It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been calling New York home, there’s certain adventures that all of our residents should experience at least once while they have an address in the Empire State. With the New Year right around the corner, it’s time to start figuring out what adventures you’re going to cross off of your bucket list in the upcoming months. Not sure where to begin? Try narrowing it down to these 22 things!
- Take a visit to the “Grand Canyon of the East” to see three of New York’s most spectacular waterfalls.
Rob W./Yelp Properly known as Letchworth State Park, the park features three major waterfalls as well as other amazing natural wonders throughout all of the various trails. Along the Genesee River in the town of Castile, every true New Yorker makes the drive out to this Western New York location at least once in their lifetime to see all of the beauty that’s tucked away here.
- Head out towards the water to visit one of our historic lighthouses.
Ted Van Pelt/Flickr New York may not be the first place you’d associate beautiful lighthouses with, but all around our borders we have historical sites that have stood the tests of time. From down along the Hudson River and out on Long Island to the shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, all of us will make a point to visit one.
- Make the trip out to the End of The World to see the beautiful beaches of Long Island.
Hans Johnson/Flickr Sure it takes most of us endless hours to get out to the island, but all of our residents have to see this gorgeous piece of New York for themselves at one point. A gorgeous slice of heaven, you won’t regret spending your days with your feet buried in the sand here in this region.
- Take a summer getaway to one of our astonishing lakes with our family and friends.
jerseygal2009/Flickr For many of us, spending summers by the lake is a family tradition that we’ll never let go of. With thousands of lakes inside of New York, all of our residents have a favorite waterfront location they escape to as often as possible.
- Hike at least one of our 46 High Peaks.
stillwellmike/Flickr If you’re theultimate New Yorker, you’ll cross all 46 mountains off of your bucket list. But for most of our residents who aren’t interested in going above and beyond, we stick to taking on at least one of New York’s 46 tallest mountains that can be found in the Adirondack Park.
- To be more specific, we also make a point to climb the steps on Whiteface Mountain.
ActiveSteve/Flickr A mountain loved by all, Whiteface can be enjoyed in several different ways throughout the year. Whether you chose to hike this mountain or drive up the highway, we all eventually take on the challenge of climbing the breathtaking steps on the Stairway Ridge Trail.
- Visit a haunted location in our hometown that’s surrounded by local legends.
Dave Pape/Flickr New York is downright haunted. There’s no way to get around it! And when we’re feeling brave on dark nights filled with boredom, we visit haunted locations with our friends to see if these locations truly live up to their spooky reputations.
- Take a tour underground to see the unique world that we have right beneath our feet.
jpitha/Flickr From the famous Howe Caverns and nearby Secret Caverns to other underground locations like the Lockport Cave Tours, there’s several ways our residents can explore the underground world. For most of us, we’ve all gone to Howe Caverns at least once.
- Get the blood flowing in your legs with an unforgettable hike along the Watkins Glen State Park Gorge Trail.
Sandy Y./Yelp Quite possibly the most beautiful place in all of New York, the Gorge Trail is specifically spectacular with all nineteen of its waterfalls. No matter how far away this state park is from our residents, it’s almost always the first major attraction our new residents and visitors make a point to see.
- Make a trip to Albany to see our picturesque state capital.
New York State Capitol/TripAdvisor From taking a tour of the Capitol to seeing all that there is to offer in this unique city, all of our residents must visit this historic region.
- Travel up north to see the historic New York State Zoo in Watertown.
The New York State Zoo at Thompson Park/Yelp A northern treasure since 1920, the small but mighty zoo is home to animals you would never expect to find in the 32-acre location.
- Stop to take a picture of one of our many head-turning roadside attractions.
turkishjim/TripAdvisor You never know what you might discover on the side of a New York road. From big ducks and gnomes to pig rocks and the world’s tiniest church, you’ll find yourself capturing an unusual moment or landscape if you’re here long enough.
- Feel like a kid again by visiting the New York State Fair in Syracuse.
Alex Bellink/Flickr An annual end of the summer celebration, the New York State Fair is the ultimate reason to take a trip to the city of Syracuse.
- Quench our thirst with a wine tour in the Finger Lakes.
Lakewood Vineyards/Yelp No one does wine in New York quite like our friends in the Finger Lakes region. With dreamy views of the water and luscious landscapes, there’s nothing a New Yorker won’t love about crossing this off of your bucket list.
- Get adventurous on the shores of Lake Ontario at Chimney Bluffs State Park.
Larry Neuberger/Flickr You won’t find scenery like this anywhere else in New York, this jaw-dropping state park is one of a kind. Giving you an endless view of the water, you’ll never want to leave this place once you finally visit.
- Feeling like royalty while we explore one of our fairytale-worthy castles.
Tamara H./Yelp Another kind of treasure you can find scattered throughout New York, the Empire State is home to an assortment of castles and historic estates that will make you feel like royalty the moment you step foot inside of them.
- Flaunt our state pride during a visit to one of our favorite stadiums.
Alan Kotok/Flickr Pick your sport and team, we all have to experience the exciting madness of making a trip to one of our stadiums.
- You may have missed Woodstock, but you can still cross off seeing a concert at Bethel Woods.
Eric M./Yelp Home to the famous 1969 music festival and a venue that you’ll never want to leave, Bethel Woods Art Center is a beautiful location for an outdoor concert. Everyone deserves to see one of their favorite artists perform here at least once!
- Explore all of the natural wonders of the Catskills.
Jason/Flickr From thrilling trails that will lead you to outstanding views and some of our most unbelievable waterfalls, there’s so much adventure waiting to be found in the Catskills.
