Bucket List - New Yorjk

One time a few years ago we stayed in a CG near Lake George. The Village itself is a real tourist trap, but can be fun to eat and be entertained if you're into that kind of stuff. However, the best part of our vacation was going to Lake Placid and visiting all the Olympic sites. We watched ice skaters practicing on the olympic ice rink, checked out the site where the biatholon was held, went to the top of the 90 meter ski jump via elevator, saw freestyle skiers practicing jumps into a pool, and took a tour to the top of the new bobsled course. You can actually ride the original bobsled course in a wheeled sled, but I wasn't up for that.

The whole area is spectacularly beautiful and the views from the top of the mountains are amazing. My family still raves about that trip more than 10 years later.

Ausable Chasm
If you like history - Fort Ticonderoga, Saratoga Battlefield (NPS)
Lake George - but it is a bit rinky dink.

As to NYC - live 20 miles away, born in Brooklyn. Worked in Manhattan for a time. If you really want to spend 50x more than anything is worth, and have never been here, well it is an experience. If you have an unlimited budget you will have a good time. There is certainly lots to see but its spread all over Manhattan and it is best to do with a tour rather than wander around on your own, especially if you don't know the City and don't know what areas to avoid. Stay in Liberty Harbor to get into NYC the fastest (ten minute ride on an NJ PATH train under the river - PATH station is two streets away from the campground - which is just a large parking lot with hookups on the river. Any place else to stay with an RV means a long and expensive train ride with the commuters each way - certainly no way to spend a vacation. No matter what never bring your RV into NYC.

I've found that New York City is best to see with someone who knows it. There is just so much to see in NYC it is mind boggling... but, most all a tourist sees is tall concrete and glass skyscrapers. Shops, museums... hard to know where to start!

I'm into military history, so I found the Intrepid aircraft carrier / museum to be great.

The "dinner cruises" that go around the Statue of Liberty are very touristy, but really neat to do at least once!

Going to the top of the Empire State Building... kinda cool, but not worth standing in line for 2 - 3 hours (which is average). If there is a short line (good luck!) it's worth it, but otherwise there is just so much other stuff to do.

Oh, and the difference in New York between NYC and upstate is amazing. Really two different planets. One is one of the largest cities in the world, and the other is beautiful, hilly, wooded country.

Have fun, and keep us updated with a trip report!

A big +1 to Fort Ticonderoga, at the northern end of Lake George. If you are at all into colonial history, I found it fascinating. And the drive on route 9A along the shore of Lake George is great -- although, I wasn't pulling a camper at the time (HILLY, winding road that hugs the shore).

Lots to see in New York state. Really depends on your interests and the time of year you visit. From you question, I assume you are interested in scenery rather than touristy stuff. Many have been mentioned, Letchworth State Park, Finger Lakes and wineries, Cooperstown and Baseball Hall of Fame, Lake Placid and Olympic Village, Messina and Eisenhower Locks, Watkins Glen and the gorge, race track and more wine, Conewango valley, Ellicottvile and Holiday Valley skiing, Kissing Bridge skiing, Whiteface Mountain skiing (lots more if you are into skiing), ... Sorry - lots to do without visiting a city...

Finger Lakes area. Wineries, craft breweries, hard cider too. Beautiful lakes, hiking at Watkins Glen, Amish markets (Pen Yann), great scenery.

NY is just another place if you don't see NYC.
Liberty Harbor and Croton Point make it possible to tour the Big Apple while staying in a RV

Big_Blue wrote:
Niagara, Erie Canal & what else?

There's so much more to New York State than the Big Apple. And I say that as a transplant from "across the Hudson" (NJ) from years ago.

*Finger Lakes Region
*The Catskills
*The Hudson River Valley and the area from West Point to Albany
*The Lake Ontario Region between Buffalo and Rochester as well as from Rochester to the Canadian Border
*Adirondacks Park, which is vast and could take weeks to completely explore
*St Lawrence River area from Lake Ontario north and then along the northern border
*The Lake Champlain Region as well as the Vermont island region in Lake Champlain
*Saratoga Springs area
*Lake Erie region from Buffalo south to PA.

Each area has so much to offer in diversity and beauty. New York State is truly a beautiful state.

It is utterly fascinating how we all have our own interests. I immediately zeroed in on the Erie Canal as a primary thing I would want to see in New York State and did a big "Yuck" at even the thought of getting anywhere near New York City or any other city. On our cross country travels we spend a day or two regularly doing a big loop around anything that even resembles a city.

That's what's great about the forums though. We can all pick and choose as we want. And I really like this idea of a state by state compiling of some important things to see and do.

Letchworth State Park