The architecture of Syracuse ranges from Victorian Gothic to Postmodern, including a hefty dose of Art Deco geometry. It’ll form a great backdrop as you drive into town in your rented RV. Exploring those buildings can be part of your Syracuse itinerary, along with museums, water activities in nearby lakes, and camping with your RV. Here are some suggestions for spending two days in Syracuse.
Your rented RV is your home away from home, forming a comfortable hub from which you will venture forth on your adventures during your two days in Syracuse. An RV lets you easily travel from place to place, and you can save money by preparing your own meals. Just remember to book your campsite before arriving.
Search RV rentals in the Syracuse area.
Preparing for Your Syracuse RV Trip
You’ll find hundreds of RV rentals in Syracuse and the surrounding areas. When browsing our selections, you can pick from motorhomes or towable RVs. Class A motorhomes are the largest RVs, while Class B campervans are the smallest. When choosing an RV to rent and a campsite to reserve, be sure to compare the size of the RV to the available space at the campsite to ensure that they match.
Follow these tips for a perfect RV trip:
• Renting the RV
• Picking an RV of the Right Size
• What to Pack
• Parking Tips for Your RV
RV campsites won’t always have the same amenities. Some might have full hookups, including water and sewer, while others have just a place to park the RV safely. The campgrounds also have differing amenities, such as laundry facilities, full restrooms, showers, and even convenience stores. The Fairpoint Marina RV Resort, Pleasant Lake Campground, and the Green Lakes State Park campground are popular RV camping choices in the Syracuse area.
Find other campground options in our comprehensive list of top-rated campgrounds in Syracuse.
Day 1: Exploring the Five Finger Lakes Region
Morning: Fifteen Miles on the Erie Canal
The Erie Canal Museum opens at 10 a.m. It provides families with educational opportunities regarding the history of the Erie Canal, which celebrates its 200th birthday in 2025. Although the museum is designed primarily for self-guided tours, you can tell the staff you’d like guidance. The staff will find a volunteer docent to be your guide if possible.
Lunch: Naples Meets New York
Apizza Regionale opens at 11:30 a.m., so after your sojourn to the museum, you can be one of the first guests at the restaurant. The pizza combines the best of New York style and Neapolitan style, creating wood-fired goodness.
Afternoon: Exploring the Zoo
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo features the “Eletwins,” a rare pair of identical sibling elephants. There are fish in the aquarium, amphibians, mammals, reptiles, and birds to see and appreciate. There’s even a wildlife trail through the zoo.
Setting Up Camp
Remember to make your reservation before arriving in Syracuse. That way, you can breeze through checking in and have the hosts show you to your campsite within your chosen campground. Once you’re at the campsite, break out the leveling tools that come with your RV. Then, to be safe, place chocks around the wheels to keep your RV in place. If the idea of driving and setting up an RV is too much, check the listing when searching for your RV to see if the owner provides delivery and setup service at your campsite.
Dinner: A Taste of Thai
Lemon Grass offers Pacific Rim cuisine, focusing on Thai food. The menu includes tuna tartare, steaks, other seafood dishes, and several kinds of salads and soups.
Day 2: Back to Nature
Morning: Onondaga Lake Park
At Onondaga Lake Park, you can hike trails, play bocce under the morning sun, and kayak around the lake. If lifeguards are on duty at the designated swimming area, dive right in.
Lunch: Diner Malts
For a taste of real Americana, try Modern Malt. In addition to the malts, the restaurant offers several kinds of French toast, breakfast bowls, omelets, and other diner dishes for you to enjoy.
Afternoon: Shop for Your Dinner
The Central New York Regional Market has several dozen vendors in one place, and you can shop for farm-fresh produce and equally fresh meat products and everything in between. Even after a wonderful lunch, you can pick at the samples and/or have a snack along the way.
Evening: Dinner at Your Campsite
Once you return to your rented RV for the evening, you can cook dinner in your RV’s kitchen for some high-quality family time. Then, you can relax by a fire in the campsite’s fire ring and watch the stars.
Day 3 and Beyond in Syracuse
Do you have more time to spend in Syracuse? Stay another day or more because there is still lots to explore. Here’s what locals do:
• About 55 miles to the east, you’ll find Utica, NY, which sits at the western edge of the Adirondack Park that boasts 6 million acres to explore with camping, fishing, swimming, and hiking.
• In the southern section of Syracuse, you’ll find Webster Pond. If you become a member of the Anglers of Onondaga County, then you can fish this lovely pond for brown trout, largemouth bass, and several kinds of panfish.
Seasonal Activities
Every year at the end of August, the Great New York State Fair takes place in Syracuse. Rides, the midway, and all the fair food you can eat await you and your family. Generally, the fair occurs over two weeks, ending just before Labor Day.
During the school year, you can go to the JMA Wireless Dome on the campus of Syracuse University to watch collegiate sports at the highest level. The teams from the university have won national championships in the past, and you can cheer them on.
Indoor Activities
For world-class shopping, check out Destiny USA. Your children won’t be able to explore on their own unless they’re 18 or older, but you can shop, rest, and eat as a family among the 250 shops and restaurants.
The Museum of Science and Technology, or MOST, gives you a bevy of educational activities for any rainy day, including planetarium shows, presentations on the animal species of the Amazon Basin, and learning all about gems, rocks, and minerals. You can even see an educational film about Tyrannosaurus Rex in the same theater as the planetarium.
Drive your rented RV to Syracuse to begin a fantastic family adventure in Central New York. Enjoy the area’s great food, interesting activities, and natural beauty as you make lasting memories in your RV rental.
