On foot
You can walk to most of the destinations in downtown Syracuse from a parking lot or the Centro bus terminal.
Car
A car is probably the best way to get around Syracuse, especially if you are going to places away from downtown. Make sure you have a map and pay attention to the street signs. There are some streets in the downtown area that go from being two-way to one-way, which is not always clear on a map.
By bike
Another alternative to driving is to get around Syracuse by bicycle, most of the downtown area is relatively flat but keep in mind that the University area has many steep hills and the residential areas surrounding downtown have quite a few hills as well. What some people will do is catch a ride on the bus downtown, placing their bike on the bike rack on the front of the bus and then use their bike once they reach downtown thus avoiding the steep hills.
Centro
While taking a little longer than driving in a car the Centro Bus System (http://www.centro.org) does provide a fair alternative to most locations in and around Syracuse, it usually costs $1USD with the exception of a few routes where it is $1.25 or $1.50, if you have to transfer to another bus to get to your destination be sure to ask the bus driver for a transfer card so that you don't get stuck paying double fairs for the same trip. In addition there is also a 30 Day Unlimited Ride Pass and Centro Debit Card as alternatives to the cash fare. There are also discounts for senior citizens, persons with disabilities and children. The buses are accessible to people with disabilities and the bus drivers are instructed to let a person with a physical disability on before letting other passengers on.
Call A Taxi
There are several taxi services listed in the Syracuse phone book that you can choose from. It will usually take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes for a taxi to come pick you up but it can be useful if you missed the last bus of the day. At the airport there is usually no wait, as there is a well-frequented taxi stand at the end of Terminal A.