I was recently given the opportunity to visit Syracuse, New York with several other Publishers from around the United States! Prior to this trip I have only been to New York a handful of times and I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I had no idea how much there is to do there for families and it is only a little over 4 hours away! Read on to find out more about some of the amazing attractions in and around Syracuse, New York.
Green Lakes State Park
Green Lakes State Park is home to a beautiful Green Lake! It’s fascinating emerald green color occurs because the Spring and Fall mixing of surface and bottom waters do not occur. This is called a meromictic lake. My children would love to spend the day here just playing in the water! You can also camp, hike, kayak, or rowboat. Green Lakes State Park is on the top of our list for when we return to New York.
Beak and Skiff and 1911
My absolute favorite Season is Fall! The weather cools down, the leaves are changing, there are pumpkins everywhere and my 2 favorite girls both happen to have been born in October! Beak & Skiff would be the perfect location to take the family on a cool Fall day! Beak & Skiff started in 1911 when George Skiff and Andrew Beak met at a Farmer’s Market and decided to enter into the apple business. In the 20’s and 30’s they sold apples to grocery stores. Over the years, they experienced some difficult situations (cold and dry seasons) in which the entire crop was lost. Instead of giving up, they came up with ideas such as lighting smudge pots, irrigation methods, and wind to stop crop loss. In 1975 Beak and Skiff opened the pick-your-own orchard to the public, which is now known as Apple Hill. They also began making their own apple cider which years later in 2001 led to hard apple cider. In 2010, Beak and Skiff introduced 1911 Spirits. It was the first business in Onondaga county to produce gin and have a distillery license.
There truly is something for everyone to enjoy at Beak & Skiff and 1911. The following activities are available to enjoy:
Pick Your Own Apples - late August through October
Apple Hill Country Store & Bake Shop
Apple Barn
Kid’s Area - rides, game, pony rides, wagon rides
Cafe
1911 Tasting Room
Museum of Science and Technology
The Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology is a hands-on science museum for children and adults of all ages. The Discovery Center of Science (original name) opened in 1981 in downtown Syracuse and was the first hands-on Science Museum in upstate New York. In 1992 the Museum relocated to the former Syracuse Armory buiding. It is home to the Silverman Planetarium and the only domed IMAX® theater in the state of New York. Play on the climbing wall and in the Science Playhouse, explore Astronomy in the Space Gallery, check out the Earth Science Discovery Cave, learn all about the human brain, explore Leonardo da Vinci's inventions and even explore Toothpick World!
Rosamond Gifford Zoo
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo is among the top 10% of Zoos in America and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. It Is the perfect location for any animal lover. The Zoo is open year round and 60% of the exhibits are inside. The outdoor exhibits remain open in the winter as well!
Dining
The variety of food in Syracuse is as great as the variety of activities in the area and places to visit. We had the privilege of dining at Apizza Regionale, Funk N’ Waffles, Doug’s Fish Fry, Margaritaville and Modern Malt. We tried some many new and delicious items, from the Jive Turkey Waffle at Funk N' Waffles to the Rucolo at Apizza Regionale. Everything was so fresh and most of the restaurants made everything from scratch. If you enjoy trying new things, you will not be disappointed!
We also visited the Erie Canal Museum, Clark’s Reservation State Park, Destiny USA, and the Skä•noñh - Great Law of Peace Center.
*Visit Syracuse hosted several Macaroni Kid Publishers for a Press Trip. Accommodations, most meals and activities were complimentary. No other compensation was received in consideration of this article, and all opinions are my own.
Macaroni Kid Hershey to Elizabethtown is a free weekly newsletter and website focused on fun family events and information in South Central PA. We gather all kinds of local family events and activities each week, and add useful information about classes, family-focused businesses, book and product reviews, recipes, crafts, school and camp guides and more. We proudly serve families in Hershey, Middletown, Hummelstown, Elizabethtown and all the places in between!
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