No. 8 of 8 · Ithaca, New York
Ithaca gorge weekend stay: two nights reserved in or near town, above the falls of Fall Creek
from $310 for two people, $155 per person, two nights near Ithaca, campground charges inside, taxes on top
Ithaca is a college town built across several gorges, and Fall Creek is the one that runs right through it, ending in a broad waterfall a short walk from downtown. Fall Creek is the shallowest gorge on our list, and an Ithaca gorge weekend stay is the most convenient one: two nights, restaurants within a few minutes, and more waterfalls in the surrounding hills than you can see in one weekend.
- Where
- Ithaca, Tompkins County
- Nights
- two
- Season priced
- Apr to Jun, Sep to Nov
- Depth, rim to stream
- about 170 feet
- Stream level
- about 660 feet above sea level
- Drive from the office
- about 2 hours 15 minutes, 97 miles
- Ways to sleep
- tent, cabin, inn
The shallowest cut, in the middle of town
Dark: the Fall Creek gorge, read along a 500-meter line. Pale: the other seven, same scale. Source for Ithaca: USGS 3DEP, 10-meter.
Our section crosses Fall Creek above the falls, under the campus bridges, where the gorge is about 170 feet deep. Gorge trails close in winter and in places stay closed after storms; we check the current state before we quote.
Rooms in town, tents in the hills
The inns are in town, several within walking distance of the gorge. The glamping resorts and campground resorts are in the hills around the city, ten to twenty minutes out. The drive from the office is about 2 hours 15 minutes.
| Way to sleep | How the figure is made | From |
|---|---|---|
| Platform tent | two nights at $165 a night, $35 campground charge inside | from $370 for two $185 per person |
| Campground cabin | two nights at $138 a night, $25 campground charge inside | from $310 for two $155 per person |
| Inn room | two nights at $215 a night, no added charge | from $430 for two $215 per person |
Totals are rounded up to the next ten dollars.
Inside the Ithaca figure for two
- Two nights for two near Ithaca, at the campground or inn you choose
- Linen, cleaning, first firewood: the Ithaca campground charge, if any
- A written quote for the Fall Creek gorge
Outside the Ithaca figure
- New York sales tax and the county occupancy tax, which the Ithaca campground or inn adds
- The drive of about 97 miles each way, fuel and parking
- Meals in Ithaca, unless breakfast comes with the inn
- Entry to the Fall Creek gorge, wherever a gate charges it
Spring and fall
April through June brings the fullest waterfalls; September through November brings color and a lively town. Graduation and move-in weekends fill every room in Tompkins County, and we check your dates against both.
Settled at confirmation in Ithaca
The campground or inn confirms the room or site, parking in town, and any minimum stay on a university weekend. Dates and availability can move the figure for the Fall Creek gorge; the written confirmation from the campground or inn is what you pay.
One deeper: Dansville area waterfall weekend.
Dates for the Fall Creek gorge
The form takes gorge requests 24/7. Written replies land before 5:30 p.m. Eastern on the next business day; phone answers run +1 (585) 663-2741, Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern Time.