An Ithaca Travel Highlight

Robert H. Treman State Park (Source: Parker Schug)

As I had mentioned at the beginning of this Tompkins County Tourism reporting, my dream is to curate a list of the best things to do as a tourist exploring Ithaca. I think that living in a city for 4 years is a great amount of time to find your favorite spots, see them through a long-term test of time and share your favorites.

Ideally, this list would be separated into things to-do, places to eat, coffee shops and so forth.

Number one on my things to-do list would be my favorite hike in Ithaca. I went on a trip my freshman year with the Ithaca College Honors Program to Robert H. Treman State Park. This day trip was the result of a canceled camping trip due to the chilly upstate nighttime temperatures. To say I was disappointed was an understatement. Myself and four other students signed up for this little overnight trip led by one professor and one student leader. The prospect of camping was so fun because I had never been.

Despite the let down that came with this cancelation, the day trip in exchange was better than any camping trip I could have imagined.

We hopped in the car and hit four different Ithaca hikes or so. In our travels we even had the chance to stop at a local farm for some snacks of fresh fruit.

All of the hikes were incredible. I couldn't believe that I would be in this beautiful city for four years. Looking back now, that feels like yesterday and I can't believe I'm approaching the end of my time. That's besides the fact though.

Our last hike of the day was a long one. Robert Treman included more strenuous terrain than we had experienced, but was still so doable and stunning. We took in the views of various different falls, lush forest areas and even a swimming area.

The best part however was when we got to the top. There was this incredible outlook that gave me the sensation of being so small. I felt surrounded by rock and waterfall and trees and just genuine beauty of nature. And if that wasn't enough, the professor leading us, guided a meditation and it was perfect for lack of a better term.

I will never forget that day. Robert Treman is a spot everyone coming into Ithaca must check out. It changed my life.