Syracuse, New York

WonderWorks is an amusement park for the mind, combining education and entertainment with more than 100 hands-on exhibits that will spark the imagination and challenge the mind. Visitors to the attraction will experience 84 mph hurricane-force winds, land the space shuttle, pedal the Xtreme 360 bikes, become a human lightning rod by touching 100,000 volts of electricity, lie on a bed of 3,500 nails, design and ride a virtual roller coaster, play virtual sports, climb the indoor ropes course, compete in a game of laser tag and much more. For those that are seeking a thrilling adventure, WonderWorks offers the Canyon Climb ropes course. It’s the World’s largest suspended indoor ropes course. Standing 70 feet tall, visitors will explore 3 levels of ropes as they encounter over 81 different obstacles and activities; including swinging steps, lily pads, a tremor bridge and more.

Located on the campus of Syracuse University, this 49,262-seat domed stadium is the largest domed stadium of any college campus and the only domed stadium in the Northeast United States. Catch a Syracuse University football, basketball or lacrosse game. Check the JMA Wireless Dome's calendar for these as well as concerts and other special events.

Spanning the 375-acre Empire Expo Center, the Great New York State Fair attracts approximately one million visitors annually, and is the third largest state fair in the United States. The 12-day festival begins at the end of August and ends on Labor Day each year. In addition to rides, games and food, the fair also boasts a circus, petting zoo, strolling performers and daily parades. Visitors can also peruse numerous health, agricultural and arts and crafts exhibits. Entertainment is in no short supply with nightly concerts and several agricultural, culinary and art competitions, including the butter and cheese sculpture competition.

Designed by internationally famed architect I.M. Pei, the building houses approximately 11,000 pieces of American art, including paintings, ceramics, sculpture, photos and videos. With a focus on local and regional art, the museum's permanent collection includes its widely-recognized ceramics collection built upon its acquisition of several pieces by Syracuse art potter Adelaide Alsop Robineau in 1916. It is also the home to one of the nation's earliest and largest collections of art videos from the 1960s and 1970s.

Located in Burnet Park, the Rosamond Gifford Zoo is home to over 700 species of fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals, including the facility's seven elephants at the Asian Elephant Preserve. Food is available for purchase on site in the Jungle Café and concession stands around the zoo.

Take a stroll through Syracuse's history at the Onondaga County Historical Association Museum. Learn about the county's birth as well as its role in the abolition of slavery as part of the Underground Railroad before and during the American Civil War. See relics of some of the area's major past industries, including Franklin Automobile Company and Syracuse China. This is a great place to learn about the county's people and traditions.

The Erie Canal Museum is located in Syracuse in the last remaining Weighlock Building in America, weighlocks being used for the purpose of weighing cargo-carrying ships traveling the canal. The museum aims to preserve Erie Canal history, as well as provide insight into the significant impact the canal has made on Central New York, the United States and the world.

The most popular park in Central New York is Onondaga Lake park, which draws over one million visitors annually. The park features several trails, a skate park, a playground, fishing, a dog park, a marina and boat launch, archery targets and more. Visitors from the end of November to the beginning of January can tour the 'Lights on the Lake,' an annual holiday lighting festival.