Syracuse is a car-dependent city and most visitors will want access to a vehicle, especially for getting to Green Lakes or other destinations outside the city centre. Rentals are available at the airport and downtown. The downtown area itself is compact and walkable — Armory Square, the Everson Museum, and the Erie Canal Museum can all be reached on foot from the central hotels.
Centro Bus provides public transit across the city and suburbs, though service is infrequent outside peak hours. Ride-sharing (Uber, Lyft) is reliable and cheap by major-city standards. Syracuse University's campus is about a mile from downtown on the hill above — walkable in good weather, steep enough to want a car in January.