As a native of Syracuse, New York, I have noticed that Syracuse University students are so enraptured by downtown Syracuse that they forget there are surrounding towns and villages that hold new and exciting endeavors. Syracuse also contains a diverse population with many different, beautiful cultures. 

SU students should exit the bubble that downtown Syracuse provides and explore the other amazing aspects of the surrounding area. Luckily, there are endless activities to enjoy around the city this school year. 

Roughly a 12-minute drive from campus, you can find the best hotdogs in the whole state at Heid’s of Liverpool. You can grab a hotdog, a pickle spear and some local Byrne Dairy chocolate milk — a great meal for a cheap price. While eating, you can walk right across the street to Onondaga Parkway and enjoy the excitement that the local community has to offer.

There are also plenty of places with alternative options if you’re vegetarian, vegan and gluten free. Carmelita’s Mexican Restaurant in Cicero, New York, has veggie tacos that my best friend said “are to die for.” 

In addition to the food, many Syracuse residents and SU students are drawn to this area due the love of sports throughout the city. It’s undeniable — sports are a huge part of Syracuse culture. Some popular local teams include the Syracuse Orange, Syracuse Mets, and the Syracuse Crunch Hockey club.

But fifteen minutes from campus, at Esta Safety Park Drag Strip, you can join a crowd of spectators as they watch cars fly down the track at 165 mph. Although you may not know about the drag strip, anyone can go on Sundays to experience a fast-paced environment and an uncommon sport. 

If you’d like to get out of the loud crowds and into a calmer environment, you can travel farther from campus to Skaneateles, New York. In this beautiful town adjacent to Skaneateles Lake, there are plenty of small businesses that sell goods such as handmade jewelry. 

Another benefit of being in central New York is that the area experiences all four seasons, although winter tends to feel longer than the others. Around Christmas time, Skaneateles looks like it is straight out of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” with actors and actresses dressing the part for incoming visitors. 

While it’s not quite Christmas yet, central New York is approaching the time of changing leaves, cool weather and fall activities. Apple picking is popular among residents, and there’s no better place than Beak and Skiff. Customers rave about the apple cider, and the orchard has the best apple cider donuts in the area. 

Outside of Syracuse, in Rome, New York, Wagner Farms has more sunflowers than you can imagine. Whether you’re looking for an Instagrammable destination or just a beautiful site, this farm should be on your list of places to visit. 

There’s so much to experience in Syracuse and the surrounding area, so you should get out and experience all the hidden gems. Syracuse is a great place to grow up and an even better place to go to school. Make Syracuse feel more like home by getting to know the local areas and businesses — you’ll find so many beautiful places to explore.

Teagan Brown is a junior history and broadcast and digital journalism dual major. Her column appears biweekly. She can be reached at tbrown30@syr.edu and followed on twitter @teagannbrownn.

Published on August 29, 2021 at 11:01 pm