MAGICAL, PRIVATE, FORESTED LAKEFRONT/ SWEEPING LAKE VISTAS, EASY ACCESS IN ITHA

Ithaca, New York
$1480 avg/night Minimum Stay 1 Nights
Bed 4

Bed

Bath 3

Bath

Home Private Vacation Home

Property Type

Sleep 12

Max Sleeps

Night 1 nights

Min Stay

Just minutes from downtown Ithaca on the west shore of Lake Cayuga, this property has spectacular lake vistas and over 150 feet of EASILY ACCESSIBLE lake frontage. 1.4 acres of woods and majestic hemlock and oak trees frame a cottage originally built in the mid 1800's by a mayor of Ithaca and then lived in in the summers by his daughter, Belle, until 1922--one of Ithaca's original lakefront homes. We like to share the beautiful view and quaint, rustic vintage house with small gatherings of friends and families.
This is our home and we are usually present on the property, staying in our own self contained area which shares nothing with the main house except the driveway. Since it is our home, we ask that you treat it kindly and leave it in the exact condition you found it.
Due to the ecologically sensitive location, we don't rent to groups larger than 8 (possible 12, with our permission, if there are small ones). There is bed space for 8 and the 2200 SF house can accommodate another adult or 2 on an air mattress or couch, or a couple of little ones. We want your group to be comfortable so you should consult us if your group has more than 8 adults.
We have a strict NO PARTIES rule and do not allow visitors from off the property. Only the rental group is allowed on the property. Additional guest fees will be charged for each outside visitor on the property without the owner's permission. Maximum of 4 cars only in the driveway. There is a driveway camera.

The paved S-curved driveway leads through the woods down the hill to a large parking area with room to turn around and for up to 4 cars to park.. There is one flight of stairs to the main floor entrance but bedrooms can be accessed from the driveway level.

The 2200 sf of living space includes--on the main floor--an entrance room; a fully equipped kitchen with stainless appliances (dishwasher, large frig, freezer with ice maker/water, gourmet stove, microwave, coffee maker, toaster oven, electric tea kettle, etc.); a laundry room with front loading washer and dryer, iron, ironing board; a full bathroom with shower; a large open living/dining room with a charming arts-and-craftsy 'inglenook' around the picturesque riverstone fireplace. The main floor has expansive lake views and opens out to an extensive deck area with plenty of outdoor seating, tables, gas grill, and views galore!

4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms as well as a screened porch are on the second floor. Two bedrooms have queensize beds; two have a fullsize bed. Additional living space in the walk-out basement level features a 5- 6-person sauna with a great view.

The 150 ft of lakefront is about half gently sloping shale beach; the other half is a grassy area with a sea wall and includes a fire pit, dock, and boathouse, with lots of outdoor seating and two hammocks as well as a table and umbrella for dock seating. The property comes with a canoe, three single kayaks, and a tandem kayak. There are water shoes and life vests in the boathouse.

Activities and Attractions : The Finger Lakes is renowned for its wineries and breathtaking gorges. Ithaca is a mecca of arts, science, film activities, artisan farming, world famous restaurants, etc. Ithaca's Farmers Market is rated one of the best in the country. However, alot of folks don't even want to leave the property, since the quiet of the majestic old growth forest and the mesmerizing lake vistas, along with swimming, kayaking, and just gazing at the ever-changing water is the best--an oasis of peace and beauty and privacy --yet so close to all the perks of civilization! 'Magical' is the word most frequently used by visitors to describe the setting.
Of the large lakehouses for rent in Ithaca this is one of the few that has easy water access (only 35 easy steps to the beach), no train tracks or cliff between you and the water, and a Wegman's, Trader Joe's, TJMaxx, etc., and other shopping only 3 miles away (compared to 20 miles).

In addition, there is a small, 2-bedroom cabin on the upper part of the property completely private from the main house that is available at Homeaway listing # 268870.

