This year marks the 40th anniversary of National Travel and Tourism Week. Let’s amplify the essential and integral role travel plays in every industry and nearly everything we do. Our success is the nation’s success, and together, we will keep moving #TravelForward. #nttw23
#TRAVELFORWARD
Small towns and quaint villages are essential to the fabric of America. These communities are filled with unique culture, history and identities, all their own. They can surprise you with a treasure trove brimming with arts, music, festivals, local foods and traditions. These are places where Main Street is still lined with mom-and-pop shops, bread is made from scratch, neighbors are cherished and visitors are just friends you haven’t met yet.
Plan a weekend getaway in Cortland County and rediscover quiet places and vibrant spaces. Immerse yourself in art, music, and culture. Indulge in delicious dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. Find your roots in our museums and get swept off your feet on mountainside adventures.
This National Travel and Tourism Week, join us in celebrating the value travel holds for our economy, local community, and small businesses by planning your next trip to Cortland County. Your weekend getaway has not only an impact on you but those of our community. #TravelForward and let your getaway help preserve small-town culture for generations to come.
PLAN THE PERFECT WEEKEND GETAWAY
Cortland County is an eclectic mix of wild spaces and vibrant spaces. Whether you're looking to get lost in the back county or soak in some culture, feed your soul or feed your face, Cortland County has it in abundance. Centrally located in the heart of New York, less than 5 hours from NYC, Philadelphia, Toronto, Cleveland and Boston, you don't have to go far to get away.
Four seasons of fun and memories are waiting for you - explore, experience, and enjoy the beauty of Cortland County!
EXPLORE THE OUTDOORS
Paddle, hike, bike, ride and wander your way to adventure! With over 80 miles of mapped trails, 3 mountains, 10 launches, 9 state forests, and an outdoor adventure center, the possibilities are endless!
Pack your hiking shoes and your pup and explore over 80 miles of Finger Lakes Trail throughout Cortland County. The trail will take you over Cortland County's highest peak, down lush gorges, through wildflower fields and over, under and behind Tinker Falls. Lime Hollow Nature Center offers a handicapped-accessible art trail, educational center and a variety of naturalist classes throughout the year.
The trails aren't just for hikers. Load up your horse and come ride the serene Tuller Hill mountainside, with peekaboo views and winding forest trails just minutes from downtown Cortland. Tuller Hill State Forest is home to 19 miles of multiple-use trails, available for all responsible equestrians to enjoy.
Come play at Greek Peak's Adventure Center! Ride a gravity-fed Mountain Coaster, take a zip line tour, try High Aerial Challenge Course, visit the “Little Adventurers Playland” for the wee ones, and enjoy Mountian Bike rentals and an 18-hole disc golf course!
Come winter, Cortland is home to three mountains; Labrador, Song and Greek Peak, for all you powderhounds.
Click here to create your Cortland County outdoor adventure!
TURN IT UP!
We can make your hands clap, and your toes tap, and maybe even get you dancing in the streets! Calling all culture vultures, we've got your weekend plans covered!
From the hard-hitting Main Street Music Series to the front porch pickin' Bluegrass Ramble, Cortland County knows how to rock. Porchfest Cortland is just right for the family, while The Center for the Arts is famous for its national touring acts and intimate setting. With two churches converted to concert halls in Cortland County, we elevate rock 'n' roll to a holly experience.
Cortland Repertory Theater raises the roof of the historical Little York Pavilion each summer with a lineup of musicals, mysteries and mischievous plays. In the fall and winter, join them downtown for art galleries and limited-run shows.
Click here to discover what's shaking in Cortland County during your stay!
LOCAL FLAVOR
Taste the terroir of Cortland County in eateries boasting delicious delicacies featuring heirloom recipes and locally sourced ingredients. From classic recipes that immigrated with great-great-grandmother and have been served to generations to culturally infused cuisine, boldly combining unique flavors and ingredients for wildly delicious creations, something can be found to tantalize your tastebuds.
