I grew up regularly taking road trips to New York State, specifically in the Syracuse area through to Rochester. I have relatives in that area and I always felt like I was going on a big adventure as a child as we crossed the big bridge, brought our passports with us and were in a country with money that looked so much different!
My kids have drove threw Syracuse a few times and have even flown out of the airport there but we have never truly explored throughout the area.
We decided to take our time on the drive down to North Carolina again this year and made Syracuse and Philadelphia our two big stops to play and explore.
To be honest I was a little unsure about whether Syracuse would have enough for us to do. The weather was iffy as it was early March and I had 3 children (ages 3, 6, 8) who were super eager to explore and play.
I was super, and pleasantly, surprised with the fun filled few days we had as a family in Syracuse. We now tell everybody that if you want a quick little getaway from Ottawa to definitely keep Syracuse on the list of places to visit. There is so much for the kids to do in and around Destiny Mall (ummm, have you been here before?! It’s huge!) and the food did not disappoint. My hubby will still tell you how full we were after spending a few days in Syracuse!
So, what exactly is there to do with the kids?
Destiny Mall is a huge mall with over 250 places to shop, dine and play and they have over 26 million guests visit this location each and every year. Crazy, right?!
They have an amazing deal where you can get a Summer Fun Pass for 4 attractions + 4 bonus admissions for only $40 per child. There are over 28 participating venues at the mall PLUS you get 4 bonus admissions (you can choose from Great New York State Fair, Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Syracuse University football game or Syracuse Chief Baseball game!) You can check out all of the details here: https://destinyusa.myshopify.com/products/summer-fun-pass-2018-child
Here is what we enjoyed during our stay:
Billy Beez – this is a huge indoor playground area that will keep your kids busy for days! The one thing that caught my eye right away and would definitely have me coming back for me? It was soooo clean. Honestly, I have never been to a play centre that was so clean!
WonderWorks Ropes Course– yes, it definitely gave me some anxiety having my 8 year old high up in the sky, with 3 floors underneath him as he looked down. This attraction is for the thrill seekers of the family and there were many people enjoying it of all ages (adults and kids!) while we were there. There was a smaller version for the younger children that my 6 and 3 year old enjoyed and could easily do independently.
Go Cart Racing- RPM Raceway– I think my husband and son would have preferred if we would have left them here for the day so they could race all day long. Round and round, faster and faster. I wasn’t too sure how my oldest would do but he loved it and got the hang of it really quickly.
Glow in the Dark Mini Putt- What kid doesn’t like mini putt? Especially when it’s Glow in the Dark! What I loved about this place? That there was 36 holes so the kids didn’t run through the whole thing in 2 minutes! Mini Putt isn’t really my thing to be honest but my kids love it so we do it anyways. Right?
Mirror Maze– With some slight anxiety and feelings of clauterphobic I went through the mirror maze with my husband leading the way. The kids had a blast but I always get flashbacks to horror movies gone wrong while going through them. We must have gone through this 5 times over the course of the day. Once you go through once you can go through as many times as you want for the rest of the day. Warning? Keep your hands out as you lead the way. Those mirrors are hard!
Syracuse Eats! Yes, eating out with kids……does that give you a bit of anxiety?! Promise you will love these spots!
Dinosaur BBQ– Have you been here before?! Can we get one in Ottawa please?! We made a quick stop here a few years ago but with a newborn in my arms that time I was excited to re-visit for a meal and really enjoy everything it had to offer! What do I love about Dinosaur BBQ? It is super kid friendly, they have quick and amazing service and the food is beyond delicious. Heads up- you will have soooo much food that you will be taking the rest for lunch the next day!
Funk & Waffles– If you ask my kids what the name of this place is you may think they are saying something they shouldn’t be 😉 We definitely had a few giggles while listening them say the name of this great spot. If this was spot wasn’t highly recommended for a visit there is no way I would have gone. Yes, unfortunately I am a judge a book by it’s cover type of person. Well, when it comes to restaurants. My husband is a huge fan of the Food Network and this show had been highlighted on it before so I trusted him that we would be in good hands. If you are looking for some delicious waffles and breakfast creations then head on over here!
His eyes couldn’t believe it!
Glazed & Confused- This place was incredible. Fresh made donuts each and every day with a variety of flavours. We are a bit of a donut snob family after having some great ones in OBX and along other adventures but these ones did not disappoint. The owner was on site and chatting with customers as they arrived which gave it a family friendly feeling. Plus, who doesn’t love supporting small local businesses?
Margaritaville- There is a Margaritaville right in the mall and kids eat free on Sunday’s and Tuesday’s with the purchase of an adult entree. This makes a huge difference in cost when travelling with multiple kids for multiple nights!
Where to Stay While You Play?
We stayed at the Embassy Suites by Hilton which was right next to Destiny Mall so we could walk back and forth. The rooms were very spacious with 2 queen beds in one room and then a separate living area (with a pull out sofa) and kitchenette. We absolutely love when we get can a suite and have the sleeping area separate than the living area since our kids usually go to bed early. This then gives mom and dad some time to kick back after a long day of fun. It’s also nice to have a small fridge, sink and microwave because we all know how often kids want to eat and there is often leftovers from meals.
They had an indoor pool which the kids loved. I would have loved to see it be a bit bigger and a bit warmer 😉
So, would we go back? Absolutely! I found this to be the perfect getaway for a rainy or cold weekend. Close to Ottawa but far enough away that you feel you really are on vacation!
Want to see more? Check out my instagram highlights!
Disclosure: Our hotel stay and some of our activities and some of our food was provided to us. All opinions are always our own!
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