New York is one of the most popular destinations for visitors from across the country and around the world. Whether you choose to enjoy the fabulous cities or the great outdoors, New York State offers the perfect vacation for you and your family.

New York has an abundance of historic sites and cultural events. You can visit the Women's Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls or travel back in time at Fort Ticonderoga, site of the first American victory in the Revolutionary War. New York's historical attractions are vivid reminders of the role the state played in shaping the nation. You can experience cultural celebrations, such as the San Gennaro Feast in New York City or the French Festival in Cape Vincent. At the museum on Ellis Island, you can learn about the people who passed through this former immigration center to pursue their dreams in a new land.

Discover one of the world's most enchanting rivers, the Hudson, right here in New York State. The Hudson was one of the first great rivers explorers encountered in the New World, and it has been central to America's identity ever since. Today, it is designated as an American Heritage River.

New York City
Visit the most exciting city in the world. No other city has such a diversity of peoples and cultures. Experience the bustling sidewalks of Chinatown, the Greek taverns of Astoria, the Old World Russian restaurants and clubs of Brighton Beach, the Italian communities of Little Italy and Arthur Avenue, the sari shops and vindaloos of Little India in Jackson Heights. These are only a few of the reasons that they say: "New York City...Come Visit the World."

New York City has five boroughs, housing 18,000 restaurants to please every palate and pocketbook. There are 150 world-class museums and more than 10,000 stores brimming with brand names and bargains from across the globe. There is also incredible architecture, including some of the world's best-known buildings—the Empire State and Chrysler buildings and the Guggenheim. In addition, some of the most talented performers take the stage at famous venues such as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and Broadway theaters. Add to all of that hundreds of child-friendly activities, numerous parks and gardens, and thrilling nightlife.

Long Island
If you've never visited Long Island before, you might be surprised at some of the fascinating things to discover. The beaches are world-renowned and varied. You can enjoy the world-famous Jones Beach in Nassau County, which enjoys one of the finest parks and recreation systems in the nation, with hundreds of acres of nature preserves and miles of white sand beaches. There's also the wide-open spaces of Suffolk County featuring Fire Island National Seashore, a thirty-two mile narrow sliver of a barrier island that encompasses a wilderness area and seventeen different beachfront communities.

There are also are arboretums, aquariums, hiking trails, bridle paths, museums, and Gold Coast mansions once inhabited by some of New York's wealthiest and most influential people. See historic preservation sites dating back to the American Revolution, golf courses galore, sporting events, festivals, fairs, factory outlets, a Native American reservation, parks, preserves and a planetarium. East End's South Fork, famous for its world-class beaches and celebrity playground known as "the Hamptons," is peppered with quaint villages and seaside attractions, with an active nightlife and a full-year calendar of social activities.

The Hudson Valley
The Hudson River cuts a great, sinuous path through its valley. The vistas created in the spring and summer are deep green and sky blue. In the fall the colors burst; in the winter they fade to white. It is the land 19th-century painters Thomas Cole, Charles Herbert Moore and Frederick Church loved. The river cities of Catskill, Hudson, Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Beacon, Newburgh, Ossining, and Peekskill abut the river with streets and parklands. In Newburgh is General George Washington's headquarters. In Poughkeepsie, the clinching vote for the ratification of the Constitution was cast. Near Beacon, Pete Seeger still weaves his melodic tales. The restaurants are legendary, their wine cellars full of Hudson Valley vintage. The orchestras play, and the old music halls like the Bardavon 1869 House, in Poughkeepsie, sweeten the sound.

Saratoga Region
Come experience Broadway shows at Upstate prices, water sport, national historic sites, cultural activities and world-class horse racing. There’s so much to do in the Saratoga area. Some ideas include the WWII Destroyer Escort USS Slater, Columbia's treasured antiquing finds, Fulton's Great Sacandaga Lake (and it's 43 brothers and sisters), Rensselaer's "movie-set" city of Troy, Saratoga's fabled horse racing and performing arts, and Schenectady's historic Stockade Section and Proctor's Theatre.

Leatherstocking Region
There are many adventures awaiting you in New York's Central Leatherstocking Region. Spanning nine counties, the region is steeped in history and has the attractions and activities to make your vacation memorable. Leatherstocking Country stretches from New York's Pennsylvania border to the heart of the Adirondack Mountain range. Whether you're looking for a relaxing family vacation by a beautiful lake or a romantic getaway, Leatherstocking Country is perfect.

Chautauqua-Allegheny Region
Located in the southwestern-most corner of New York State, is an ideal vacation destination. The region is comprised of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties. You'll find natural beauty blended with a variety of unique cultural attractions throughout the region, no matter the season. From the famed Chautauqua Institution to Allegany State Park, New York's largest state park, there's something for everyone in Chautauqua-Allegheny.

Greater Niagara Region
The Greater Niagara Region has it all: spectacular natural wonders, fine theatre, historical sites, and everything in-between. Don't miss all this five-county region has to offer. If you're looking for attractions outside the downtown area, there's a long list of things to do just a short drive from Buffalo.

Naturally, a trip to this region wouldn't be complete unless you experience the thundering wonder of Niagara Falls. There's also the magnificent gorge at Letchworth State Park in nearby Wyoming County. Known as the "Grand Canyon of the East," the gorge provides plenty of photo opportunities for your travel scrapbook. This region is filled with parks, museums, wineries and fascinating points of interest, including Six Flags Darien Lake Resort and the Erie Canal.

