Cornell graduation weekend 2027: things to do in Ithaca

29 to 30 May 2027 · ExpectedIthaca, United States

Cornell Commencement brings parents, grandparents and siblings to Ithaca for a weekend. The ceremony takes a morning: this guide covers where to stay, the celebration dinner and what to do with the rest of the time.

Tours in Ithaca Hotels for these dates

Know before you go

Confirm the date and ticket rules on the school's commencement page: guest tickets are often limited.
Book the celebration dinner when you book the hotel. Every restaurant in town is full that weekend.

Airport to Schoellkopf Field

Ithaca (ITH) has a few flights; Syracuse (SYR) is 1 hour. Buses run from New York City (4.5 hours).

Shuttles from parking lots; Ithaca's hills make walking slow.

Public transport directions to Schoellkopf Field

Where to stay by budget

Budget	Where	Why
Budget	Cortland and Elmira	Chains 30 to 45 minutes away.
Mid-range	Downtown Ithaca	Walk to the Commons.
Splurge	Statler Hotel and lake inns	Cornell's own hotel and wine-country inns.

Three hotels we would book

Budget: Hampton Inn Ithaca
Mid-range: Hotel Ithaca
Splurge: The Statler Hotel at Cornell University

Links search the nights from 28 May to 31 May. Event weekends sell out early and prices rise as the date gets closer: book a cancellable room as soon as you know you are going.

Day plans for the free hours

Built around the usual graduation weekend schedule for 29 to 30 May 2027. Session times change: check the official timetable and move the blocks around.

Arrival day

Friday 28 May

Check in, walk the campus with your graduate and book a celebration dinner.

FreeCornell Botanic Gardens.
EatMoosewood Famous vegetarian restaurant

Ceremony day

Saturday 29 May

Ceremonies take the morning. The afternoon is for photos and a long lunch.

EatIthaca Farmers Market Weekend market at Steamboat Landing
Easy outingCayuga Lake boat cruise Half day · Low walking
Lake cruise from the inlet.

The day after

Monday 31 May

A free day before everyone leaves. A good time for a trip out of town.

Half-dayCornell campus walk Half day · Family
Gorges, the clock tower and botanic gardens.
EatCornell Dairy Bar Ice cream from campus cows

Grandparents and siblings

Low walking and kid friendly.

Family pickWatkins Glen gorge Half day · Family
Waterfall trail 40 minutes away.
Rain or heat backupHerbert F. Johnson Museum of Art.

Family-friendly picks

Half day · Family

Cornell campus walk

Gorges, the clock tower and botanic gardens.

See times and prices

Half day · Family

Watkins Glen gorge

Waterfall trail 40 minutes away.

See times and prices

Sciencenter.
Museum of the Earth.

Evening and day-trip tours

Full day · Food

Cayuga Lake wine trail

Wineries along the lake.

See times and prices

After dark

Ithaca Commons and Collegetown.

4 tours worth booking for Cornell

Tour	Length	Good for
Cayuga Lake boat cruise	Half day	Tired legs
Cornell campus walk	Half day	Families
Cayuga Lake wine trail	Full day	Food lovers
Watkins Glen gorge	Half day	Families

Event weeks sell out. Book tours with free cancellation as soon as the session times are published.

Where to eat

Moosewood Famous vegetarian restaurant
Ithaca Farmers Market Weekend market at Steamboat Landing
Cornell Dairy Bar Ice cream from campus cows

Reserve dinner for the nights around the event: restaurants near the venue fill up days ahead.

Rainy-day backups

Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art.
Corning Museum of Glass (1 hour).

Getting around on event days

TCAT buses; a car helps for wine country. Hotels for commencement weekend often sell out a year ahead and require two- or three-night minimums. Book as soon as the date is posted.

Day trips from Ithaca

Watkins Glen: 40 minutes
Corning: 1 hour

Bringing a group?

Corporate hospitality, fan clubs, teams and families travelling together: tell us the dates and group size and we will put together tours, transfers and a group dinner for Cornell.

Plan a group trip

Questions people ask

When is Cornell Commencement 2027?

The next edition is 29 to 30 May 2027, following the usual pattern. The organiser has not confirmed it yet.

How do I get from the airport to Schoellkopf Field?

Ithaca (ITH) has a few flights; Syracuse (SYR) is 1 hour. Buses run from New York City (4.5 hours). Shuttles from parking lots; Ithaca's hills make walking slow.

Where should I stay for Cornell Commencement?

For most visitors the best base is Downtown Ithaca: Walk to the Commons.

What else can we do around Cornell Commencement?

Good short outings in Ithaca include Watkins Glen gorge, Cayuga Lake boat cruise, Cornell campus walk. See the day plans on this page for a full schedule.

What is there for kids and families near Cornell Commencement?

Family-friendly picks: Watkins Glen gorge, Cornell campus walk. Sciencenter.

How far is Schoellkopf Field from Ithaca centre?

About 2 km in a straight line. Shuttles from parking lots; Ithaca's hills make walking slow.

More University graduations

30 May 2027*Brown University Commencement
Providence, United StatesGraduation 31 May 2027*Boston College Commencement
Boston, United StatesGraduation 31 May 2027*McGill University Convocation
Montreal, CanadaGraduation 5 Jun 2027*University of Chicago Convocation
Chicago, United StatesGraduation 7 Jun 2027*University of Toronto Convocation
Toronto, CanadaGraduation 11 Jun 2027*UCLA Commencement
Los Angeles, United StatesGraduation

Everything we cover in Ithaca