Cayuga Nature Center

1420 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca, NY

About This Vendor

Charming 1930's Lodge with 120 acres to enjoy!

Immerse your guests in a natural setting with full amenities, miles of trails, live animals, and fabulous nature exhibits in our historic lodge. Facing Cayuga Lake and five miles north of Ithaca, this historic WPA-era lodge and 120 acres of lush lawns, wooded trails, waterfalls, a butterfly garden, and six-story tree house, provide a rustic and natural ambiance to any type of event, large or small.

Amenities + Details

Ceremony Area

Covered Outdoors Space

Dressing Room

Handicap Accessible

Indoor Event Space

Liability Insurance

Outdoor Event Space

Reception Area

Wireless Internet

On-Site Accommodations

Ceremony Types

Civil Union, Commitment Ceremony, Elopement, Interfaith Ceremony, Non-Religious Ceremony, Religious Ceremony, Second Wedding , Vow Renewal Ceremony

Guest Capacity

Up to 150

Settings

Backyard, Garden, Historic Venue, Museum, Park, Tented, Trees

Cayuga Nature Center Reviews

Reviewed On 10/30/2018 by Isaac P

The Cayuga Nature Center is a great venue for your wedding. We had our Rehersal/Out of Town Guest Dinner there and it provided the perfect setting for our large family and wedding party. Beside’s having a kitchen, tables, chairs, and a charming...

atmosphere, the Cayuga Nature Center gave our out of town guests a quick education about the animals that live in this area (which can be helpful when trying to find something to talk to your Great Aunt Gladys about). There is plenty of space both indoors and outside and the staff is friendly and easy to work with plus it felt good knowing our money was helping to support a local non profit. Don’t pay too much for a dull venue that lacks live animals, book the Cayuga Nature Center and really wow your guests!

Response from the Vendor on 10/30/2018

Thank you Isaac, and we are glad you had an engaging and enjoyable experience! Congratulations to you both, and we appreciate the feedback!

Reviewed On 10/04/2011 by Molly S

The nature center is a beautiful place to have a wedding. There is an area just outside the lodge for a tent, which is where I had my ceremony. We did dinner and dancing inside. There are also side rooms with live animals including flying squir...

rels and chinchillas... the guests loved looking at them! The director was fairly accommodating, although I know they're undergoing some changes due to merging with the Museum of the Earth, so there may be some rule changes in the near future. This venue is not appropriate for a party of more than 130 people. We had about 125 and we really had to plan ahead in order to get all the tables and chairs to fit for dinner, and then we had to pack some tables/chairs up in order to have room for dancing. Otherwise, I love the nature center! Oh, and it's about as cheap as it gets for an indoor + outdoor space rental!

Reviewed On 6/30/2011 by Lauren M

I wanted to find a venue with its own classic character, and one with proximity to natural beauty. The nature center was perfect because we could have an outdoor ceremony but also have access to a beautiful old lodge. The lodge has a big main r...

oom where we set up a dinner buffet and dancing, and then we had a framed tent (which we rented) in the courtyard where all the dinner tables were. We actually rented the Nature Center for the entire weekend, which was awesome because we could have a rehearsal dinner there on Friday evening and a brunch on Sunday morning. Do understand that the atmosphere at the Nature Center is pretty laid-back and is not a typical wedding venue- the staff is helpful with answering any questions you might have, but otherwise it's mostly up to you to figure out how to make the most of the venue.

Reviewed On 11/05/2010 by Michael K

I really feel that our selection of the Cayuga Nature Center made our wedding a success in many of the ways that were important to us. Dozens of people told us it was the most beautiful wedding they had ever been to. It was a lovely, relaxed ...

setting and the staff were beyond pleasant to work with.

Reviewed On 9/04/2008 by Jessi L

It's a very pretty forest setting with fields and gardens in the back and a gorge with trails on the property. We had were able to have both the ceremony and reception at the same site. There was also a pretty lodge that overlooked Cayuga Lake...

. We wanted a family friendly venue and there is an amazing 5-story treehouse on the site and exploratory science rooms in the lodge kids could play in while their parents had adult time. The staff was very accomodating. They gave us free reign on the property and in the lodge to decorate as we please and to take full advantage of the beautiful natural setting. The courtyard was a perfect spot for a tent; it extended the indoor space while still feeling outside with a great view.;The lawn area is on a slope so there is limited choice as to where the ceremony can be located. There are taxidermied animals in the sunroom; some can be moved others are permanent.

Contact Info for Cayuga Nature Center

1420 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca, NY

Meet the Team

Tiffany Garwol

Events Director

Hi! My name is Tiffany Garwol, and I began my adventure here at the Cayuga Nature Center as the Facility Rentals and Visitor Service Coordinator for the Paleontological Research Institution in 2019. I have a background in project management, the arts, and customer service, and I would love to help you plan your special day – I love getting to know a couple and working together to build an unforgettable event. Please let me know what you would like to see!

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