Quality of Life

Located in Central New York, Cortland County serves as the gateway to the scenic and very popular Finger Lakes Region. Numerous recreational facilities are available for the avid sports enthusiast to use with little or no wait. Cortland County's winter season can be enjoyed by skiing down some of the finest ski slopes in the East at three ski resorts: Greek Peak, Labrador Mountain and Song Mountain. Cross county ski courses abound, and great hunting and fishing can be found at the County's many wooded areas and 130 miles of clear trout streams. Hiking and biking trails connect the County's 30,000 acres of state forest land. In addition, the City of Cortland has a Parks and Recreation system that one would expect could only be found in a much larger community. Boating enthusiasts love the beauty of the nearby Finger Lakes which connect to the canal system leading to the Great Lakes and Atlantic Ocean. For smaller crafts, the Tioughnioga River which runs through the county is an excellent course for canoeing and kayaking. There are 22 miles of warm water rivers and over 25 lakes and ponds in the County.

For the spectator, only 30 minutes away from the Cortland County area, is the Carrier Dome, one of the nation's largest indoor athletic facilities. Located on the campus of Syracuse University, the Carrier Dome is the home of the University's many NCAA Division 1 athletic teams. Ivy League competition can be seen at nearby Cornell University, while very competitive college athletics can be viewed at the State University at Cortland. On the professional level, pro-baseball is in nearby Syracuse and pro-hockey can be enjoyed in nearby Binghamton.

Cortland County is known for great golf, and boasts some of the finest courses in New York State. Area golf facilities include Cortland Country Club, Elm Tree, Knickerbocker, Maple Hills, Walden Oaks and Willowbrook. In nearby Ithaca is the famous Robert Trent Jones golf course at Cornell University, along with other Robert Trent Jones' courses in Central New York where golf masters hold course records.

The City of Cortland operates four public parks and two public swimming areas -- Wickwire Pool and a 4.5 acres lake with a sandy beach at Yaman Park. The recreation programs provide daily supervised activity and swimming lessons for children during the summer months. Dwyer Memorial Park at nearby Little York Lake is maintained by the county and offers picnic areas, an amusement center, ball fields, fishing and a pavilion for special functions.

Cortland County is rich in both cultural institutions and events of the highest quality. Theatre, dance, music, art, and various exhibits can be enjoyed year round. There are also many special cultural events on a seasonal basis. The Cortland County Historical Society, the Cortland Arts Council and the Cortland Arts League provide numerous cultural opportunities for County residents to enjoy.

The City of Cortland has two cultural landmarks of note. The 1890 House Museum and Center for the Victorian Arts is a stunningly beautiful historic museum that recaptures the romantic Victorian-era. The Suggett House is the home of the Cortland County Historical Society, and contains permanent and changing exhibits reflecting the County's history. The Cortland County Farm Museum pays tribute to the County's agricultural roots, and the Homeville Museum in Homer is a haven for military memorabilia and model railroad buffs. The Cortland Country Music Park is also the home of the Hall of Fame Museum.

Dwyer Memorial Park on Little York Lake is the home of the Cortland Repertory Theatre, which is a professional summer stock company. The rural areas of the County also have their own unique cultural events. Among these events is the very popular Marathon Maple Festival and the City of Cortland Pumpinkfest. In addition to these activities and places of cultural interest, the State University at Cortland and other area universities provide an excellent opportunity for County residents to explore their cultural interests.

The County is also noted for its spectacular period style Victorian, Italianate and Greek Revival architecture, and affordable housing choices abound.

The Cortland Downtown Business District is a vibrant place, with beautiful historical facades, period style street lamps, unique shops and restaurants, a seasonal twice-weekly farmer's market and many community events throughout the year. The City of Cortland has undertaken an extensive restoration and rehabilitation program to preserve the fine architecture of landmark buildings and to update interiors and exterior store fronts. Larger shopping centers are located at the edges of the city, and major metropolitan malls are nearby in Syracuse and Binghamton.

Annual Cortland County Events include

• Central New York Maple Festival, held in April
• Cortland Music Park's annual season featuring Nashville stars, beginning in May
• Dairy Day Parade, held in June
• Apple Jazz Festival, held in June
• St. Anthony's Festival, held in June
• Bluegrass on the Green Festival, held in June/July
• Holiday in Homer, held in July
• Victorian Days Festival, held in July
• Cortland County Junior Fair, held in July
• Cortland Downtown Sidewalk Festival, held in July
• Heritage Weekend, held in August
• Cortland County Chautauqua, held in August
• 1890 Union Fair, held in September
• McGraw Harvest Festival, held in September
• Antique and Classic Auto show, held each September
• The Great Cortland Pumpkinfest, held in October
• Annual New York State Draft Horse Association Show and Sale, held each October

Tourism is an important industry sector in Cortland and the surrounding Finger Lakes region which is a crossroads for travelers from the Canadian border to the mid-Atlantic states. The County features festivals and fairs with a "hometown" atmosphere, and local events in beautiful small communities with village greens.

More information is available on our site, at the Cortland County Chamber of Commerce's web site http://www.cortlandchamber.com, or at the City of Cortland's web site http://www.cortland.org.

For information on events, amenities or accommodations, call the Cortland County Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-859-2227 or visit the Cortland Area Innkeepers Association at http://www.usagetaways.com/newyork/cortland.