New York Vacations

It’s infamously difficult to schedule New York State vacations that coincide with both good weather and reduced crowds, but the best bet for striking this ideal balance is planning a New York State vacation for April or May when weather is good but summer crowds have not yet inundated the region. While this window of time doesn’t offer the best of the area’s events, it provides travelers on a New York State vacation an opportunity to explore The Big Apple with less hectic surroundings, as well as cooler weather ideal for outdoor events. During this springtime window, Visitors can enjoy Hanami, a Japanese ritual involving cherry blossoms.

Visit the world’s smallest drive-in cinema located in Manhattan, with room for just a single car.

Visit the former home of sculptor Isamu Noguchi in Quenns, now a combination museum and Japanese garden.

Enjoy unique acoustics and live chamber music aboard an 1899 coffee barge moored under the Brooklyn Bridge.

The tiny piano bar known as Marie Crisis hosts local performers and fans belting out classic show tunes.

The City Island Lobster House serves its culinary namesake with unparalleled beauty and artisan style.

The crimsons, golds and purples of the Adirondack autumn will suck the film right out of your camera, and viewing experiences are abundant. You can try hiking one of the Adirondacks' 46 high peaks, and many, including the highest, Mt. Marcy, are within the ability of even novice climbers. The views from 5,344-foot-high Mt. Marcy and its sister peaks are outstanding in any season. Another amazing option would be filming the foliage from the ground level, especially when mirrored against Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake or world-famous Lake Placid. A third exhilarating experience would be enjoying views of Lake George in a hot-air balloon ride. Other family fun activities include the Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake and Tucker's Farm corn maize in Gabriels.

The Hudson Valley's celebrated beauty spawned an entire school of art, and an autumn bike tour of this historic and picturesque region will show you why. Stately estates, farmers markets, state parks, and incomparable views are just a few of the delights awaiting the cyclist. On the east bank of the Hudson River, a tour beginning in Hyde Park takes you past the Vanderbilt Mansion and the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, where you can see an air show, take a ride in a biplane, or just admire the antique aero planes. On the west bank, bike through leafy yellow tunnels formed by the overhanging trees along Harriman State Park's Seven Lakes Drive and gape at the views of the Hudson from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

The Finger Lakes region abounds in nature centers and wildlife preserves with thousands of acres set aside for hiking, canoeing and other outdoor pursuits. Good bets include the Beaver Lake Nature Center in Baldwinsville, the Howland Island Wildlife Management Area in Cayuga and the Limehollow Nature Center in Cortland. A must-see for leaf peepers is the Genesee Gorge, the 17-mile-long "Grand Canyon of the East" whose blue waters are sandwiched between blazing hills in Letchworth State Park. A favorite for wine enthusiasts is the Seneca Lake Wine Trail which begins in Branchport and ends in Watkins Glen. A popular option for foodies is the Wayne County Annual Apple Tasting Tour in Lyons in October.

Okay, let's ignore the wedding and honeymoon thing for a minute and just focus on the water. It flows down the Niagara River, picking up momentum as it courses along its ancient migratory pathway, reaching speeds of up to 30 mph before tumbling hundreds of thousands of gallons at a time over the craggy rocks of Niagara Falls. Take in the view in any number of ways: With your toes just inches from both sets of falls, the American Falls and the Horseshoe Falls; from your hotel room from way up high; or from the middle of the action, with the mist spraying up in your face. Whichever way chosen, the trip will be exhilarating.

Most visitors embarking on New York State vacations envision the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, and the capital city’s famous yellow cabs. But truth is, the sprawling and often bucolic New York State features 11 different regions, all of which offer their own take on the balance between coastal culture and proximity to the World’s Capital. New York State travel doesn’t have to stop at the city’s limits. Travelers willing to venture away from the world-famous burrows will discover historical attractions, genuine American hospitality, and abundant natural beauty stretching from countrywide to dramatic coast.

Even more famous than Central Perk – the coffee shop in Friends - Central Park receives thirty-five million visitors annually.

Take the Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour and discover the most popular pizzerias and famous film locations in the area.

View the famous Niagara Falls from an incredible vantage point or head straight into the spray aboard the Maid of the Mist.

Visit the Greenmarket on Union Square where farmers flock to sell their fresh produce.

Explore 11 wineries along the Shawangunk Wine Trail while enjoying the state’s unforgettable variety of cultivars.

Get your fortune told at Lily Dale, home of the Modern Spiritualist Movement on Cassadaga Lake.

Admire enough inimitable and iconic views along one single stroll of the Brooklyn Bridge to fill an entire lifetime.

Enjoy the United States’ oldest racetrack, Saratoga Race Course, established in 1863 and open all summer long.

Explore various segments of the Finger Lakes’ 560-mile-long trail, enjoying tastes of natural American diversity along the way.

Try booking a table at New York City’s number one eatery, Eleven Madison Park, and relish in five-star delicatessens.