New York is a state on the Atlantic coast of the United States of America. It is bordered to the north and northwest by the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, to the east by the states of Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut (from north to south), and to the south by Pennsylvania and New Jersey. New York is the state's largest city, making it the third most populous in the United States. In addition to the Atlantic coast, New York has an inland coast to the large lakes of Ontario and Erie.
Western New York
With Lake Erie and the famous Niagara Falls.
Buffalo Jamestown Niagara Falls Rochester
finger lakes
Named south-east of Lake Ontario after the 11 finger-shaped
lakes and the most important wine-growing region in New York.
Auburn Canandaigua Geneva Ithaca Penn Yan Seneca Falls Waterloo
Southern beast
West of the Catskill Mountains and along
the Pennsylvania border.
Binghamton · Elmira
Central
New York
Region in the heart of Upstate New York with some of
the state's must-see cities.
Syracuse Oneida Rome Utica
North Country
The extreme north of New York State just
before Canada. Located in the St. Lawrence River, the Thousand
Islands form one of the most attractive travel destinations in
New York State.
Canton Malone Massena Ogdensburg Plattsburg
Watertown
Adirondack Mountains
Dream destination for
all outdoor fans: hiking, ice skating and mountaineering
included.
Saranac Lake · Lake Placid
Capital District
Around Albany, the capital of the US state of New York.
Amsterdam Glens Falls Rensselaer Saratoga Springs Schenectady
Troy
Catskill Mountains
Traditional vacation spot for
New Yorkers.
Kingston · Catskill · Woodstock
Shawangunk Ridge
Ridge northwest of New York City.
Middletown Monticello (New York)
Hudson Valley
River
valley in the east of the state that has earned the Hudson the
nickname "The Rhine of America".
Mt Vernon Newburgh New
Rochelle Poughkeepsie Yonkers
NYC
Largest metropolis,
financial center and cultural capital of the USA.
long
Island
Well, every metropolis of millions must also have
villa suburbs.
Hempstead
Albany – Capital of the state
Buffalo – in the west of the state
on Lake Erie, "...the swallow is flying over Lake Erie" and..."twenty
minutes to Buffalo." Almost everyone knows it from German class and John
Maynard is better known here than Fontane, from whom the poem is from.
Syracuse - Central transportation hub of the state
Rochester -
University town near Lake Ontario
Niagara Falls - Small town at the
falls of the same name
Adirondack State Park is located in a state of New York in United States. It covers an area of 6.1 million acres.
Abandoned ruins of Bannerman Castle is a picturesque structure that implements architecture of the European castle in United States.
Fort Stanwix is a historic military stronghold located in Rome, New York in USA. This star shaped fort covers an area of 16 acres (6.5 ha).
Fort Ticonderoga is a French citadel constructed in 1755- 58 in Ticonderoga, New York State in United States.
Lake Champlain located on the border between Vermont and New York states is claimed to be home of a legendary serpent.
North Brother Island is famous for its abandoned hospital that quarantined patient with transmissible diseases. It most famous patient was typhoid Mary.
Niagara Falls that is located on the border of USA and Canada is one of the most powerful and picturesque waterfalls in the World.
Saratoga National Historic Park protects a site of a battle that was fought here during Revolutionary War.
Smallpox Hospital is an abandoned building of a former medical facility located on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City in a state of New York.
Taughannock Falls State Park is famous for its pristine forests and majestic waterfall as well as many other activities available in the park.
New York City, with its four seasons, offers a wide variety of
activities throughout the year. Of course, the busiest time of the year
is summer, and it is a wonderful one at that, but each borough has
something to keep residents and visitors occupied even in the dead of
winter.
New York City is the cultural center of the country, let
alone the state, with countless theaters and world-renowned sports
teams. None of the upstate cities can match in name recognition or
prominence, but they all have enough top-notch attractions and amenities
to support tourism. When it comes to recreation, the Big Apple is no
match for the natural scenery of the Upstate.
The Catskill and
Adirondack Mountains are ideal for hiking and camping, and the state's
many waterways, including Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, the Erie Canal, and
the Hudson River, see regular boat traffic during the summer months.
Hunting and fishing are also big businesses in the northern part of the
state.
For winter sports enthusiasts, New York will never be
mistaken for Colorado, but the unique glacial terrain and mountainous
Adirondacks of western New York offer significant skiing. The Herb
Brooks Arena, which has hosted two Winter Olympics and was the site of
the 1980 Miracle on Ice, where the amateur U.S. Olympic field hockey
team defeated the professional Soviet team in a stunning upset and
subsequent gold-medal game.
The entire region is dotted with
small towns and villages of historic character, with more than 100
wineries among them. The region produces perhaps the best Riesling
outside of Germany, and Finger Lakes Icewine is growing in popularity.
Wine tours, which allow visitors to visit several wineries in one trip,
attract many visitors, and the region has a growing number of small
craft breweries, distilleries, and even cidery breweries. The state's
second largest wine-producing region, Peconic and its suburbs in eastern
Suffolk County, Long Island, also produce some very good wines.
