My husband comes from a very large family - with eight younger sisters. You can imagine how many nieces and nephews we have (in case you were wondering, the last count was 31)!

At any rate, we are fortunate to be Godparents to a few nephews and one niece #- two are in their 20s, but one is only 5 and another is 7 (just the right ages to do “fun” things). Each year we try to do something “special” with our 7-year-old niece, Claire, who lives only a few miles away.

Over the years, we have had lots of fun: picnics at the zoo, a visit to the Syracuse Museum of Science and Technology followed by lunch in Armory Square, a day at the local Skaneateles Fire Department Field Days followed by lunch at the Blue Water Grill and, of course, a day at the New York State Fair.

As we began planning our yearly summer outing, we talked about an overnight trip somewhere.

I worried about traveling too far with the skyrocketing price of gas, so we started thinking about some trips that might be close to home.

As I began my research, I found not only some fantastic ideas for “day-trips,” but also some great activities that don't require traveling outside the greater Syracuse area. As we head into August, I thought it might be helpful to share my “research” with those of you who might be looking for something fun to do with the kids.

I'll start with the “day trips” for those who might be looking for some fun away from home. If you want to travel to the east, first on my list is Fort Rickey in Rome (www.fortrickey.com).

Fort Rickey is known as the “Children's Discovery Zoo” with plenty of opportunities for children to see live animals up-close during the hourly animal demonstrations. If you travel a little farther to the east, you will find the Herkimer Diamond Mines in Herkimer (www.herkimerdiamond.com).

This a great place to visit, especially if you like to be outdoors. At the mines, you are able to prospect for “Herkimer Diamonds” and keep what you find. You should plan to visit the on-site museum before you start digging.

If you continue traveling east, you can visit Howe Caverns near Cobleskill (www.howecaverns.com) for a wonderful adventure touring the caverns and even taking a boat ride on the “Underground Lake of Venus.” There is also a place across the street where you can participate in some gemstone mining.

If you want to travel south, you can visit the Science Center in Ithaca (www.sciencecenter.org).

It is advertised as being a place where children can “look, touch, listen and discover.” This is truly a children's museum with tons of hands-on activities and even includes a “Curiosity Corner” section for toddlers and preschoolers.

Traveling to the west takes you to the Rochester Museum and Science Center in Rochester (www.rmsc.org). This is another hands-on museum for children which also includes a planetarium. In addition to exhibits and hands-on activities, the center also has films, shows, camps and family programs.

If you travel to the north, you can stop at Thunder Island in Fulton (www.thunder-island.com). This water park also includes miniature golf and go-karts; children younger than 3 are free.

A little further to the north is Seaway Navigation in Brewerton (www.seawaynavigationandtours.com), which offers “Pirate Cruises” for kids on select days throughout the summer.

If you're looking for things to do closer to home, the greater Syracuse area offers a wealth of activities for children and families. The Rosamond Gifford Zoo (www.rosamondgiffordzoo.org) is a must-see for children of all ages.

The zoo offers numerous special events throughout the summer, including Tuesday Nights at the Zoo and the Asian Elephant Extravaganza. The MOST (www.most.org) offers hands-on science and technology activities for children and also includes an Imax omnitheater with an ever-changing list of movies. Beaver Lake Nature Center in Baldwinsville (www.onondagacountyparks.com) and Baltimore Woods in Marcellus (www.takeahike.org) offer hiking trails and a variety of programs for children and families.

Of course, you don't want to forget the Syracuse Skychiefs (www.skychiefs.com) that play home games at Alliance Bank Stadium, or the Great New York State Fair (www.nysfair.org), which runs this year from Aug. 21 to Sept. 1.

For those who want to stay close to home, take a short drive to Skaneateles and visit the Skaneateles Community Center (www.skaneatelescommunitycenter.com).

The center offers a wealth of programs from swimming and ice skating to exercise and arts and crafts to outdoor movies. If you go on a Friday, you can bring a picnic and stop by Clift Park (at the gazebo) and listen to the band concert as you sit by the lake.

I'm not sure yet where we'll end-up taking Claire, but maybe we'll see you there.

Patricia Gridley, Ph.D., is an associate professor and the coordinator of the Early Childhood program at Cayuga Community College