Excursions

For the afternoon break on Tuesday, we have organized four quite different excursions to some of our most interesting local sites. As all trips require charter buses and some require payment of entrance fees, there will be an extra charge to participate in these excursions. Accompanying family and friends are welcome on all excursions. It will help us plan if you will select and pay for one of the excursions along with your registration. Note that we only have about 5 hours free before everyone needs to be back at Cornell for the barbecue evening, so we are restricted in how far we can go. Luckily, there are many interesting sights close to Ithaca that should provide everyone with a tour that they will find of interest. We summarize the four excursions being offered below.

Given the density of other meetings before and after our congress, we have not organized pre- or post-congress excursions. However, there are many interesting venues around Ithaca that you may wish to visit before or after the congress, or that accompanying families may wish to visit during the congress. We provide an initial list of options below, following the descriptions of the four excursion offerings.

Please note that the soccer tournament takes place concurrently with these excursions, so if you wish to participate in the tournament, do not sign up for an excursion.

Excursion 1: Winery Tour

The Finger Lakes region boasts ideal conditions for lush vineyards producing outstanding (and award winning) white wines (see ‘Uncork New York’). There are 77 wineries along the steep slopes of Cayuga Lake (which stretches north of Ithaca) and Seneca Lake (which is the next Finger Lake west of Ithaca and stretches north from the famous auto racing town of Watkins Glen). We are currently planning two options: one tour will visit popular wineries along the west side of Cayuga Lake, and an alternative tour will visit popular wineries along the east side of Seneca Lake. Both tours will include a longer stop at one winery with a bistro or adjacent restaurant, and a stop at a scenic site where you can stretch your legs and walk off a bit of the wine. Cost: approximately $25 per person.

Excursion 2: Museum of the Earth and Guided Strata Tour

The five Finger Lakes were carved through glacial action during the last ice age. Cayuga and Seneca Lakes are particularly deep and located at low points in the topography. Streams and rivers running into these lakes have accordingly cut deep gorges that often have striking waterfalls. Because of the exposed strata and the diverse geological history of the region, the Finger Lakes are noted for a rich fossil record, and this region is one of the world’s best sites for shallow sea Devonian fossils (trilobites, crinoids, brachiopods, and fish). This excursion will combine a visit to the Museum of the Earth at the Paleontological Research Institute along with a 60-90 minute hike to Taughannock Falls. Members of this excursion are free to join guided tours of both the museum and the hike to Taughannock Falls lead by Museum of the Earth paleontologists who will discuss the stratigraphy and fossil beds exposed along the hike. The attractive new museum is dedicated to the fossil history of earth, and will be appealing for everyone from evolutionary biologists to children. Taughannock is the second tallest waterfall in the eastern US. The trail, which meanders along a lovely wide stream below the falls, is level and an easy hike. Ice cream will be provided as part of this tour. Cost: approximately $25 per person.

Excursion 3: Robert Treman State Park Self-guided Tour

We have planned this excursion for those who simply want to get outdoors for an afternoon, take a walk in the woods, see some birds, unleash the children, and go for a swim. This wooded 1000 acre (433 ha) state park straddles one of the area’s active streams where it has cut through over 400 feet of Devonian shale and sandstone. Participants will be driven to the upper end of the park where they can then meander down 2.5 miles of trails through the woods and along the stream (about 1.5 hours at a leisurely walk, many steps in places). During this walk, they will pass 12 waterfalls, one of which has a drop of 115 feet. At the bottom of the walk is a large swimming hole beneath a gentle waterfall overseen by a lifeguard and adjacent picnic grounds. We hope to provide ice cream in this site towards the end of the excursion. Participants who just want to relax and skip the hike can be dropped at the swimming hole after the others disembark at the top. Cost: approximately $15 per person.