New York agriculture is also on display at a number of county fairs held
in late summer. The fair is the third largest (and one of the oldest) in
the nation and rivals the Great New York State Fair (held in suburban
Syracuse).
New Yorkers love all kinds of sports. Of course, American football,
baseball, and basketball get the most attention, as they do throughout
the United States, but soccer, ice hockey, and lacrosse are growing in
popularity, especially among young people.
New York is naturally
the center of professional sports, and fans of Big Apple sports teams
can be found throughout the state! The Yankees and Mets in baseball, the
Knicks and Nets in basketball, the Rangers in hockey, and New York City
FC in soccer all play in the city. The New York Islanders hockey team
plays on Long Island, a suburb of New York City, while the Jets and
Giants football teams and the Red Bulls soccer team play in North
Jersey, a suburb of the city, as do the New Jersey Devils (field
hockey).
In the North, sports businesses are smaller and more
localized. Buffalo has two major teams, the Buffalo Bills (football) and
the Buffalo Sabers (field hockey), both of which have large fan bases as
far east as Syracuse.
Baseball is the largest professional sport
in the northern part of the state. Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse all
have AAA clubs with near big league talent at minor league prices.
Binghamton has an AA club, and Auburn, Batavia, Fishkill, and Troy have
Single-A short-season teams (as does Brooklyn, New York).
Hockey
is also thriving in upstate cities. Rochester, Syracuse, Utica,
Binghamton, and Albany all have American Hockey League teams, the second
level of professional hockey, while Elmira and Glens Falls have
third-level ECHL teams. New York is also a hotbed of amateur field
hockey, and no state has as many college field hockey teams as New York;
10 New York colleges and universities play Division I men's hockey,
eight play women's hockey, and 14 have D-III teams.
New York high
schools have produced many outstanding lacrosse players, which is
reflected in the growing popularity of professional lacrosse. Rochester
and Buffalo have National Lacrosse League indoor teams, and Rochester
and Hempstead (Long Island) have Major League Lacrosse outdoor teams.
Soccer is popular among New York City youth, but professional soccer
has not penetrated the city very well. Rochester has a top-level women's
team and a second-level men's team; New York has a top-level and a
second-level men's team (top-level women's and men's teams also play in
New Jersey).
New York State has no national parks (the closest being Cuyahoga
Valley National Park near Cleveland, Ohio) but 101 state parks, offering
hiking and other recreational opportunities in often beautiful scenery.
The two largest parks are the Adirondack SP (24,000 km²) and the
Catskill SP (2,800 km²).
The largest number of parks can be found
in the North Country, including four on Lake Ontario (Long Point SP,
Sackets Harbor Battlefield SP, Southwich Beach SP, Westcott Beach SP),
several in the Thousand Islands (Burnham Point SP, Canoe Point And
Picnic Point SP, Cedar Island SP, Cedar Point SP, Grass Point SP,
Keewaydin Point SP, Kring Point SP, Mary Island SP, Wellesley Island
SP), others further along the Saint Lawrence River (Jacques Cartier SP,
Robert Moses SP, Saint Lawrence SP), at the foot of the Adirondacks
(Higley Flow SP, Sand Flats SP, Whetstone Gulf SP) and further east
towards Lake Champlain (Cumberland Bay SP, Miner Lake SP).
Western New York has the oldest and most famous New York State Park:
Niagara Falls SP, but a number of others, namely on the Niagara River
(Brydges SP, Devils Hole SP, Fort Niagara SP, Fourmile Creek SP, Joseph
Davis SP, Lower Niagara River SP, Whirlpool SP), on Lake Ontario
(Braddock Bay SP, Golden Hill SP, Hamlin Beach SP, Lakeside Beach SP),
on Grand Island (Beaver Island SP, Buckhorn Island SP), on Lake Erie
(Evangola SP, Lake Erie SP) and on the Pennsylvania border (Allegany
SP). Arguably the most beautiful parks, however, are in the Finger Lakes
area: Letchworth SP and Watkins Glen SP offer dramatic rocky gorges
through which torrential waters tumble; other parks (Buttermilk Falls
SP, Fillmore Glen SP, Taughannock Falls SP) are slightly smaller
versions of similar scenarios. There is also a Lake Ontario park (Fair
Haven Beach SP), Finger Lakes shore parks (Cayuga Lake SP, Sampson SP,
Seneca Lake SP, Silver Lake SP) and a historical monument (Boyd-Parker
SP). The adjoining Southern Tier has three parks (Chenango Valley SP,
Gilbert Lake SP, Stony Brook SP), each of which has very different
bodies of water.
