Bucket List - New Yorjk
Niagara, Erie Canal & what else?
Forum Discussion
32 Replies
Stars101 wrote:
Agreed - NY State Thruway is only good for making time so you can see more of the state in one trip. It's EXCELLENT for that! LOL
Another route as an alernative to the Thruway is US Route 20. This road runs just south of he Thruway and takes you through small towns (and a few smaller cities) along the tops of the Finger Lakes.
You have plenty of suggestions for 2-3 trips to NY. Our favorite area is the Finger Lakes!vermilye wrote:
Upstate NY has many beautiful areas. My favorite waterfall is at Chittenango State Park (no camping), the Adirondacks are beautiful (outside of black fly season!)
I understand that, technically speaking, it's still quite beautiful during black fly season...though I can't say I myself stay around long enough to see whether it's true or not.
I think black flies exist to make mosquitoes seem wonderful by comparison.- Agreed - NY State Thruway is only good for making time so you can see more of the state in one trip. It's EXCELLENT for that! LOL
- Rather than taking the expensive & boring NY Thruway between Niagara Falls & the Adirondacks, follow the signs for the Seaway Trail. Much of it is along Lake Ontario, most is good 2 lane roads, and a pretty, relaxing drive with a number of state parks along the way.
Even as someone that moved from the NYC area to upstate NY, I do suggest a couple of days in NYC. See a play, visit some of the museums, the Statue of Liberty, etc.
Upstate NY has many beautiful areas. My favorite waterfall is at Chittenango State Park (no camping), the Adirondacks are beautiful (outside of black fly season!)
There are many festivals throughout the year that are worth checking out, from small, free Sunday lawn concerts at places like Sodus Bay Lighthouse to huge weekends like the Oswego Harborfest. Lots to do if you stop at local visitor centers to find out what is happening in the area. Stars101 wrote:
The Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake, NY (middle of ADK Park) is not to be missed! They have a large gravel parking lot across from the regular one for RV's and buses. It's a day trip from Lake George area. leave the TT at a CG there or dry camp at one of the state parks right in the ADK park.
The Walkway Over The Hudson (Poughkeepsie NY - Highland NY) is the state's newest park. Longest pedestrian bridge in the world. Crosses the Hudson River. Worth a stop if you are not towing.... not really feasible with a trailer. But perfect stop with tow vehicle, just leave TT at a local CG.
If you start in Niagara Falls and then follow the NY State Thruway east you will see plenty of access points to ADK Park. Then continue south into the Hudson Valley - Walkway Over The Hudson, Vanderbilt Estate, FDR residence. You can also see West Point Military Academy. Or avoid toll roads and stick to State routes like Rte 30...
If you want to see NYC, but not get too close, some of the CG's in Ulster County offer guided day trips right from the CG.
But if I had to pick - my TOP choice is the Adirondack Museum!!!!
Great ideas here, a ton of things to do and see in the Hudson valley area.
What about Rhinebeck Aerodrome! WWI planes dogfighting in the air! Neat to watch.bukhrn wrote:
Lantley wrote:
NY is just another place if you don't see NYC.
We all have our opinions, Likes and dislikes, I lived in Central NY State for 38 years, never went to NYC, (other than passing through on a train) and don't feel that I've missed a thing, now that I'm 68, I still have no desire to go, we're more in line with More To See, we go out of our way to avoid large cities.
We did however suck it up last year & went to Boston, we were there 2 days into our stay, and DW was ready to leave.
Liberty Harbor and Croton Point make it possible to tour the Big Apple while staying in a RV
I can agree we each have our opinions. However New York is a mecca and a world class destination because of NYC not the outlying upstate areas.
Those outlying upstate areas could easily be a part of MA or CT. But there is only one NYC. People come from all over the world to visit and live there. Touring New York and not visiting NYC would be a shame in my book. I'm not suggesting only visiting NYC. But I think a trip to New York should include time in NYC.
Sort of like going to Hawaii and not visiting the beach.- The only places in NY I'd consider truly worthy of ones bucket list are the boat ride to Niagara Falls, a walk through Times Square, a full day at The MET, and the boat ride around the Statue Of Liberty. Not to say the rest of the entries are not worthy of visiting, just not my idea of bucket list items.
- The Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake, NY (middle of ADK Park) is not to be missed! They have a large gravel parking lot across from the regular one for RV's and buses. It's a day trip from Lake George area. leave the TT at a CG there or dry camp at one of the state parks right in the ADK park.
The Walkway Over The Hudson (Poughkeepsie NY - Highland NY) is the state's newest park. Longest pedestrian bridge in the world. Crosses the Hudson River. Worth a stop if you are not towing.... not really feasible with a trailer. But perfect stop with tow vehicle, just leave TT at a local CG.
If you start in Niagara Falls and then follow the NY State Thruway east you will see plenty of access points to ADK Park. Then continue south into the Hudson Valley - Walkway Over The Hudson, Vanderbilt Estate, FDR residence. You can also see West Point Military Academy. Or avoid toll roads and stick to State routes like Rte 30...
If you want to see NYC, but not get too close, some of the CG's in Ulster County offer guided day trips right from the CG.
But if I had to pick - my TOP choice is the Adirondack Museum!!!! - Croton Point is much nicer now that they replaced the old one-lane bridge over the Croton Harmon railyard, and the landfill on the point has been capped. When they used to run garbage trucks over the one-lane bridge (a traffic light would alternate traffic) it was a mess, and the landfill smelled bad. It is located about 35 miles north of NYC and you can take Metro North trains into Grand Central from the nearby Croton station.
Lantley wrote:
NY is just another place if you don't see NYC.
We all have our opinions, Likes and dislikes, I lived in Central NY State for 38 years, never went to NYC, (other than passing through on a train) and don't feel that I've missed a thing, now that I'm 68, I still have no desire to go, we're more in line with More To See, we go out of our way to avoid large cities.
We did however suck it up last year & went to Boston, we were there 2 days into our stay, and DW was ready to leave.
Liberty Harbor and Croton Point make it possible to tour the Big Apple while staying in a RV
