Admittedly, I've never been to the New York State Fair. But I can understand why it's such a popular event: enormous grounds packed with all manner of exciting and diverting activities, exhibits, and entertainment, truly offering something for everyone for a dozen days straight.

The fairgrounds, located at 581 State Fair Blvd in Syracuse, houses the expected fascinating agricultural and farm exhibits and competitions, thousands of animals from domestic farms and distant lands, enough indulgent food to feed a small country, as well as carnival midway rides and festivities. But you also get massive arts & crafts exhibitions, comedians, musical performances from every imaginable genre, a circus under a big-top tent, culinary competitions, daily parades, a health fair, a haunted house, and a historic train exhibit. And that's just the short list of the seemingly endless inventory of activities and events.

The Fair runs Thursday, August 26, through September 6, and the gates open each day at 8 a.m. Exhibit buildings are open from 10 a.m.-10 p.m., and the midway is open until midnight. Advance one-day tickets for $6 are available through August 25, and advance six-day passes cost $30; regular admission is $10 per day. Children 12 and under are free everyday of the Fair, and ages 16 and under are admitted free on Friday, September 3 only. For complete ticket information, maps of the grounds, schedules, and more visit nysfair.org, or call 1-800-475-FAIR.

As a bonus, you can traverse all those miles to Syracuse in carefree style by taking a convenient Amtrak line right to the fairgrounds. Coach-only roundtrip tickets are $40 each, depending on date and times, which is quite affordable if you consider what you would otherwise spend on gas, tolls, parking, and driver's fatigue. The station code for the Fair is NYF. Visit amtrak.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL for information and to reserve your seat.