Read More Expand
  • Feature Features
  • Map Map
  • School District Availability
  • Review Review

Feature Features

  • PETS

    No Pets Allowed
  • BEACH

    Beach Sun Loungers Beach Towels
  • SAFETY

    Carbon Monoxide Detector Installed (host Has Indicated There Is A Carbon Monoxide Detector On The Property) Fire Extinguisher First Aid Kit Smoke Detector Installed (host Has Indicated There Is A Smoke Detector On The Property)
  • BEDROOM

    4 Bedrooms Bed Sheets Provided
  • GENERAL

    Unit Size: 2200 Sq Ft (204 Sq M)
  • KITCHEN

    Blender Coffee Grinder Cookware/dishes/utensils Dishwasher Ice Maker Microwave Oven Refrigerator Stovetop
  • LAUNDRY

    Laundry Facilities Near Laundromat Washing Machine And Dryer
  • PARKING

    Car Required Onsite Parking
  • INTERNET

    WiFi Available
  • OUTDOORS

    Barbecue Grill Firepit Garden Outdoor Furniture Patio
  • POOL/SPA

    Sauna
  • BATHROOMS

    3 Bathrooms Hair Dryer Shower/tub Combination Soap Toilet Paper Towels Provided
  • LANGS SPOKEN

    English
  • THINGS TO DO

    Birdwatching Nearby Boat On Site Ecotours Nearby Fitness Facilities Nearby Golfing On Site Jet Skiing Nearby Kayak On Site Marina Nearby Power Boating Nearby Scuba Diving Nearby Snorkeling Nearby Water Skiing Nearby Water Sports Equipment Windsurfing Nearby
  • ENTERTAINMENT

    DVD Player Games Video Library Smart TV With Cable/satellite Service
  • LIVING SPACES

    Fireplace
  • CLIMATE CONTROL

    Air Conditioning Heating
  • FAMILY FRIENDLY

    Children's Books Children's Toys Highchair Stair Gate
  • LOCATION HIGHLIGHTS

    In A Rural Location Near A Hospital Near Outlet Shopping On The Lake On The Waterfront
  • SERVICES AND CONVENIENCES

    Iron/ironing Board
  • SUITABILITY/ACCESSIBILITY

    If You Have Requests For Specific Accessibility Needs, Please Contact The Property Using The Information On The Reservation Confirmation Received After Booking. No Elevators Smoke-free Property Upper Floors Accessible By Stairs Only

CheckIn Check-in : 04:00 PM CheckOut Check-out : 11:00 AM
No Wheelchair No smoking No pets Children allowed
Occupancy Max occupancy : 12

Map Map

School District Availability

Review Review

  • Patrick B.

    Submitted Nov 5, 2025

    Stayed Oct 21, 2025

    We found our hosts to be much appreciative of beauty. Not only the general beauty of the interiors of our accommodations, but of the general understanding of beauty surrounding the accommodations. You can see this in how things are placed, how you travel through the spaces and how nature is intentionally framed by the windows, patios & decks. What stood out the most was the charming conversation I had with the host upon arrival who made me feel welcome and at home.

  • Michael S.

    Submitted Oct 1, 2025

    Stayed Sep 29, 2025

    Beautiful lake view. Great setting. House is a little quirky with old fashioned look and feel.

  • David W.

    Submitted Sep 28, 2025

    Stayed Jul 3, 2025

    Looking for a place for our family of 10 to celebrate our 50th anniversary. Turned out the place didn’t sleep what it advertised and we had to adapt and make the best of it. We did enjoy swimming, fishing, a campfire and dinners on the beautiful deck. We hiked each day at one of the various gorges nearby. We made some wonderful memories together.

  • christine H.

    Submitted Sep 25, 2025

    Stayed Sep 11, 2025

    The property was very nice. The kitchen is wonderful & well equiped. Has lots of stairs which would be hard for anyone with a disability. Overall it was a wonderful stay.thank you.

  • Terry P.

    Submitted Sep 22, 2025

    Stayed Sep 19, 2025

    Met our family needs to attend local wedding. Driveway is a bit steep.

  • David C.

    Submitted Sep 6, 2025

    Stayed Aug 29, 2025

    What a property!!! The site is beautiful, the house is comfortable and we had a great stay. The house is a bit quirky but in a mostly good way. The kitchen has literally everything you may need. The lake is clean and having the kayaks on site was so convenient. The bathrooms could use an upgrade but the expansive deck overlooking the lake, where we had several meals, and the sauna made up for it. Yes, it's a magical place.

