"Founded in 1848 along the shores of the Seneca River, picturesque Baldwinsville, New York is a village that's rich with Civil War history. Today, it's the scene of a number of annual cultural events, including Seneca River Days Festival and an Oktoberfest that's popular statewide."
When you first get to Baldwinsville, you might be taken aback by its picturesque, old-world village appearance. Surely no American city can live up to such an image -- or can it? In the case of Baldwinsville, it can, and does. Characterized by its exceptionally beautiful waterways, locally-owned businesses and inviting residential areas, Baldwinsville has an intense civic pride that helps it to wear its years graciously. Mindful of its rich history as a navigational point for boats along the Seneca River, Baldwinsville is also appreciative of its Civil War heritage (there's a monument in the local cemetery where the names of dozens of hometown boys are inscribed). Its links to the past are reflected in the wealth of quaintly-named historic buildings such as the Red Mill Inn (4 Syracuse St), an authentic gristmill that's been brought back into service as a hotel. Even with its heavily historic atmosphere, however, Baldwinsville is no backwater, and living here is never boring. Locals busy themselves with a roster of convivial annual festivals, and amuse themselves every summer with concerts and shows at the amphitheater in nearby Paper Mill Island. While it's not a center for big business, it doesn't need to be, because area business types prefer to live in Baldwinsville and commute to the big city, leaving the concrete jungle behind at the end of a long workday. If you do need a dose of modern urban civilization from time to time, you're just 15 miles from Syracuse and 200 miles from Manhattan. If you don't need shopping malls or big box stores, however, you'll probably find that you have everything you want without even leaving the village.
Whether you're interested in renting an apartment or trying to find a condo for rent, you should easily be able to find something that suits your lifestyle and budget, because Baldwinsville has a variety of rental properties in a wide range of price points
"Founded in 1848 along the shores of the Seneca River, picturesque Baldwinsville, New York is a village that's rich with Civil War history. Today, it's the scene of a number of annual cultural events, including Seneca River Days Festival and an Oktoberfest that's popular statewide."
When you first get to Baldwinsville, you might be taken aback by its picturesque, old-world village appearance. Surely no American city can live up to such an image -- or can it? In the case of Baldwinsville, it can, and does. Characterized by its exceptionally beautiful waterways, locally-owned businesses and inviting residential areas, Baldwinsville has an intense civic pride that helps it to wear its years graciously. Mindful of its rich history as a navigational point for boats along the Seneca River, Baldwinsville is also appreciative of its Civil War heritage (there's a monument in the local cemetery where the names of dozens of hometown boys are inscribed). Its links to the past are reflected in the wealth of quaintly-named historic buildings such as the Red Mill Inn (4 Syracuse St), an authentic gristmill that's been brought back into service as a hotel. Even with its heavily historic atmosphere, however, Baldwinsville is no backwater, and living here is never boring. Locals busy themselves with a roster of convivial annual festivals, and amuse themselves every summer with concerts and shows at the amphitheater in nearby Paper Mill Island. While it's not a center for big business, it doesn't need to be, because area business types prefer to live in Baldwinsville and commute to the big city, leaving the concrete jungle behind at the end of a long workday. If you do need a dose of modern urban civilization from time to time, you're just 15 miles from Syracuse and 200 miles from Manhattan. If you don't need shopping malls or big box stores, however, you'll probably find that you have everything you want without even leaving the village.
Moving to Baldwinsville
Whether you're interested in renting an apartment or trying to find a condo for rent, you should easily be able to find something that suits your lifestyle and budget, because Baldwinsville has a variety of rental properties in a wide range of price points. Before you begin your search for apartments in Baldwinsville, however, you should decide just how close you want -- or need -- to be to shops and other local amenities. Much of the commercial district is in the center of the village, so if you prefer to be tucked away in your own private niche, you might want to start your search in one of the surrounding residential areas. Fortunately, Baldwinsville is serviced by public transportation, thanks to the Centro system out of Syracuse, so you can get just about everywhere by bus.
