storybook which unfolds in scenes along the way. Follow along to read the whole book, then go for ice cream after either at Scoops down the street, or Lakebreeze on East Shore Drive on your way back to Ithaca.
following the storybook trail at the Lansing Rec Trail
Greek Peak Ski Resort also has an Outdoor Adventure Center with ziplines, a ropes course and other fun stuff and their Hope’s Lodge has the Cascades Indoor Waterpark which offers day passes.
A tour boat ride around Cayuga Lake is a fun family-friendly activity, such as the Cayuga Lake Boat Tours on the MV Teal which departs from the Ithaca Farmer’s Market or the Ithaca Boat Tours which will be running a brand new tour boat out of the inlet near the former Corks and More dock beginning later in June.
kid-friendly indoor ideas
PRI - the Paleontological Research Institution or ‘dinosaur museum’ - is an excellent resource, but probably more so for slightly older kids. The Ithaca Sciencenter is a must-see for families traveling with children, and you could take their self-guided tour of the Carl Sagan Planet Walk which includes sculptures of the planets located at various sites throughout Ithaca. Here’s a link to the map:
Visit a toy store: The Cats Pajamas in the Dewitt Mall is an Ithaca institution, so many fun and educative toys, games and trinkets, Mama Goose is a consignment shop specializing in infant, toddler and children’s clothing, toys and gear.
best places to dine with kids
Glenwood Pines is a family favorite, with pinball machines and games for kids to play with.
Ithaca Beer Co. offers a large outdoor seating area with a big lawn for kids to run around in (bring games, toys, frisbees, balls, etc.)
Boatyard Grill has ample seating - large booths and a lawn outside.
Finger Lakes Wienery - a fun place to get hotdogs/sausages/poutine near Watkins Glen.
The Ithaca Ale House - laid back atmosphere, burgers, fries, flatbread pizzas’
Sumo is a fun Japanese restaurant with a Hibachi bar.
Viva Taqueria - a chill local hotspot with affordable ‘Ithaca style’ Mexican food.
where to go for ice cream
• Summer only: Sweet Melissa’s in Ithaca for best local homemade soft serve and other treats
• Purity ice cream has a walk up to-go stand and breakfast and lunch to go if you order ahead (bike there via the Waterfront Trail)
• Dennis’s homemade ice cream. Newfield, NY. Dennis scours the world for quality ingredient to make his gelato-esque homemade ice cream which he serves out of a window at his house.
• Cayuga Creamery on the west shore of Cayuga Lake on rt. 89. Inventive flavors! They also have a new DeWitt Mall location in Ithaca.
Traveling with canine furbabies? Here are some ideas for places to go:
Ithaca Grain & Pet is a fabulous local pet store with an emphasis on healthier and sustainably produced products with a wide selection of toys, food and other items you might need for cats and dogs.
dog-friendly establishments
The Westy’s beer garden, Ithaca
Mahogany Grill’s outdoor space, Ithaca
Patio at Viva Taqueria, Ithaca
Lucky Hare Brewing, Hector
Two Goats Brewing, Hector
Allechant in Ithaca allows dogs on their patio
good places to take dogs for walks
Tompkins County Dog Park, off leash dog park
Connecticut Hill Wildlife Management Area