  • James M.

    Submitted Aug 22, 2025

    Stayed Aug 11, 2025

    The property is spectacular. The home is older but very comfortable and well equipped. The kitchen is fabulous, very well equipped with all high end pots, pans, bowls dishes, etc.The only issue we faced was the upstairs air conditioning. There's are 2 window units for the 4 bedrooms but one was not functioning well. We ended up leaving the bedroom doors open and using fans to circulate the cool air from the one bedroom with a functional AC.

  • Emily O.

    Submitted Jun 29, 2025

    Stayed Jun 27, 2025

    My friends and I visited Ithaca to cycle over the weekend. The location and property are beautiful. We had privacy and plenty of places to soend time as a group or take a minute to ourselves.

  • Christopher G.

    Submitted May 18, 2025

    Stayed Apr 5, 2025

    We had a glorious overnight celebrating a birthday with friends. The hosts were gracious and accommodating. The house and grounds are picturesque and the accommodations were

  • Glenn B.

    Submitted Apr 21, 2025

    Stayed Apr 18, 2025

    This beautiful, one of a kind home, right on Lake Cayuga is a dream come true. The home was spacious, charming, and had everything you need for a whole family. And what a view! The hosts made everything seamless. Highly recommended.

  • Katrina B.

    Submitted Sep 16, 2024

    Stayed Aug 30, 2024

    Sally’s house was a lovely break in our trip to the finger lakes to visit family. We had everything we needed and it felt like a friend had loaned us their home. Our kids loved being on the lake and a friend even picked us up off the dock on his boat. Sally was super accommodating and it felt like they had thought of everything. Thanks for a great stay Sally!

  • Leslie Q.

    Submitted Sep 4, 2024

    Stayed Aug 23, 2024

    Great location right on Cayuga Lake with views across to Cornell. Near downtown and several parks and hiking trails. The driveway is rather daunting: extremely steep and curvy, not for the faint of heart. The 3rd bathroom is downstairs, whereas the bedrooms are upstairs. Otherwise, the house is quite nice with a large kitchen and multiple outdoor seating areas.

  • Don S.

    Submitted Aug 18, 2024

    Stayed Aug 10, 2024

    As advertised, a charming house on the lake. The hosts live next door and were easily accessible. Five--year-old had a spectacular time leaping into the lake from the dock and I managed to get in a couple kayak runs. Highly recommended.

  • Benjamin M.

    Submitted Jul 30, 2024

    Stayed Jul 12, 2024

    We very much enjoyed our stay in this unique house. Great location for water access w/dock for our rental boating adventures each day. It was relaxing laying in the hammocks & sitting on the large deck staring at the views. The fires at night down on the lake after we'd cook dinner were peaceful and a perfect way to end the days.

  • Debra C.

    Submitted Jul 24, 2024

    Stayed Jul 19, 2024

    Beautiful setting, nice place for the weekend.

  • Kristen A.

    Submitted Jul 11, 2024

    Stayed Jul 3, 2024

    We were glad that the home had ac as it was a very hot week . We were able to keep our boat that we rented for a few days on the end of the dock. We used the BBQ and ate o the large deck that has umbrella tables for dinner . The surroundings have beautiful perennials which add even more beauoto the lake view.

  • Kathleen M.

    Submitted Jul 3, 2024

    Stayed Jun 25, 2024

    I have stayed at several lakefront properties on Lake Cayuga and this one by far was the best. The home was magical with lots of personality and wonderful outdoor space.

  • Judy Z.

    Submitted Jun 9, 2024

    Stayed Jun 6, 2024

    The 10 of us enjoyed the house and cabin. Proximity to campus, room to spread out, beautiful views and excellent kitchen set up with nice BBQ grill were just perfect. Enjoyed walks on trail, stop at Pines Tavern and Taughannock Park. Hosts were kind to allow early check in and Late departure. All good!

Your dates are Available!

Total

Includes taxes and fees
$1,480+
View details