SUNY Cortland may seem desolate to those who aren’t from the central New York area, but it is packed with tons of great restaurants and new spots. The surrounding towns like Homer and Virgil are worth the short drive away from campus.
Here on SUNY Cortland’s campus, it’s a common complaint that there’s nothing to do. Students frequently find their semesters repetitive. But, there are many news experiences you may not know about that are close by!
Nicky C’s Hometown Pizzeria in Homer is some of the best Italian food in the Cortland area, and that’s coming from someone’s who’s biased that pizza is only good from NYC. Nicky C’s is only about a 10 minute drive from campus and is a casual setting. My personal recommendations would be their calzones and Drunkin Parm Sub which taste like they’re straight from Italy. Nicky C’s is worth the hype.
A great place to burn off a Nicky C’s calzone is Tinker Falls in Tully. Tinker Falls is a 25 minute drive north of campus through the windy roads of Cortland County. Tinker falls has about a 2 mile hike which is built around a waterfall that you can walk under. This is a messy hike that goes through a little stream and has you scaling a cliff so dress accordingly.
A great new spot on Cortland’s main street called Gorgers, which doesn’t get enough hype. Gorgers is a sandwich shop that has sandwiches with the most unique flavors.
My personal favorite was the Chipotle Chicken Sub which was the size of a grown man’s forearm and loaded with chicken and chipotle ranch. These sandwiches are great to split over 2 meals and well worth the price you pay.
A staple for Cortland is Greek Peak Mountain resort. Greek peak is a short 10 minute drive south of campus and is filled with tons of activities such as: skiing/ snowboarding, tubing, its indoor water park, and mountain coaster which is an essential in the fall once the leaves begin to change in color. Greek Peak hosts events and makes for a fun and convenient place to make plans for.
Everytime my parents come to visit we always go to the same place in Homer for dinner, Dashers. Dashers is a short 10 minute drive north of campus in the quaint main street in Homer. Dashers is the place to go for a nostalgic homestyle meal with a portion and quality too good for its price.
Everytime my family and I go, my Dad always gets the Rib Eye and I swear the man inhales it like he’s never eaten before.
This next hidden gem is something only for sightseeing. The Cortland Camel’s at the W River Rd and Gailor Rd intersection always make for a great serotonin boost. This is a private farm on the side of the road by Greek Peak which has 2 Camels, 1 Aplaca, 2 Horses and a Donkey.
Visiting the Cortland camels is truly a hidden gem in Cortland but it’s important to remember that they are someones private pets and are to be seen from the side of the road.
It is vital to explore the great places surrounding SUNY Cortland. In doing so, small businesses will benefit, new memories will be made, and new places will be explored!