For the thirsty traveler, Cortland County is home to 3 breweries and 2 distilleries. All produced in-house, many of these tasty beverages include local hops and corn, making your libation a real farm-to-table experience. Check out our local eateries here!
FIND YOUR FABULOUS
From upcycled to recycled, handmade to one-of-a-kind, fast fashion is out in Cortland County. Find your signature scent, design custom kicks and shop till you drop. With so many unique shops and retailers, Cortland County has the perfect match for every taste and budget.
For the vintage fashionista, Crown City Curiosities and Lot 1 Vintage are musts. The trends of the 90s are back, and Lot 1 Vintage has cornered the market. Whether you're looking to recapture the grunge scene, iconic 90s prep, or searching for retro sports apparel, Lot 1 has it in spades. Crown City Curiosities is filled floor to ceiling with timeless treasures. Clothing ranges from delicate hats, clutches, and vintage corsets to designer shoes, swinging cocktail dresses, and covet-worthy costume jewelry. Part oddity shop, part bohemian jungle, this space is perfectly curated for individuals with an artistic eye and a fabulous sense of style.
No ensemble is complete without a signature scent and some kicks. Press Gurwitz Perfumerie boasts a perfume bar where customers can explore a library of 15 niche perfumes, discover their unique scent, or create their own. In addition, the boutique offers luxe hair and body care lines, men’s products, and home fragrances. At Bull Airs, the sky is the limit when it comes to custom sneakers. Renowned artist Thom Bulman creates one-of-a-kind masterpieces inspired by his work as a tattoo artist and promises nostalgia in every step.
Can't find exactly what you're looking for? Stramba Fiber Mill Studio & Store sells everything you need for your next DIY fashion piece, from roving to beautifully spun yarn for felting, knitting, crocheting and weaving. These all-natural hand died fibers are exactly what you need to create your next show stopper. Not a knitter? Stramaba store offers a beautiful selection of handmade ready-to-wear items that are sure to turn heads.
Click here for a full list of local boutiques and unique shopping destinations.
REDISCOVER YOUR ROOTS
Do you ever feel like you should have been born in another area? Rediscover your roots at our museums, festivals and parades.
We have museums that showcase our heritage, from the Victorian splendor of the 1890 House Museum to the Cortland County Historical Society located in the Italianate home of inventor James Suggett. Spend an entire day at the CNY Living History Museum, which houses three museums in one. Walk the unique cemetrails at the Cortland Rural Cemetery, where you'll find 20 educational signs that teach you about famous folks buried in our cemetery, the geology of our monument, artistic observations, and facts about our more than 160-year-old institution.
Car shows just beg for your best cosplay. Don your best greaser look for the annual Dwayer Park hotrod show or pinup getup for the war birds of the Cortland Airfest. The National Brockway Truck Show hosts trucks throughout the decades, and you never know just who will rumble down the parade route!
Click here to explore all our museums, events and historic places!
ART IN TECHNICOLOR
The art scene is thriving in Cortland County, and there is art around every corner. From vibrant public murals and whimsical sculptures to cheeky local galleries and international art shows, there is something to pique the curiosity of everyone.
The Cortland Corsett building is home to arguably one of Cortland's most famous murals, as well as Pottery Works Cortland, Magpie Custom Creations, and Forged from Ashe Studios where you can take a class to learn to create your own art.
Are you simply an art lover, not an aspiring artist? Shop Cinch Art Space or the Ake Gallery to bring home original local artwork. Mediums range from jewelry to oil on canvas, clay to found art sculpture. The annual Arts Off Main features artists from though out New York, as well as live chalk mural demonstrations, music, food and entertainment.
Click here for your map to all things art in Cortland County.
LET'S MAKE PLANS!
Get a jump start on planning your next Cortland County getaway by checking out the Official Visitors Guide online or request your FREE copy in the mail!
We want to see your favorite spots in Cortland County! Share a photo of you or your family enjoying a Cortland County attraction or event by tagging @experiencecortland.