New York Beyond the Big Apple: Discovering Syracuse, NY

There's more to New York than the five boroughs of New York City; the state boasts enough beaches, mountains, waterfalls, skiing and historical sites to make your head spin! Upstate New York's Syracuse is a great place to see pristine orchards and dairy farms, a top-notch zoo, museums, wineries and craft breweries, a local ball club and the New York State Fair.

About a five-hour drive from both Boston and New York City, Syracuse is about an hour from the Adirondack Mountains, a beautiful and scenic destination. "Salt City" -- so named for the commercial salt production plants located near the brine springs around Onondaga Lake -- makes for an ideal weekend trip, as Syracuse is small enough to be easily navigable, but big enough to hold your interest.

Start your tour by heading to the middle of it all: Downtown Armory Square, located near the Erie Canal and major rail lines. The area has seen revitalization, with old warehouses and historic buildings housing the highest concentration of bars and restaurants in the region. On Thursdays, local vendors gather for the Downtown Get-Down, where a $5 entrance fee gets you beers and tastes from local businesses.

All this tasting will whet your appetite for a cold one. Head one mile to Empire Brewing, an award-winning brewer of handcrafted ales and lagers. Their motto is "Eat Where You Live," and they stay true to their word by sourcing menu items from more than 60 local farmers.

Grab a more substantial meal at the local favorite Dinosaur Bar-B-Que or turn your snacking into dinner by heading to Laci's Tapas Bar, in the up-and-coming gayborhood of Hawley Green. The restaurant is located in one of the area's beautiful old homes, purchased by Laura Serway and Cindy Seymour in 2006.

Serway rolls out the red carpet for guests, bringing to the table crudit� and their trademark Laci's Luscious Sauce, soon to be found in local grocery chain Wegmans. The sauce is wonderful on fried green tomatoes and the local favorite, Laci's Chicken Riggies (rigatoni). Favorite bites include Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Spanish Sliders and Bacon Wrapped Dates. Be sure to ask about the local ghost, Mary, who is known to mischievously move plates around the kitchen. They've even caught her on camera - washing dishes, no less!

Their resident ghost makes Laci's a good candidate for the local Spirits & Spirits Tour, where guide Michael John Heagerty walks you through haunted and historic pubs, hidden cemeteries and other secret, haunted locations.

Retail Therapy

With a solid meal under your belt, you'll be set to do some shopping at America's newest mega-mall, Destiny USA, a 2.4 million-square-foot tourist destination that features luxury outlet shopping like Abercrombie & Fitch, Apple, Hollister, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th, Crabtree & Evelyn, Michael Kors, Ferragamo and Williams-Sonoma, to name a few. Destiny USA is expected to become the second most visited shopping center in the country, according to Travel and Leisure magazine.

Top-rated restaurants include the Ashley Lynne Winery, Margaritaville, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Texas de Brazil Churrascaria, and more.

You can also find a wide variety of entertainment, including the Amazing Mirror Maze, Funny Bone Comedy Club, LazerTag, Glow Golf and OptiGolf, Wonderworks, Canyon Climb Adventure, Dave & Busters, Pole Position Raceway and several movie theaters. There's even a zip line that sends you flying through the mall.

If all this commercialism is too much for your sensitive soul, get a little culture in by touring the Erie Canal Museum, housed in the National Register 1850 Syracuse Weighlock Building, the last remaining canal boat weigh station in the nation.

For fine art, head to the Everson Museum of Art, renowned for its extensive and significant collection of ceramics, pioneering art video collection and distinctive structural design by noted architect I.M. Pei.

More to See

Top it all off with a trip to retro heaven, The Landmark Theatre. A $16 million renovation and expansion returned it to its splendor as the premiere entertainment destination of the Central New York region. Designed by 20th century architect Thomas Lamb, the building first opened in 1928 as a movie palace. Today, it's a historic national treasure, bringing shows, concerts, events and other productions to the stage. Upcoming performances include Josh Groban, Chicago, and Grace Potter in October, plus a special evening with Dr. Temple Grandin. In December, catch "Matilda the Musical" and Mannheim Steamroller.

If you want to be where the cool kids are, head to the nearby hipster haven of Skaneateles (pronounced 'Skinny Atlas'). This means 'long lake' in Iroquois, and along this 16-mile "jewel of the Finger Lakes region," you'll enjoy the historic downtown district's charming shops and galleries, housed in restored buildings dating back to 1976.

Find local artisans' work at Under The Stone and Gallery Fifty-Four. Grab the local favorite, a curled-up filet of fried fish in a bun, at Doug's Fish Fry, or class it up by splurging on a fancy meal at The Krebs 1899, a recently renovated fine dining establishment that raises the bar on central New York's restaurant's offerings.

Autumn rocks with wine tastings, fall foliage tours, and apple and pumpkin picking. Catch this scenic view from every direction: via a 32-mile bike trip around the lake, a boat ride via Mid-Lakes Navigation, or a hot-air balloon ride to experience a breathtaking view of the region from above.

To plan a trip to Syracuse, visit www.iloveny.com or www.visitsyracuse.org.