In Central New York one finds parks on Lake
Ontario (Selkirk Shores SP) and other lake shores (Clark Reservation SP,
Green Lakes SP, Verona Beach SP), on river banks (Battle Island SP), in
gorges and waterfalls (Boonville Gorge SP, Chittenango Falls SP) and two
historical parks (Erie Canal SP, Fort Brewerton SP). The 9 state parks
in the Capital District include historical parks (Clermont SP, Saratoga
Spa SP, Sir William Johnson SP), waterfront parks (Lake George Beach SP,
Lake Taghkanic SP, Moreau Lake SP, Peebles Island SP), and
landscape-only parks ( Max V Shaul SP, Thacher SP). The Hudson Valley
offers parks directly on the Hudson River (Mills Memorial SP/Norrie SP,
Palisades Interstate Park, Rockland Lake SP, Stony Point SP, Storm King
SP), a historical park (Mohansic SP), high altitude parks (Bear Mountain
SP, High Tor SP , Hook Mountain SP, Hudson Highlands SP, Taconic SP,
Tallman Mountain SP) and other landscape parks (Blauvelt SP, Clarence
Fahnestock Memorial SP, James Baird SP).
There are no state parks
in the metropolitan area of New York City. But there is all the more on
Long Island: on the coast (Captree SP, Gilgo SP, Heckscher SP, Hither
Hills SP, Jones Beach SP, Orient Beach SP, Sunken Meadow SP, Wildwood
SP), on inland waters (Belmont Lake SP, Hempstead Lake SP) and interior
landscape parks (Bethpage SP, Caumsett SP, Valley Stream SP).
Opera
The Metropolitan Opera (Met) in New York City is world
famous. There are also a number of other opera houses in and around NYC.
On the other hand, opera fans are by no means dependent on the big city.
Interesting offers can also be found in Upstate. West to Southeast (i.e.
towards New York City):
Chautauqua Opera Festival, Chautauqua
(summer opera, July and August only)
Syracuse Opera, Syracuse (the
premier opera house in Upstate)
Tri-cities Opera, Binghamton
Glimmerglass Opera, Cooperstown (upstate's premier summer opera, July
and August only)
Opera Saratoga, Saratoga Springs (Summer Opera, June
only)
Caramoor International Music Festival, Katonah (Summer Opera)
New York is mostly known only as a city and less as a state. This state, which was one of the original 13 British colonies, is more than worth seeing. The area of the present state was inhabited by the Lenape, Algonquian and Iroquois tribes before colonization by Europeans. Originally founded by the Dutch in 1621 as the colony of Nieuw Nederland, the area fell to the English in 1664. They share territory in New Jersey and New York, named after the Duke of York. In 1685 New York became a crown colony and three years later became part of the Dominion of New England. One hundred years later, New York becomes the 11th state to become a member of the United States of America. Overall, about a third of the combat operations of the American Revolutionary War took place in New York.
There is no official language in the state of New York; the most spoken language is American English.
Plane: Usually you fly to New York City (JFK, Newark or LaGuardia).
Buffalo (BUF), Albany (ALB), Rochester (ROC) and Syracuse (SYR) airports
are located in the Upstate, but these are only accessible by domestic
flights.
Rail: Numerous long-distance Amtrak trains - from
Washington, New
England, the Midwest, the South States or Canada -
serve New York Penn Station. The only high-speed train in the USA (Acela
Express) runs on the Boston-NYC-Philadelphia-Washington, DC route. From
the direction of Chicago, Montreal or Toronto, trains also run through
the northern part of the state (Albany, partly also Syracuse, Rochester,
Buffalo).
Road: Interstate 87 connects New York City (260 km) to
Montreal, Canada (350 km), while Interstate 90 crosses the state from
Springfield, Massachusetts (140 km) in the east through Syracuse (230
km) to Buffalo in the west .
New York is a large state, but not so large that it cannot be traveled by car. The trip from Buffalo to New York City takes about 7 hours, which is certainly too long for a day trip, but a weekend trip is possible with a private car. It is certainly too long for a day trip, but a weekend trip is possible for the enthusiast. Another option is to take a small regional jet from one of the northern cities to New York City. Amtrak also runs trains between five major cities, providing an intermediate solution. However, if you are heading to a more suburban area, you will probably need to drive.
The main regions of the state are well served by the interstate
highway network, with state highways running between all but the
smallest villages. Highways are mostly limited to interstate highways,
with a few exceptions.
In New York City, highway exits are still
sequentially numbered; you can go much farther than 26 miles by looking
for Exit 2 to Exit 28.
Most gas stations in New York, as
elsewhere in the country, are self-service only. The state fuel tax
(incorporated into the listed price, as in the rest of the U.S.) is only
imposed on the portion of a gallon over $2.00.
The most important highway in New York is the New York State Thruway,
which runs on I-90 west from the Pennsylvania border northeast to
Buffalo, then east past Rochester, through Syracuse, and on to Albany
I-90 continues to Boston, where the Thruway turns south on I-87 to New
York City. The Thruway is a toll road for most of its length and is a
major route connecting major cities in the upstate and is often used to
travel to and from New York. The toll is about 4 cents a mile (2 cents a
kilometer, for example, from downtown Buffalo to downtown Albany, $13.10
for a car without a trailer). Most New Yorkers complain about this fee,
but pay it anyway for the efficiency of this route offers.
