Syracuse had always been on my “must go” list and when I had the opportunity to visit Syracuse this July I was over the moon excited. I took the Amtrak out of Croton Harmon and a few hours later was in Syracuse. I grabbed a cab with the nicest driver who gave me a little tour of Syracuse on the way to the historic Jefferson Clinton Hotel. Once I checked in and freshened up myself and a few of my fellow Macaroni Kid Publisher Sisters headed out and and took a walking tour of downtown Syracuse stopping at historical sites like the Erie Canal Museum and the statue of the Jerry Rescue, Syracuse is packed with such history. We ended our walking tour with an amazing dinner at Apizza Regionale where they accommodated my gluten allergy by making me a crustless pizza! Broccolini topped with amazing cheeses and peppadew with roasted garlic, my mouth waters every time I think about it.
First on my list of favorites was The Most (The MOST 500 South Franklin St., Syracuse)
The Most is a premier science and technology center that encourages hands on play! From the moment you walk in it’s one exciting exhibit after the next. Kids and adults can play, explore, climb and crawl through the entire science center. I kicked off my shoes and climbed through the indoor tunnels and went down the slide! The Most also has Toothpick World! An entire city made out of Toothpicks, along with stadiums and bridges.
One of my favorite parts of New York state is our amazing state parks. Well the greater Syracuse area has plenty of state parks to keep you awestruck. My favorite was Green Lake State Park (Green Lakes State Park 7900 Green Lakes Rd, Fayetteville.) Green Lake State Park has it all; camping, swimming, hiking along with activities for kids. The lakes sparkle green almost like an emerald and the water is crystal clear. The park is also easily accessible with easy parking. My family and I will be back for sure.
If you read my review of Rochester you would of seen the stats on the increase of craft beverages in New York State. We had the opportunity to visit Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards where they brew their own hard cider, gin and vodka. Beak & Skiff has a beautiful tasting room where you can sample their 1911 Spirits and have their amazing cider donut holes. The country store is wall to wall jammed packed with the greatest items. (1911/Beak & Skiff) 4472 Cherry Valley Turnpike, LaFayette)
I love the zoo, we go often and when I heard that we were going to get to visit Rosamond Gifford Zoo I couldn’t wait. An AZA accredited zoo that’s mission is to preserve the species of the animals in it’s care. The zoo is clean, updated and the perfect size for any family to navigate. It’s also extremely stroller friendly and has a really awesome kids area so parents can sit and rest while the kids play. ( Rosamond Gifford Zoo 1 Conservation Place, Syracuse)
Destiny USA is number five on my list encompasses really all of Syracuse. (Destiny USA 9090 Destiny USA Drive, Syracuse ) Destiny USA isn’t “just a mall” it’s shopping, dining and entertainment under one roof. Entertainment is endless, a large indoor amusement park, rope climbing, escape rooms, laser tag, arcade and go carts. Sounds like a lot right? Well Destiny makes it even better and you can build your own fun with the Summer Fun Pass that can be purchased that offers admission into four of Destiny’s attraction. The fun doesn’t stop there the fun pass also offers you admission to five area attractions in the Syracuse area. The Zoo, The MOST, The State Fair, a SU Football game and a Syracuse Chiefs baseball game.
When I think back on my trip to Syracuse I feel like I left a piece of my heart in Syracuse. It’s a city where anything goes, so much so they created their own slogan “Do Your Thing”. You can’t be bored in Syracuse or go hungry. I highly recommend going to Modern Malt, Funk’N Waffles and any of the amazing places offer at Destiny USA.
Visit Syracuse, the tourism bureau, has a lot of great information on visiting Syracuse and all the great things to do there.The tourism industry is play such a crucial role in bringing in revenue to the city there has been an direct financial tourism impact of $850,000,000 annually. Think of all the jobs that have been created and all the school programs enriched just based on these numbers! Just another reason to keep your vacation dollars here in New York!
Disclaimer: I was wined, dined and toured around by Visit Syracuse in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own
