New York (State)

Introduction

New York City

© avene

New York State is a state in the northeast of the USA and was one of the original 13 Colonies. When most people talk about New York State they just say Upstate New York. Although people forget that Upstate New York is home to amazing national and state parks that are quite stunning. There is also good skiing and some neat towns upstate that get overshadowed by the Big Apple on the coast. The largest city is New York City.

Geography

New York covers 141,300 km2 and ranks as the 27th largest state by size. The Great Appalachian Valley dominates eastern New York, while Lake Champlain is the chief northern feature of the valley, which also includes the Hudson River flowing southward to the Atlantic Ocean. The rugged Adirondack Mountains, with vast tracts of wilderness, lie west of the valley. Most of the southern part of the state is on the Allegheny Plateau, which rises from the southeast to the Catskill Mountains. The highest elevation in New York is Mount Marcy in the Adirondacks. New York's borders touch two Great Lakes (Erie and Ontario); the provinces of Ontario and Quebec in Canada; Lake Champlain; three New England states (Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut); the Atlantic Ocean, and two Mid-Atlantic States, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In addition, Rhode Island shares a water border with New York.
In contrast with New York City's urban atmosphere, the vast majority of the state is dominated by farms, forests, rivers, mountains, and lakes. New York's Adirondack Park is the largest state park in the United States. The Hudson River begins at Lake Tear of the Clouds and flows south through the eastern part of the state without draining Lakes George or Champlain. Upstate and downstate are often used informally to distinguish New York City or its greater metropolitan area from the rest of New York State. The placement of a boundary between the two is a matter of great contention. Unofficial and loosely defined regions of Upstate New York include the Southern Tier, which often includes the counties along the border with Pennsylvania, and the North Country, which can mean anything from the strip along the Canadian border to everything north of the Mohawk River.

Regions

• Metro New York - The area surrounding New York City, the largest city in the United States and possibly the most well known and celebrated city in the world. It also includes suburban Westchester County and Long Island with great beaches.
• Mid-Hudson and Catskills - The wilderness of the Catskills and the bucolic colonial communities of the middle Hudson offer two different types of getaways popular with New Yorkers.
• The Capital District - The state capital of Albany and its surrounding cities anchor the upper part of the Hudson Valley, one of the most educated and most rapidly growing areas of Upstate.
• The Adirondacks - The Adirondack Mountains are the true wilderness of New York, protected by an enormous park that encompasses most of the upper third of the state. Only scattered small settlements and the occasional roadway break up the stunning vistas.
• The North Country - The North Country is dominated by large open areas between widely spaced cities, with a culture that borrows from neighboring Canada. The St. Lawrence River and its Thousand Islands are a major destination in this region.
• Central New York - With hills and rivers, cities and farms, hard work and recreation, Central New York is a microcosm of New York as a whole. Syracuse is the region's cultural and economic center.
• The Finger Lakes - The Finger Lakes are 11 long, thin bodies of water that provide waterfront activities and sightseeing opportunities. Hundreds of wineries dot the region, and the city of Rochester is a center of industry and innovation.
• The Southern Tier - Bordering Pennsylvania's Northern Tier, the Southern Tier is a largely rural area with a few medium-sized cities, but with several cultural and industrial attractions.
• The Niagara Frontier - The city of Buffalo and the world-famous Niagara Falls are the major destinations in the Niagara Frontier, but the eastern areas of the region also offer attractions focusing on history, agriculture, industry, and the local waterways.

Cities

New York City

New York, New York, the city so great they named it twice, goes by many other names as well such as The Big Apple and The City That Never Sleeps. Probably most interesting to the traveller is the unofficial declaration of being the "world's capital."

