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We call it inter-sexy
Syracuse sits at the intersection of two major highways. That's fast access to great cities like New York, Boston, Philly, Montreal and more for quick weekend getaways.
Day trips and weekend jaunts
If you grew up in Central New York, you know how affordable it is to live here - making it easier to afford to travel. Best of all, so many places are nearby and easily accessible by car, bus, Amtrak, and plane. Amtrak trains run eastbound and westbound from Syracuse. Six major airlines serve Syracuse Hancock International Airport with more than 50 flights per day and non-stop flights to 24 destinations. Living in Central New York means other interesting places are easy to reach for a day trip or weekend jaunt.
Water, cities, mountains - so many places to hang in New York State
New York City hardly needs an introduction. Our Big Apple neighbor is among the world’s major commercial, financial and cultural centers, and it's easily reached from CNY. Tip: Take the Thruway to Poughkeepsie, park in the train-station garage, and ride the Metro North commuter line to Grand Central Station. Or drive I-81 to I-80, park in New Jersey, and take a ferry across the Hudson. Try I-81 to Route 17 at Binghamton for spectacular scenery skirting the Catskills.
- 260 miles
- 4 hours and 10 minutes by car
Buffalo, New York's second largest city, spreads out along Lake Erie. Its fine neoclassical, beaux arts and art deco architecture shows it was a wealthy giant of America's industrial age. The Bills (NFL) and Sabres (NHL) have plenty of CNY fans. Casinos, art galleries, and up-and-coming night life make it a good weekend jaunt. Tip: From downtown Buffalo, it's only 25 minutes to Niagara Falls.
- 149 miles
- 2 hours and 20 minutes by car
Albany is New York's capital, and state government dominates the region. The city's history spans four centuries. Downtown’s huge Empire State Plaza has reflecting pools, an art-filled underground shopping concourse, and The Egg, a striking performing arts center. Bookending the plaza are the grand New York State Capitol and the New York State Museum. Tips: Saratoga Springs is about 45 minutes north and The Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts are an hour east. If you take Amtrak, see if the Schenectady stop is more convenient.
- 150 miles
- 2 hours and 15 minutes by car
Rochester is Central New York's closest western neighbor and sits along Lake Ontario. The metro area has a population just over 1 million. The city has a number of festivals and a good music scene. Two museums are notable for families: The Strong National Museum of Play and the hands-on displays at the Rochester Museum & Science Center. Tip: If you own or rent a boat, Rochester is close enough for a round-trip weekend getaway via the Erie Canal. Many communities along the way offer docking and amenities like internet access and restrooms.
- 90 miles
- 1 hour and 30 minutes by car
The Adirondack Mountains, protected by the state Constitution, cover six million acres, the largest protected natural area in the lower 48 of the United States. The region is famed for hiking, skiing, boating, climbing - all kinds of outdoor recreation. Reaching the top of all 46 High Peaks qualifies you to join the Adirondack 46ers. Mount Marcy, at 5,343 feet, is the highest. Lake Placid has hosted two Winter Olympics. Tip: There are many routes to an Adirondack destination, but if you're going through Old Forge, stop at Old Forge Hardware, a store outfitting locals and visitors since 1900.
- 191 miles away
- 3 hours and 40 minutes
Just north of Central New York are 1,800 islands in the St. Lawrence River, the border between the U.S. and Canada. The region is collectively known as The 1000 Islands (pronounced “Thousand Islands,” not “One Thousand Islands”). It's popular for boating, sightseeing, and tours of the elaborate mansions where America's wealthy summered in the late 19th century. Tip: Take the tour of Boldt Castle on Heart Island. It's hard to forget the romantically tragic story of the castle, a 120-room labor of love constructed by hotel magnate George C. Boldt for his beloved wife Louise.
- 98 miles away
- 1 hour and 30 minutes by car
Easy drives beyond New York state - a weekend away
Philadelphia is Pennsylvania’s largest city and notable for its rich history, on display at the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall (where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed), and other American Revolutionary sites. Also iconic are the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, immortalized by Sylvester Stallone’s triumphant run in the film "Rocky."
- 260 miles away
- 4 hours and 15 minutes by car
Boston is Massachusetts’ capital and largest city. Founded in 1630, it’s one of the oldest cities in the U.S. The key role it played in the American Revolution is highlighted on the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile walking route of historic sites that tells the story of the nation’s founding. One stop, former meeting house Faneuil Hall, is a popular marketplace. Tip: Take the subway Red Line to Cambridge to see Harvard University and Cambridge Common, where George Washington took command of the Continental Army.
- 320 miles away
- 5 hours and 15 minutes by car
Burlington is the biggest city in Vermont, on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain, which is Vermont's border with New York. Downtown, shops and restaurants line Church Street Marketplace. In the winter, skiing makes Burlington a destination. Tip: Consider a stop at Fort Ticonderoga, built by the French at the start of the Seven Years' War and later the colonists' first significant victory in the Revolutionary War. Then, you can cross Lake Champlain on the Ticonderoga Ferry, a scenic seven-minute ride to Vermont.
- 230 miles away
- 4 hours and 40 minutes by car
Or drive to Canada and explore cities with European flair
Toronto, the capital of the province of Ontario, is a major Canadian city along Lake Ontario’s northwestern shore. It's a dynamic metropolis with a core of soaring skyscrapers, all dwarfed by the iconic, free-standing CN Tower. Toronto has many green spaces, from the orderly oval of Queen’s Park to 400-acre High Park and its trails, sports facilities and zoo. Tip: Take your passport to enter Canada and return to the U.S.
- 245 miles away
- 4 hours and 15 minutes by car
Montréal is the largest city in Canada's Québec province. It offers visitors a European flair and feel. It’s set on an island in the Saint Lawrence River and named after Mt. Royal, the triple-peaked hill at its heart. Neighborhoods include cobblestoned, French colonial Vieux-Montréal – with the Gothic Revival Notre-Dame Basilica at its centre. Tip: Take your passport to enter Canada and return to the U.S.
- 250 miles away
- 4 hours and 15 minutes by car
Ottawa, Canada’s capital, is the closest large Canadian city to Central New York. It's on the Ottawa River. At its center is Parliament Hill, with grand Victorian architecture and museums such as the National Gallery of Canada, with noted collections of indigenous and other Canadian art. The park-lined Rideau Canal is filled with boats in summer and ice-skaters in winter. Like Montreal, it has a European feel and flair. Tip: Take your passport to enter Canada and return to the U.S.
- 190 miles away
- 3 hours by car