syracuse finger lakes

My husband, 12 yr. old son and I will be in the ithaca area for just 2 days after we are finished looking for fossils around Syracuse. We will then head back to Boston. Any ideas for things

to do and places to stay? I was thinking of breaking the trip up

by stopping in the Catskills or any interesting place along 90 or 88 or on the way home. Thanks

syracuse finger lakes

If you%26#39;re taking Rt 90 (NYS Thruway) and you like fossils you%26#39;ll probably enjoy the Herkimer Diamond Mines (herkimerdiamond.com). It%26#39;s a really cool place in Herkimer, NY where you can dig for quartz crystals. You basically go out and split rocks and see what you find inside. I believe it%26#39;s pretty inexpensive and you get to keep everything you find. Just go back up to Syracuse and pick up Rt 90 East; it%26#39;s between Utica and Albany. The Erie Canal also runs along the Thruway. There are trails and museums to see. You can also rent boats, kayaks etc to paddle portions of the canal. If you%26#39;re into sports there%26#39;s always the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY (just south of Herkimer) and the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA