Vienna is a lakeside community with iconic restaurants and lots to do
In Vienna, life centers around the water. The town sits on the north shore of Oneida Lake, a popular fishing spot, and contains Sylvan Beach, a resort village that draws many additional visitors each summer. Even though the area is a vacation spot for some, it has retained a sense of community thanks to local institutions like Eddie’s Restaurant, home of “The Original Hot Ham” sandwich that has become a regional staple. Brooke Bloss, a waitress at Eddie’s for 15 years, says the eatery feels like home because of its friendly customers and staff, and that feeling extends to the rest of the area. Off the water, the area is full of forests used by hikers and hunters, and Rome is a short drive away.
Oneida Lake brings fishing and boating, but other parks offer land fun
Oneida Lake is known for its fishing. Walleye are abundant each spring and summer, and bass fishing tournaments are held year-round. In the winter, ice fishing for yellow perch is a popular pastime. The community has a public boat launch at Godfrey Point. Verona Beach State Park, a couple of miles south of Sylvan Beach, offers biking, hiking and horseback riding trails, fishing piers, playgrounds and space for snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. The Lake House, in Sylvan Beach, has slot machines and a beachside seating area, while Sylvan Beach Amusement Park is full of carnival rides and games.
Away from the lake, Stone Barn State Forest has hiking trails and allows for hunting and trapping. The region’s regular deer hunting season goes from mid-November through early December.
New Traditional houses, cottages, ranch-style homes and open land
Vienna comprises 15 communities; most are small, with the largest being Sylvan Beach. The area’s surroundings are largely forests and farmland, though residents can catch glimpses of the lake from New York State Route 49 and Sylvan Beach’s Park Avenue. New Traditional homes often run from $320,000 to $620,000, while ranch-style properties and cottages typically sell for between $180,000 and $480,000. Manufactured houses can range from $70,000 to $240,000. Large parcels of land are also available for development, usually between $1,500 and $15,000 per acre outside of established villages, or between $130,000 and $550,000 per acre in Sylvan Beach. In villages, yards commonly feature small or medium bushes near the front of the home, and a handful have tall trees. Houses outside of hamlets tend to have larger lots.
Live music, a Chili Cook-Off and the Oneida Lake Chicken Wing Run
A summer concert series is held on Wednesday nights at the Sylvan Beach Bandstand. Harpoon Eddie’s often hosts beach volleyball tournaments. An annual Chili Cook-Off at Sunset Grill each October brings the heat. The Oneida Lake Chicken Wing Run takes place over two days each fall. A street party and “chicken crawl” highlight day one; a boat race, a poker event and a buffet are held on day two. The weekend raises money for the Sylvan Beach Fire Department.
Longtime eateries like Eddie's Restaurant keep beachgoers fed
Many of the area’s restaurants are in Sylvan Beach. Eddie’s Restaurant has fed the community since 1934 and has retained its classic diner interior. “People tell me they’ve been coming for 30 years, since they were kids,” Bloss says. “It’s why the restaurant stays the same. It’s iconic.” Its sister restaurant, Harpoon Eddie’s, sits along the waterfront and serves seafood and sandwiches. It often hosts live music on its patio. Canal View Cafe has a wide-ranging menu and a maritime theme.
Western residents can drive to Cleveland for TJ’s, an American eatery with a soup and salad bar. Sylvan Beach has a Dollar General, and a Tops grocery store is nearby in Camden. The Vienna Farmers Market runs every Thursday evening from May through October at North Bay Firemen’s Field, bringing live music and food trucks.
The region overlaps with several school districts
Students in most of the region are zoned for Camden Central School District, which earns an overall C-plus Niche grade. Children in the southern half of Sylvan Beach are served by the Oneida City School District, which holds a B-minus rating. Some students in the northeast can attend the Sherrill City School District, which receives a B score. Others in the western half of the region near Stone Barn State Forest are zoned for the Central Square Central School District, which gets a B-minus.
New York does not have a school choice scholarship program. Oneida’s Holy Cross Academy, close to 12 miles from Sylvan Beach, is for grades 7-12 and holds a C rating.
Heavy snowfall often causes changes in the winter
The community routinely receives heavy snowfall in the winter. Bloss says many restaurants and other businesses in Sylvan Beach shut down between the end of October and early spring — though other activities like ice fishing pick up during this time.
New York state routes 13 and 49 run across the community. Rome is around 15 miles from the village of Vienna, and Downtown Syracuse is close to 30 miles away. Syracuse Hancock International Airport is about a 30-mile drive. Oneida Health, 15 miles away, has more than 100 beds.
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Photography Contributed By
Jonathan Coon