To
avoid leaving the highway (and paying tolls) before reaching their
destination, the Thruway is dotted with large service plazas every 35-50
miles (55-80 km). Each has two or three restaurants/snack stands (at
least one open all night), a gift store, and a convenience store. Burger
King, Tim Hortons, Roy Rogers, and TCBY are the most common. There are
vending machines, free Wi-Fi, and of course gas stations. Prices are all
high, but that's the advantage of having a monopoly on the market.
To get to New York from the west, the Southern Tier Expressway
(I-86) is cheaper, but somewhat slower. East of Binghamton, one
encounters a few multi-level crossings, but the route is still fast and
toll-free.
If you want to avoid the toll roads and drive through
areas where the Thruway passes, take State Route 5, which begins as a
continuation of the similarly numbered Pennsylvania State Highway at the
state line along Lake Erie and ends in downtown Albany near the state
capitol . Most of the cross-state route is relatively close to the
Thruway.
The slowest but most "interesting" route across the
state is U.S. Route 20, which runs concurrently with Route 5 in some
areas, especially north of the Finger Lakes. As a route that traverses
the northern U.S. from coast to coast, it encompasses roughly the same
locations as today's Interstate 90. However, U.S. 20 is much older,
passing through the middle of countless old villages south of the
Thruway, often further south than Route 5. Most of the sections in New
York State are simple two-lane highways, but if you have the time and
patience, they may be more interesting than the long stretches of
nothingness along the Thruway and Southern Tier Expressway.
I-81
and I-87 are the major north-south routes; I-81 runs south from the
Thousand Islands on the Canadian border through Syracuse and Binghamton
to Pennsylvania; I-87 (known as the Northway north of Albany) connects
Montreal, Quebec, with Albany and I-88 runs diagonally from northeast to
southwest, connecting Binghamton and Albany. The only significant
east-west route across the state is U.S. 11, which branches off I-81 at
Watertown and heads northeast and then east.
In western New York,
Rochester is served by I-390 south to Corning. From Buffalo, it is
either southwest on I-90 or south on U.S. Route 219, part of which has
been upgraded to an interstate. (If heading southeast, take the Thruway
to I-390.)
New York has an extensive network of state routes, and most counties
are served by county roads. Most villages are located at the
intersection of two or more state routes, and signs are usually clear,
so finding your way to a particular location is relatively easy. State
and county roads are well maintained (and plowed in winter) and are
rarely far from civilization. It is sometimes possible to build an
interesting itinerary simply by following a particular route as far as
it will take you.
Generally, single and double-digit state routes
are the main routes, but there are many exceptions. Major interstate
routes include the 3, 5, 7, 17, and 104.
New York's municipalities are well prepared for winter weather, but
sometimes the weather can be so severe that even professional staff
cannot keep up. In New York City, when they tell you to shut down the
streets, they mean it. During less severe winter storms, drive slowly
and carefully. If possible, follow the snowplows (at a safe distance).
Cell phone service can be spotty in the northern part of the state.
Be aware that you may not be able to easily call for help on the
highways in this area.
Miscellaneous Traffic Laws
State
law requires that headlights be on when wipers are activated.
Drivers, front seat passengers, and children sitting anywhere must wear
seat belts in the first instance.
The use of cell phones while
driving is prohibited. Hands-free cell phones are permitted, but special
care must be taken in their use.
Right turns on red lights are
permitted after a stop sign, except when there is a sign such as "Do not
turn on red light. In New York City, however, this rule is reversed.
Right turns on red lights are prohibited.
Left-turning vehicles must
yield to oncoming traffic unless the left arrow is green.
The state
speed limit is 55 mph unless otherwise posted, just as rural highways
are 65 mph. The speed limit on public roads is generally 30 mph in
cities and villages, although it can be 35-45 mph in the suburbs, and
the default speed limit in New York City is 25 mph. In school zones,
speeds may be limited to 15-45 mph during school hours from 7 am to 6
pm.
New York City has "safe and cautious" speed limits, so in
inclement weather, even if you are under the speed limit, you may be
pulled over if you appear to be slipping or struggling to maintain
control of your vehicle.
Amtrak provides passenger rail service primarily between the "Big 5"
cities. However, if you are outside the Erie Canal/Mohawk River/Hudson
River corridor, you are probably out of luck.
The Lakeshore
Limited from Chicago stops in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica,
Schenectady, and Albany, from where passengers can transfer to a train
to Boston or continue their journey to Penn Station in New York
(stopping in Croton-on-Hudson) The Empire Service will stop in Niagara
Falls, Niagara County. The Empire Service will originate in Niagara
Falls, but will follow the same route as the Lakeshore Limited to
Buffalo, with a few additional stops along the way. The Maple Leaf is
the same as the Empire Service except it continues across the Canadian
border to Toronto.
The Adirondack Line runs from New York to
Montreal, mostly along I-87. The Ethan Allen Express splits from the
Adirondack route and goes to Vermont, not Quebec.