1000 Islands Region
The 1000 Islands-Seaway Region is a playground in one of the most beautiful settings in the northeastern United States. The historic lighthouses at Oswego, Port Ontario, Sackets Harbor, Cape Vincent and Ogdensburg mark the way along Lake Ontario. Historic battlefields at Fort Ontario, Little Sandy, Sackets Harbor and Ogdensburg defended the frontier of our young nation.

And the 1000 Islands, romantic Boldt Castle, the impressive Eisenhower Lock and the Erie Canal are monuments to the wonders of nature and mankind. The regions offers the visitor the very best in power boating and sailing, white-water rafting, cross country skiing and snowmobiling, golfing and tennis, fishing and hiking. There are great opportunities for camping, hotel and motel, bed and breakfast and exciting resort vacations.

Adirondacks
Hike. Canoe. Boat. Fish. Swim. Ride mountain or road bikes. Ride horses. Camp. Hunt. Tour Olympic sites. During the winter, enjoy Alpine and Nordic skiing, snowmobiling, skating, dog sledding and relaxing in front of gigantic stone fireplaces. Visit museums chronicling the hard-knock history of farmers, loggers and health care pioneers. Shop artisan outlets. Take architectural tours. Enjoy theater and art exhibitions. Sit on the veranda sipping drinks and watching the sun slip behind the mountains.

The entire Adirondack Region, including Adirondack Park, is dotted with every kind of accommodation imaginable. Dining opportunities are equally diverse, ranging from fast food, to regional game specialties to ethnic and haute cuisine. The Adirondacks are home to black bears, white tailed deer, common loons, mergansers, bald eagles, beavers, coyotes, fishers, bobcats, brook and lake trout, land-locked salmon and more. Its forests are comprised of hardwoods and softwoods, including maple, black cherry, beech, balsam fir, hemlock, Scotch and red pine and spruces of several varieties. Woodland wildflowers such as showy ladyslippers bloom in the spring, while many waterways are graced with white and yellow water lilies throughout the summer.

The Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes Region of west/central New York State encompasses 14 counties with 11 Finger Lakes and one Great Lake, with more than 650 miles of shoreline. Lying between the triangle cities of Rochester, Syracuse and the Corning/Elmira area, the region is bordered by Lake Ontario to the north, and by the Pennsylvania border to the south. The larger lakes are Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca, Cayuga, Owasco and Skaneateles. The smaller ones include Conesus, Hemlock, Canadice, Honeoye and Otisco. Come and savor the history and unspoiled scenery of the Lake Country's many quiet, quaint villages. Enjoy the vitality and urban style of the cities with lively nightlife, culture, and shopping. The prestigious National Geographic Society has named the Finger Lakes Region one of "America's Great Hideaways".

The Catskills
The Catskills is home to the Hunter Mountain Ski Bowl and Ski Windham, the Catskill Game Farm, Zoom Flume Water Park and the haunts of Rip Van Winkle, himself! The Northern Catskills are particularly popular. Fish the fresh water mountain streams for trout or cast the waters of the Hudson River for bass. Face the challenges offered at PGA Championship golf courses. Ski first class snow, and experience the sites and sounds of a mountain hike in the Catskill Park Preserve. Bird watch for the many species that visit the area, or just sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery that the Great Northern Catskills offers.

Area: 54475 sq.mi, Land 47224 sq. mi., Water 7251 sq.mi.

Location: 42.66575 N, 073.79901 W.

Coastline: 127 mi., 14th - Shoreline 1,850 mi., 13th.

Great Lakes: 3,901 sq.mi., 3rd.

Border States: Connecticut - Massachusetts - New Jersey - Pennsylvania - Rhode Island (water border) - Vermont.

Agriculture: Dairy products, cattle and other livestock, vegetables, nursery stock, apples.

Industry: Printing and publishing, scientific instruments, electric equipment, machinery, chemical products, tourism.

Flag: Emblazoned on a dark blue field is the state coat of arms. The goddess Liberty holds a pole with a Liberty Cap on top. Liberty stands for freedom. At her feet is a discarded crown, representing freedom from England at the end of the revolutionary war. On the right is the goddess, Justice. She wears a blindfold and carries the scales of justice. Meaning that everyone receives equal treatment under the law. The state motto "Excelsior" on a white ribbon expresses the idea of reaching upward to higher goals. On the shield a sun rises over the Hudson highlands and ships sail the Hudson River. Above the shield is an eagle resting on a globe representing the Western Hemisphere.

State Motto: Excelsior.

Origin of state's name: Named after England's Duke of York.

Population: 18,196,601; 3rd, 12/99.

Statehood: July 26, 1788.

State Capital: Albany.

Largest Cities: New York, Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers, and Syracuse.

Geographic Center: Madison, 26 miles southwest of Utica.

Highest Point: Mt. Marcy; 5,344 feet, 21st.

Lowest Point: Atlantic coast; sea level, 3rd.

State Bird: Bluebird.

State Flower: Rose - Rosa.

State Nickname: Empire State.

State Song: I love New York.

Topography: Highest and most rugged mountains in the northeast Adirondack upland; Saint Lawrence-Champlain lowlands extend from Lake Ontario northeast along the Canadian border; Hudson-Mohawk lowland follows the flows of the rivers north and west; Atlantic coastal plain in the southeast; Appalachian Highlands, cover half the state westward from the Hudson Valley, including the Catskill Mountains Finger Lakes; plateau of Erie-Ontario lowlands.

State Tree: Sugar maple - Acer saccharum.