- Take a vacation to Niagara Falls to see a light show that will leave you speechless.
Sam S./Yelp After receiving a $4 million dollar makeover, the light show at Niagara Falls is now more eye-catching than ever. Shining brightly every evening, you can see the falls light up all throughout the year.
- Take on the chaos that is Times Square just so that you can say you’ve visited.
Matt Wade/Flickr If there’s one place in the city all of us can say that we’ve visited, it’s Times Square. Sure, it may be one of the most chaotic places in the world. But there’s nothing quite like feeling small amongst all of the bright lights.
- Make your way to the Top of the Rock to get a view of New York City like you’ve never before.
Steve Gardner/Flickr Panoramic views that will have you at a loss for words, every New Yorker should experience the observation deck that is the Top of The Rock.
Would you add any personal favorites to this unforgettable bucket list? For more exciting challenges to take on, get your stomachs rumbling with these 11 Unassuming Restaurants To Add To Your New York Dining Bucket List!
Rob W./Yelp
Properly known as Letchworth State Park, the park features three major waterfalls as well as other amazing natural wonders throughout all of the various trails. Along the Genesee River in the town of Castile, every true New Yorker makes the drive out to this Western New York location at least once in their lifetime to see all of the beauty that’s tucked away here.
Ted Van Pelt/Flickr
New York may not be the first place you’d associate beautiful lighthouses with, but all around our borders we have historical sites that have stood the tests of time. From down along the Hudson River and out on Long Island to the shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, all of us will make a point to visit one.
Hans Johnson/Flickr
Sure it takes most of us endless hours to get out to the island, but all of our residents have to see this gorgeous piece of New York for themselves at one point. A gorgeous slice of heaven, you won’t regret spending your days with your feet buried in the sand here in this region.
jerseygal2009/Flickr
For many of us, spending summers by the lake is a family tradition that we’ll never let go of. With thousands of lakes inside of New York, all of our residents have a favorite waterfront location they escape to as often as possible.
stillwellmike/Flickr
If you’re theultimate New Yorker, you’ll cross all 46 mountains off of your bucket list. But for most of our residents who aren’t interested in going above and beyond, we stick to taking on at least one of New York’s 46 tallest mountains that can be found in the Adirondack Park.
ActiveSteve/Flickr
A mountain loved by all, Whiteface can be enjoyed in several different ways throughout the year. Whether you chose to hike this mountain or drive up the highway, we all eventually take on the challenge of climbing the breathtaking steps on the Stairway Ridge Trail.
Dave Pape/Flickr
New York is downright haunted. There’s no way to get around it! And when we’re feeling brave on dark nights filled with boredom, we visit haunted locations with our friends to see if these locations truly live up to their spooky reputations.
jpitha/Flickr
From the famous Howe Caverns and nearby Secret Caverns to other underground locations like the Lockport Cave Tours, there’s several ways our residents can explore the underground world. For most of us, we’ve all gone to Howe Caverns at least once.
Sandy Y./Yelp
Quite possibly the most beautiful place in all of New York, the Gorge Trail is specifically spectacular with all nineteen of its waterfalls. No matter how far away this state park is from our residents, it’s almost always the first major attraction our new residents and visitors make a point to see.
New York State Capitol/TripAdvisor
From taking a tour of the Capitol to seeing all that there is to offer in this unique city, all of our residents must visit this historic region.
The New York State Zoo at Thompson Park/Yelp
A northern treasure since 1920, the small but mighty zoo is home to animals you would never expect to find in the 32-acre location.
turkishjim/TripAdvisor
You never know what you might discover on the side of a New York road. From big ducks and gnomes to pig rocks and the world’s tiniest church, you’ll find yourself capturing an unusual moment or landscape if you’re here long enough.
Alex Bellink/Flickr
An annual end of the summer celebration, the New York State Fair is the ultimate reason to take a trip to the city of Syracuse.
Lakewood Vineyards/Yelp
No one does wine in New York quite like our friends in the Finger Lakes region. With dreamy views of the water and luscious landscapes, there’s nothing a New Yorker won’t love about crossing this off of your bucket list.
Larry Neuberger/Flickr
You won’t find scenery like this anywhere else in New York, this jaw-dropping state park is one of a kind. Giving you an endless view of the water, you’ll never want to leave this place once you finally visit.
Tamara H./Yelp
Another kind of treasure you can find scattered throughout New York, the Empire State is home to an assortment of castles and historic estates that will make you feel like royalty the moment you step foot inside of them.
Alan Kotok/Flickr
Pick your sport and team, we all have to experience the exciting madness of making a trip to one of our stadiums.
Eric M./Yelp
Home to the famous 1969 music festival and a venue that you’ll never want to leave, Bethel Woods Art Center is a beautiful location for an outdoor concert. Everyone deserves to see one of their favorite artists perform here at least once!
Jason/Flickr
From thrilling trails that will lead you to outstanding views and some of our most unbelievable waterfalls, there’s so much adventure waiting to be found in the Catskills.
Sam S./Yelp
After receiving a $4 million dollar makeover, the light show at Niagara Falls is now more eye-catching than ever. Shining brightly every evening, you can see the falls light up all throughout the year.
Matt Wade/Flickr
If there’s one place in the city all of us can say that we’ve visited, it’s Times Square. Sure, it may be one of the most chaotic places in the world. But there’s nothing quite like feeling small amongst all of the bright lights.
Steve Gardner/Flickr
Panoramic views that will have you at a loss for words, every New Yorker should experience the observation deck that is the Top of The Rock.
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