10 Things to Know About New York State
New York City is an incredible place, famous for its ‘hustle and bustle’ lifestyle, but there’s a lot more to NY than just a busy city at the southern edge. Much of New York State (NYS) is filled with rural areas, farmland and incredible green spaces. Just north of the city is the Catskill Mountains, but even farther north is the Adirondacks. This beautiful mountain range has been compared to the Lake District in the U.K., to the south of Sweden, but in reality it is a beast of its own. I’ve compiled my top 10 tips for anyone unfamiliar with the area looking to tackle upstate!
- NYC is just a small part of the state
- The Adirondacks
- The Catskills
- The land of lakes (step aside MN!)
- Small Town Downtowns are everything
- There’s so much history everywhere
- NYC isn’t the only cool city
- Public Transport may not cut it
- A Complicated Climate
- New York is HUGE
10) New York is HUGE
For the U.S., NY is an average sized state, but by no means does that mean its small! New York on its own has more square miles to its land mass than all of England, and it would take way over 5 hours to travel from Champlain in the north to NYC in the south! This is important to keep in mind with most of the U.S., but given that New York is in a part of the county with a lot of smaller states, this is sometimes forgotten!
9) The Climate is Complicated
New York by no means has an extreme climate, it’s just far less nice and temperate compared to much of europe. New York is cold in the winter, with an average low of 14°F for Albany, and a high as high as 83°F in July. The winters are often dry, and can dip below freezing, and the summers can range to be hot, sticky and over 90°F. Knowing what time of year to pack for is incredibly important when planning a trip to New York.
8) Public Transport May Not Cut it (Outside NYC)
Public transport in NYC is exceptionally well compared to much of the U.S., but beyond that public transport isn’t as repayable as other countries. You might be able to find busses or trains running between larger cities, but it is far from the near seamless public transport systems you see in much of Europe. When visiting, check your travel arrangements, and expect you will need to hire or rent a car!
7) NYC isn’t the Only Cool City
New York city is definitely an incredible and interesting place, but it is far from the only city like that in the state. Lake Placid, Buffalo, Albany, Schenectady and so many more are incredibly interesting and worthwhile places to visit!
6) There’s so Much History Everywhere
Being the home to many native American tribes, and being one of the original 13 colonies, it is no surprise that history is around every corner! The best way to explain this is through the example of where I live, in Schenectady County, NY. Less than 15 minutes from where I am would being me to Downtown Schenectady, which has the historic stockade district and was the home to Thomas Edison’s company General Electric. About a half hour away, I could get to the Saratoga battle field, the Saratoga race track, and so many historic attractions in the state capital Albany. Just a little further and you can find a place like fort William Henry and many more. History is all over this state!
5) Small Town Downtowns are Everything
Just like much of the U.S. small towns and cities are everything, and though not every place has a cute little down town strip, many actually do! Take for example Downtown Schenectady, Saratoga or Lake George! They are all incredibly different experiences, but offer all sorts of intrigue for any type of traveler!
4) The Land of Lakes (step aside MN!)
New York is the land of lakes, and never let those Minnesotans tell you otherwise! New York has over 7,600 freshwater lakes, including portions of two of the five great lakes! This means beautiful scenes, swimming and beaches!
3) The Catskills
The Catskills are a mountain range in south eastern New York, maybe an hour or so outside of the city, and have loads of attractions to keep any traveler busy! From Skiing, zip lining, hiking, art and so much more, the Catskills are a great place to look into!
2) The Adirondacks
Covering approximately 5,000 square miles, the Adirondacks are a beautiful mountain range running in upstate New York. Largely encompassed by the boundaries of Adirondack park, so many hiking trails, camp sites and nature preserves can be found in this area, its not even funny! The Adirondack mountains are really what make upstate New York so beautiful, and they are genuinely one of the most pristine and breath taking places you can visit.
1) NYC is Just A Small Part of the State
Finally, given that when most people hear New York, they go immediately to the city, it’s important to understand that is just a small part of this wonderful state. A lot of New York looks nothing like the ever ingrained skyscrapers of the concrete jungle, and more like a slightly hilly-er town from somewhere else in the country filled with farmland.
The Rundown
New York is an incredible place to visit, and holds just about anything for those who crave the concrete jungle to those who want to relax in an Adirondack chair with a beautiful and calm lake view. What’s your favorite thing about NYS? Leave a comment below!
