Exploring CNY During All Seasons
Syracuse and its surroundings have some serious exploring potential. With beautiful nature spots, new restaurants downtown and scenic road trips, there’s a lot to appreciate here. No matter the season, Central New York has hidden (and not so hidden) gems for you to experience.
After it’s typically freezing winter, Syracuse likes to come out and play during the spring and summer. “Real” spring for the city starts in late April or May, thanks to its snow-laden winters. Syracuse celebrates this time of year with festivals for, well, everything. From a number of different cultural fairs usually set downtown to the Taste of Syracuse (large $1.00 samples from local restaurants–need I say more?) to the beloved Great New York State Fair at the end of summer, finding something to do during the warmer months isn’t hard. Take a day trip to the Finger Lakes to check out the various wineries of the area, or simply just enjoy a peaceful day by a beautiful lake. Into hiking? Climbing Jones Hill, located about 30 minutes away from campus in Tully is a great way to break a sweat while overlooking a beautiful view of the area’s rolling hills and lush nature. Scenic lake towns like Cazenovia, Skaneateles and Ithaca are short day trips and each one offers visitors a unique experience with various shops, restaurants and more.
During the fall and winter, as expected, things start to get frosty. As chilly as the weather gets, don’t let it keep you from your Syracuse adventures. We have a beautiful fall season and there’s so many areas to appreciate the foliage.
Stone Quarry Hill Art Park, located in Cazenovia, is set just outside the town and offers visitors a unique and interactive way to experience art. Sculptures of varying styles are set up throughout the park, creating a surreal nature experience. The park often hosts events such as yoga classes along with art exhibitions. This site is wonderful for a mini-day trip as it’s only about 30 minutes from SU campus. Stroll through the town of Cazenovia and grab a cup of coffee at one of the town’s cozy coffee shops, or take in the view of idyllic Cazenovia Lake.
Are you a fan of apples? If the answer to that question is yes, then you’re in the right state. New York State is widely known for its love of apples and around Syracuse, there’s a number of spots to pick them. The hugely popular Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards is located in the scenic town of LaFayette and it’s become a CNY staple. Not only can you pick apples with a stunning view, the orchard has a charming store on-site that has loads of apple-related goodies. In addition, the orchard has its own alcohol brand, 1911 Established and this company has quickly become a Syracuse favorite. With a distillery close to the orchard, 1911 Established also has a tasting room and tavern open to visitors.
Yes, the Syracuse winters are cold. Yes, they are snowy. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them! At this point, hopefully you’ve been able to appreciate the beautiful nature that surrounds campus. Taking a winter walk through any of the nature trails and parks in the area is truly refreshing. Head over to Tinker Falls in Tully to see this trail’s frozen waterfall glistening with icicles. Waterfall aside, this quick nature walk is the perfect example of a winter wonderland when it’s snowy season.
CNY also has a good amount of winter sports opportunities like skiing, snowboarding and ice skating. Head downtown to Clinton Square to it’s open skate rink and grab a hot cocoa at Recess Coffee afterwards, just a few blocks away. If you’re into skiiing and snowboarding, check out Song Mountain in Tully, one of the area’s most beloved winter activity sites. If you’re not into downhill skiiing, then give cross-country skiing a try at Highland Forest in Fabius. This site has multiple wood trails of varying lengths, and a beautiful lodge with a lovely view, too.
Whether it be fairs and festivals during the warmer months or scenic trails and ice skating during the chilly ones, it’s not a daunting task to find something fun to do in Syracuse. Now start exploring!
