Ahh, summer is here!  The air is sweet and fresh, the sun is shining, and we are headed out of Dodge for the day.  We chose to reach today's destination by boat, taking a little under an hour via Oneida Lake.  It is also quite easy to reach by car, and still about an hour away.  There is ample parking for both boats (free) and cars (day charge depending on where you park).

Our trip of choice was to legendary Sylvan Beach!  The area has been the summer get away for local families for decades, and has a great vintage feel to it.  There is a lot to do.  We used it as a day trip, but there are plenty of accommodations for those who wish to make their stay an overnighter.  There are also weekly rental cabins as well.

One of the better known portions of Sylvan Beach is the amusement park.  Pictured on this page are the Galaxy coaster and the kiddie area.  Admission to the park is free, but each ride takes tickets that can be purchased at the park.  The kiddie area has some very mild rides for the younger ones, and also some daredevil material for the more daring youngsters.  The bigger rides also offer a great variety, some for the mild mannered and others for the less faint of heart.

 The amusement park also has lots of games, from arcade style games to more fair- like sorts with excellent prizes to keep the kids happy!  There is a duck pick for the little ones and a dart throw for the adults, and everything in between.  There is always the classic "Fascination."  It's a table game where you roll the ball down the table through holes to light up lights and get bingo.  It's delightfully simple, and refreshingly cheap at just a quarter a game.  It promises to keep adults and kids of all ages alike busy for hours.  Laffland is a sit- on ride and still has that great vintage feel that makes Sylvan Beach so great.

 Pfolh's Beachouse is also a well known landmark, sitting between the main street in Sylvan Beach and the beach itself.  The beach in front of Pfohl's is always littered with happy sunbathers enjoying the music pumping from Pfohl's.  The day we were there, the rumors in town said that local musician Benny Mardonez would be making a surprise appearance at Pfohl's.  It is a known fact that you just never know who will show up there for an unannounced, free performance.  Other acts that have been rumored caught at Pfohl's are ZZTop and the Marshall Tucker Band.  The beach itself is very welcoming as well, and the shallow waters warm up nicely early in the summer, so bathers jumped right in!

Last but not least, I must also mention that Sylvan Beach also claims:

• excellent dining at a variety of restaraunts
• a large green area for play
• a playground for the youngest visitors
• lots of events through the summer

All in all, this is just an excellent place to be!  Please take the time to visit next time you have the chance, as changes are scheduled to take place.  The Post Standard recently reported that a new owner has taken possession of the park and plans to renew it to it's earlier glory.  He reportedly plans to keep the vintage feel and main features of the park, but also to add more and hopefully make the park and make it an even bigger attraction than it is.  I hope it goes well, and I will update this post when some of the changes have been finalized.