Trailways of New York (Adirondacks, Pine Hills, NY) ☏ +1 716
855-7533, toll-free: +1-800-776-7548. The largest intrastate bus
operator, serving several cities and towns in New York State on multiple
routes.
Coach USA Shortline. In addition to Megabus, Coach USA also
operates shortline commuter buses from Rockland, Orange, and Sullivan
Counties, New York; Bergen County, New Jersey; and Pike County,
Pennsylvania to midtown, downtown, East Side, and Wall Street in
Manhattan; Monticello, Shortline operates as a long-distance bus service
from Binghamton, Ithaca, Orwego, Elmira, Corning, Alfred, and other
locations.
Megabus, toll-free +1-877-462-6342. operates between New
York and Toronto via Binghamton, Syracuse, Rochester, Ithaca, and
Buffalo.
Greyhound, toll-free +1-800-231-2222. between New York and
Toronto via Binghamton, Syracuse, Rochester, Ithaca, Geneva, and
Buffalo; New York to Montreal via Albany, Glen Falls, and Plattsburgh
New York to Montreal via Albany, Glen Falls, and Plattsburgh. Another
route between Boston and Cleveland makes stops in Albany, Utica,
Syracuse, and Buffalo.
Hampton Jitney, ☏ +1 631-283-4600, from
multiple stops in Manhattan and Brooklyn to various locations on eastern
Long Island.
Each year, thousands of travelers use the New York State Canal System
to cruise the calm waters for a few hours, days, or even weeks, visiting
various villages and cities along the way. From New York City, one can
travel up the Hudson River to the Great Lakes and beyond via this
waterway. You can also make side trips to the Finger Lakes and Lake
Champlain in western New York and Vermont. Canoes, kayaks, and other
small watercraft are available on these canals.
The crown jewel
of the canal system is the famous Erie Canal, which has been in
operation for nearly two centuries. The Erie Canal runs from Buffalo to
the Hudson River in Albany, but there are also several smaller canals
that connect the Erie Canal to other waterways. The Cayuga-Seneca Canal
leads to the Finger Lakes, the Oswego Canal to Lake Ontario, and the
Champlain Canal to Lake Champlain. This extensive network means that, in
theory, one can see all six major cities in the state from a boat.
The canal is drained and closed each winter from November 16 to
April 30. The canal opens at 7:00 AM and closes between 5:00 PM and
10:00 PM, depending on the season. For information and conditions of the
canal, call toll-free☏ +1-800-422-6254 (1-800-4CANAL4).
There are
locks and sometimes lift bridges throughout the canal; 2-day, 10-day,
and all-season passes are available, with prices depending on the length
of the boat. Permits can be purchased in advance by mail or in person at
any Canal Corporation Section office. Many of these offices are located
next to locks and bridges, but not all of them. A list of offices and
mailing forms are available on the Canal's website. permit fees as of
2017
English is the predominant language in the state. The most commonly
spoken English in the state is New York City English. This dialect has a
unique pronunciation system and is known to differ slightly in grammar
and vocabulary from standard English. New Yorkers tend to say
stand-on-line, while most English speakers tend to say stand-in-line.
Also, in New York City, where many Ashkenazi Jews live, Yiddish
expressions are often used. For example, west of Syracuse, carbonated
drinks tend to be called "pop" rather than "soda.
Spanish is
widely spoken in the state due to immigration from Latin American
countries (primarily Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic). Spanish
speakers are most prevalent in large cities, especially in New York
City, and are also evident in the Hudson Valley.
Hundreds of
languages are spoken in New York City. There is hardly a major language
that is not spoken there.
New York City is a treasure trove of shopping. New York City's Midtown Manhattan, of course, is home to world-renowned fashion and retail stores. Elsewhere in the state, many of the same brands offer discounts at outlet malls like Woodbury Common in Orange County, a popular day trip from New York City, and even further upstate at Waterloo and Niagara Falls. There are also many shopping malls in the suburbs of New York City, as well as in Albany and Buffalo in upstate New York. Rural towns such as the Catskills and Finger Lakes have unique antique stores.
The state levies a 4% sales tax, most often topped by a county sales
tax of approximately the same amount. New York City levies the tax, but
most cities do not. In Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland,
Suffolk, and Westchester counties, an additional 0.375% is added to
support the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which provides
commuter rail service. As a practical matter, sales tax rates range from
7% in some counties north of Albany to 8.875% in New York City and
Yonkers.
Although the sales tax rates vary considerably, what is
subject to sales tax is consistent throughout the state. For example,
bagels that are bought at a deli, taken home, and eaten as desired are
exempt from tax, but sliced and topped with cream cheese are taxed (most
unheated foods and foods sold for eating outside the store are also
exempt from tax) . For more information on foods that are and are not
taxed in New York, click here. Clothing and footwear are taxable on
purchases over $110, an exemption designed to address the fact that four
of the six states that exempt clothing from sales tax are adjacent to
New York State (this only applies to the state tax portion, and counties
have the option to do so, not all counties do so).
