While most people use Memorial Day Weekend to head to a beach, Dan and I decided to go in the opposite direction this year and traveled up to Oswego, NY. Oswego is a fun little city situated right on Lake Ontario, northwest of Syracuse. For most people, Oswego is known for things like fishing, Harborfest, and LOTS of snow; but to me, it is my parents’ hometown and home to many members of my family.
On Saturday, we arrived at my cousin Becky’s house right around lunch time and got a tour of her beautiful new home. Since it was so warm outside, Becky’s son decided to swim in the pool. Within seconds of him jumping in, my dog Vander followed him into the water. Anyone who knows my dog will not be surprised by this. Needless to say the two of them jumped in and out of the water for the next three hours or so. :)
Right around dinner time, my cousin Katie and her family arrived. This was very special, because Katie, Becky, and I have not hung out together in over 15 years! You would have never thought that if you had seen us chatting away all evening. Heehee… We also made sure to get a picture of us to commemorate the occasion.
On Sunday, Dan and I were able to spend some time on our own with the puppies. We visited the Ontario Orchard stand and walked a few miles on the paths at Fallbrook, a track of land that used to be a farm. After getting lunch at the Oswego Sub Shop, we stopped at Breitbeck park, which overlooks the harbor. I had been perusing the geocaches in the area, and I discovered that there was a geocache at the lighthouse in the harbor. For those who do not know, the only way to the lighthouse is by boat or by walking a 10 to 20 foot high break wall that stretches out a mile from the shore.
Dan and I have both hiked the break wall before; however, we had never had two dogs with us. Eva had almost no trouble at all – she’s actually a better rock climber than we are. Vander had more trouble. Being a water dog, he would have much preferred to swim his way out instead of climbing over sharp rocks. He did well though! We got to the lighthouse and took all kinds of pictures.
On the way back, Vander slipped a few times because he was tired and managed to scrape up two back nails. When we realized he had hurt himself, we took turns carrying him, until a passing boat offered to drive us most of the way back to the car. I was worried about Vander at first, but when I saw him soaking up all the attention being carried and babied, I did not worry anymore.
Saturday evening, we went to Rudy’s, one of our favorite fresh fish restaurants, to have dinner with some family from my dad's side. Rudy's has some of the best fried clams/shrimp and fish sandwiches. mmm... After eating, we skipped rocks on the lake (a family tradition) and enjoyed Bev’s ice cream cones as the sun set over the water.
Before heading home on Monday, we had breakfast at Wade’s Diner and picked up lots of delicious cinnamon raisin bread to take home. We also visited with my grandparents for a few hours, which is always one of my favorite things to do. The drive home was pretty quick, but we were both tired when we finally reached Virginia.
If you have never been to Oswego, it is a fun place to visit, especially if you enjoy being outside. There are lots of outdoor activities and good places to eat. It tends to be a quiet town (unless you visit during Harborfest) and makes for a perfect long weekend getaway.
Here are some of my favorite places and activities in Oswego:
- Skipping rocks and eating food at Rudy’s and Bev’s
- Wade’s Diner
- Visiting historic Fort Ontario
- Fallbrook
- Strawberry picking
- Apple picking
- Breitbeck park
- Oswego River Walk
- Chimney Bluffs (100 foot sand cliffs)