Excursion 4: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology Tour

Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology is a world famous center devoted to research, conservation, and education with a primary focus on birds. Started in the early parts of the 20th century by Dr. Arthur Allen, it has grown into an institution with over 230 staff and a $15M annual budget. It is located about 10 minutes from campus in Sapsucker Woods, a local wetlands sanctuary. The Lab oversees a wide variety of “citizen science” programs, the free bird reporting website (eBird), various education and conservation activities, bird population studies, design of tools for bioacoustic research, and the world’s largest archive of animal sounds, the Macaulay Library. This excursion will include a guided tour of the Lab’s new building, including demonstrations by staff, optional guided bird walks through the surrounded trails, and free time to explore exhibits in the visitor center and buy gifts in the bird shop. Cost: approximately $10 per person.

Other Sites of Interest

Your conference packet will contain maps and brochures for various local activities, and a list of local restaurants and bars. Local bus service is quite good and we shall try to arrange the opportunity for participants and their families to purchase daily or week-long bus passes if they wish. Summer is a very active cultural season in Ithaca: there are many free concerts at venues such as the Cornell campus and Taughannock State Park, and Ithaca has several very popular play houses.

Some local sites accessible by walking or bus:

• Cornell Plantations: Lovely and varied gardens within easy walking distance of the residence halls and the campus. Open all hours and free. Gift shop.
• Johnson Art Museum: An outstanding collection of largely contemporary art on the Cornell campus. Easy walking distance from residences. See map provided in conference bag. Open Tues-Sunday 10 AM-5 PM. Free.
• Ithaca Commons: The center of the city consists of several blocks of pedestrian shopping. Many interesting stores reflecting the artistic and international college town character of Ithaca.
• Ithaca Sciencenter: An exceptionally fun place for kids of all ages. Hours 10-5 most days. Entrance charge $4-6 per person.
• Cayuga Lake Kayaking: Cayuga Lake is exceptionally fine for kayaking. Rentals run $20-40 for single kayak depending on duration of rental. Double kayaks also available. Easily accessible from downtown Ithaca on the inlet.
• Cayuga Lake Boat Tour: See Cayuga Lake while dining or having cocktails on a tour boat. Costs are $10-40/person depending whether cocktail hour or meal is provided. Tours last 2-3 hours and start from downtown dock.
• Cayuga Lake Swimming: Probably the best place for swimming in the Lake is at the lower section of Taughannock Falls State Park where there are picnic tables, beach, and related facilities. Other swimming sites include the swimming hole at Robert Treman State Park where life guards are on duty, and Myer’s Point on Lake Cayuga.
• Local Playhouses: Local playhouses include the Hangar Theater and the Kitchen Theater. The State Theater just off the Ithaca Commons also has live music and plays. Some plays and music may be available on the Cornell campus during the conference. The best place to check is online at Cornell events.
• Ithaca Farmer’s Market: We think that the Ithaca Farmer’s Market is one of the nicest Farmer’s markets in the entire country, with a combination of crafts, organic produce and products, scrumptious meals, and live music. Guided boat trips on Cayuga Lake take off from the market. Home of the annual Rutabaga Curling Championships. Open 9 to 3pm Sat-Sun.
• Museum of the Earth: An outstanding museum of paleontology with special exhibits and programs for children as well as adult exhibits. Admission: $3-8. Open most days 10 AM – 5 PM.
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Famous center of research, conservation, education, and citizen science in Sapsucker Woods about 10 minutes from campus (near airport). Free visitors center with exhibits and films, trails for bird watching, and a bird lover’s shop. Open 8 AM- 5 PM on weekdays, 9:30-4 on Saturday, and 11-4 on Sunday.
• Cayuga Nature Center: Nature center with emphasis on children and education. Includes access to live animals, farming, nature trails, and exhibits. Open every day 9 AM – 5 PM. Admission $1-3.
• Other: Other information about Ithaca can be found on the VisitIthaca web site

Some Day-trips by Car from Ithaca (in order of increasing distance):

