A pair of ice ages molded the landscape around Ithaca. Retreating glaciers left behind gently undulating hills and valleys and a double handful of narrow, deep Finger Lakes. Ithaca lies at the southern tip of Cayuga Lake, the longest and one of the deepest of the lakes that give the area its name.

Cayuga Lake and its tributaries have shaped life here from the time of the Iroquois. On their way to the lake, rivulets and streams have carved dramatic gorges and beautiful water falls. Their testament to nature’s power greets us every day, in local parks and in our own backyards.

There’s plenty of opportunity for every thing you can do on and around a beautiful lake from bicycling to swimming, from hiking to just wandering along the shore.

Located at the southern tip of Cayuga Lake in the middle of the Finger Lakes region of New York, Ithaca was ranked among the top ten “50 Smart Cities” by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. This recognition is only the latest honor for a city that has been racking up accolades in the national media. In the past decade, Ithaca has been designated by USA Today as one of the four best small cities in America, the country’s “most enlightened city” by the Utne Reader, the top “emerging city” by Cities Ranked and Rated, the #1 metro area for college educated workers by Expansion Management, and a superb destination or relocation or retirement.