Category Archives: Fun

Oneida Shores

Open year round, Oneida Shores provides camping, lodging, boating, and fishing.  Guests can indulge in the Arrowhead Lodge—a secluded setting that includes many spaces for various events.  Oneida Shores provides a perfect place to spend the day or plan a weekend getaway.

History

Established in 1964, over 340 acres was designated to Oneida Shores Park, found in Onondaga County.  Onondaga County is known for its vast natural resources and land.  Oneida Lake was formed due to glacial melting, that occurred almost 12,500 years ago.

This park’s area is not only rich in its resources, but also rich in culture.  Oneida Lake was named after the Oneidas, one of the Five Nations located in the upstate New York area.  Being one of the smallest, they were named the “Little Brothers of the Mohawk.”  The park was a home for the Oneidas for several generations, until they moved on to other land.  Oneida Shore’s main objective was to create a scene that looked quite similar to what the tribe had experienced 500 years ago: lush land filled with greenery, trees, fishing, and openness.

Contact Information:
Telephone: (315) 451-7275
Fax: (315) 457-3681

Beach

The beach on Oneida shores is safe for all ages.  With the safety of lifeguards, the beach provides guarded swimming areas along with a sand area for beach volleyball, a children’s playground and other types of enjoyment.  Inflatables can be rented during beach season.  A bathhouse can be found nearby.

2013 Beach Season:

May 25-June 9: Friday-Sunday (this includes Memorial Day), 11am – 6pm
June 14-August 18: Friday-Sunday (this includes the 4th of July), 11am – 6pm; Monday-Tuesday, 12pm – 6pm
August 24th and 25th: 11am – 6 pm

Recreation

Camping: Enjoy 50 lake view campsites located at Oneida Shores Park in Brewertown.  The campgrounds have spaces for tents and RV’s, and supply electricity and water.  They come equipped with picnic tables, grills, parking areas, and shower areas.  Free beach passes and boat launch access comes along with the full package.  Oneida Shores wants to remind visitors to stay safe, clean up, and preserve the land.

2013 Operating Days:
April 26 -May 19: Weekends ONLY
May 24-October 14: Daily

Rates:
Basic Sites (no utilities, tents only): $25/night
Waterfront Sites (no utilities, tents only): $25/night
Electric and Water: $35/night
Dump Station: $4.50/use
*dump station free for registered campers

Boating: Oneida Shores is one of the easiest places to route towards New York State’s largest inland lake.  The park provides many entry ramps for boats of different sizes, along with accessible parking and other nearby services.
*for more information on boating rates, look at the admission section
Fishing: Visitors can enjoy a day of fishing at Muskrat Bay Fishing area, where they can catch surface fish and a variety of different species.

Admission

Beach Season:
$4 per vehicle (Monday-Thursday—$2 per vehicle from 12-7pm)
$6 per vehicle (Friday-Sunday + Holidays)
$10.50 per bus
*free before noon for seniors
**non-beach hours are free
Recreational Acitivies:
Boat Launch:
$7.50 per launch, $4 for seniors (Monday-Thursday)
$5 for honor box (October-April)
$5 for personal water-craft launch
Rentals:
$6/half hour for a 1-person kayak
$10/hour for a 2-person kayak ($8/for every half hour added)
$14/hour for kid power paddlers ($3/for every half hour added, $5/for every hour added)
Season Passes:
Boat Launch – $77/trailer
Personal Water Craft – $63 for one, $84 for two, $103 for three or four
Beach Admission – $31.50 per car, $45 per bus
Senior Beach Admission – $21

Location

9400 Bartell Road
Brewerton, NY
13029

References

Oneida Shores Park. 2013 <http://onondagacountyparks.com/oneida-shores-park/#ParkContact>.

Westcott Theatre

Westcott Theatre
The Westcott Theater which is a old cinema that has been renovated and reconstructed from past years, which now have been formed into a Upstate NY premiere live music venue. Major functions are Bar, Movies, and Performing Arts. The Westcott Theater host national, regional and local bands at the venue. Many well-known performers, as well as underground artists have came to perform in this venue. The type of genres that are performed at Westcott range from Hip Hop, Rock, Country, Pop, Heavy Metal , Techno, and others. The ticket prices varies for events, so you will need to find out about the prices by calling, email, internet, or fliers that are put around the Westcott Community and Syracuse area. This theater has become a very live and jive place now. 