In addition to
the sales tax levy, soda and bottled water containers are subject to a
5-cent deposit. These containers may be returned in the same manner as
alcoholic beverage containers described in the "Beverages" section
above. As in other states that charge this deposit, you do not have to
be the purchaser to claim the refunded deposit, making this a great way
to earn a small amount in a pinch, as long as you don't mind getting
your hands dirty.
New York City's diversity is on full display when considering its
cuisine. Of course, with the arrival of so many immigrants, New York is
home to some of the most authentic and diverse ethnic cuisines in the
country. But even in cities not known for their upstate diversity, one
can find a wide variety of cuisines.
American cuisine is
ubiquitous, with the exception of such neighborhoods as Chinatown and
Little Italy in New York City. Italian food (much of which is admittedly
Americanized) is also found throughout the state. Asian food is mostly
Chinese and Japanese, although there are some Thai and Indian
restaurants in the larger cities. Greek food is readily available,
mostly in family restaurants, and there is also a wide variety of
American and Italian food. The North Country also has some
French-Canadian-influenced cuisine.
Notably, each city in the
northern part of the state has its own local cuisine. Buffalo is famous
for its chicken wings, of course, but "beef on weck" is also a
specialty. Rochester has "white hots" and the late-night favorite
"garbage plate. Syracuse has the "Salt Potatoes," the Utica-Rome area
has the "Chicken Riggies," the "Spidey," which originated in Binghamton,
and Plattsburgh has the "Michigan" hot dog. While perhaps not as famous
as Philadelphia's cheesesteaks, most of these local favorites are worth
trying, if only for a taste of the local "flavor. Take a look at the
Upstate Eats Trail.
From the Finger Lakes region to the North
Country, Amish and Mennonite communities offer fresh vegetables, fruits,
and baked goods, often found at roadside farm stands and farmers'
markets. And New York City is well known for its New York-style pizza,
pastrami, bagels, pretzels, cheesecakes, danishes, black and whites, and
other specialties.
Many tourists do not realize that New York
still has a very large agricultural industry. New York State is one of
the nation's top producers of apples, grapes, milk, sweet corn, and
maple syrup. To highlight New York-grown food and beverages, the state
has implemented the Taste NY program to provide consumers, especially
tourists, with a taste of the state. There are Taste NY stores (or
shelves) in several service areas along the Thruway, at airports
throughout the state, and at New York's Grand Central Terminal. You can
also find Taste NY stands at farmers' markets (including a large market
in Manhattan's Union Square three times each week) and at more than five
minor league ballparks.
New York State is the third largest wine producer in the United
States, behind California and Washington State. The Finger Lakes is the
largest wine-producing region in the state, and there is also a
substantial wine industry in Peconic, consisting of the Long Island
divide and the adjacent countryside at the eastern end of Suffolk
County. The oldest wine region is the Hudson Valley, which still has
several wineries.
The Ommegang brewery in Cooperstown produces an
excellent Belgian-style ale, and the Brooklyn Brewery makes a solid
lager.
Whiskey is also produced in New York. Bating Hollow on
Long Island produces excellent whiskey, and Hudson's in the Hudson
Valley produces excellent, if pricey, whiskey and rye.
New York,
a major apple-producing state, also produces both unfermented and hard
ciders, but the best way to get these ciders is to buy them fresh from
an apple orchard or at a bar specializing in hard ciders.
All
alcoholic beverages are subject to sales and excise taxes. In addition,
a 5-cent deposit is charged on all single-serving size containers, with
the exception of hard cider. This deposit is refundable upon return of
the bottle or can to the supermarket. Supermarkets usually have machines
for this purpose, but there are also a growing number of for-profit
redemption centers.
Compared to some neighboring states, New
York's liquor laws are fairly lax.
The drinking age is 21, the
same as in other states. Minors are not allowed to sell alcohol or
loiter in liquor stores, even if accompanied by an adult.
Beer and
low-alcohol beverages can be purchased at supermarkets, drugstores, and
convenience stores. Liquor stores are prohibited by law from selling
beer. They also cannot accept returns, so all sales are final.
Also,
in New York, every liquor store must be owned by one actual person who
lives within a certain distance of the store, and that person can only
have one license. This effectively prohibits chain liquor stores.
Liquor stores must be closed at least one day a week. Most liquor stores
are closed on Sundays, even though they are no longer required to be
closed on Sundays.
Unlike many other states, New York does not
require breweries to use their own brewery-specific growlers if they
pour their beer or ale into a growler for off-store consumption. Certain
convenience stores can also fill growlers with beer.
State law
requires that bars must close at 4:00 a.m., but individual counties and
municipalities may have earlier closing times. In most counties, alcohol
cannot be sold before noon on Sundays, and all sales for off-store
consumption are prohibited between 3:00 AM and 6:00 AM.
In New York
State, counties cannot prohibit alcohol, but towns can, to varying
degrees (for example, West Almond in Cattaraugus County prohibits the
sale of alcohol outside stores, while several other towns prohibit
alcohol sales inside stores). Most of the completely alcohol-free areas
are located in remote, sparsely populated rural areas, where travelers
are unlikely to visit without a specific reason.
