Auburn
At this point in the roadtrip, you may feel like you need a rest. To find a place to relax where you won’t find many Cornellians, head back to Ithaca on Route 13S and continue until you reach Route 34 North. Unlike Route 13, which is heavily trafficked, this drive is in a beautiful area, lined with farms, inns and country road stands. Route 34 will take you to Auburn, an interesting small town undergoing renewal, but take Route 20 for 5 miles to Skaneateles.
Skaneateles
At this point in the roadtrip, you may feel like you need a rest. To find a place to relax where you won’t find many Cornellians, head back to Ithaca on Route 13S and continue until you reach Route 34 North. Unlike Route 13, which is heavily trafficked, this drive is in a beautiful area, lined with farms, inns and country road stands. Route 34 will take you to Auburn, an interesting small town undergoing renewal, but take Route 20 for 5 miles to Skaneateles.
Forty miles north of Ithaca lies Skaneateles. Ever since the Clintons began vacationing there, Skaneateles has become a destination and upon visitng it, you will understand why. Located on Skaneateles Lake, the main strip of the town only spans a few blocks, but its quaintness will win you over. In Skaneateles, you can stroll the streets, take a boat ride, or just take a recommended break on the waterfront park. On a day when you have more time to explore, try out a restaurant,
Travel Time: 40 mins
Trumansburg
Taking Route 96 in the other direction from Ithaca will lead you to Trumansburg. Many students have heard of Trumansburg because of its fairgrounds which annually hold the Grassroots Festival. Despite its small size (population of about 6,300) Trumansburg has created a big presence on the music map. The Rongovian Embassy, lovingly known as The Rongo, is a great place to hear local, live music while enjoying mexican food and a diverse drink menu. However, the lure of the Rongo is not simply these standard attractions, but playing along with the history of this pseudo-embassy.
Travel Time: 10 mins, Activity: 1 1/2 hours
Cortland A&W
Continue on Route 13N into Cortland, where you stop at the A&W restaurant. It’s a throwback to another era, but it will suit you if you are a real roadtripper (or a kitsch fanatic). You get your food by pulling up to a pump and calling out your order through an intercom. The waiters and waitresses bring your food out to you (unfortunately no roller-skates). The menu features strictly diner food–their billboard claims that the food is as good as the root beer. You’ll have to test that yourself, but make sure to have a root beer float in a frosty mug.
Travel Time: 20 mins, Activity: 30 mins,
Ringwood Raceways
But the farmer’s market is technically in Ithaca, and if you want to get out of Ithaca quickly, stay on Route 13 North. About 5 miles past where Route 13 and Route 366 intersect, a small sign on the road signals you to Ringwood Raceways. It’s a small, not particularly fancy Go-Karting track-but, who doesn’t want to a tear up the road with a Go-Kart every once in a while? A relatively cheap activity, Go-Karting is like bowling: you will laugh at yourself for doing it, loving it all the while.
<travel Time: 15 mins, Activity: 25 mins,
Farmer’s Market, Ithaca
The farmer’s market is quite possibly the most underrated cultural event Ithaca has, and too few students take advantage of it. Lucky for us, it is open Saturdays and Sundays through the fall. Located at the end of 3rd Street off of Route 13, it would make a perfect first stop for your road trip. There is an abundance of wonderful, fresh produce from farms all over the region. While what they sell ( winter squash, tomatoes, melons, apples, peaches, yogurt, cheese, even chickens) might not sound too extraordinary, the variety and quality of the food is the draw and no supermarket can contest that. There are vendors who sell pottery, clothes, the occasional animal, and best of all sunflowers. You don’t have to spend a dime to enjoy the farmer’s market. I suspect people go to meet up with their friends, sit by the Cayuga Inlet, or listen to some live folk music.
Travel Time: 5 mins, Activity: 30 minutes
Iron Kettle Farm
If going to Skaneateles just to be one of the tourists leaves you feeling like you want to connect better with the area, I suggest visiting a farm. Iron Kettle Farm is located about 15 miles past Ithaca College on Route 96B South. The farm got its name when it was first bought and a previous owner left a huge iron kettle. The farm has continously expanded, but remains family-run. Everyone who works there is friendly and won’t frown upon students who are new to picking their own fruit and vegetables. Be sure to grab a jar of amazing pumpkin butter.
Travel Time: 20 mins, Activity: 25 mins
Archived article by Diana Lind