Other Cities

• Albany, the state capital, steeped in the history of the state
• Buffalo - the largest city in upstate New York, home of the Buffalo Bills, the Buffalo Sabres, and the Buffalo wing
• Binghamton - the Carousel Capital of the World
• Cooperstown - an historic town that features the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
• Ithaca - a small town with an attitude and home to Cornell University and Ithaca College.
• Mount Vernon
• New Rochelle
• Rochester - an old industrial city with a rich history of innovation and progress; now home to numerous universities and the famous "garbage plate"
• Saratoga Springs - the "Spa City", famous for its horse races and also a worthy stop for its offbeat performing arts scene
• Schenectady
• Syracuse - the "Salt City" is known for its industry, and is home to Syracuse University and the Great New York State Fair
• Utica
• Yonkers
• Plattsburgh

Sights and Activities

Adirondacks

View from Algonquin Peak

© Cynthie

The Adirondacks refers to the park and mountains located in this area. The Adirondack Park is both the largest and the first government-protected park in the contiguous United States. It covers a vast expanse - bigger than New Hampshire - of rugged, thickly wooded, mountainous terrain in northeast New York State. The Adirondacks are a popular destination for all lovers of outdoor activities, from hiking and skiing to ice and rock climbing.

Niagara Falls

The Niagara Falls are one of the most impressive waterfalls in the world. And although the Canadian side has been developed into a big tourist attraction, the falls haven't lost any of their appeal.

Niagara Falls

© Anzxio

Statue of liberty

Statue of Liberty

© twokiwis

One the most famous statues in the world is the statue of liberty. It's not only an icon for New York but also for the entire country. The statue was a gift of the French people to celibrate the centennial of the Independence of the United States. The statue was constructed in France, and after completion shipped to the USA, where it was stored for 11 months, to await the completion of the pedestal, the 46-metre-high statue could finally be unveiled in November 1886.

Liberty Island was closed after the attacks of 9-11, and only reopened in 2004. The crown can be visited again since July 2009, but only by a few people a day. Two smaller statues predates the statue that is placed in New York. One stands in Paris in the Jardin de Luxembourg, and a second stands in front of the city hall in Maceió, in Brazil. After the success of these statues, it was decided to go huge. Nowadays there are several copies of the statue of liberty to be found all over the world.

Other Sights and Activities

• Catskills - Largely rural, wild, and mountainous, the Catskills are a popular vacation destination
• Chautauqua Institution - more or less a summer camp for adults, founded in 1874
• Darien Lake - the roller coaster capital of New York
• Fire Island National Seashore - a barrier island in Long Island with great beaches
• Lake George - boating, lakeside activities, and a big amusement park
• Letchworth State Park - see the Genesee River gorge and its three large, scenic waterfalls
• Thousand Islands - a scenic vacation spot for the rich and famous, right on the Canadian border
• The Hamptons - located on the south shore of Long Island.

Events and Festivals

Holidays

• New Year’s Eve - The US celebrates the outgoing of the old year and incoming of the New Year quite dramatically. Every state boasts its own parties to ring in the New Year, but none is more extravagant than New York’s Time Square, which sees people overflowing into the neighboring restaurants, bars, parks, beaches, and neighborhoods.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. and sometimes referred to as MLK Day) is an American federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around King's birthday, January 15. The holiday is similar to holidays set under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. The earliest Monday for this holiday is January 15 and the latest is January 21. King was the chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law.
• St Patrick’s Day - March 17 celebrates the US’s large Irish population. Many cities around the country boast boisterous parades and Irish-themed parties, especially New York and Chicago, where the river is dyed green. Be wary of the drunkenness that dominates as this is definitely a party-day.
• Memorial Day - Memorial Day is an important holiday throughout the United States, but not for crazy festivities. Parades commemorating wartime heroes are often held and the day is also the ‘unofficial’ start of summer. Most visitors follow the crowds to parks and beaches, which are capped off with informal BBQs.
• Independence Day - Also known as the Fourth of July, Independence Day celebrates the US’s break from the British during the 18th century. Barbecues, street parties, beach trips, and weekend getaways are commonplace to appreciate freedom.
• Labor Day is a public holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September. It honors the American labor movement and the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity, laws, and well-being of the country. It is the Monday of the long weekend known as Labor Day Weekend. It is recognized as a federal holiday. Beginning in the late 19th century, as the trade union and labor movements grew, trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate labor.
• Halloween - Halloween is a fun holiday on October 31 for all generations to dress up in costumes and relive their youth. Children walk around the neighborhood trick-or-treating for candy, while adults attend parties. Other seasonal events include haunted houses, pumpkin farms and carving, and corn mazes.
• Thanksgiving - On the fourth Thursday in November, Thanksgiving is held in almost every home in the US. Tourists will have a hard time finding anything to do as the country essentially shuts down in observation. A typical Thanksgiving meal consists of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie commemorating the original Pilgrim’s feast at Plymouth Rock.
• Christmas - On December 25, Christians celebrate Christmas as the pinnacle of their calendar by attending church and opening gifts from Santa Claus. Almost everything shuts down to promote family togetherness. The northern regions hope to experience a “white Christmas,” with trees and festive lights blanketed by snow.

