My advice, if money is tight, is save your visit for the first fall break or a parents weekend in the fall semester. By listening to your son and giving him the independence he THINKS he wants you will get big parental points. And then when he finally realizes he needs you and misses you and wants to show off the school you can arrive and he will be willing to share more with you. This way you will get a much better view of what his life is like. Ithaca can be quite beautiful in the fall as well.