Northern New York: Most Beautiful and Interesting Places

9:46 am  |  31.03.2021

New York leaves no one indifferent, giving a huge number of new impressions. But what about the north of the state? Only here you can see unforgettable natural wonders and small atmospheric cities with their own culture and rich history.

Cold Spring

Boscobel


Cold Spring is a beautiful place with many antique shops, good cafes, restaurants, and a pleasant coziness.

Walking along with the Cold Spring, you can head towards Boscobel.

The Boscobel is a beautiful mansion that has been moved and renovated in this magnificent park. The location is stunning and the views of the Hudson and the surrounding mountains are breathtaking. After a picnic with a great view, you can stroll through the large park, walk through the roses, fruit, or herb gardens, or simply enjoy the beautiful view. The historic house has been converted into a museum and can be visited with a guide.

Cold Spring also has a lot to offer in terms of sports: everything is possible, from bike tours and hiking to kayaking in the Hudson.

Ithaka

Finger Lakes

The city of Ithaca is a popular travel destination known for its stunning natural beauty and thriving local culture. Dine at Ithaca’s unique restaurants, stroll the galleries, attend live music events, and explore the nearby gorges and shores of Cayuga Lake. Ithaca has a remarkable population of university students and a diverse community steeped in history and culture.

Lake Placid

Lake Placid

The Winter Olympics were held here in 1932 and 1980. The location is in the Adirondack Mountains in New York State. Lake Placid has a population of about 2,500. It is a popular year-round destination for sports and hiking.

There are two lakes around, Lake Placid and Mirror Lake. Shops, bars, hotels, and cafes line the main street of the beautiful winter sports venue.

The heart of Lake Placid is Whiteface Mountain ski resort in the Adirondack. Eleven lifts take winter sports lovers to the top from a height of 372 meters to a height of 1337 meters. The Whiteface Mountain ski resort has 86 slopes of varying difficulty. They lead through forest passages to the valley. 99% of the slopes are covered with snow. Families with young children will find individual exercises and downhill opportunities for themselves.

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New Paltz

New Platz View

New Paltz is located in Ulster County, about 80 miles from New York and 70 miles south of Albany. New Paltz is known primarily for its student body, boutiques and restaurants are located here. The city offers many outdoor activities and has several cultural and historical attractions, including the historic quarter of the Hugenottenstraße and the Elting Memorial Library.

Saratoga Springs

Saratoga Springs Park


Saratoga is called a “resort town”, but horse racing is as rich in tradition as natural springs. For over 150 years, the best horses and riders have taken part in thoroughbred races at the Saratoga Racetrack. Travers Stakes is the oldest prize money race in the United States. During a family outing, you can watch the race or take part in various family activities on site. Horse lovers should also visit the Whitney Field polo game and the National Horse Racing Museum, which explores the history of local horse racing through exhibitions, guided tours, art, and memorabilia. The exclusive Saratoga Hotel & Casino offers an extra thrill with its excellent racetrack offering trotting racing almost all year round.

The 890-acre Saratoga Spa State Park, an official National Historic Landmark, is home to numerous natural springs, said to have healing properties, as well as spas and a resort hotel. On-site, you can visit museums, walk on footpaths, play tennis, and go cross-country skiing or ice skating in winter. Saratoga National Historical Park has a visitor center and several historical information boards dedicated to the Battle of Saratoga, which was a decisive turning point in the American Revolutionary War.

The beautiful Congress Park is ideal for strolling, picnicking, or riding the historic carousel. The 19th century Canfield Casino now houses the Saratoga Springs Historical Museum. In addition, the park regularly hosts open-air concerts and theater performances.

Skaneateles

Lake Skaneateles

Located on Lake Skaneateles in Onondaga County, Skaneateles Village is a year-round natural beauty. From charming inns and B & B’s to the historic city center with unique restaurants and unique shops and galleries, Skaneateles is a popular tourist spot and has something for everyone.

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Sleepy Hollow

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

Less than an hour from Manhattan, this legendary village was made famous by Washington Irving’s famous story. Sleepy Hollow has retained much of its historic charm and is home to several attractions including the Philipsburg Mansion, Sleepy Hollow’s Old Dutch Church, and Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, where celebrities like Andrew Carnegie, Brooke Astor, and Elizabeth Arden are buried. Close to Tarrytown and scenic walking trails through the Hudson River Valley, Sleepy Hollow is the ideal combination of nature and culture.

Tarrytown

Tarrytown street

Tarrytown is just 25 miles north of New York City on the east bank of the Hudson River. Immersed in local history with original Dutch settlements from the 17th century, Tarrytown is an ideal destination for New Yorkers looking to get away from the city for the day. Local attractions include Lyndhurst, Jay Gould’s Gothic Revival, Sunnyside, the home of famous American author Washington Irving, and the Castle Hotel & Spa, a 19th-century Norman castle on the Hudson River.

The first known residents in the area were Indians from the Weckquaesgeeks tribe, who were related to the Wappinger. They fished and hunted on the river and in the surrounding area, grew corn and grain, and exchanged furs with the Dutch settlers. The first house was built by Dutch settlers in 1645. These were trappers and fishermen, but also farmers who mainly grew wheat. This is said to have given the place its name, Terve Town, which later became Tarrytown. The writer Washington Irving explains the origin of the name differently. In his work The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow, he writes that the name was coined by wives whose husbands visited the village inn on market days. In 1681 the businessman Frederick Philippe acquired large estates stretching from the Croton River to the Spuyten Duyvil Creek and from the Hudson River eastward to the Bronx River, a total of 36,000 hectares. He built a house and a flour mill where Sleepy Hollow is now. The mill flourished and was expanded by his son after Philip’s death.

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Tarrytown’s population continued to develop slowly during the 18th century. During the Revolutionary War, John André, a British spy, was captured in Tarrytown on September 23, 1780. The day before he got caught in a skirmish between loyalists and patriots after he had received plans for the fortifications at West Point from Benedict Arnold, which he was to bring to the British headquarters in New York City. Militia officer John Paulding, who fled British captivity, wore the coat of Hessian soldiers and Andre thought they were allies. The plans were discovered in one of Andre’s boots. Andre, who was traveling in civilian clothes, was hanged in Tappan on October 2, 1780. A memorial dedicated in 1853 commemorates the event.

Watkins Glen

Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel

Thanks to its proximity to the idyllic Watkins Glen State Park, the village of Watkins Glen is at the crossroads of Seneca Lake and the Chemung River. Watkins Glen is perhaps best known for its links to auto racing throughout the 20th century, attracting tourists each year with summer festivals and outdoor activities like hiking, camping, and fishing.

Woodstock

Woodstock Street
Woodstock Street

Woodstock is one of New York’s cultural highlights, best known for its legendary music festivals in the 1960s. Today Woodstock remains a historic and cultural haven for visitors. Because of its natural beauty, Woodstock has been a popular community spot for artists. In the 19th century, it was a leading site for the Hudson River School, followed by the Arts and Crafts Movement in the early 1900s. The establishment of Byrdcliffe Art Colony further defined Woodstock’s cultural influence.


Longtime resident Bob Dylan quipped saying that you only had to throw a rock and you would meet a musician in Woodstock. For the less antagonistic among you, and the even better bet is to head to one of the city’s music venues, where you can catch local and national talent almost every night of the week.

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