Because of its proximity to Syracuse, Baldwinsville is mildly affected by autumnal rental booms, so the optimum time to rent is in the late spring or early summer when vacancies are higher (and the weather is warmer). While Baldwinsville does have some tourism, it's not really a tourists' hotspot, so you won't be vying with vacationers for second-home rentals or short-term apartment leases. Likewise, there are plenty of local motels and hotels in the area where you can stay while you're looking for a more permanent home.
Neighborhoods in Baldwinsville
Baldwinsville is a village that's only three square miles across, with a population of only 7,378 (2010 census). Because of this, it doesn't really have neighborhoods, but there are several popular residential sections offering rental properties as well as homes for sale.
Legacy Drive: If you're looking for an apartment complex, try this area, where you'll find a number of attractive apartment buildings.
Ronway Drive: This area features large, beautiful multi-level houses with lovely front yards.
Idlewood Boulevard: In this section of town, you can sometimes find attractive houses for rent, including some with acreage.
Massey Place: This area features large mid-century and modern houses with attractive wooded lots.
Living in Baldwinsville
In Baldwinsville, it's not difficult to live as the locals do. Sure, it's a tiny village, but it has a sophisticated population hailing from all over the world, and it's used to welcoming thousands of visitors each year during tourist season. Just be sure to bring along some warm winter gear, and you'll be fine.
Speaking of climate, Baldwinsville has weather that's typical of central New York, so you can expect pleasantly warm-to-hot, humid summers. Be warned, however, it gets cold here in the winter, with snow and average January temps that can dip below the teens. Baldwinsville does get mild doses of snow, but unlike upstate residents, you should be able to handle it with a snow shovel rather than a bulldozer.
One of Baldwinsville's greatest assets is its sense of community, which is reflected in its many festivals throughout the year. Some are funky while others are traditional, but they all have an idiosyncratic local spin. For example, every July the Rotary Club sponsors Seneca River Days, which is highlighted by an "anything that floats" race, where participants can enter any type of floating (and "floating" is the operative word) vehicle as long as it doesn't cost more than fifty bucks to build. Basically, if it floats, you're already way ahead of the competition. There's also a popular Oktoberfest in September (when the temperatures are milder) that attracts visitors from the entire state.
For such a tiny spot, Baldwinsville has a large number of beautiful parks and trails to enjoy. One of the most popular is Mercer Park (North St and Charlotte St), a tranquil spot sitting beatifically on the Seneca River. There's a gazebo, a pavilion, benches, and basketballs courts. Another popular oasis is Community Park (off Rt 48), which offers nature trails and a boat launch. If you really want to get away, do what the locals do every weekend and head for South Shore West Trail, which offers riverfront walks and a boat docking area. During the summertime, locals are especially fond of visiting the beautiful Paper Mill Island across the shore, where there's an amphitheater that features live concerts and events throughout the warm weather season. You can also trek down the road a few miles to Lake Onondaga, a gorgeous resort area featuring a number of lush green parks. If you're into funky history, you'll get a kick out of the nearby Onandaga County Salt Museum; it's not a collection of cylindrical blue salt boxes, but rather shows the history of salt mining in the area.
Baldwinsville has a number of appealing, locally-owned restaurants, many of which feature dishes with fresh, regionally-sourced ingredients. A locals' favorite is Lock 24 (33 Water St), which offers a fantastic seafood sampler platter heaped with haddock, scallops, clams and shrimp. Another favorite local destination is the B'ville Diner (18 E Genessee St), which has been feeding the locals since 1934, thanks to specialties such as eggs Benedict with home fries and freshly-baked pie. The village is also home to several inviting bars, including Sammy Malone's (2 Oswego St), a classic neighborhood pub with a huge beer list and great pub grub.
There's still something of the serene fishing village about Baldwinsville, an atmosphere that reflects its historic dependence upon the Erie Canal and Seneca River, the two waterways that nurture the village and are responsible for its very existence. There's no ocean or beach nearby, just the sunset over the river to remind you that you're still in a picturesque waterfront town -- a million miles and two hours away from Manhattan. If you enjoy having your cake and eating it too, you're going to love it here.
