Facing off from opposing hills above downtown, Ithaca College and Cornell University are geographic high points (pop. 30,000), but they serve as cultural underpinnings as well. From on high, the endless adventure possibilities are also apparent: canoeing and kayaking in Cayuga Lake (or cycling around it), running on the 558-mile Finger Lakes Trail, or hiking to one of the 150 waterfalls within a ten-mile radius. The liberal leanings are better described as far-left pacifism, but where else can you find the manpower to create the world’s largest human peace sign (5,000 Ithacans, circa 2008)?
Watkins Glenn gorge near Ithaca
Photo: Nivek Neslo