With all the parents/family going to graduations this month, any advice for those of us going a year from now ?
How far in advance must one book hotels ?
Anyone stay in the dorms, was that a good idea instead ?
What day to arrive and leave if you consider logistics of helping a student move out of Ithaca ?
I have the unusual situation, my kid will live in the dorms as a senior (theme dorm that he loves).
I assume he has to get out immediately after the graduation. Need to stay more than 2 nights ?
Other suggestions as far as celebrations (on/off campus, restaurants etc) ?
We made our airbnb reservations immediately after last year’s graduation as hotels in Ithaca use a lottery system to determine who gets in, and then require a minimum stay at a maximum cost. We made reservations at John Thomas steak house on Jan 1; they fill up within hours. We’re all taking extra suitcases back with us (flying southwest) and will pack her stuff up in suitcases to fly home. What we cannot pack will go to the dump 'n run or we’ll mail stuff home if we have to. Since she’s in a furnished apt., we think we’ll fit everything in the suitcases.
Congratulations. S1 graduated 2015 and S3 will graduate in 2019. Room/hotels and air B and B in Ithaca are all very expensive ($500 per night with 3 night minimum). If you don’t mind paying those rates and guarantee, you can start to reserve next week. Some hotels have a lottery. We did not do the dorms, but chose to stay in Cortland, NY at country inn suites. Rates were fine and did not have to book 3 nights, We are in NY city area so drove up Friday night and his fraternity had a family BBQ. Saturday morning was the senior speaker and in the afternoon his fraternity booked a winery for all the families. We booked John Thomas (New years day) for Saturday night dinner and graduation was Sunday morning. Lunch after ceremony at Boatyard grill and then loaded up all his stuff and headed home on Sunday.
@blevine – some of the hotels are already full for next year’s graduation. I started calling all of them on May 1st and learned that a couple were full already, others take lottery names on May 1, others on June 1, and then one random one with some date in mid-June. All required three night minimums at $400+/night rates. I have only stayed in Statler so do not know the pros & cons of other hotels in town.
I am sorely tempted to stay in the dorms, although having done so recently for Reunion, I am not thrilled by that idea either!
Dorm rates are: $215/bed for three nights, includes two brunches per person. So $430 if two people staying in same room.
For those who have stayed in hotels or B&Bs, where do you park on campus for the Saturday speaker & Sunday Commencement?
My daughter is class of 2019 and we made our reservations in Watkins Glen a few months ago. And surprisingly, they have their reservation book out that far in advance.
I am going to whisper very softly here on where to park. You can park at the Dryden Road Garage in Collegetown. You can walk to the stadium from there, even though it can be a bit of a hike for grandparents.
Bring a light color umbrella and a plastic raincoat. The umbrella is for the sun before the ceremony (they ask you to take down your umbrella when the ceremony starts), and plastic raincoat in case of rain.
This will be our 4th Cornell graduation (it’s for my nephew). You need to make restaurant reservations very early on. I booked a lakeside house for both of my kids’ graduation a year ahead. My brother didn’t believe me, so we stayed at a worst hotel in Ithaca when my first nephew graduated. This time around they booked a house a year ahead.
I have just returned from attending graduation - totally, totally off-the-charts phenomenal! I stayed at a B&B in Slatersville, The Mary Hunt House, that was lovely. The hostess does a lovely breakfast and is very accommodating to dietary restrictions. Try to get the suite with the bathroom, otherwise you share one. I booked this in August 2014, as I had heard that accommodations were expensive and limited. My son’s roommate’s parents booked a room in Elmira one month ago for two nights and said it was lovely. I let my son and his friends choose the restaurants and great choices - ethnic (Mongolian and western Chinese) and a barbeque themed restaurant with lots of vegetarian choices. I did not find parking an issue. My son had an apartment in Collegetown and once I arrived, I parked near his apartment and then we walked. I arrived on Thursday, which allowed me to have time with my son, and also a circle of his friends before all the other parents arrived - it was fantastic! If your son/daughter is involved with organizations and/or clubs, then there are numerous atherings celebrating the seniors and their parents! My son and his roommates had a barbecue for us parents on Saturday evening - it was wonderful to see them all play host. My advice - go and bask in your child’s incredible accomplishment and enjoy!
Congrats to @bayavenue83 's son, and the others.
It is indeed a great family weekend, honoring a major accomplishment.
When my D2 did it we also had several events, including a function for one of her extracurricular endeavors and a separate ceremony for her major, after the big graduation event, where they handed out diplomas.
We didn’t have any issues getting in/out of the Schoelkopf parking lot, when we did it, FWIW. My memory fails me, but it’s possible we drove from there to another parking lot for the diploma ceremony, right after the big graduation ceremony.
If that was the case, then it would have been better that we parked at Schoelkopf, vs. Collegetown, since the car was closer to us following the" big event", and getting out of the lot was not a problem.
But sadly I don’t remember if that’s how it happened.
Been a year since this thread and finally back from graduation. What a wonderful achievement.
College graduation was indoors and convocation was on the football field.
Not a great speaker this year at convocation, but at least the weather was nice.
Hard to top Biden and Andy Bernard
Mass graduation on Sunday, it poured but they had the event outdoors (no lightening, then it’s outdoors).
We had family stay in dorms and others in Cortland motel.
$200/pp in dorms $200/nite in Cortland (I hear $500/nite in Ithaca hotels if you can get a res).
Wasn’t so bad driving back and forth to/from Cortland, no traffic
Ate our celebratory meal at our favorite place http://www.zazascucina.com/
Was a bit expensive, $75/pp but love that place, great food and service, close to campus.
Now the clock starts ticking…we expect to be back again next year…S1 continues for masters degree.
Not sure we’d go for all the events next year but we’ll be back to celebrate again, and move him out of Ithaca for good.
Huh, I loved Ava Duvernay’s speech at Convocation. Moving, inspiring, entertaining; everything you’d want in a graduation speech.
Another option for future grads’ families are the sorority houses if you have a daughter in one. My daughter’s offered families one room for free. Not the most comfortable but it took me back to my college days.
congrats to the new grads !
I had one too, but not from Cornell, and is also still in school anyway, like @blevine’s
re #10, I had that “back to college days” experience when we did a Cornell Adult University program; They dormed us in Donlon.
We survived, but suffice it to say that sometimes college days are best left in college. IMO. Not every experience benefits from being re-lived.
Moreover, air conditioning may be mostly unnecessary during the school year, but it would be a nice touch come summer ! And maybe sometimes during graduation weekend too.
(BTW the adult university program was great anyway, I recommend it)
A sorority house room might be better than a dorm room though.
Also, for those families contemplating staying in the dorms for graduation, if you wind up in West campus make sure everyone in your party can tackle Libe Slope.
We did the West Campus thing and booked a suite that slept 5. Great experience, highly recommend. Be prepared to hike Libe Slope – there’s a shuttle but the line is too long. Book restaurants well ahead. My son did it for us. What a wonderful weekend! Two Cornell in my family, but only got to do the graduation weekend in 2014 since S10’s team was away playing at Final Four instead of graduation. Somehow – not asking questions – he procured a cap and gown in 2014 and walked with his brother and experienced the ceremony as a graduate four years late!
Congratulations to all the graduates! Instead of eating out for dinner, we went to Wegman’s and did a picnic cookout at one of the parks on the shore of the lake in the early evening on Friday night and it was just gorgeous there!
