| Why
Travel to New York State, USA?
New York is one
of the must see cities of the world with stunning sights, activities
and shopping, while not far north are the superb Niagara Falls.
Out of town there are excellent recreation opportunities, especially
during the gorgeous autumnal leaf fall season and winter snows.
Downside:
- Winter weather can be severe, particularly
on the coast, with below zero blizzard conditions, while the summer
can bring brain melting heatwaves.
- The big cities suffer from crime in some areas, making night travel
particularly risky, but the problem is easily overcome by sticking
to tourist areas and taking the opportunity to experience Yellow
Cab crazies.
When
to Travel to the Mid Atlantic States, USA:
Best: May-June or Sept for good weather but
avoiding midsummer heat, Oct-Nov for leaf fall in Central Park and
outside the cities.
Worst: Jan
- March,
short dark days and can get very cold and stormy.
Okay: April, Dec esp. Christmas in New York;
July-Aug when the Big Apple can bake.
Major
Festivals and Events Guide:
17th
March, St Patrick's Day Parade, 5th
Avenue, New York City.
June, Jazz Festival, New York City.
4th July, Independence Day, New York City.
September, US Open Tennis Tournament,
Flushing Meadows, New York City.
November, first week, New York Marathon,
New York City.
December 31st, New Years Eve Celebrations,
Times Square et al, New York City.
Recreational
Activities Guide:
Hiking:
Adironack and Catskill Mountains, Finger Lakes,
New York State;
Mountain biking: Finger Lakes, New York State;
Canoeing: Thousand
Islands, Finger Lakes, and Adironack Mountains,
New York State.
Whitewater Canoeing and Rafting:
Catskill Mountains, New York State.
Where
to Go Guide:
New
York State***
New
York City plus the country's largest waterfall put the state on the must see
list. It also has some good outdoor recreation possibilities, wine
tasting opportunities, and great lakes interest.
New
York City***
superb shopping, world class museums, some excellent architecture,
a vibrant and beautiful park, famously yellow cabs and the best
city skyline in the world, more
information | Manhattan
Pictures
Niagara Falls** this awesome force
is best viewed from the Canadian side or from underneath in a boat,
though both sides are blighted by commercial tat.
where
to go continues in the next column... |
|
USA
Tours
More
tour operators offering tours to the USA can be found in our listings
here: USA
Tours
Bugbog
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Photos | Boston
Guide | Washington
DC | Chicago Guide
| LA Travel
| Las Vegas Travel
| USA Map
| USA Guide
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NYC
Links
Where
to Go continued:
Long
Island*
beyond Queens and Brooklyn on the southwestern tip of the island
lies New York's main seaside recreation area, with popular beaches
and resorts.
The beach to avoid is Jones beach which packs beachgoers in like
sardines.
South Fork has the most exclusive towns, North Fork Less so but
both areas are classy. They are separated by Shelter Island, which
has a nature reserve.
Hudson
Valley*
the Hudson River winds its way down the eastern edge of the state
with the Adironack and Catskill Mountains to the west.
Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown have a good selection of historic buildings
while art lovers will find sculpture at the Storm King Art Center
in Mountainville and works by the Hudson River painters at the Francis
Lehman Loeb Art Center in Poughkeepsie. Further north the Vanderbilt
Mansion National Historic Site is architecturally rich.
Albany, the state capital, hosts the
State Museum and not much else.
Cooperstown has some good museums, especially the National Baseball
Museum and Fenimore Art Museum.
Saratoga Springs, further upriver, has a Springs State Park for
activities, and a lengthy horse racing history displayed in the
National Museum of Racing. Saratoga Performing Arts Center stages
performances by some of New York's top classical music and dance
artists; the National Dance Museum is also here.
Adironack Mountains* the state's most
mountainous region contains forests, lakes, rivers and thousands
of miles of hiking trails.
Lake Placid sports an Olympic Center with ski jumping, bobsleigh
and ice skating facilities.
The Saranacs are good for more regular skiing, canoeing and hiking.
Get to them via Blue Mountain Lake.
Finger Lakes* several long, thin lakes
give the region its name, but in addition to the obvious watersport
possibilities there are also dozens of vineyards, hiking and biking
- especially at Watkins Glen State Park - and winter snowfall allows
for cross country skiing.
St Lawrence River* defining the border
with Canada, this river is used commercially to get ships from the
Atlantic through to the Great Lakes, including locks of the Lawrence
Seaway. The main attractions along the river include:
The Thousand Islands for watersports; Boldt Castle on Heart Island;
pleasant towns such as Cape Vincent on the edge of Lake Ontario.
Catskill Mountains* a popular recreational
area just north of New York, for gentle hiking and whitewater rafting,
and also famous for holding the Woodstock Music Festivals.
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