Ithaca is one of America's most famous college towns, home to the acclaimed Ivy League school Cornell University. The gorgeous Finger Lakes city is a family-friendly paradise, offering a plethora of museums and botanical garden facilities, including the stunning Cornell Botanic Gardens, which are home to the sprawling Cascadilla Falls. Visitors of all ages can enjoy hands-on attractions at the Sciencenter, the Museum of the Earth natural history museum, or the Cayuga Nature Center.

Fine arts are on display at the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, while live theatrical performances are presented throughout the year at the Center for the Arts at Ithaca's Hangar Theatre.

A hip live music scene, which has produced major independent artists such as Kurt Riley and the X Ambassadors, offers more than 80 live music venues within half an hour of the city's center.

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