Sport

• Super Bowl Sunday - the world’s most watched sporting event and one of the highest grossing TV days of the year, Superbowl Sunday is a spectacular extravaganza. Held the first Sunday in February, the Superbowl is the final playoff game between the NFL’s top two teams. The venue rotates every year around America, yet the local parties seem to remain. Pubs, bars and restaurants are great places to enjoy the Superbowl or locals throw their own parties with different variations of betting.
• The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in North America, contested since 1903 between the American League (AL) champion team and the National League (NL) champion team. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff, and the winning team is awarded the Commissioner's Trophy. As the series is played during the fall season in North America, it is sometimes referred to as the Fall Classic.

Weather

In general, New York has a humid continental climate, though New York City has a humid subtropical climate. Weather in New York is heavily influenced by two continental air masses: a warm, humid one from the southwest and a cold, dry one from the northwest. The winters are long and cold in the Plateau Divisions of the state. In the majority of winter seasons, a temperature of -25 °C or lower can be expected in the northern highlands (Northern Plateau) and -15 °C or colder in the southwestern and east-central highlands (Southern Plateau). The summer climate is cool in the Adirondacks, Catskills and higher elevations of the Southern Plateau. The New York City/Long Island area and lower portions of the Hudson Valley have rather warm summers by comparison, with some periods of high, uncomfortable humidity. The remainder of New York State enjoys pleasantly warm summers, marred by only occasional, brief intervals of sultry conditions. Summer daytime temperatures usually range from 25 °C to 30 °C, over much of the state and between 15 °C and 20 °C at night. Precipitation is quite evenly distributed throughout the year, with sometimes very heavy snowfall in winter. During summer, heavy showers can occur, especially after periods of hot weather.

Getting There

By Plane

The two main airports in NY city are also the most important ones for the state:

• John F. Kennedy International Airport (IATA: JFK; ICAO:KJFK), Jamaica, Queens
• LaGuardia Airport (IATA: LGA; ICAO: KLGA), Flushing, Queens
• Newark Liberty International Airport - Located in New Jersey but also serves NYC

By Train

Most trains to and from New York State originate and terminate in New York City. Services will arrive at Pennsylvania Station, located at 7th Avenue and 34th Street. There are easy connections from Pennsylvania station to the subway network of the city. From Pennsylvania Station, Amtrak runs a number of services, including the Acela trainconnecting Washington, D.C. to Boston. Other trains include:

• The Adirondack between New York and Montreal.
• The Cardinal/Hoosier State between New York and Chicago (via Washington DC, Cincinnati and Indianapolis).
• The Carolinian/Piedmontbetween New York and Charlotte.
• The Crescent between New York and New Orleans.
• The Ethan Allen Express between New York and Rutland (via Albany).
• The Keystone between New York and Harrisburg (via Philadelphia).
• The Lakeshore Limited between New York and Chicago (via Cleveland).
• The Maple Leaf between New York and Toronto.
• The Northeast Regional between New York and Boston and New York and Newport News (via Philadelphia and Washington DC).
• The Pennsylvanian between New York and Pittsburgh.
• The Silver Service/Palmetto between New York and Tampa and Miami.
• The Vermonter between New York and St. Albans and New York and Washington DC.

