Staycation Ideas
Why pay for lodging when you have great things to do in your own backyard?
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Take your vacation right from your house. There’s plenty to do in the Central New York area.
Time with the grandkids (Or for kids at heart)
Enjoy go-kart fun at RPM Raceway in Syracuse, along with a break in the on-site arcade. The RPM Raceway provides Italian-style go-karts on a European track.
• www.rpmraceway.com/syracuse-ny
Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse offers special exhibits and events. Check the website to see what’s coming up. The zoo’s snack shops and restaurants can help you make it an all-day affair. Or plan to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy. Snap a few photos to participate in the photo contest.
The MOST — formally, the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology in Syracuse displays in its 35,000 square feet numerous hands-on exhibits for science enthusiasts or the generally curious to experience.
Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards in Lafayette isn’t joking when it calls the farm a “campus,” as its numerous buildings provide plenty to do if you want to spend the day. Plan your trip for a fall weekend for pick-your-own apples. Take the grandkids to explore the farm store, apple barn, café and bakery (don’t miss the apple cider doughnuts and apple fritters!), climbing rocks and kids’ treehouse. Or if the grandkids are at home, plan to attend a summer concert, imbibe at the 1911 tasting room and take home some hard cider.
Oswego Tours provides Food & History tours, History Tours and Haunted Oswego Tours. Wear good walking shoes, as you’ll be on your feet for a total of 90 minutes each.
History and Culture Seekers
The Everson in Syracuse offers ever-changing exhibits of modern and contemporary American art, including 11,000 paintings, ceramics, sculpture, videos, photographs, works on paper and decorative arts.
The H. Lee White Museum in Oswego offers both a maritime museum and, with a reservation, a boat tour to the Oswego West Pierhead Lighthouse between mid-June and September.
The Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse chronicles how “Clinton’s Ditch” came to be, shaped the center of New York’s commerce and still augments its recreation to this day. The museum’s home, the 1850 National Register Weighlock Building, represents the last remaining structure of its kind.
The Salt Museum in Liverpool relates Syracuse’s salt industry contributed to the area’s economy and how important the commodity was to everyday life in the 1800s. The free museum is at Onondaga Lake Park, so bring a long a picnic to enjoy the view and take a stroll along the waterfront.
• https://onondagacountyparks.com/parks/onondaga-lake-park/salt-museum
The Stickley Museum in Fayetteville is on the second floor of the Fayetteville Free Library, originally the L. & J.G. Stickley factory. The 8,000 square feet exhibits furniture and accessories from Stickley’s past through the present.
On the Water
Mid-Lakes Navigation in Skaneateles offers guided tours on Skaneateles Lake. Book lunch or dinner cruises or sightseeing tours.
Cruising on Onondaga Lake, Syracuse Boat Tours provides themed boat tours, group tours and open seating tours.
• https://syracuseboattours.com
Anglers should check out Hotliner Sportfishing Charters out of Oswego Harbor, which provides all the gear, a guide and tips on where to fish for what.
While staycationing, break away from the chain businesses you could see anywhere and patronize small businesses along the way, such as unique shops, local restaurants and farm stands. These businesses often rely on tourism dollars to thrive and their unusual offerings will make your staycation feel more like a far-flung getaway.