• Watkins Glen State Park: This is a spectacular example of Finger Lakes geology and hydrology. It contains many waterfalls and sharply eroded gorges, surrounded by rich eastern forest. Unfortunately, the first days of our Congress coincide with the nearby Watkins Glen NASCAR auto racing weekend. This means that local sights are likely to be crowded with overflow from the auto races. However, it will be worthwhile visiting this park after our congress. Barring traffic, it takes about 45 minutes to drive to this Park from Ithaca.
• National Women's History Museum: This small museum is located in Seneca Falls at the site of the first American women's rights convention held in 1848. Led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, this historic convention initiated the 72-year fight for the right to vote. You can also see the functioning locks of the Erie Canal. The drive from Ithaca takes about one hour.
• Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge: At the top of Cayuga Lake is a large wetlands famous for its waterbirds and successful program to reestablish Bald Eagles (the US National Bird) to this region. The refuge includes outlooks, hikes, and slow drives through the wetlands. As the Refuge is especially used by migratory species in Fall and Spring, August is not the optimal time for viewing massive flocks but it is always a lovely area for ducks, geese, and bald eagles. The drive to the Refuge takes about 70 minutes from Ithaca.
• Corning Museum of Glass: This museum, overseen by the famous Corning Incorporated glass and ceramic company, has an excellent collection of glass art, utensils, and practical objects, demonstrations of glass making, and exhibits on the science and history of glass products. A very nicely laid out museum that will take about 3-4 hours to see. Admission: adults $11.25-12.50; youth under 17 free. Summer hours 9 AM – 8 PM. From Ithaca, drive to Museum takes about 70 minutes each way.
• Rockwell Museum of Western Art: This museum of native American and western art is only a short distance in Corning from the Corning Museum of Glass. Though small, it has an interesting collection of 19th century paintings of native Americans and western life, native American artifacts and art, and periodic traveling exhibits. Note that one can get a reduction in ticket prices if visiting both museums. Admission: adults $6.50 and youth 17 years or younger free. Hours in summer: 9 AM- 8 PM. Same travel time from Ithaca as Corning Museum of Glass.
• Finger Lakes Wine Trails: The Finger Lakes area of New York has proved to be exceptionally suited to the making of fine wines, particularly white varietals such as Riesling, Chardonnay, and Gewurtztraminer. In fact, this region has gleaned an extraordinary number of awards for its wines in recent years. Some local farms also produce hard cider and a variety of fruit wines. Each of the major lakes is surrounded by wineries that encourage visitors. These are usually broken down into a “Cayuga Lake Wine Trail”, a “Seneca Lake Wine Trail”, etc. Lists of wineries on each trail can be found at Uncork New York. However, there are often enough roads between lakes that one can plan a day trip that samples a series of wineries on different lakes. Enough wineries provide tasty bistros and restaurants that you do not even have to find a non-winery for meals along the way. It takes just over an hour to drive along one side of either Cayuga Lake or Seneca Lake without stopping. Stopping to taste wines, grab lunch or dinner along the way, and buy wines you like can significantly slow the process. For lakes other than Cayuga, you should be sure to include the time it takes to get there (e.g., it takes about 45 minutes to drive from Ithaca to Watkins Glen).
• Glen Curtiss Museum: This is a small excellent museum of older aircraft and vintage motorcycles as well as a tribute to aviation pioneer Glen Curtiss and his many accomplishments. Open 9AM-5PM Monday-Saturday, and 10 AM-5 PM on Sunday. Admission: $4-7. The museum is located in Hammondsport, NY which is near a number of excellent wineries on the Keuka Lake Winetrail. Travel time from Ithaca about 74 minutes each way.
• Strong National Museum of Play: This is the world’s largest collection of toys, dolls, games, and play items. A very popular museum for families with children. Open 10 AM-5 PM. Admission: $5-7. This museum is located in Rochester, NY. The drive from Ithaca takes just over 2 hours each way.
• National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum: Although probably not of great interest to our European participants, many US residents may be interested in this outstanding museum of a truly American sport. Open 9AM-9PM daily in the summer. Admission: $5-14.50. The museum is located in Cooperstown, NY, a drive of about 2.5 hours each way from Ithaca.
• Seneca-Iroquois National Museum: For Europeans with a fascination for native American culture, this is the closest real Indian museum. Includes history, art, and partially reconstructed longhouse and log cabin. Special events throughout the year. Open Monday through Saturday 9 AM - 5 PM, and Sunday 12 noon - 5 PM. Admission $3-5. The museum is a 2 hr 45 min drive due west of Ithaca in Salamanca, New York.