“I love New York” isn’t just a catchphrase, people really do love the state. In fact, it’s the fifth most visited state by tourists. New York City is the most visited city in the U.S. It’s hardly surprising, steeped in history and jam-packed with amazing museums, shows, landmarks events and more, it’s an amazing place to visit. But, in mid-summer, it’s also very hot and very crowded. We’re looking outside of the Big Apple for things that you might enjoy.
If you enjoy house tours of old beautiful houses, New York is sure to satisfy! You can visit the George Eastman Museum. The home of the famed photography pioneer was built in the Colonial Revival style in 1902-1905. Self-guided tours, or tours with a group are available. The garden is exquisitely laid out and gorgeous to see. Most Sunday afternoons feature live music performances. The museum features many interesting permanent and temporary exhibits. You may wish to see Kykuit, home to four generations of the Rockefeller family. The house is located in Sleepy Hollow so you may be interested in seeing the famous town with plaques to show the locations of the famous fictional story of Ichabod Crane. A tour of the house will lead you through six stories of the house’s main rooms. If you’re a fan of organic architecture, you should check out the Darwin D. Martin House Complex in Buffalo. The six buildings were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and feature his trademark sharp lines and awnings.
Any sports fan will love the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. This three-story museum is one of the most visited sports destinations in the U.S. and first opened in 1939. The first inductees were Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Babe Ruth and Honus Wagner. You can “Get a grip on greatness” in the amazing museum. The museum has over 40,000 physical artifacts. If you would prefer a more traditional museum, go to the Corning Museum of Glass, first opened by Corning Glass Works in 1951 to commemorate 100 years in business. The museum focuses on the history, science and artistry of glass. There are also artist demonstrations as they create piece in the Amphitheater Hot Shop.
Finally, we come to the best reason to get out of the city, New York State has amazingly beautiful, relaxing and peaceful nature. You can visit the gorgeous Thousand Islands region along the border of Canada and the U.S. With miles upon miles of shoreline, you can go boating, swimming, fishing. You can go hiking, golfing and hiking. Or, if you want to go slow there’s wineries, crop stands and lovely views. If you’re more interested in the mountains, but want to stay relatively close to the city, head to the Catskills for great walks, scenic drives, amazing food and more. If you want gorgeous mountains and to venture higher north, check out the Adirondacks. There you can visit the Ausable Chasm, known as the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks. Take a trip to the Hudson Valley to be surrounded by history of both our country and the arts. If you want peace and quiet, head to the Finger Lakes. And, if you want to experience nature so loud that you’ll be hearing rushing water for days, head to Niagara Falls. It’s a sight that causes many visitors to ask, “How can this be real?”
We hope you have enjoyed this trip to New York as much as we have. As you can see, it’s so much more than one city! These are just a few of our favorite spots, the state is teaming with things to do. So, plan your dream trip to the state soon!