Some train service (mostly from northern suburbs and Connecticut) will arrive at Grand Central Terminal.

By Car

• From southern Ontario, Toronto, and points west (including Detroit): Take the QEW; it ends at the Peace Bridge (US$3/CA$3) and puts you on I-190 in Buffalo. You could also take the QEW to the 420 (for the Rainbow Bridge (US$2.50 Canada-bound only) to Niagara Falls) or the 405 (for the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge (US$3.25 Canada-bound only) to Lewiston). Both of these will connect up with I-190 as well. Visitors from the Detroit area sometimes cut across Southwestern Ontario (401-403-QEW) rather than going south around Lake Erie.
• From Ohio and Western Pennsylvania: I-90 becomes the New York State Thruway (see Get around for details) at the PA-NY border. I-86 splits off shortly before the border, allowing you to avoid tolls.
• From Pennsylvania and New Jersey: U.S. 219 heads north near Olean, headed for Buffalo. U.S. 15 connects with I-86 in Corning; you can continue north on NY 15 or I-390 to Rochester. I-81 connects with NY17 in Binghamton, headed for Syracuse. I-84 passes through the lower part of the state. I-95 is the major east coast route and passes through New York City.
• From Vermont: US 2 bridges Lake Champlain near the Canadian border. South of Lake Champlain, overland crossing is possible near Lake George.
• From New England: I-95 connects Boston to New York City through Connecticut; I-90 goes through Springfield (Massachusetts) to Albany.
• From Quebec: Autoroute 15 (Interstate 87) is your route south from Montreal and the Laurentians to Albany and New York City.
• From Eastern Ontario: Highway 401 follows the border in the Thousand Islands region; the (toll) Thousand Islands Bridge (401 exit 661) leads to I-81 (Watertown-Syracuse-Binghamton). International bridges at Prescott-Ogdensburg and Cornwall-Massena may be less busy than I-81 as they land on two-lane highway on the US side.

By Bus

Many bus companies offer services to neighbouring states.

By Boat

• From Vermont: A ferry joins Burlington to Plattsburgh. Multiple ferries cross Lake Champlain from Vermont to New York, including some in the Adirondacks region.
• From New Jersey: Multiple operators transport commuters directly into Manhattan, including NY Waterway/BillyBey (+1-800-53-FERRY), Seastreak (+1-800-BOATRIDE) and Liberty Park Water Taxi (+1 201-432-6321). There's even a New Jersey ferry specifically to visit the Statue of Liberty in New York.
• From Connecticut: Seastreak operates a limited sightseeing service
• From Eastern Ontario: A seasonal car ferry joins Wolfe Island ON in the Thousand Islands to Cape Vincent NY; many seasonal passenger tour boats call at Boldt Castle on Heart Island NY from both sides.

Many cruise ships call at New York's ports from far and wide. The last of the major ocean liners, Cunard's Queen Mary 2, continues to uphold the century-old traditions of the Titanic era with scheduled liner service from Southampton UK to New York City.

Getting Around

By Train

Several trains travel from New York City across the state. These include:

• The Empire Service between New York and Niagara Falls. This train only crosses the state itself. The next ones cross the state stopping in places like Albany and many others, but end in other states (like Vermont or Illinois) or countries (Canada).
• The Adirondack between New York and Montreal.
• The Ethan Allen Express between New York and Rutland (via Albany).
• The Lakeshore Limited between New York and Chicago (via Cleveland).
• The Maple Leaf between New York and Toronto.

