The most enjoyable part of downtown for shopping and strolling is Armory Square, a delightfully renovated district of old buildings now given over to dozens of shops, cafes, restaurants, and bars. Walton, W. Fayette, and Franklin streets, all just paces from MOST and the OnTrack Train station, are the main arteries. Northeast of downtown Syracuse (I-81 exit 23), the Carousel Center, 9090 Carousel Center Dr. (tel. 315/466-7000; www.carouselcenter.com), is destined to become, in 2006, the nation's largest shopping mall -- that is, if someone else doesn't get there first. Called DestiNY USA, it will boast a golf course, five-story rock-climbing wall, and more, approximating Disneyland more than your standard mall;
Syracuse China Company, which has been producing china and ceramics for 125 years, has a factory outlet at 2900 Court St. (tel. 315/455-4581), with as much as 70% off retail. Stickley, Audi & Co. (tel. 315/637-7770), producer of quality Arts and Crafts Stickley furniture since 1900 (Gustav Stickley had a home in Syracuse, and the original factory was in Fayetteville, New York), has a shop in the strip mall across from The Craftsman Inn on East Genesee Street. Furniture's not the easiest thing to take back, but if you catch a big sale, you just may want to ship something.