Early Development of Theater
Westcott Theater open since 1919 , known as the Westcott Cinema was a well known cinema for its previewing of independent and foreign films for all those cinema lovers out there who wanted something different from the regular mainstream Hollywood movies. Westcott Cinema opened in 1928 and was called the Harvard Theater, a singled screen movie theater . The audience varies from students, professors, locals, etc. Overall, Westcott is highly prized by its audiences because it is venue that offers quality entertainment at a low cost.

Closing Down of Theater
Westcott Theater was managed by Nat Tobin since 1993 till 0ctober 17, 2007 when it closed. Since 1919, Westcott Cinema was a building that been renamed several times as an independent movie house. Westcott Cinema was the home of the Syracuse International Film and Video Festival. In the Daily Orange a VPA professor from Syracuse University stated “The festival is a community event with venues all over the city. It will miss Westcott,” Shapiro said, “Losing it is a serious loss to the city and community. It’s a cultural icon within Westcott nation.”. The main reason for the closing of the cinema was its overall physical layout like the single screen , seating, and lavatories needed renovation. This theater was a historical landmark and many thought that this movie theater was very convenient to the SU community because of it close vicinity to SU campus. Even students stated, “It’s sad; there’s no where to see good indie films. I get sick of the stuff from Blockbuster and Regal; there’s no originality in it,” said Alex Piliouras, a sophomore television, radio and film major.

Reopening
Since then, the Westcott Theatre has reopened and now serves as a live music venue, where bands and artists both mainstream and underground come to perform.

Notable Performers:
▪ The Bob Marley Wailers
▪ Asher Roth
▪ Ra Ra Riot
▪ GhostFace Killah

Contact:
Phone: (315)299-8886

Location:
524 Westcott Street Syracuse,NY 13210

Hours: Varies upon Events

Email: [email protected]
Twitter : @WestcottTheatre
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewestcotttheater

 

Wonderworks

What Wonderworks looks like before traveling through the Inversion Tunnel! Photo Credit: fPelin’s Eye, Flickr

Wonderworks at DestinyUSA is your all-in-one entertainment experience with more than 100 hands-on exhibits. When you enter Wonderworks, everything appears upside down, until you go through an “inversion tunnel” that properly aligns you to the flipped building so that you can experience the fun! Within Wonderworks, patrons of all different ages can experience a variety of fun and attractions including Canyon Climb Adventure, Lazer Tag, a 4D theater and a variety of other attractions.

Canyon Climb Adventure:
Canyon Climb Adventure Ropes Challenge is the World’s Largest Suspended Indoor Ropes Course. With 3 levels of ropes and over 81 different obstacles while standing 70 feet tall, this attraction will make sure to get your adrenaline pumping! The adventure is appropriate for all ages and safety is guaranteed. Some of the awesome aspects of Canyon Climb Adventure include lilypads, a tremor bridge and swinging steps! Though the cost of Canyon Climb Adventure is not included in your Wonderworks pass, it is worth the small expense!

Tickets:
Children (4-12) & Seniors: $14.99
Adults: $14.99

Lazer Tag
The Lazer Tag in Wonderworks at DestinyUSA provides a thrilling and competitive experience for all patrons! This lazer tag experience takes place in a black-lit maze. Here patrons are put head to head with one another, where they have to outlast other players by avoiding getting shot. This experience is both fun and exhilarating.

To get involved in the Lazer Tag at Wonderworks, patrons must pay an additional fee when entering the Wonderworks attraction.

Other Attractions
Aside from the inversion tunnel when you first enter, Wonderworks offers a variety of other attractions that keeps patrons in awe. In the Hurrican Shack, patrons feel as though they are in a real storm with winds up to 85 miles per hour winds. Wonderworks also has a 4D Theater. This motion stimulated 12-seat XD theater will take you on the ride of your life. The theater features three movies on a rotating schedule. The Anti-Gravity Chamber makes water change directions as it moves from the floor to the ceiling, which patrons notice with the flash of a strobe light. Also in Wonderworks are computers and monitors that encompass 25 feet and display images of famous natural disasters. The Xtreme 360 Bikes allow patrons to perform tricks and flips that they would never imagine possible. In the Space Zone, patrons can travel outer space. Also available at Wonderworks is an illusion gallery, mind ball, a bubble lab, wonder coasters, wonder park, a bed of nails, virtual air hockey and a masterpiece floor piano!