By Car

Many international rental companies have a wide selection of rental cars and these include Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, Enterprise, Budget and Alamo/National. Most companies will require you are at least 25 years of age, although younger people might be able to rent cars at slightly higher rates and with some insurance differences as well. A national driver's license is usually enough, but an additional international one is recommended. Also note that it usually costs more to include lots of other extra things. For example extra drivers, GPS, the first full tank, SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance), PAI (Personal Accident Insurance, usually covered already at home), road assistance/service plan, and drop-off costs for one-way rentals.
If you want to book a car, it is recommended that you book your car before arriving in the USA. This is almost always (much) cheaper compared to just showing up. Also, try and book with a so-called 'broker', which usually works together with a few or many car rental companies and can offer the best deal. Some examples include Holidayautos, Holidaycars and Sunny Cars. Some of the cheapest deals to book from Europe, includes Drive-USA, which also has a German version.

For more information and tips about renting cars and campers, additional costs, insurance, traffic rules, scenic routes and getting maps and fuel it is advised to check the USA Getting Around section.

New York has a number of National Scenic Byways which offer a great way to explore the state crossing beautiful landscapes. Mostly, there are lots of national parks, state parks or monuments along the way and it's generally a better alternative than the faster but boring Interstate Highways.

By Bus

• Coach USA Shortline. In addition to Megabus, Coach USA also operate the Shortline as a commuter bus from Rockland, Orange and Sullivan Counties, NY; Bergen County, NJ; and Pike County, PA to Midtown, Downtown, the Eastside, and Wallstreet in Manhattan and over longer distances from Monticello, Binghamton, Ithaca, Owego, Elmira, Corning, Alfred etc.
• Trailways of New York (Adirondack,Pine Hills, New York), ☎ +1 716 855-7533, toll-free: 1 800 776-7548. Largest intra-state bus operator serving multiple cities and towns throughout New York (state) on multiple routes.
• Megabus, toll-free: +1-877-462-6342. Travels between New York City & Toronto via Binghamton, Syracuse, Rochester, Ithaca, and Buffalo; and New York City to Saratoga Springs via Albany
• Greyhound & NeOn, toll-free: +1-800-231-2222. Travels between New York City & Toronto via Binghamton, Syracuse, Rochester, Ithaca, Geneva and Buffalo; and New York City to Montreal via Albany, Glen Falls & Plattsburg. Another route traveling between Boston and Cleveland stops in Albany, Utica, Syracuse and Buffalo. Some are operated by Greyhound Lines while others are operated by NeOn, their co-brand with Greyhound Canada and Trailways of New York.
• 7Bus, ☎ +1 631 725-7777. Ronkonkomo, Melville and/or Stony Brook University in East Long Island from Manhattan in New York City
• Hampton Jitney, ☎ +1 631 283-4600. Goes to various places in eastern Long Island from multiple stops in Manhattan and Brooklyn

By Boat

Every year thousands of travelers (both in-state and out) take to the New York State Canal System to spend hours, days, or even weeks cruising the placid waters and visiting a variety of villages and cities along the way. The crown jewel of the canal system is the famous Erie Canal, in operation for nearly two centuries. The Erie runs from Buffalo all the way to the Hudson River at Albany, but there are several smaller canals that connect the Erie to other waterways: the Cayuga-Seneca Canal to the Finger Lakes, the Oswego Canal to Lake Ontario, and the Champlain Canal to Lake Champlain. This extensive network means you can, in theory, see the six biggest cities in the state all without leaving your boat.

Eat

New York's diversity is on full display when considering its cuisines. New York City, of course, as the point of arrival for so many immigrants, is home to some of the most authentic and most diverse ethnic cuisines in the country. Even upstate, though, in cities not known for their diversity, you can find plenty of variety.

