Cayuga Lake at Ithaca

Rent at three parks on the longest Finger Lake.

Ithaca sits at the south end of 38-mile Cayuga Lake, where Fall Creek and the Cayuga Inlet meet the lake beside Stewart Park. Rent a kayak or board at Stewart Park, at Myers Park in Lansing or at Taughannock Falls State Park, and pair the paddle with the short gorge walk to the falls. Calm mornings are best; the open lake gets choppy when the wind comes up.

At a glance

Lake

38 miles long, the longest Finger Lake

Rental bases

3: Stewart Park, Myers Park, Taughannock Falls SP

Sheltered water

Cayuga Inlet through Ithaca

Waterfall

Taughannock Falls, 215 ft, a short walk from the launch

Good for

Beginner, Intermediate

What’s here

• Flatwater
• Boat rentals
• Guided tours
• Paddleboarding
• Swimming
• Fishing

Rentals, guides and shops

• Paddle-N-More

  Hourly kayak and SUP rentals at Stewart Park, Myers Park and Taughannock, plus lessons, sunset eco-tours, stargazing and full-moon paddles and ACA instructor courses.

• Discover Ithaca

  Kayak, canoe and SUP rentals, sales, lessons and group tours on the Cayuga Inlet, beside the Cayuga Waterfront Trail.

Where to stay

• hotelHotel Ithaca

  Downtown Ithaca hotel near the Commons.

  5 min drive
• innInn at Taughannock Falls

  Inn and restaurant on Gorge Road next to Taughannock Falls State Park.

  15 min drive

Nearby

• Taughannock Falls State Park · 15 min drive

  Easy gorge trail to a 215-foot waterfall, plus a lakeside swimming beach in summer.

• Cayuga Waterfront Trail · At the park

  Paved path along the lake and inlet that links Stewart Park, the farmers market and the paddling launches.

• Ithaca Farmers Market · 5 min drive

  Weekend market at Steamboat Landing on the inlet, with local food and crafts.

• Ithaca Beer Co. · 10 min drive

  Brewery taproom and restaurant just outside town.

Getting there

• Ithaca Tompkins International (ITH) · about 10 min drive
• Verona, NY · about 1.75 hr
• Syracuse · about 1.25 hr
• New York City · about 4 hr

Directions in Google Maps