In association with
In association with
In association with
It’s never been easier to reach New York from the UK. Daily direct flights – including regional routes from Manchester and Edinburgh – make popping across the pond feel like a breeze. But here’s the insider tip: don’t just see the city. Stay, then stray.
Start in New York City itself – because who wouldn’t? Catch a Broadway show, stroll through Central Park, soak up the skyline from a rooftop bar. Then, venture beyond the regions. What awaits is a whole state’s worth of wild landscapes, culinary brilliance, historic landmarks, and cultural icons – spread across 11 distinct regions, each one as worth discovering as the next.
From the Coast to the Countryside
An hour from Manhattan, Long Island blends surf and sophistication. This is Gatsby territory – 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of The Great Gatsby, inspired by the Gold Coast mansions that still shimmer along the shoreline. And while you’re here, don’t miss the award-winning white sandy beaches or the action of the Ryder Cup, returning to Long Island in 2025.
Mid Hudson-FDR Bridge
Upstate, the Hudson Valley hits that perfect note between bucolic charm and cultural heft. Tour the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, sip your way along cideries and wine trails, or simply browse the farm-to-table fare at buzzing farmers’ markets. The Catskills, just west, were the original weekend escape, and they still deliver—ziplining over treetops, hiking forested trails, or revisiting the spirit of the 1969 Woodstock Festival at Bethel Woods.
Waterways and Wild Walks
Capital-Saratoga invites a slower pace. Dip into a relaxing mineral bath in Saratoga Springs, then explore Albany’s political past at the grand State Capitol. Not far off, the Adirondacks stretch northwards with their glassy lakes and snowy peaks – home to Lake Placid’s Olympic legacy and some of the best hiking in the state.
Roosevelt Baths
Follow the ribbon of the Erie Canal – celebrating 200 years in 2025 – westward through Central New York, where small towns hold big stories. Baseball fans should detour to Cooperstown for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, while nature lovers head for Old Erie Canal State Historic Park for walking, cycling, or a gentle paddle.
Further west, Greater Niagara brings drama. Niagara Falls thunders at the border, while Letchworth State Park, nicknamed the “Grand Canyon of the East,” carves its way through forested cliffs. Buffalo is having a moment too, thanks to its resurgent art scene – don’t miss the Buffalo AKG Art Museum – and, of course, for inventing the now world-famous Buffalo chicken wing.
Niagara Falls State Park from Goat Island
Culture, Comedy and Castles
Down by Lake Erie, Chautauqua-Allegheny pairs outdoor serenity with surprising culture. Kayak the quiet waters by day, then belly-laugh your way through the National Comedy Center by night. For classic Americana, go east to Finger Lakes, the state’s wine heartland, where 85% of New York wines are produced. Tour the Corning Museum of Glass, walk Watkins Glen’s spellbinding gorge, or visit Seneca Falls – the birthplace of the women’s rights movement.
The Thousand Islands-Seaway region rounds off the journey with a dose of riverine romance. Cruise the St. Lawrence River or admire Boldt Castle’s fairytale architecture perched on its own private isle. Yes, Thousand Island dressing was born here—and no, you won’t look at your salad the same way again.
Thousand Islands
Year-Round and Ready for You
Whether you travel by car, RV, or sit back on the Amtrak, exploring New York State is straightforward – and spectacular. With year-round appeal, from summer hikes and lake swims to autumn colours and world-class ski slopes, it’s a destination that reinvents itself with every season.
For more information call 0800 316 3012 or visit bon-voyage.co.uk
