Winter in Central New York

There's magic in the air. And romance by the fire.

Winter warmers

Yeah, we get snow. But did you know you burn more calories in the cold? That's not all there is to love about our winters. Whether it's fireside dining or a walk through winter woods, we do winter like nobody's business. From our ski slopes to sledding hills and festivals of outdoor fun to candlelight romance, you can't escape the magic of our winters- or the value of a shovel. (The arm workout really pays off come summer.)

A quiet sweep of easy wind and downy flake

In CNY, it's easy to come home from work, strap on cross-country skis, and go. In minutes, we're gliding through a park, a trail, a quiet street, all extraordinarily beautiful beneath a winter moon. The downhill slopes south of Syracuse are easy to reach. So are hundreds of miles of snowmobile trails on the Tug Hill Plateau where Mother Nature usually drops more than 200 inches of snow. It's why thousands of snowmobiling enthusiasts drive in from around the Northeast. In less than four hours, we're at the Lake Placid Olympic Center for all kinds of winter fun including the Olympic slopes on Whiteface Mountain.

What's to love in winter

Lights on the Lake

Lights on the Lake runs from mid-November through the Sunday after New Year's Day. It's a family-friendly event at Onondaga Lake Park. The two-mile drive-thru show features fantastical light displays, animations, and colorful arches. Among the displays: Land of Oz, Fantasy Forest, and a North Pole Station with a Santa-driven steam engine. It's sure to fire any imagination, which is why it's become a beloved holiday tradition.

Holidays in the City

Holidays in the City brings family fun to downtown Syracuse. There's music, caroling, food, and special events. Try your hand at ice carving. See live reindeer (direct from Santa's North Pole hideout) at Hanover Square. Check out the gingerbread houses at the Erie Canal Museum. Watch children's favorite holiday movies at the Landmark Theatre and the Museum of Science and Technology. Stroll hand-in-hand at the holiday window walk. Hop aboard the free Holiday Trolley so you don't miss a thing.

Dickens Christmas in Skaneateles

Step back in time and enjoy a traditional old-fashioned holiday season at Dickens Christmas in Skaneateles. Events take place every weekend starting the day after Thanksgiving. Carolers, live music and special events flow through the village streets. A live brass band plays every Saturday and a bagpiper or two entertain on Sundays. Join the carol sing-along at the Gazebo in Clift Park. Dickens characters in costume stroll the streets, including mean old Scrooge (but he'll offer a nice surprise for you). More than 20,000 visitors come to Skaneateles every year for Dickens Christmas. We love to see our fun pay off in rankings. One by carrentals.com named Skaneateles one of America's "25 most festive holiday towns."

Syracuse Winterfest

Every February, Syracuse Winterfest celebrates all that is fun about winter. If a few visitors show up, that's OK, but we intend this winter fun for all the residents of the region. There's a $2,000 Treasure Hunt, ice carving at Clinton Square, and even a Miss Syracuse Winterfest competition staged in the beautiful Grand Ball Room of the Marriott Downtown. It's in our nature to love competition so don't miss the snow-sculpture contest at the Everson Museum Plaza and the chili and chowder cookoffs in Hanover Square.

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