Family Road Trip to @DestinyUSA So much more than shopping! #ShopPlayStay #familytravel #travel

For years now my girlfriend and I hit the road twice a year for a shopping weekend at Destiny USA, and as you can see Girls Getaway Shopping Weekends Make Me Happy. It is the perfect destination for such a getaway, but this summer I decided to try something different, and I planned a weekend road trip to Destiny USA with my family to celebrate my son’s birthday. It was a completely different experience but equally as great, and such a fun way to celebrate my son's birthday! With all the options and activities available, there was something to keep all of us happy and entertained, and in my opinion makes it a perfect family destination.

Destiny USA is a great shopping destination with its more than 200 retail stores, an outlet shopping section, and lots of dining options. What you may not have realized is the number of attractions, activities and entertainment options you will find under the Destiny USA roof, including Pole Position Raceway, Dave & Buster’s, and the Canyon Club Ropes Course to name a few. 

Pedestrian Bridge to Destiny USA 

Location:

• Destiny USA is located at 9090 Destiny USA Drive, Syracuse, New York. Map and Directions and is approximately a 3 hour/ 300 km drive from Ottawa, Ontario (approximately 2 hour/ 200 km drive from Kingston, and 4 hours/ 400 km drive from the Greater Toronto Area - GTA)
• You will find tons of free parking and a pedestrian bridge allowing for an easy and safe passage from parking lots.

Accommodations:

• There are lots of hotel options in this area, but be sure to check out the hotels participating in Destiny USA Shop & Stay packages which include several treats such as $25 gift card, and reusable shopping bag.

Photo via Hilton Garden Inn Syracuse site.

Reusable Shopping Tote Bag

• We stayed at the Hilton Gardens Inn - Syracuse located just minutes from Destiny USA and as you can see from my Hilton Garden Inn - Syracuse Review we found it to be a fantastic choice and recommend without hesitation. Every part of the stay from the rooms with a microwave, fridge and Keurig coffee makers to the staff and the service was outstanding. Be sure to take advantage of the pool, fitness centre and the 24 hour access business centre as well! 
• At this particular location the Destiny USA Shop and Stay package includes a complimentary breakfast as well! Be sure to take a peak at the excellent value the Hilton Garden Inns Bed and Breakfast promotion offers! 

Food and Dining:

• You will find dining options at every price point and taste at Destiny USA. We had a quick lunch at the food court (try Boston Market) and enjoyed a lovely birthday dinner at Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant where my husband tried the Flight of Six beer sampler with his dinner. Tony at Guest Services recommended this restaurant to us and he was right it was exactly what we were looking for. 
• We also had a meal at Ruby Tuesdays, and found the service and food to be very enjoyable. That has been our experience at all the locations we have been to. 
• You will find Panera Bread (which I always enjoy) located near the Guest Services desk.
• Bonus! I see that IHOP is opening soon!
• For a delish snack give Auntie Annie’s Pretzels a try.
• I have heard that the Texas De Brazil is excellent but it is definitely for the meat lover, and is not a budget priced restaurant.

Flight of 6 at Gordon Biersch Brewwery Restaurant

Shopping:

• We found plenty of deals at both the retails stores and the outlet stores for everyone in the family, and my teens found lots of back to school items! 
• I really love that the outlet stores are in the same location as my other shopping saving me the time, and gas  it would take to drive to the outlet mall. That time and money is better spent with and on my family!
• I can’t think of a single store on my kids' list of favourite places to shop that we did not find here! Destiny USA Directory 
• For current and upcoming sales and events be sure to check out Destiny USA site, and if you are a CAA or AAA member visit the Guest Services desk and get yourself a Passport of Saving for additional savings and deals. 

Attractions and Activities and Entertainment:

• What I really enjoyed most about this trip was that it was more than just shopping. We had a full day of shopping, and then a full day of activities. We took advantage of all the fun with Destiny USA Summer Fun Day Passes, which allowed us to access and enjoy 4 entertainment venues for one price. I found that 4 activities was the perfect number to fit into a day. 

• We decided on the Pole Position Kart Racing that was a TOTAL hit for all of us! Then off to Dave & Buster’s for some gaming fun which also included 5 free play games. We decided on a 5 Wits adventure for our third choice, and ended the day with Wonder Works before heading to Ruby Tuesdays for dinner. 
• There are lots of Destiny USA Entertainment Options besides those included in the Summer Fun Day Passes, including a comedy club.

You can follow Destiny USA on facebook and Destiny USA on twitter for all the latest news! 

I have often found myself looking for ideas of what to do as a family for a mini vacation, or road trip. I can't believe I have never thought of this before. I can’t say enough how much fun we had both shopping and the activities! It really was a memorable, and my plan is to make this an annual road trip! 

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about my destiny!

Note: Destiny USA was nice enough to provide me with a gift card and the treats normally included in the Shop & Stay package. All opinions are my own and based on my personal experience at Destiny USA both on this trip and the many times before I have been there.