$6 entrance fee. Park has beach access to Oneida lake. Swimming is available during the summer…read more Lots of places to hang out and bbq or have family reunions, picnics or just a birthday party for groups of all sizes. Ample parking for most days. Sometimes in the summer months there is blue-green algae which causes the swimming area to be closed. Website normally will indicate this so check ahead if you are set on going swimming. This summer they had an inflatable slide so there was something for the kiddos to do besides swimming. All in all a nice park if you are in the area. Camping is available as well so you can camp out here and spend more time if that is in your plan.

I recently went on a weekend long camping trip with my father and stayed at the Verona Beach State…read morePark in upstate New York. My pops, who is now retired, purchased a recreational vehicle and has embraced camping as his new favorite past time. He has asked me several times to join him on an excursion and though I'm not very outdoorsy I finally relented. We pulled into Verona State Park on a Friday afternoon and even though it was early September and nearing the end of the season, the campground was still fairly crowded. The snack bar and store closed after Labor Day but I spent most of my time at the nearby Turning Stone Casino and didn't mind missing out on a few amenities. The park was immaculate, with clean shower rooms and nary a piece of litter in sight. The employees at Verona Beach obviously took their job very seriously and some were a tad overzealous. The workers frequently drove through the campgrounds, patrolling the area and enforcing their rules. I took a walk alongside Oneida Lake after dark and apparently violated one of the sacred rules, receiving a stern warning from the park ranger. I understand why camps only allow power generators during certain hours; gennies can often be noisy and we should preserve the sanctity of nature. On Saturday night we were caught in the middle of a thunderstorm and it rained for hours. I expected the rangers to be a little more lax on generator hours during the storm, when most campers are stuck inside and need electric to power their televisions and stave off boredom. The television in our RV only picked up local channels so we watched an old episode of Wonder Woman featuring special guest star Leif Garrett. Even during a downpour the rangers at Verona State ruled with an iron first, banging on the door of the RV like an angry police officer all because our generator was left on for a few extra minutes.

This campground is a rare gem. It is maintained exceptionally well. The pull through sites are…read moreworth the small extra cost with large concrete patios and fire pits. There is a playground to occupy the kiddos, but overall a serene campground which is quiet and relaxing. The owners and staff are very friendly and helpful with tips about surrounding businesses and activities. Overall this is hidden and peaceful treasure. Highly Recommend!

I am a travel RN. Stayed at this campground last summer for 3 mths…read more Excellent services. Very nice owners and hosts. Beautiful area!!! I would highly recommend it!!!

Quiet, peaceful trail parallel and above canal. Beautiful flowers throughout. Paved, shaded with…read moreflat and 8% grades. Open to hikers, bikers, skaters, snowmobiles, etc. seems well maintained and signed. No rest areas or water apparent in this area. Bring your own hydration.

Totally blown away by the architecture in this area. I don't know why I've never taken the time to…read moretake a walk when I'm around here but my mind was blown. Everything is beautiful as the leaves are changing colors with the temps are dropping. The area is a little sketchy with quite a few people acting odd. Some of the streets around the area. I even found a few places that were serving food but due to Covid none of them allowed dine in.

This was my first time at Fort Rickey, and it was a perfect day! All of the animals were active,…read moreand it was so cool to see them up close. Our capybara-loving kid was over-the-moon to get to feed the capybaras, and I think a piece of me was healed after snuggling with baby goats. The admission prices were very reasonable, especially with so much to do. We could not have had a better experience, from the friendly bird who played with us when we checked in, to all of the animal presentations and encounters. You can tell the animals are well-taken care of and happy, and the employees are, too. We were really impressed with how knowledgeable the employees were, and how great they are with the kids and families. They explained all of the safety rules clearly, and they had great enthusiasm and patience. To top it off, our kids loved getting to play on the playground, in the play place, and on the massive trampoline. Pro tip: bring a little extra cash and quarters to get some extra food for some of the animals. Core memories were created for sure, and we hope to come back on our next visit.

The Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo is fucking AWESOME…read more We needed a place for a stopover with the kids to break up a long drive. We looked into activities in Utica and area, and someone suggested this place. We had no idea what to expect and pulling into the parking lot, were prepared to be underwhelmed. We were so wrong. Think your typical, big city zoo, and take away all the stuff you don't like, and add in more of the stuff that you do like. For example, make the size of the zoo manageable for kids to walk around. Instead of having 11,000 species of animals that most people don't care that much about, have a smaller place where you really get to be up close. Then add in more interaction - literally every 30 minutes there is something on the schedule for kids to go play with goats, or touch a porcupine. And then throw in a kids play area, and clean bathrooms! Skip the Utica Zoo and come here. 10/10 would recommend for families looking for a fun way to spend 3 or more hours of their day.

Was out for celebration 250 events including a craft fair. Love coming to Sylvan Beach was is a…read morequaint lakeside tourist town which tends to be more of a season based local. This is a lakeside beach community located on the Eastern shore of Lake Oneida. They have an amusement park and always seem to have lots of outdoor events. Walkable downtown area and a number of great restaurants.

Nice place to visit but you might regret buying a home there. You buy your home and land, you pay…read morethe taxes and you do the upkeep but you don't own it. THEY DO! If the "politicians" want something from you which is usually more money and you don't comply they simply refuse to give any permits to improve your property and home no matter how reasonable and exceptable. Everything you worked for will go to crap and they don't care if they don't get what they want (MONEY). Visiting Sylvan Beach NY might be fun for a vacation but buying a home there well.......you might seriously end up regretting that decision. If you do buy a home there, good luck.

What a great park! We were driving through the area and I wanted our toddler to be able to get out…read moreand run around so we came here. It is a bit off the beaten path (unless you live in the area) but well worth searching for. There is plenty of parking. Upon walking in, you see many pavilions offering shade and areas to sit down and eat a picnic lunch. There are multiple playground areas on spongy rubber ground, with one for 2-5 year old kids and another for older kids. Of course, they can mix and match (with parental assistance). Swings, slides, jungle gyms, monkey bars, round-a-bouts.... nearly everything imaginable to keep them busy and safe. Everything seemed newish, as in built within the past couple of years. It all was in good condition. There were bathrooms nearby, but they were locked. Not sure when they are unlocked. I saw no drinking fountains available. Note: the address listed in Yelp was taken from their website and it is very near the park, but I would recommend going to the end of Lansing Street to find it easier.

This is not your large city zoo, it is small and 90% outdoors, so a snowy winter day not the best…read moreidea, haha. That being said for small children it's perfect, a nice walk, easy to see the exhibits. Personally I think the areas are too small for the animals and wouldn't visit again. Price point and membership options do make it affordable for families.

What a cute zoo! We were in town for the Boilermaker race and looking for other things to do. I'm…read moreglad we went because the animals at this zoo are obviously happy to see visitors. I had a Moment (big M) with the ostrich ladies who came right up to their fence and shared all their gossip. They even followed in parallel as my husband and I walked on the path. Well worth the visit, lots of parking, it can be sunny and hot in the summer so bring your water and wear your coral-safe sunscreen.