I've always been told of the legend of the traffic light with the green as the top light, and the…read morered as the bottom. Figuring me, a naive child, I thought it absolutely silly, ridiculous even! BUT, little did I know the true impact of the odd little traffic signal. Little did I know that not only did this traffic signal EXIST, but that I would be coming to visit it in my late 20's during a trip to Syracuse, after my cousin reminded me that it was even a thing when we were trying to figure out how to spend our time in town. The traffic light is in a neighborhood. It's said that the "Irish Youths" kept breaking the red 'British' light because it was above their Irish green. Yeah. That's definitely something an Irish person would do. (I'm Irish. I've seen worse. I've acted worse.) It's honestly such a testament to the pride and persistence of humanity. They tried to switch the lights back to the way they're supposed to be displayed (because of the colorblind) but the stoplight continued getting vandalized. This went on for three whole years. Amazing. There's a few irish pubs in the neighborhood, so once you drive through the intersection of this traffic light, be sure to stop somewhere for a pint of Guinness and toast to the Irish youths who made this a thing so we could write Yelp reviews for it a hundred years later.

I had read about the light on Tipperary Hill. I happened to be in neighborhood after leaving…read moreBurnett Park looking for great views of Syracuse I saw the sign welcoming folks to Tipperary Hill and decide to detour up hill before h3adung to Schiller Park. As described, I drove up a small hill past two green lights then came to this red light! Syracuse landmark found a recess coffee after I made right at light.

Basketball used to be a very slow spot where players would just hang on to the ball for really long…read moreperiods. Boring! And then, someone figured out how to speed it up and shot clocks are now part of football and baseball too! The 24-second shot clock was invented by Syracuse Nationals owner Danny Biasone and general manager Leo Ferris in 1954. It is a way to increase scoring and reduce stalling tactics that were commonly used before its inception. It has been credited with increasing fan interest. There is a historical marker here. It reads, "This clock honors the rule that changed basketball and saved the National Basketball Association. The 24-second shot clock, which put an end to stalling tactics that were threatening the league, was used for the first time in an NBA scrimmage organized by Danny Biasone on August 10, 1954 at Blodgett Vocational High School in Syracuse. In the first season with the clock, league scoring would rise by 13.6 points per game." [Review 1537 of 2024 - 453 in New York - 22560 overall]

Have visited twice in the past few months since my daughter moved here in December 2025. Was lucky…read moreto get a beautiful weather weekend back in March and an almost rain free visit a few weekends ago. Really love the downtown area and it was great to see so many more dining and shopping options available on the most recent trip. We were in town for a wedding, so we stayed close to our Airbnb since we didn't rent a car. Looking forward to more visits in the future.

Syracuse is a college town, so if you come when school isn't going on, you really don't see too…read moremany people!! We were here for a few days, and you can tell the downtown area is set up for the students at Syracuse University!! Lots of pizza places, bars, etc!! But there is also a lot of great architecture in the downtown area, and the whole area isn't very big. It is walkable from the University, I believe I saw some shuttles also. Everyone we encountered, which wasn't too many, were very friendly!!

The world is not without good people and not without evil ones. Otherwise, how would we know which…read moreones are good. -Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861) On a traffic island near the Tipperary Hill neighborhood, this statue commemorates a hero of Ukraine. Larger than life size, he stands on a stone base that is about three feet tall. The engraving at his feet reads, "Taras Shevchenko, bard of freedom, Ukrainian poet and artist born a serf and orphaned early passed a wretched childhood in the service of a brutal sexton. He was apprenticed to Icon and Mural painters until he was bought and freed in 1838 by a group of intellectuals who recognized his talent. Shevchenko became a prominent Realist painter. While his Ukrainian ballads were being published he joined a Ukrainian nationalist society writing bitterly against serfdom and Russian autocracy. It was his poetry that inspired the Ukrainian movement for independence in 1917 and encouraged forces within Soviet Union to continue their struggle for freedom. Banished to an appalling military existence in Central Asia for his Liberal ideas, he wrote exquisite lyric poetry and numerous novels in exile (1847-1857). Dogged by terrible misfortune in life, the poet died seven days before the emancipation of serfs was announced." There is a second plaque, "I am pleased to add my voice to those honoring the great Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko. We honor him for his rich contribution to the culture not only of Ukraine, which he loved to well and described so eloquently, but of the world. His work is a noble part of our historical heritage. John F. Kennedy" [Review 1538 of 2024 - 454 in New York - 22561 overall]

It's always nice to eat locally. It's even nicer to eat locally with someone you care about…read more Honoring the tradition of Lent we went to Strada tonight for a fish dinner. Tonight's entrée was haddock. Your basic syracuse go to fish for Lent. The dinner brings a very good sized fried haddock fish. It's flaky, not overly battered and not at all greasy. About as good as you can get for fried haddock. The sides include coleslaw and seasoned french fries. You get a bunch of delicious seasoned french fries but a very small portion of coleslaw. The coleslaw was on the better tasty side. Not too tangy, not bland. The downside is you only get about four forks full. Rather disappointing based on the balance of things and the cost of the dinner.

