Syracuse OOT Guest Bag Ideas/Suggestions

lisainthecuse

Hi Girls!  I only have a couple more weeks to go and we're trying to cross all of the remaining items off the to-do list.  I'm looking for suggestions for restaurants to try and things to do in Syracuse to include as part of our welcome letter.  So far we have:

Things To Do - Green Lakes and Beak & Skiff

Restaurants - Dinosaur BBQ, Wegmans

What else would you include to give them a good feel for Syracuse?  

Thanks!

KD+BC

Things to do: MOST, Everson, Armory Square, Big Mama's Cheesecake
Restaurants: Empire Breweing Compay, Coleman's Irish Pub, The Mission, Kelley's

S_A_Friedel

I'm not from syracuse, but when we did our OOT bags we went to the chamber of commerce and they gave us box fulls of pamphlets, area attractions, pens, postcards, etc. to toss in the bags.  Worth checking out your local office

kevinandmonica2011

Things to do... (not sure how far people are driving or how long they are staying... but...):  Finger Lakes Wineries, Corning Museum of Glass, Niagara Falls (I know it seems like a long drive for us, but if your relatvies only make it up this way once in a blue moon, they might want to check it out... I know mine are b.c they think they probably won't make it up this way again anytime soon... they are from FL).
Closer to Syracuse... Fairmon Glen Mini Golf (super awesome), Crunch or SU game (you could find out if there is one that weekend).  The Crunch are super cheap and the games are actually a LOT of fun!
Tipp Hill, Armory Square, Clinton Square... see what is going on dowton... it seems like there is some kind of festival almost every weekend.  See if there is anything official going on.
Oh- and Carousel Mall... it seems normal to us, but I have found that a lot of out-of-towners think it's really something.  Strange
Turning Stone (both for the gambling and the restaurants)
Restaurants... I second Empire, but I have to suggest against Kelleys... I live just down the street and have eaten there a few times... I think it's overpriced and the food has never been that great.
Hmm... Stellas (breakfast), Blue Tusk (to eat and drink), Varisty Pizza (or the whole SU hill area... awesome food and neat atmosphere), Pappa Gallos, Dominicks, anything in Little Italy (Antonios and Asti are great), Borios and Justins Grill, PJ Dorseys (although the last time I ate there, the food wasn't as good as usual... not sure what was up with that), Tassones Wine Garden

Wow... I just realized I wrote a whole bunch.  Hope you can weed through and pick out a few that will work for your guests.
Also, like the knottie above said, check out the Chamber of Commerce.  They will give you so much free stuff that you won't know what to do with it.  Great resource!

KD+BC

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_central-new-york_syracuse-oot-guest-bag-ideassuggestions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:621Discussion:2bb88067-8c62-4d0c-825c-3ca9459cd65aPost:6b84e4ff-3509-4b19-9e73-7c2a17350e64">Re: Syracuse OOT Guest Bag Ideas/Suggestions</a>:
[QUOTE] Restaurants... I second Empire, but I have to suggest against Kelleys... I live just down the street and have eaten there a few times... I think it's overpriced and the food has never been that great.
Posted by kevinandmonica2011[/QUOTE]

Really?!?! I LOVE Kelleys! I've never had a bad meal there and go there all the time. (I grew up in Strathmore is that where you live?)

kevinandmonica2011

No, I live in the Meadows apartments.  I have heard so many people rave about it so Kev and I were very excited to give it a shot, but we were pretty let down.  We went back a second time thinking "maybe it was just an off day" but the second time it was only a little bit better... still not up to par.  =(  I really wanted to like it because it is so close and convenient.
Oh well... new Copper Top is right down the road now too.  Yay!
BTW Strathmore is gorgeous... we are considering purchasing a home in that neighborhood.  If not there, somewhere on top of the hill... Camillus, Fairmont, Howlett HIll Rd area or something like that.  So LOVE it up that way.

lisainthecuse

Wow!  Thank you girls so much.  This is a huge help.  I haven't lived in Syracuse in 10 years so I've forgotten about a lot of the attractions, and looks like there are some newer places too.  I appreciate it!