Syracuse

As you drive south either on the picturesque Route 3 along Lake Ontario or more speedily on I-81, you arrive in Syracuse. Here you find the Erie Canal Museum, which depicts the history of the development of the Erie Canal and its role in the growth of trade in the areas it served. On display is a 65-foot replica of a canal boat, which gives the visitor a great sense of what traveling on a canal was all about. (315-471-0593)Syracuse marks the eastern edge of the Finger Lakes region of New York. This region is one of the most beautiful parts of the state and has within its boundaries a series of long, slender lakes with miles of shoreline unencumbered with towns or homes. The Finger Lakes have become one of the state’s major wine producing regions, with the vineyards being concentrated in the Seneca, Cayuga, Keuka, and Canandaigua Lakes area. Staying at a nearby country inn and exploring and tasting the wine produced here is one of the major reasons for visiting the area.