Syracuse's nickname as “The Salt City” is just one of the stories you'll uncover when you visit the Salt Museum. The facility was built with timbers from an actual 19th century salt warehouse. The venue explains how in the mid-1800s, “boiling blocks” were used to boil salt water and evaporate the brine which left the salt behind. Syracuse went on to become the national leader in the production of salt, and the museum traces the many aspects of this unique area history. Visitors can see artifacts and attractions like wooden barrels, kettles, a saltworkers “neighborhood” and a full-scale reproduction boiling block.
Fans of all different tastes convene in Syracuse to treat their taste buds to a truly unforgettable experience with the Taste of Syracuse. This is the largest downtown festival in Central New York as it draws over 150,000 people who are searching for something with which to please their palate. This is a two day event that features great live entertainment, a family zone that the kids will love, and of course, some of the best food from local, area and national restaurants and food vendors. This tasteful confab is scheduled every year in the early summer.
The call of the wild is heard loud and clear the minute you set foot in Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park. This incredible 36-acre zoo houses nearly 1,000 animals in some truly impressive natural habitats and attractions. Among the many exotic birds, lions, tigers and monkeys, the zoo is best known for its widely recognized Humboldt Penguin Breeding Program.
Nature and history intertwine to create something special at the Camillus Erie Canal Park. This 300-acre park is located between Albany and Buffalo, at the midpoint of the Erie Canal. The expansive area features seven miles of trails that are used for hiking, mountain biking or horseback riding in the warmer months of the year and snowmobiling and cross-country skiing in the winter. Also, don't miss the chance to stop into Sim's Store Museum which is a replica of an actual canal-side store that can be found in the center of the park.