<p>Yankeegirl- I can chime in on Ithaca. Although it’s in the middle of nowhere, the Collegetown area has enough to offer students looking for places to go and things to do. There are a huge number of students in Ithaca (home of Cornell, also).
Students I’ve known from different parts of the country (at both schools) all seem to enjoy living in Ithaca. There are lots of outdoor-related activities as well but the biggest complaint I’ve heard is that the winter weather can be brutal.</p>