In New York State,
driving while intoxicated is a crime. The maximum blood alcohol level is
.08, but if you are overtly intoxicated, you can be cited for DUI even
at .05. The blood alcohol level for minors under the age of 21 is .02.
It is also illegal to drive with an open container of alcoholic beverage
in the car, regardless of who is drinking.
Hunting while intoxicated
or incapacitated is also against the law and can result in jail time.
Whether you are using a wireless or landline phone, dialing 9-1-1 is
free and will connect you to local police, fire, and ambulance in the
event of an emergency.
In New York State, it is illegal to use a cell
phone while driving a motor vehicle or riding a bicycle, unless it is a
hands-free cell phone. Violators are subject to hefty fines, but
enforcement varies widely from state to state. Texting while driving is
also prohibited. The state has installed limited free Wi-Fi at all
interstate rest stops to provide an alternative for drivers.
Deer are
very common in New York and pose a threat to drivers, especially at
night. To reduce the likelihood of accidents, please slow down at night
in suburban and rural areas.
Stay away from wild animals, especially
if they are unusually friendly or confused. Rabies can occur in animals.
Seek medical attention immediately, especially if you are bitten by a
raccoon, bat, skunk, fox, or dog.
Upstate New York is home to several
species of venomous snakes, including the copperhead, eastern
massasauga, and timber rattlesnake. It is rare to encounter these
snakes, but if you are bitten, seek medical attention immediately.
Also watch out for black widow spiders and seek medical attention if
bitten.
Rifles and Shotguns In contrast to neighboring New Jersey,
which has virtually zero tolerance for firearms of any kind, New York
(except for New York City) has a policy of welcoming long guns (rifles
and shotguns) except for so-called "assault weapons" " Rifles and
shotguns are not allowed. Rifles and shotguns must be unloaded and cased
in the trunk of a vehicle while being transported, and may be carried
outdoors during hunting and target shooting. See the New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation website for the appropriate
hunting license. The same cannot be said for handguns.
Handguns Do
not bring a handgun into New York State without a New York State handgun
license. New York State handguns must be registered and are listed on
your personal handgun license. Unregistered handguns cannot be used in
New York State (even if you are a license holder) and you may not carry
a handgun in New York State without a license. New York State does not
recognize any out-of-state licenses. Air travelers who live in
neighboring Vermont and use Albany International Airport as their
closest airport to home have been arrested when checking in with the
airline for having a handgun in their checked luggage.
New York is the birthplace of the modern gay rights movement in the
United States, which was sparked by the Stonewall Rebellion of 1969. New
York and the New England states were among the earliest U.S. states to
legally recognize same-sex marriage. The majority of New Yorkers are
socially tolerant and accustomed to diversity, even in upstate areas
considered more conservative than New York City.
It is important
to remember that New York City was one of the targets of the 9/11
attacks in 2001, and the memory of 9/11 is still fresh in the minds of
New Yorkers, especially New Yorkers; some may not want to talk about
9/11, while others will gladly share their personal stories.
In summer, i. H. from June, you can expect sunshine and temperatures
around 20-30 °C in New York State; it is often even warmer in the New
York Metropolitan Area. Copious use of sunscreen lotion with a high sun
protection factor and air conditioning in the car are essential. Under
no circumstances should children be left in the car.
However, New
York State's scenery is at its most scenic during Indian Summer. That's
what they call early autumn in the American East, when the greening
foliage offers a spectacular play of colors. This spectacle usually
reaches its peak in mid-October and lasts little more than 2 weeks;
after that the trees are quickly defoliated. This can be followed by
more or less violent storms.
The first snow often falls in late
October and November, but it can only be reliably expected at the end of
December. In the northern part of New York, blizzards, heavy snowfalls,
often bring 30 cm of fresh snow overnight. On the edge of the Great
Lakes (Lake Erie, Lake Ontario), more than 50 cm of fresh snow often
falls overnight. Many parts of upstate New York, such as the Adirondack
Mountains, offer excellent winter skiing. Morning temperatures of -25°C
are not uncommon in New York, and it can get even colder in the North
Country. In the event that you get stuck in the snow, you shouldn't
travel by car without woolen blankets.
By the end of March the
snow is mostly over (locals can't stand the color white by that time
either) and April can bring changeable weather similar to Germany. The
first warm days with temperatures above 20 °C usually follow in May.
There may be isolated tornadoes in early summer, but they are far less
common here than in the south.
By the time the Europeans appeared, the Indian tribes of the Iroquois
and Algonquins lived in these places. The development of the region by
Europeans began with the exploration of the Hudson (Hudson) River.
