Fishinchix

If you stay in Oswego, the Best Western is very nice, has an indoor pool and dining in the hotel (Alex's on the water). There are other hotels, Quality Inn, knight's Inn, that are more budget friendly, but I have never stayed there. There are great dining options in Oswego , like LaParilla, Red Sun, Alex's (in the Best Western), and of course, Rudy's - a fried seafood shack that is right on the beach at Lake Ontario. There is the Fort to visit, and a small Maritime museum, and the new children's museum of play. There is a municipal marina with lots of charters out of there, I am sure one of those guys can speak to the fishing out of Oswego. From Oswego, you can visit the thousand Isands (Alexandria Bay is touristy, and has all that a summer tourist town has to offer - boat tours, etc, Cape Vincent is authentic with a light house, and Clayton has the antique boat museum, super worth a visit). Or from Oswego head west to the little town we love, Fair Haven, for the day... there is a very popular state park with a beach (do have cabins for rent, or bring your tent/camper to stay over night), a new winery (Colloca's), a quaint downtown and several marinas offering charters. August 10th is a kids movie in the town square, Aug 18 the LOC derby starts and Aug 26th is Pirate weekend in Fair Haven. FYI: If staying in Oswego in August, the college opens around the 20th of August and the town explodes with people for a few days. The Finger lakes (inland lakes) are gorgeous, but certain ones are super desireable (ie: Skaneatles Lake) and outrageously priced. Owasco lake is not so over priced, near the city of Auburn and is commutable to Syracuse. Oneida Lake is probably somewhere in between.Many people on here live in the Oneida Lake area and can speak to that location. All of the finger lakes are densely populated, but the land within a mile of two of the shore is not, in many instances. There is also the Seneca River that offers waterfront living, and widens into an area known as Cross Lake that is rural, affordable and commutable to Syracuse. Cross lake is good bass and pike fishing, and good hunting in the woods and farm fields surrounding. Those areas do flood in the spring, buy high and dry. There area I am most familiar with is along Lake Ontario from Sodus Bay to Oswego, there is state land there to hunt (NYS DEC Wildlife Management Areas- google it). Or purchase acreage - we have 17 acres outside of Fair Haven and my husband and son just walk out the door to their stands. The area is crawling with deer and turkeys. The area surrounding Syracuse is beautiful, and August is a great time to visit upstate NY. Remember we are waterlogged right now, more rain than most can recall in recent memory, and Lake O is flooded seriously for the first time since the 70's. Last summer we were hot and dry! Go figure!

We love the Fair Haven, NY area. The school (Red Creek CSD) is small but excellent and the village of Fair Haven is picturesque and does fun things for kids all year like a huge 4th of July Celebration, Pirate Weekend in August, a Halloween witches parade, etc. It is quintessential small town USA. Housing is affordable, and so are taxes if you aren't right on the water, but it is RURAL. 1 hour to Syracuse, pretty sure you can't get a pizza delivered even in the village, and it SNOWS. But no city issues, and Lake Ontario and Fair Haven Bay are right there at your fingertips.