We visited Strada Mia for a special New Year's Eve dinner, and we had an outstanding experience…read more They had delightful seasonal cocktails - we tried the spiked hot chocolate and the Christmas Margarita. The food was delicious, and so much to choose from! We had the Arancini balls to start, and they were delicious. We both tried the soups, and I adored the micro grilled cheese that topped the tomato bisque - SUCH a cute garnish! We recommend you get your steak "Jimmy style" because WOW, there is soooo much flavor! The shrimp scampi was also excellent. The large portions gave us some good leftovers. We had to finish with cannolis to-go, and we were so happy we did. Our server was very attentive, even as the place was filling up on a holiday evening! We can't wait to go back and try more of their menu.

While on a business trip in the Syracuse area, I looked up holiday activities and saw that the…read moreLights on the Lake was very close. I also saw consisteng good-very good review on the internet and decided to give it a try. The Lights on the Lake is a series of lovely light displays set up around the perimeter of Onondaga Lake. Visitors are able to drive along the route while taking in some of these lovely displays. The fees are per vehicle and very reasonable, especially if you go earlier in the week. Tickets are only available in advance online, they CANNOT be purchased at the gate. The fees per car are $20 for Fri, Sat and Sun, $10 for Wed and Thurs and $6 for Mon and Tues. While I think the $20 is fair for a car full of people, the $10 and $6 early-midweek price is insane for the activity. I was riding solo, and went on a Monday, so after some nominal fees, I paid about $7.50...FYI I am from NYC, where similar holiday drive throughs in and around the area easily cost $30-40! There was no wait at around 7 PM on Monday night. Less cars also made it easier to pause and take photos without the pressure of holding up the traffic. While there are signs throughout the route that say "do not stop" in an effort not to hold up traffic, many cars were at least pausing for a few seconds, especially during the larger displays, to snap a few photos. You are also reminded to "stay in your vehicle" at all times. As an added bonus, there are perks on most nights, depending on different sponsors for the event. During my visit, after checking in, I was a given a voucher for a free car wash nearby (an $18 value), which I gladly redeemed the following day! Talk about a great deal.... $6 for the Lights on the Lake and a free $18 car wash! Overall I had a great time here. I would love to return again with the family. I highly recommend this activity for everyone, especially on the cheaper nights.

Another magical trip to lights on the lake. This go, there was no wait! We arrived around 6pm…read more As the kids age they notice new things and this has become a favorite tradition for us. Definitely worth the visit.

How do I order if I don't want to/can't talk on the phone? I have to call and talk to a human?!…read more What about your autistic customers? Don't make us eat Domino's! It's gross!

Just another satisfying dining experience at Apizza…read more Looking for a food-lishous meal on a Saturday? This is your place. The menu might not be gigantic, but, sometimes too many choices is not a good thing. We sat down for an afternoon cocktail and some of their delicious pizza. They had a new special this month, Fig pizza. We almost went that way. Instead, we built our own. Got us a red sauce, pizza with mushroom and peppers. And as expected, it came out fabulous.

If you have a gang and you want fun in Syracuse, it's time to Marshall the troops and head down to…read morethis electric, lively little street, which is honestly one of the best party streets in North Eastern USA... partly because it's the only real party street in SYR, so the entire liveliness of the late night loud people for the whole region is concentrated on one tiny strip, and strip is definitely the operative word in the very fleeting warm months. You can call this the heartbeat of Syracuse, and it's certainly a party street with all of the barely-dressed University students (and former Uni students - hi Fox) cavorting up and down here late night, especially in warm weather, but even when it's cold. It's hard not to love Syracuse because of its energy, especially Marshall St, but having said that there are issues, for example in my experiences here, it does seem like a place which has problems with racism and fighting and a massive amount of drunkenness. I've had people looking for fights with me and being aggressive because of the way I looked. And I never got the impression that the people (especially the males) around here are overly friendly. As for the girls, even though they've been very forward and sexual towards me on a number of occasions which I appreciate, they also tend (along with the boys) to trash the party areas and meeting areas, and I feel bad for the people who have to do clean up. It's definitely very exciting for young people here though, and some of the food and drink options are great too, as you will find a really delicious boba shop down here among some other food greats. But for milkshakes go to nearby Strong Hearts, because they're the best in the country. Also worked out for the police because even though some of them are not too awful in these parts masses and masses and masses of them.

The sidewalks all around Marshall street are so dirty for an expensive school…read more There's gum all over them. The brick looks bad. Clean it up please

A Must-Visit in Syracuse!…read more Absolutely loved Salt City Market! I went with a few friends, and we all got something different, which made it such a fun experience. It's a food hall with a variety of stalls offering cuisines from all over the world, so there's truly something for everyone. I went with the Ethiopian food and also picked up a few snacks from the market inside. Beyond the food, I loved the overall atmosphere. There's a community room, plenty of welcoming shared space, and just really great vibes throughout. Even the outdoor area was lovely, especially with the fire pit going on a chilly night! Such a cool, vibrant place to eat, explore different cuisines, and hang out with friends. I would absolutely recommend stopping here if you're in Syracuse!

What a cute little place in Syracuse! There's lots of options and minority owned businesses, so…read moreyou're likely to find something for everyone AND you'll support local. We had the bunwhich and Mediterranean places and enjoyed beers from the bar. Everyone was so kind and it was pretty packed on a Thursday night.

Cool statue located on Syracuse university honoring the great Jim brown. We were walking around the…read morecampus and saw a few statues and this one is really cool to see and how great of a player he was. Definitely worth checking out if you are in the area