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Syracuse is a city in Central New York, set at the southern end of Onondaga Lake in the heart of the state, surrounded by rolling hills and the Finger Lakes. The Onondaga Nation, keepers of the central fire of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, have lived here for centuries. Salt springs around the lake made early Syracuse the Salt City, supplying much of the nation's salt in the 1800s, and the Erie Canal, which ran right through downtown, turned it into a booming manufacturing center.
Today Syracuse has about 145,000 residents and is home to Syracuse University, whose hilltop campus and JMA Wireless Dome, the largest domed stadium on a college campus, draw crowds for Orange basketball and football. The city's downtown has handsome 19th-century architecture around Clinton Square, where the Erie Canal once flowed and where an ice rink now operates in winter. Armory Square is a lively district of restaurants, bars and shops, and the city is known for its heavy snowfall, often the snowiest large city in the country.
Visitors will find a surprising range of attractions. The Erie Canal Museum is housed in the only surviving canal weighlock building in the country, the Everson Museum of Art in an I. M. Pei-designed building holds a renowned ceramics collection, and the Museum of Science and Technology sits in the old armory. The Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Onondaga Lake Park's trails, the Great New York State Fair each August and the Destiny USA mall round out a visit, and the Finger Lakes wine country and Skaneateles Lake are close by.
Clinton Square is the historic heart of downtown Syracuse, built where the Erie Canal once crossed Salina Street. It holds the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, a reflecting pool and summer concerts and festivals. In winter the pool becomes a popular outdoor ice rink with skate rentals.
Syracuse University sits on a hill east of downtown, with a campus of Romanesque and Gothic buildings around the Quad, including the Hall of Languages and Hendricks Chapel. The JMA Wireless Dome hosts Orange football and basketball. Walk the Quad and visit the free campus art museum.
The Erie Canal Museum is housed in the 1850 Weighlock Building, the only surviving canal weighing station in the country. Exhibits explain how the canal shaped Syracuse, and you can step aboard a full-size replica canal boat. Admission is by donation, and it is a short walk from Clinton Square.
The Everson Museum of Art is known for its bold concrete building, the first museum designed by I. M. Pei, which opened in 1968. It holds American art and one of the largest ceramics collections in the country. Check the schedule for free community days and changing exhibitions.
The Museum of Science and Technology, known as the MOST, fills a former armory in Armory Square with hands-on science exhibits for kids and families. It has a planetarium and an IMAX dome theater showing nature and space films. Buy combined tickets if you want both exhibits and a film.
Onondaga Lake Park runs along the eastern shore of Onondaga Lake in Liverpool, just north of Syracuse. It has miles of paved trails for walking, biking and skating, playgrounds, a skate park and the Salt Museum. Rent a bike or tram ride in summer to see the full length of the shoreline.
Thornden Park is a large hilly park next to Syracuse University with walking paths, an amphitheater, a public pool and the E. M. Mills Memorial Rose Garden. The rose garden blooms best in June and July. In summer the amphitheater hosts free outdoor theater performances on some evenings.
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park is home to Asian elephants, Amur tigers, red pandas, penguins and many other animals. Exhibits are arranged by region, with indoor areas open year round. Visit in the morning when the elephants and big cats are usually most active and the paths are quieter.
Armory Square is a walkable downtown district of restored brick warehouses filled with independent shops, restaurants, bars and cafes. It is busy on weekend evenings and during festivals. Park in a nearby garage and combine a meal here with a visit to the MOST, which sits on the square.
Destiny USA is a very large shopping and entertainment complex on the shore of Onondaga Lake. Besides stores and restaurants it has a go-kart track, a ropes course, laser tag, a cinema and arcade games. It is a good rainy day option, and parking is free in the surrounding lots.
The Landmark Theatre is a 1928 movie palace on South Salina Street with an ornate interior inspired by Indian and Asian designs. Restored by volunteers after nearly being demolished, it now hosts Broadway tours, concerts and comedy. Arrive early to look at the lobby and decorated ceiling.
The Great New York State Fair runs for about two weeks ending on Labor Day at the fairgrounds just west of Syracuse. It has livestock barns, the famous butter sculpture, rides, food stands and free concerts at Chevy Court. Weekday mornings are the least crowded time to visit.
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