Historic Downtown Syracuse Walking Tour
Discover historic Downtown Syracuse with this self-guided walking tour put together by the Sowntown Committee. Downtown Syracuse is a storehouse of historical facts and a repository of sometimes forgotten custom and legend. It is the buildings, the structures of this city that transcend time and provide us with a window on both the past and the present. And the commercial center of the city – downtown – sets the tone for Syracuse’s vitality and progress.
Everson Museum of Art
The Everson Museum of Art seeks to inspire, educate and enrich, integrating art into people’s lives through direct encounters with its collections and exhibitions. It is internationally recognized for its extensive and significant collection of ceramics, pioneering art video collection and distinctive structural design by the noted architect I.M. Pei.
Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology
Where kids of all ages explore the world of science through hands-on exhibits, planetarium shows and lively science demonstrations. Home to the Bristol Omnitheater, the only IMAX Dome theater in Upstate New York!
Onondaga Historical Association Museum and Research Center
One of the nation’s largest regional collections of historical treasures awaits you at the OHA Museum. Celebrate the region’s people, events, architecture, sports legends, industries, transportation and recreation. The OHA Research Center houses two million archival photos, maps, cemetery records, and other documents pertaining to Onondaga County history.
Rosamond Gifford Zoo
It has lions and tigers…and penguins! Visit elephants, monkeys, red pandas and over 600 other animals year-round. The Zoo has indoor and outdoor exhibits, talks and demonstrations and a gift shop.
Hanover Square
Just a block away from the Erie Canal Museum, Hanover Square was Syracuse’s first commercial district. At the center of the Square is a plaza and fountain where lunchtime entertainment is featured in the summer months. The plaza is surrounded by offices and retail businesses.
Armory Square
A trendy spot for shopping, dining and nightlife, downtown’s Armory Square is the place to be. It’s easily walkable and a leisurely browse is half the fun. The 60-foot IMAX screen at the MOST is at the heart of it all, in the former Armory building, which gave the Square its name.
Explore the Canal
Camillus Erie Canal Park
Located along the Old Erie Canal and today’s Canalway Trail, the park features Sims Store Museum, filled with canal memorabilia and a replica canalside store circa 1856, and the award-winning 1842 Nine Mile Creek Aqueduct, which was restored and rewatered in 2009. The park also includes a dry section of Clinton’s Ditch, replica lock tender’s shanty, and other outdoor displays. Boat rides in summer.
Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum
From 1856 through 1917 the dry-docks at Chittenango were a center for canal boat building and repair. Now restored, you’ll see three 100-foot long stone and timber dry docks, a replica canal boat, and exhibits related to life on the canal. You’ll also discover a site restored by dedicated volunteers, whose vision and enthusiasm continue to make the museum a vibrant center on the old Erie Canal. Located within the Old Erie Canal State Park, bike rentals are available or bring your own to explore the Canalway Trail.
Port Byron Erie Canal Heritage Park
Pass through a brand-new visitor center to examine the side-by-side stone chambers of Enlarged Erie Canal Lock 52 and visit the Erie House, a tavern and hotel with mule barns and a blacksmith shop, built beside the lock.
Canastota Canal Town Museum
Located beside a remnant of the Old Erie Canal, the museum is packed with authentic memorabilia, art, and other exhibits featuring Canastota’s contribution to the canal. Across the street is a small park with historical murals and informative kiosks; easily accessed from the Canalway Trail.
Guided Boat Tours
Canal Side Experiences – Waterloo (1 hour west of ECM)
Erie Canal Cruises – Herkimer (65 minutes east of ECM)
Cornhill Navigation – Pittsford (80 minutes west of ECM)
The Colonial Bell – Fairport (90 minutes west of ECM)
Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruise – Lockport (2.5 hours west of ECM)
Mohawk Maiden Cruises – Schuylerville (2.5 hour east of ECM)
Ithaca Boat Tours – Ithaca (1 hour south of ECM)
Boat Rentals
Erie Canal Cruise Lines (Self-Skippered Canal Boats) – Seneca Falls (1 hour west of ECM)
Low Bridge Charter (Self-Skippered Canal Boats) – Waterloo (1 hour west of ECM)
Erie Canal Adventures (Self-Skippered Canal Boats) – Macedon (75 minutes west of ECM)
Finger Lakes Boat Rental (Power Boats) – Aurora ( 1 hour SW of ECM)
Canal Side Experiences (Kayaks, Canoes) – Waterloo (1 hour west of ECM)
Erie Canal Boat Company (Pontoon Boats, Kayaks, Canoes, Stand-up Paddleboards) – Fairport (80 minutes west of ECM)
Upstate Kayak Rentals (Kayaks) – Watervliet & Bethlehem (2.25 hours east of ECM)
Buffalo Harbor Kayak (Kayaks, Stand-up Paddleboards) – Buffalo (2.25 hours west of ECM)
Elevator Alley Kayak (Kayaks) – Buffalo (2.25 hours west of ECM)
Additional Resources
New York State Canals Map – This excellent map from the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is a great resources to plan your next trip by car, bike or boat!
Erie Canal Mapping Project – Check out these oft-forgotten bits of historic canal infrastructure scattered throughout the state.
Canalway Challenge – Set a goal for how many miles of the canal you would like to explore by foot, bike or boat in this fun challenge.
Canoe vs. Kayak – Having trouble deciding what type of vessel to take out on the NYS Canalway Water Trail? Check out this article by our friends at Floating Authority.
Interested in visiting the surrounding counties? Here are some other helpful links:
