As a vibrant college town surrounded by waterfalls and hiking trails, families love exploring Ithaca together and there are plenty of selfie spots in front of waterfalls and art murals.

In addition to the recommendations below, Downtown Ithaca Commons has many local shops to keep teens interested such as record stores, comic and game stores, and vintage clothing stores. Touring Cornell and Ithaca College might also be on your must-see list.

Here are a few things to do that will keep them engaged and having fun when they are here:

1) Experience the Discover Cayuga Lake’s Lake and Land Tour: You get the best of both worlds – a cruise on Cayuga Lake and visit Taughannock Falls State Park – with this 4-hour experience. Depart from Allen Treman State Marine Park and cruise up the lake to Taughannock, where you can choose a guided hike to the base of a 215-foot-tall waterfall, a chance to explore the rest of the park, or rent a standup paddleboard or kayak for further water exploration. The DCL boat will later return you to the dock of departure. Pack a lunch (or order one) for the ride back. Takes place 10am-2pm on Thursdays in July and August. Discover Cayuga Lake offers a variety of other lake cruises, including shorter excursions on weekends from the Ithaca Farmers Market.

2) Take the Visit Ithaca Waterfalls Challenge: This free mobile check-in challenge will lead to you our most famous waterfalls and natural areas and show you a few hidden gems that may be off your radar. When you arrive at each of the 25 locations, you simply check in on the mobile website you can save to your smartphone’s home screen (no apps to download!), and earn points based on the difficulty of accessing each location. Most sites are free to visit, though some do require park entrance fees; some locations are only accessible seasonally.

3) Attend Reggae Fest at Ithaca’s Stewart Park: Reggae Fest takes place annually in late June, with a full day of music and family-friendly activities set throughout the day. Your eco-conscious teen will be pleased to know there are no disposable plastic bottles allowed, and funds from the festival will be used to help in the protection of the local waters. In addition to the world-renowned musicians performing, there will be a variety of environmental education offerings, and yoga, skating, art, and youth spaces. Adding to the family-friendly vibes, people aged 16 and younger are admitted free of charge.

5) Take in a show: In the summer, Hangar Theatre has you covered with a range of shows on its indoor and outdoor stages; during winter months, Kitchen Theatre Company brings thought-provoking content to theatergoers. The Cherry Arts offers unique productions year-round, and top-class student-led productions at Ithaca College and Cornell University bring in audiences from around the area.

4) Check out outdoor live music: Beyond Reggae Fest (and the Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance, a 4-day festival that takes place in Trumansburg in July), there is an abundance of live music to be found outdoors at venues throughout Ithaca and Tompkins County. There are live music series on The Commons in downtown Ithaca on Thursday evening, Lansing’s Myers Park, Newfield’s Mill Park and Cornell University’s Arts Quad, as well as at various other venues throughout Tompkins County. Check out the Visit Ithaca Events Calendar for the latest in what’s happening.

6) Visit Indian Creek Farm: Flowers, seasonal fruit, and so many photo opportunities. The whole family will enjoy the grounds of Indian Creek Farm. You’ll also find a rustic ping pong table in the orchard.