Cornell is located in Ithaca, a city with a population of about 30,000 in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. The university's 745-acre campus is bounded on two sides by steep gorges and scenic waterfalls, and many spots on campus offer spectacular views of downtown Ithaca and Cayuga Lake and beyond. Various outdoor sports, including running, swimming, hiking, skiing, bicycling, ice skating, and sailing, are easily pursued locally; open countryside, state parks and forests, and the lake itself are all just minutes away.

The cultural and intellectual life at Cornell is stimulating and diverse. Opportunities abound for enjoyment of and participation in music, film, art, dance, and theater. Cornell's concert series feature musicians of international reknown, and free concerts and recitals are frequently offered by resident faculty and students. The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, designed by I. M. Pei, provides a stunning backdrop for touring exhibitions of national prominence, and the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts enhances offerings in theater and dance. Ithaca itself has extremely active musical and theater communities, as does Ithaca College, a small liberal arts college especially well known for its music and drama departments.

Ithaca is one hour by plane and five hours by car from New York City; other major metropolitan areas are also readily accessible. Direct commercial flights connect Ithaca with New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Washington, Boston and other cities.

You can also visit the home page of the Ithaca/Tompkins County Convention & Visitors Bureau or IthacaNet for more information and pictures of Ithaca and Tompkins County.