I work second shift so If you come up and want a 'tourguide' gimme a shout.

burbs within 45 minutes of Syracuse are aplenty.
North: North Syracuse, Liverpool, Cicero, Clay, Brewerton
East: East Syracuse, Fayetteville, Manlius
South: the Valley, Nedrow, Salina
West: Solvay, Fairmount, Geddes, Camillus, Marcellus
* Bolded areas are more prevalent to crime. I wouldn't recommend any area within City Limits unless you're used to living in poorer, higher crime rate areas.
I only listed burbs, ther are other towns that are within 45 minutes but not directly abutting Syracuse or another burb. Close towns are Weedsport, Auburn, Layfayette, Jamesville, Warners, Van Buren, Minoa, Kirkville Chittenango, Baldwinsville, Skanneatlas

Syracuse usually gets more snow that Rochester and Buffalo but waaayyyy waaaayyy ess than Oswego. (They pay us to take their snow, they run out of places to put it. LOL.) I'd say the avg would be aroound 110" a season. If we get a foot of snow, expect to be going to work, we don't close unless a blizzard is coming thru; if then. We do get our share of rain too. On the plus side of weather, we rarely see temps over 100. Even days in the 90'* are usually under a dozen.
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Likes
We have all 4 seasons
For a northern state the climate is fairly nice and scenery is great throughout the state.
We have mostly GREAT water! Really. Odd I know but when you come back from someplace that has crap for water you really notice and I drink alot of water.
Trash, Street sweeping, brush/debris pickup, Snow plowing - most burbs do excellent with these and mostly their included in your taxes..
Fairly easy to get anywhere with the thruway and 81 running right thru Syracuse.
SU Orangemen!!
Not too crowded. We don't have 4 lane highways cause we don't need them, but I work 2nd shift so I don't really have a problem and never see a jam unless its construction or accident related.
High School sports are decent. We don't have much other than SU (Basketball is usually great, Football - well they suck this year too), Crunch(Hockey), Skychiefs (Baseball - better off going to see the Auburn Doubledays). Nothing Pro that I can think of.
Good restraunts. We have the usual National chains and some great, as well as awful, smaller chains and mom/pop places.
We have some of really good schools.
No where near as many bugs as Virginia has (thats as far south as I've been) nor the HUMIDITY.
No natural disasters. Hurrincanes, Tornado'*, Earthquakes, Volcano'*, golfball sized hail are all so rare they're not worth mentioning.


Dislikes
Taxes. 8.25% sales Tax, ~1600/100k house in property taxes, ~1800/100k house in school taxes.
I don't know what your making but heres a link to last years tax form so you can see what the state tax will be for you. http://www.tax.state.ny.us/pdf/2006/inc/it203i_2006.pdf
There are NO local Junk Yards. The nearest one is in Auburn. The second Nearest one is Binghamton (jimmy Floyds)
SU Orangeman!!
Billy Fucillo advertising... its freaking everywhere. You'll get sick of it too.
Syracuse proper is nicknamed Stab-a-cuse. It'* usually not long after newyears that theres a stabbing homicide. Often measured in minutes rather than hours.
IDIOTS - we have our fair share. They want to built Destiny AROUND a sewage treatment plant.
SALT - everyplace uses salt. Expect everything metal to rust.