Things to Do in Syracuse

Since sculpting its first fairway in 1928, The Brookwoods Country Club has earned hosting rights to such prestigious events as a U.S. Women’s Open qualifying tournament and multiple New York State Amateur Championships, each attracted by the pristine upkeep and spectacular views sculpted into the Geoffrey Cornish–designed course. Golfers must navigate the dense forestation lining the fairways and the water in play on all holes except the par 3 14th hole, placing a premium on deft club selection and the use of hydrophobic golf balls.

Afterward, players can head to the 19th Hole and refuel with soups and sandwiches on the outdoor patio that overlooks the course. Indoors, a fireplace warms patrons as they sip on post-round beers and regale each other with tales of the time they putted the entire course.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course

• Total length of 6,806 yards from the back tees

• Four sets of tees per hole

• Designed by Geoffrey Cornish

Concealed by glowing dividers, combatants creep along the AstroTurf, hunting for a clear shot at an opponent's battle suit. The 6,900-square-foot arena's lasers, black lights, and shadowy corners call to mind a real-life video game or a haunted discotheque. Skirmishes typically run for 15 minutes, pitting the red team and the green team against each other in a tactical contest. During cease-fires, laser combatants can fire quarters into an assortment of arcade games.

Located in central New York, just off New York State Thruway exit 40, midway between Rochester and Syracuse, sonorous moos and sloshing tins of milk once echoed across this idyllic nine-hole course, which James and Dee Ball converted from their family dairy farm in 1968. Since then, Meadowbrook Golf Club has seen a slew of proprietors, each of whom have added their own distinct touch by installing automatic watering, improving the drainage system, or building a 40’x80’ pole barn to house equipment and botched Dorf clones.

In May 2008, PGA golf professional Trey Walewski and his wife, Tina, took over the Meadowbrook. The golf club remains a family owned and operated business with Trey and Tina, and their daughters, Taylor and Sydney, taking on the operations of the course, practice facilities, pro shop, and bar and grill.

When Utica Zoo opened its gates 98 years ago, three fallow deer comprised its entire animal population. Today, visitors can traipse the zoo's walking trails to view more than 200 animals, including alligators, bald eagles, zebras, and an African lion. The zoo also provides a safe haven for threatened species such as snowy owls and mexican spider monkeys. Staff members guide tours and conduct presentations, allowing visitors to get a close look at animals.

Built in 1993 by owner Neil Comstra, Eagle Ridge Driving Range has since expanded from a practice facility to a fun center with mini-golfing and go-karting action. While putting guests try their hand at the 18-hole mini-golf course, players rehearsing teeoffs on the 300-yard driving range can take aim at a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle and the mechanic trying to start it. Guests can transition to a different kind of driving by hopping into a single- or double-seated go-kart for a spin around the oval slick track. In between races, range time, and mini-golf games, youngsters can continue playing in an oversized sandbox or join adults on the facility's picnic tables or in the shade of a custom-built gazebo.

Located at the Syracuse Kickball Park, Jim and Rocks' Super Sub Shop helps fuel friendly competition amongst the players at the park's newly renovated 18-hole mini-golf course. Whole or half-sized cold subs are built upon a choice of a white or wheat roll, which is then piled high with homemade chicken salad, pastrami and provolone, or smoked turkey or ham. Those looking for a warm meal can peruse a selection of hot subs including a grilled cheesesteak and a chili dog smothered in cheddar cheese and sauerkraut, while light lunchers can enjoy their favorite sub meats and cheeses sans bun in a custom salad served with a choice of dressing. The sub shop also encourages snacking between rounds with munchies such as onion rings, fried mushrooms, and popcorn chicken carved right off the cob.