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Revolutions Entertainment

Bowling pins getting knocked down. Photo Credit: Tinou Bao

Revolutions Entertainment in DestinyUSA is the only place in Syracuse where you can eat, drink, rock and bowl. Revolutions Live offers patrons the best bowling experience with modern lanes, projection HDTV’s, black lights and bumper options. The lanes at Revolutions Entertainment can be used by casual bowlers, private bowlers, league bowlers and even late-night bowlers!

Aside from bowling, Revolutions Entertainment offers an array of other experiences in DestinyUSA. Revolutions Entertainment offers the best in gaming, with both interactive and competitive video and prize games. There is even a retail prize area with hot selection of items for winners! Besides gaming, Revolutions Entertainment also offers “The Stadium”. This is a place where sports fanatics can hang out to watch the latest sports games on a big screen. Also available at Revolutions Entertainment are billiard tables for those who want to play a few rounds of pool.

With all the action, you will get hungry. The Revolutions Entertainment at DestinyUSA has a Red Brick Grille that offers a variety of chef created American classics. Dishes include burgers, pastas, gourmet pizzas, BBQ, sandwiches and fresh salads.

For rates and more information regarding Revolutions Entertainment in DestinyUSA visit www.revolutionsentertainment.com.

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Pole Positions Raceway

One racer speeding around the track. Photo Credit: zombieite

Overview
Indoor karting is the fastest growing sport in the United States an Pole Positions Raceway in DestinyUSA will show you why! The 1/4 mile course and European karts that can reach speeds up to 45 mph make the Pole Positions Raceway at Destiny USA an exhilarating experience. DestinyUSA has a variety of racing options that will meet your needs.

Racing Options
The Arrive & Drive racing format is the most popular. In Arrive & Drive patrons show up either on their own or in groups to race in 10 minute races. Arrive & Drive is available for both adults and children, as smaller karts are made available for people between 48” and 56” tall.

Pole Positions Raceway in DestinyUSA also offers group events, party packages and full facility rentals for the racers that want to spend their day on the course. These formats allow larger parties to reserve a time and date to you Pole Positions track. This allows patrons to avoid a wait and also spend quality time with the people they choose.

Also at Pole Positions Raceway there are special monthly events including Ironman Races, Team Endurance Races, Youth Racing Camps and even Driving Clinics. So, whether you want to race competitively or learn how to drive, Pole Positions Raceway at DestinyUSA will meet your needs.

For rates and more information regarding Pole Positions Raceway in DestinyUSA, call 315-423-7223 or visit .

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5 Wits

A shipwreck like one explored in a 5 Wits adventure! Photo Credit: JustMeJulie

Overview
5 wits is a hands on adventure that will fully immerse the explorer into a different world where he/she will have to solve puzzles, overcome obstacles and discover new things. Though the adventures are not physically demanding nor frightening, the experiences do force the explorer to put their 5 wits (imagination, estimation, fantasy, common sense and memory) to the test. DestinyUSA offers both of the 5 Wits adventures: Espionage and 20,000 Leagues.

Espionage is a journey where the fate of the world rests in the explorers’ hands. Explorers are put head to head with the CABAL Corporation by breaking into their headquarters and destroying leaked information that could threaten the freedom of mankind! In this journey, explorers must solve puzzles and overcome challenges by decoding safes, defusing bombs and overcoming physical obstacles. The experience will seem real with the special effects.

20,000 Leagues takes explorers under the sea and into Captain Nemo’s Nautilus, a lost Victorian submarine. While under the sea, explorers try to uncover the mystery about what happened to Captain Nemo and the Nautilus. To figure this out, explorers fix ancient submarine engines, attempt to complete Nemo’s last experiment and take on sea creature from down under!

Tickets:
Ages 13 and older: $18
Children under 12: $14$18 per person aged 13 and older.
To purchase tickets, explorers can call (506) 698-1600 or visit .

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