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Spring’s Here… It’s Like Opening Day All Season Long…
We’ve got the “Central Park of Central New York”... Onondaga Lake Park... Celebrating 75 years!
Onondaga Lake Skatepark Now Open
Onondaga Lake Park April 1 - 27: 11 -7 pm; April 28 - June 13: 10am-8pm
The 16,900-sq. ft park is concrete and built for inline skates, skateboards and BMX bikes. Come and test your skills on its features like the 8ft. deep Liberty Bowl, 7 Stair Gap, 4.5 ft. high ledge, or 3.5 ft. high volcano. There are also quarter pipes, grind rails, spines, hips and gaps to challenge every skater or biker. Admission to the Skatepark is $3 per session, $29 for a monthly pass, $99 for a season pass.Wegmans Fit for the Next Fifty Begins - May 5
Onondaga Lake Park, next to Griffin Visitor Center
8:30 - 10am, Monday, Wednesday & Friday (except holidays) thru Sept. 26
Targeted to ages 50 and up, everyone is welcome to participate in this program geared toward maintaining a fit and healthy lifestyle. Classes include a combination of stretching, light weights, aerobics and walking. Free.Wegmans Trams Begin - May 10
Onondaga Lake Park11 am - 7 pm daily thru May 23, then 11am – 8pm thru October 13
A sure sign of spring is the traditional sight of the Wegmans Tram. The free trams are wheelchair accessible and run between the Griffin Visitor Center and Willow Bay making frequent stops along the way. Rides start at the top of the hour, Monday-Thursday and run every half hour Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Suggested Donation $1
Salt Museum Opens - May 10
Onondaga Lake Park
1 - 6 pm daily thru October 13
Discover how Syracuse earned it's nickname "The Salt City" through exhibits and artifacts in a reconstructed 1856 salt manufactory. The museum also has a gift shop. Free.
Sainte Marie among the Iroquois “Opens” - May 10
Onondaga Lake Parkway/Route 370, Liverpool
12-5pm, weekends; 9am-3pm weekdays (open year round weekdays)
Join in the fun at Central New York’s only living history museum. The 1657 mission site and Visitor Center, staffed by volunteers, features ongoing demonstrations of period carpentry, blacksmithing, cooking and more. Special events and activities are scheduled year round. Admission.
“Water” you waiting for?
Trout Season Now Open throughout Onondaga County
Fishing is a wonderful activity for the whole family or for those seeking solitude and thanks to Carpenter's Brook Fish Hatchery, nearly 100 miles of local streams will be brimming with thousands of fish, including nearly 20,000 two year old brown trout averaging 15 inches in length. Best bets are Nine Mile Creek and Butternut Creek. Call the stocking hotline, 689-0003, to find out how many fish have been stocked in your favorite spot.
Boating Season Open
The Oneida Shores Boat Launch offers your most accessible route to New York State's largest inland lake. Less than a mile off I81 in Brewerton, the paved launch provides multiple entry ramps for boats of all sizes, ample nearby parking, picnic facilities and restrooms.
Located midway along the lake's east shore, the Onondaga Lake Park Marina is a public facility operated by Onondaga County Parks. Due to its proximity to Syracuse and the greater metropolitan area, the Marina is a favorite spot for both recreation boaters and fishermen. Seasonal slips are available and begin at $600 depending on size of boat and utilities.
Canoe/Kayak Dock Opens - May 10
Beaver Lake Nature Center 9 am - 4 pm, Weekends
Enjoy a leisurely paddle on you own across Beaver Lake. Explore the lake's edge and search for beaver lodges, turtles, herons and osprey. Paddlers may bring their own canoe/kayak or rent one from the Visitor Center. Rental rates are $8 per hour; $2 each add'l half hour.
Ready, Aim, Shoot (or Throw)!
Disc Golf Course - Now Open
Jamesville Beach Park
Featuring 18 challenging holes, this is a great combination of Frisbee and golf (and exercise!) According to the National Recreation and Park Association, Disc Golf is one of the fastest growing sports in the country and Central New Yorkers can easily get into the game!Archery
Pratt’s Falls Park
28 Station Field Course – Come out and take aim, beginning in April targets will be set up but before that players must bring their own.These parks all offer areas for practice, visitors must bring their own targets and equipment.
Play Ball…or Watch!
Softball Leagues – Register now, play begins April 21
Hopkins Road Park & Onondaga Lake Park
Teams interested in playing this spring should sign up today. Men's, Women's & Competitive Coed and Recreational Coed Leagues will play at Hopkins Road Park while the Women's Recreational Leagues will play on the waterfront fields at Onondaga Lake Park. $508 per team. Call 435-1412 or Register online.Kickball - Register now, play begins April 21
Onondaga Lake Park & Hopkins Road Park
This league offers coed recreational play and lots of laughs.
- Spring Leagues play Mondays, April 21-June 16; Wednesdays, April 23-June 28
& Fridays, April 25-June 20.- Summer Leagues play Mondays, July 7-September 8; Wednesdays, July 9-September 10 & Fridays, July 11-September 1
- New - Play Friday nights under the lights at Hopkins Road Park!
- $200 per team. Call 453-6712 to register
Syracuse Chiefs Now Playing
Alliance Bank Stadium
Enjoy the nation's favorite pastime and come see the Toronto Blue Jay affiliated Syracuse Chiefs of the International League play on the new grass field.
Ridin’ High…
Horseback Riding Begins - April 12
Highland Forest
Tuesday - Sunday, 10 am - 6 pm thru November
Enjoy a leisurely paced one-hour saddleback tour through the "Adirondacks of Central New York." Cost is $25 per hour. Riders must be at least 7 years old. Opening day depends on conditions, call 495-6263 for information and reservations.Mountain Biking Season Begins - May 1
Highland Forest
Regular Park hours, thru November
There is no better place to give your bike a workout than on the 20 miles of trails at the "Adirondacks of Central New York." Highland offers a mix of country road, mountain trail and backwoods adventure while opportunities for Off-Road Bicycling can be found on park roads and on fire lanes. Maps available at the Park Office located inside Skyline Lodge. Donation is $2 per vehicle.
Get away from it all…
Campgrounds Open - May 2
Oneida Shores Park
Choose from 50 lakeview sites, 25 with power. Shaded grounds accommodate both tents and self contained RV's. Hot showers, restrooms, free beach and boat launch use make this the ideal get away spot.