Ontario County, NY and surrounding counties will be in the path of totality for the upcoming Total Solar Eclipse. Prepare your safety and travel plans today! 

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Inns of Aurora, Aurora

Ithaca And Aurora

As the saying in the Finger Lakes goes, "Ithaca is GORGES!" It's because of the 150 waterfalls that flow across the town, funneling water through gorges carved out by glaciers thousands of years ago.

A visit to Ithaca should also include the award-winning Downtown Ithaca Commons. It is a four-block pedestrian shopping area with over 100 unique shops, restaurants, street vendors & street entertainers adjacent to Cornell University and Ithaca College. There are year-round events and festivals as well in the Commons.

Even though you could spend a whole day in Ithaca, you might want to take a 20-minute drive up the lake to the village of Aurora, where you can dine overlooking Cayuga Lake at the famous Aurora Inn.  Originally named Aurora House, the Aurora Inn was built in 1833 by Colonel E. B. Morgan, a native of Aurora and original investor in The New York Times. By the mid-19th century, Aurora was major stop on the Erie Canal for boats carrying agricultural products from area farmers to New York City. Henry Wells, of Wells Fargo stagecoach fame and the founder of American Express, established Wells College there in 1868.

Aurora is also home of Mackenzie-Childs, where you can see world famous, hand-painted ceramic pottery and collectibles. On a tranquil Victorian farm overlooking Cayuga Lake, Mackenzie-Childs produces world-renowned majolica tableware, home furnishings, and more. While just one mile north of the charming village of Aurora, MacKenzie-Childs is a world away from the day-to-day. As you enter the winding brick driveway, you’ll know you are arriving at a very special place.

For more information on planning your day trip away contact:

CAYUGA COUNTY OFFICE OF TOURISM
25 South Street, Auburn, NY 13021
Tel: (315) 255-1658
TourCayuga.com

ITHACA/TOMPKINS COUNTY CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
110 North Tioga Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
Tel: (607) 272-1313
VisitIthaca.com