From diverse landscapes to cultural treasures, these are the locations locals love.
The dazzling lights of New York City and all its cosmopolitan marvels deservedly draw much attention. But beyond the city’s borders lies a state filled with incredible riches of every variety including natural, culinary, historic and cultural — and all within easy reach of NYC. A holiday to The Empire State can be so much more than first meets the eye…
Chic New Yorkers have long flocked to Long Island’s South Fork for a dose of well-heeled relaxation. Join them by jumping aboard the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) hourly service from New York City’s Penn Station for a taste of this Manhattanite and A-lister summer playground.
The Hamptons is famously known for its boutique shopping, lavish homes, stunning white-sand beaches and its top-notch cuisine and wineries. Here you can pick up some stunning produce from a farm stand or fine dine to your heart’s content.
For surf vibes and good eats, head to “the end” of Long Island, as the town of Montauk is known, for delicious seafood, washed down with a glass of crisp New York white and a stunning sunset backdrop.
The Catskills, north of NYC, best explored by car, has also historically been a favoured holiday spot for influential New Yorkers, with its picture-perfect mountains and forests and retro resorts. Those with a nostalgic eye on the 60s era will want to make a beeline for the Bethel Woods Center For The Arts, set on the historic site of the 1969 Woodstock festival. At the Center’s exhibits, the legends of the 1960s come to life through artifacts, films and music.
More art forms can be found, this time from the 1960s to the present day, at Dia Beacon in the Hudson Valley region. A former Nabisco box-printing factory on the banks of the Hudson River, this museum has become a vibrant arts destination, easily reached by train from Grand Central Terminal for a culture-fuelled day trip from NYC.
Further north, bordering Canada, there’s more history to be immersed in among the Thousand Islands-Seaway region. You can fly into Syracuse and, within a 90-minute drive, be jumping on a boat tour to Dark Island to roam the hallowed halls of Singer Castle, built between 1900 and 1905 — it is said hidden passageways exist in almost every room and outbuilding.
In the neighbouring Adirondacks region, adrenaline sports fanatics can fuel up on the region’s many lake and mountain activities. Or you can opt to celebrate the efforts of the professionals at The Lake Placid Olympic Center, which commemorates the hosting of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics with exhibits and site visits. An easy train ride from NYC’s Penn Station, and then a quick shuttle ride to Lake Placid, or a five-hour drive from the city, this region offers wild beauty in all seasons.
Sports fans will want to make a stop at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, Central New York. Home to one of America’s favourite pastimes, the museum’s comprehensive tribute to the sport is a true treat for fans. More legendary baseball moments are commemorated at New York City’s Jackie Robinson Museum, but it’s the enduring legacy of one of the most important Americans of the 20th century that’s more in focus here — in 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play Major League Baseball and went on to become a champion for racial, social and economic equality.
New York’s attractions truly do run the gamut — an hour’s flight from NYC to Buffalo International Airport and you’re close to some wildly diverse offerings. First up, you can’t beat Niagara Falls State Park for wow-factor. It’s the oldest state park in the US, home to those famed falls where Superman flew to the rescue. Head south to the Chautauqua-Allegheny region and there are more intrigues, such as the National Comedy Center where you can digitally customise your visit according to your own funny bone. Then driving east through the stunning Fingers Lakes district you’ll come across The Corning Museum of Glass, the world’s largest space dedicated to the art and design of glass – along with some of the USA’s best wineries.
Albany, in the Capital-Saratoga region, is, of course, New York state’s capital and as such holds many cultural gems, including the magnificent New York State Capitol. This French chateau-style building is an architectural marvel, housing a “Million Dollar Staircase” carved with 300 portraits of illustrious New Yorkers. To end your trip with some R&R, though, Saratoga Springs, just north of Albany, is the perfect destination for your every leisure need; golf courses, a resort hotel and spa, geysers and mineral springs are at your wellness disposal.
All this and we’ve barely scratched the surface of the astonishing range of activities and scenery this vast and varied state can offer. So be sure to leave plenty of time to go beyond The Big Apple to take a bigger bite of this enchanting state.
For more information and to plan your next New York trip visit iloveny.com