American cuisine is ubiquitous, of course, except perhaps in areas of New York City like Chinatown and Little Italy. Italian food (much of it Americanized, admittedly) is also found throughout the state. Asian cuisines—mostly Chinese and Japanese, but with some Thai and Indian restaurants in the larger cities—are also common. Greek food is readily available, primarily at family restaurants that also serve plenty of American food and a smattering of Italian. Polish specialties can be found in Buffalo, and the North Country has some French-Canadian influence in its cuisine.

Notably, each of the upstate cities seems to have its own unique home-grown dishes. Buffalo is famous for its chicken wings, of course, but also features "beef on weck". Rochester is home to "white hots" and the late-night favorite "garbage plates". Syracuse has salt potatoes, the Utica-Rome area has its "chicken riggies", "spiedies" originated in Binghamton, and Plattsburgh residents favor "Michigan" hot dogs. While perhaps not as famous as Philadelphia's cheese steaks, most of these local favorites are worth trying, if only to get a taste of the local "flavor".

From the Finger Lakes region all the way up to the North Country, Amish and Mennonite communities contribute fresh vegetables, fruits, and baked goods that are often found at road-side farm stands or at farmers markets. And New York City is well-known for New York-style pizza, pastrami, bagels, pretzels, cheesecake, danishes and black & whites, among other local specialties.

Many visitors don't realize that New York still has a very large agriculture industry. The state is one of the top American producers of apples, grapes, milk, sweet corn, and maple syrup. To highlight New York-grown food and drink, the state has begun opening Taste NY stores in several service areas along the Thruway. There are also stores at JFK and LaGuardia airports and Grand Central Terminal in New York City and farmers' markets throughout the state, including a large one thrice weekly at Union Square in Manhattan.

Drink

New York is the second-biggest wine-producing state in the country, though a distant second to California. The Finger Lakes are the largest wine country in the state, and there is also a substantial wine industry in Peconic, which consists of the forks of Long Island and adjacent countryside on the eastern end of Suffolk County. The oldest wine-growing area is the Hudson Valley, which still has some wineries.

There are also quite a few brewers in the state, including Ommegang, a brewery in Cooperstown that produces an excellent Belgian-style ale, and Brooklyn Brewery, which produces a solid lager.

Whiskey is also produced in New York. Baiting Hollow on Long Island produces an excellent whiskey and Hudson's, in the Hudson Valley, produces excellent though pricey whiskey and rye.

As a major apple-growing state, New York also produces both unfermented and hard ciders, but probably the best place to get those is either fresh at an apple orchard or at a bar that concentrates on hard cider.

Compared to some of its neighboring states, New York has fairly loose liquor laws. The drinking age is 21, the same as every other state. Minors may not sell alcohol in liquor stores nor loiter in them, even when accompanied by an adult. Beer and other beverages with a low alcohol content can be found in supermarkets, drugstores and convenience stores, along with (since 2010) some wines, while hard liquor and most wine can be sold only in liquor stores. Liquor stores, by law, are not allowed to sell beer. They are also not allowed to take returns, so all sales are final.

1. #New York also requires that all liquor stores must be owned by a single actual person who lives within a certain distance of the store, and that person may only hold one license. This effectively bans chain liquor stores. Liquor stores must be closed at least one day of the week. Most choose to do so on Sundays even though they are no longer required to be closed on that day.

Sleep

Hotel and Motel Chains

There are dozens of hotel and motel chains, ranging from budget to top end. Allthough they are not the most charming accommodations, they usually have a very decent midrange service with good rooms and are generally good value. At least you know what to expect and in some cases they are either the only or the best option in the area. Some of them include:

• Motel 6
• Super 8
• Days Inn
• Quality Inn
• Red Roof Inn
• Howard Johnson
• Best Western
• La Quinta Inns and Suites
• Holiday Inn
• Econo Lodge
• Travelodge
• Hilton
• Choice Hotels
• Ramada
• Radisson
• Starwood Hotels
• Marriott Hotels

External Links

• Official Governmental Website
• Official Tourism Website