I suppose my holiday in Ithaca this past summer started unlike a vast majority of other adventures: on the side of a highway, singing karaoke into a portable Bluetooth microphone for passing (albeit, confused) drivers. My family vacations every summer tend to be a bit on the bizarre side, but that officially takes the cake. My Uncle’s tire had popped, so we all sat on the side of I-86, entertaining ourselves in the best way. While I’m referring to this as an ~Ithaca~ trip, I want to note that we spent time in the surrounding area, too. That includes Corning, Horseheads, and Watkin’s Glen.
In spite of the unusual start, the rest of the vacation was relatively on the normal side. We arrived Friday evening and started settling into this gorgeous AirBNB. It hosted stunning interior design, a hot tub, and the largest bean bag chair I’ve ever laid eyes on. For dinner, we went to Giuseppe’s pizzeria, then returned to the Airbnb for rest in prep for our long weekend.
Bright and early Saturday morning (11AM), we went to our first stop of the trip: The Corning Museum of Glass. The late start was partially due to how my family functions, but also because my Uncle had to get a new tire for his car. He was still driving on the donut up till that point.
The Corning Museum of Glass
Let me tell you a bit about the Corning Museum of Glass. We spent FIVE HOURS in there, and I would’ve been thrilled to spend another 5. From the exhibits, to live fire-blowing demonstrations, to making your own (!!) glass, the Museum of Glass quickly became my favorite museum. We passed on the opportunity to make our own glass, but I fully intend on returning at some point to give it a go. Seeing the museum online was nothing like visiting in person. I highly doubted that there would be THAT much to show for glass, but boy oh boy was I wrong. We didn’t even get to see everything. The museum also has a ginormous gift shop with everything: ornaments, Corelle plates, glasswork, and a crystal Monopoly gameboard selling for $1000. It’s honestly a lot to take in.
My favorite exhibit was an installation depicting major city populations over the course of history. Empires rise and fall, how the black plague affected Europe, the baby boom, and the migration of humanity overall. Super fascinating exhibit.
Watkins Glen
The most anticipated day of the trip for me was the day we got to visit/hike Watkin’s Glen. A few people I knew in college had visited a few years prior, and after seeing the incredible photos of the Glen on their Instagram, I immediately added it to my bucket list. Words don’t do it justice, and photos only do a marginally better job. It’s about 3 miles, round trip, and be prepared to climb because there are a lot of stairs. Word of advice: time what time you visit the Glen. We went on Sunday, and to say it was popping would be an understatement. Most of the time we were there was spent standing in line, single-file, waiting to walk up. And, as per my family, we didn’t get there till about mid-day. I’d recommend getting there early/on a weekday to avoid people/be able to enjoy the natural beauty with fewer interruptions.
The Glen completely blew me away with its beauty, however, I do want to make a quick note about it. There is danger in all aspects of nature, and The Glen is no different. Watkins Glen is a falling rock zone, and it’d do everyone well to take it seriously. At one point, a rock landed mere inches from where I was walking. Had I been a step further, it very well would’ve landed on my head. While I don’t think it would’ve knocked me out, I do think I would’ve gotten a nasty wound from it. So overall, just be careful when out in nature.
Ithaca Falls: 150ft of Beauty
After our hike up and down the Glen, we drove to Ithaca to check out Ithaca Falls. The Falls is a stunning 150-foot waterfall, a mere 5-minute drive from downtown Ithaca. In addition, it’s shockingly accessible–visible from the road and requires only a three-minute hike to arrive at the base.
Swimming in Waterfalls? Yes, Please.
Day 4 of the trip was much more laid back. First, we drove to Lower Enfield Falls for the opportunity to swim in a waterfall basin!! We originally wanted to go to Buttermilk Falls for our waterfall swim but unfortunately, they were doing some kind of work so the whole waterfall was literally…. a trickle. At best. So to Enfield Falls we went! I am… not a fan of cold water. In spite of that, I braved the icy waters for a good ten to fifteen minutes. I then promptly decided my time was better spent on dry ground. Good move on my end. Will I swim in a waterfall basin again? Most definitely. Will I try to last a bit longer than fifteen minutes? I’ll think about it. Nevertheless, extremely grateful for the opportunity.
From Enfield Falls, we drove to the other side of Robert H. Treman Park to check out Lucifer Falls. We could have hiked the 2.5-mile trail to get there but most of my family was not up for the rigorous hiking that would require. So instead, we drove 10 minutes and hiked down to Lucifer Falls, which was MUCH easier. While Watkins Glen was what I was most looking forwards to, Lucifer Falls had a greater impact on me. I felt as though Lucifer Falls was a more beautiful place. Both were absolutely stunning places, but Lucifer struck me in a different way. I’m not sure what made it stand out: the jaw-dropping height of Lucifer, the flowers, or the absence of tourists. Perhaps all of the above. I wish we’d gone earlier and spent more time there.
Downtown Ithaca on a National Holiday
To finish the day, we took some time to experience downtown Ithaca. We should’ve planned that better because it was the 4th of July meaning almost every place was closed. Lesson learned there. The place we went to for dinner was SO busy because everywhere else was closed. It ended up taking us over 1.5 hours to get our food. From someone who’s been in the service industry, it’s not their fault, but regardless a bit of a painful endeavor overall. One of those, “upset at the situation, not at you” kind of moments.
Our savior came at the end of the night: street performers. There was a group of about 10 of them playing some Irish step-dance-y songs. Their spokesperson was directing a group of a few people on how to step dance. Before I could whip my camera out, the song finished. One whirlwind of a moment later, I found myself dancing with my family, grinning from ear to ear and laughing at the sheer absurdity of it all. In spite of the spokesperson’s best efforts in teaching my family the steps, we still looked as though we had two left feet. Not only was that the most spontaneous moment of the trip, but also the most unforgettable. Breathless and full of adrenaline, we thanked (and tipped!!) the performers after our jig was up. On the drive home, there was a lot of laughter over our failed dance moves.
Finishing off on a High Note
We closed the night off with some sparklers and a powerful speech from my cousin Julia, criticizing our country for taking away the rights of women through the overturning of Roe v. Wade. It was a very apt speech for a 4th of July celebration. That’s a topic for another day though.
Day 5 marked our day to check out and drive home. My sister shoveled 4 boxes of leftovers into her mouth, somehow. We played some yard frisbee and then left to embark on our several-hour drive back home. It was a vacation well spent, and I’m left with a yearning to go back and spend more time exploring Ithaca and her many waterfalls.
Until next time,
Mac
