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What area attractions are nearby when I am visiting the New York State Fair? This is a question thousands of Fair-goers ask every year on their pilgrimage to Syracuse to attend the Great New York State Fair. Here are 3 family-friendly destinations that are easy to reach and so enjoyable you will want to visit them every time you are in the area.

America’s #1 Apple Orchard

According to a 2017 Reader’s Choice poll by USA Today, America’s favorite apple orchard is located about 20 minutes from the New York State Fairgrounds in the town of LaFayette. Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards is a sprawling campus of sights, tastes and smells that visitors can’t get enough of. Open Thursday-Sunday 11AM-7PM, this is fun for the entire family.

100 Years of History

Beak & Skiff has a century of history behind it and a variety of activities, shopping and dining that makes for family fun. Hop on the wagon and let the tractor pull you out into the orchards where you can wander rows of over 250,000 trees and pick your own bag of delicious apples. There are 15 varieties of apples that ripen at different times starting in late August. There is also a kid’s play area. Walking the campus, you can see apple cider being pressed, donuts being dusted with sugar and cinnamon, bees working an active hive and much more. There is a gift shop with a wonderful selection of local products like cheese, chocolates, jams and more that complement the full range of apple and fruit products.

Relax, Sip, and Enjoy

Beak & Skiff offers a beautiful café and wine tasting room that is relaxation at its best. The café serves light fare with daily specials. Enjoy a glass of their own 1911 hard cider or taste a variety of wines, many from local Finger Lakes Vineyards. Most noteworthy, and one treat that is impossible to miss,Cer are the endless views of the rolling countryside. Visit their website for more details and directions.

Indulge Your Sweet Tooth

Ryan Novak may be the fusion of a Swiss chocolatier and Willie Wonka. The 29-year-old owner of Chocolate Pizza Company creates over 150 insanely delicious chocolate specialties from a production facility just 15 minutes from the New York State Fairgrounds. Located on NYS Route 175 between Skaneateles and Marcellus, Chocolate Pizza Company is famous for their trademarked Chocolate Pizza and Peanut Butter Wings.

What is Chocolate Pizza?

Certainly, Chocolate Pizza is an intriguing word combination. But it’s an even better taste combination. Chocolate Pizza blends the highest quality Swiss-style chocolate with homemade English toffee. The toffee recipe is local and dates to 1919. Ryan makes it on-site in small batches for maximum flavor. The toffee is ground fine and mixed with tempered milk or dark chocolate before being poured into pizza pans. Topped with a dizzying array of candies or nuts, each Chocolate Pizza is handcrafted and served in a custom pizza box. Samples are available and a viewing window in the retail store allows visitors to see the production room.

You Must Try These!

Chocolate Pizza may be the company’s signature creation but it’s the Peanut Butter Wings that steal the show. Glitter magazine raves, “You have not lived until you’ve tried these,” and Parade magazine told its readers, “While the Chocolate Pizza Company is probably best known for its namesake product, other snacks like their Peanut Butter Wings might become your next favorite thing.” What are these salty-sweet gems? Crisp, rippled potato chips covered in creamy peanut butter and drenched in rich milk or dark chocolate. There’s nothing like them. Ask for samples and chances are good the friendly staff will oblige.

From Dishwasher to Owner

Probably just as awesome as the chocolate is the story behind Chocolate Pizza Company’s success. Ryan’s mom used to take him in a stroller to the store that was across the street from his home in Marcellus. While his mom chatted with the founder, Ryan would reach up and find the sample tray. Tragically, Ryan’s mom died when he was 9 but he was determined to make her proud. At age 15, Ryan went to work at Chocolate Pizza Company as a dishwasher. He loved the business and dreamed of taking it one day from a small-town chocolate shop to a national brand. His chance came in 2010 between his junior and senior year at Syracuse University. The owner retired, and Ryan bought it. He was 21 years-old.

Since then, the company has exploded in popularity. Its website, ChocolatePizza.com, has taken orders from chocolate lovers on 6 continents. Ryan has been featured by Food Network, Hallmark Channel, CNBC, CMT and by Forbes and People magazines.

Crown Jewel of the Finger Lakes

New York State Fairgoers that don’t include a trip to the Finger Lakes are missing one of these areas most beautiful attractions. Carved by glaciers in the last ice age, the 5 primary Finger Lakes are world-renown for the clarity and depth of its waters and the picturesque scenery of its shores. And the crown jewel of these impressive bodies of water is less than 20 minutes from the Fair.

Skaneateles – Impossible to say or forget

Pronounced “skan-E-at-alas” or by the locals, “skinny-at-alas”, the word means long lake in one of the Iroquoian languages. It is 16 miles long and slightly less than a mile wide but runs 315 feet deep. The water in Skaneateles Lake is considered the second cleanest in the country behind only Crater Lake, Oregon. Because it is so pure, locals take a lot of pride in keeping it pristine. Henry David Seward, US Secretary of State from 1861-1869 and former governor of New York, called it, “The most beautiful body of water in the world.”

A Town Linked to the Lake

Skaneateles is also the name of the town that sits at the northern tip of Skaneateles Lake. It is worth a day trip all its own. Winding along the waterfront are cute shops and eateries that invite visitors to relax and enjoy. Stroll through Clift park or stop for a swim in its life guard protected area. No stop in Skaneateles is complete without walking out the long pier. It extends into the lake and offers beautiful views of both the village and turquoise water.

Ready for a dinner cruise? Catch an evening outing on Midlakes Navigation’s flagship, the Judge Ben Wiles. This historic boat docks alongside the pier and offers a memorable trip down the lake. Another great option if dinner on land is more to your liking is the historic Sherwood Inn across from the pier. Built as a stagecoach stop in 1807, it is a favorite with locals for outstanding food and service.

Even more surprising about this discovery is that from the New York State Fairgrounds a visitor can drive to all 3 locations in less than 45 minutes. From Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards to Chocolate Pizza Company is just 10 minutes. Finally, from there to Skaneateles is less than 5 minutes. So, when the family needs a break from the crowds of the Fair, head west. You’ll find family-friendly attractions you would hate to miss.