Giovanni Verrazano visited New York Bay in 1524. In 1609, the navigator
Henry Hudson, who served with the Dutch, came down the river to the
place where the city of Albany is now located. Here in 1614-1618 there
was the first settlement of Fort Nassau. In 1621, this territory was
included in the Dutch colonial possessions in North America, called New
Netherland. In 1626, the city of New Amsterdam (the future New York) was
founded, which became the center of the Dutch colonies. This territory
became the object of a long Anglo-Dutch struggle. In 1664, the Dutch
governor Peter Stuyvesant, under pressure from the British fleet,
surrendered the colony to the British. From 1664 (except 1673-1674) it
was owned by the British, who gave their new colony the name New York.
In 1664, the territory now known as the state of New Jersey was
separated from the colony, a year later the border between New York and
Connecticut was established, which has not changed since. In 1688, New
York, along with other colonies, became part of the Dominion of New
England. After the uprising led by J. Liesler, power in the colony was
in the hands of the rebels for two years (1689-1691).
In 1691,
after the restoration of the power of the English crown, it was decided
to create a legislative assembly. New York was the center of action
during the French and Indian Wars, and many times, until the defeat of
the French in 1761, was subjected to devastating raids.
During
the Revolutionary War, the future state also occupied a strategic
position in the plans of the parties. In 1776-77, a number of major
clashes took place on its territory. On February 6, 1778, New York
ratified the first US constitutional document, the Articles of
Confederation and Perpetual Union. In April 1787, New York ratified the
US Constitution and in July 1788 became the 11th state with a temporary
capital in the city of Kingston (in 1797 the capital was moved to
Albany).
By the end of the first quarter of the 19th century, the
state had a highly developed agriculture and manufacturing industry with
its center in New York. The transportation network developed rapidly,
helped by both the presence of natural waterways and the state's
location itself. In 1825, the construction of the Erie Canal was
completed, in 1831 the first railroad was built connecting Albany and
Schenectady, and 25 years later the entire state was covered by a
network of railroads. In the 1830s and 1840s, significant changes took
place in society: the process of democratization developed,
organizations of farmers, women, and abolitionists were actively
operating. Reformist tendencies were strong, giving rise to a galaxy of
prominent New York politicians, including Martin Van Buren, William
Henry Seward, Horace Greeley.
By 1820, New York State ranked
first among the states in terms of population.
From 1839, a
conflict broke out in the state between farmers, dissatisfied with
predatory rent laws, and the government, which lasted until 1846 and was
called the Anti-Rent War.
Before the Civil War, it became the
leading industrial state of the country; in the American Civil War
1861-1865 participated on the side of the North. More than 500 thousand
residents of the state took part in the war, 50 thousand people died.
After the war, the economic development of the state continued at the
same pace; the second half of the 19th century was characterized by the
growth of corporations and the formation of giant trusts, the influx of
immigrants from Europe. There was a sharp stratification of society,
difficult working conditions worsened, corruption flourished in
political life. The dominance of Tammany Hall was finally brought to an
end only in the 1930s by the efforts of many prominent politicians,
including New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia (1934–1945).
In
New York State, in 2009, an amendment to the electoral law was
introduced, according to which in all cities of the state, where more
than a million people live, all documents related to the election
process must be translated into Russian. Russian has become one of eight
foreign languages in New York, in which all official campaign materials
must be printed. Previously, the list included Spanish, Korean,
Filipino, Creole and three dialects of Chinese.
In June 2011,
same-sex marriage was legalized in the state.
New York borders Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont to the east, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario to the north and northwest. New York also shares a maritime border with Rhode Island. The state covers an area of just over 141,000 km², making it the 27th largest US state by area.
New York State is characterized by the northern foothills of the
Appalachian Mountains. The average height above sea level is between 300
and 1000 m. To the north are the Adirondacks with Mount Marcy, the
highest mountain in the state at 1629 m.
In the north, the state
borders Lake Erie and Lake Ontario as well as the St. Lawrence River,
where there are smaller lowlands. In the southeast is the Hudson River
Valley and Long Island, an island approximately 200 km long and 20 to 30
km wide on which large parts of New York City lie.
The Appalachian Mountains, which occupy most of the state, are a folded mountain range. The mountain ranges in the state belong to the northern part of the Appalachians and are therefore around 500 million years old and are among the mountain ranges that were formed by the Caledonian orogeny. However, due to this old age, a lot of material has already been removed. This explains the relatively low altitude that the Appalachians have compared to other fold mountains. The lowlands and Long Island are geological tables.
The soils (especially black earth) are very similar to those in Central Europe and are relatively fertile, but still of low quality. The higher it gets in the Appalachians, the rockier and therefore more infertile the soil becomes. There are no extensive mineral deposits, only small deposits of iron ores, rock salt and petroleum/natural gas as well as lead and zinc.
The entire state of New York has a temperate climate. The average
temperature on the coast is around 12 °C. The temperature is around 0 °C
in winter (December–March) and around 25–30 °C in summer
(June–September). The difference is relatively high for a coastal
region, up to 30 °C. The high temperatures in summer are explained by
the relatively southern location (approx. 42° n.B.). The cool
temperatures of winter result from influences from the Appalachian
Mountains. The annual rainfall is approximately 1000 mm, the rainfall is
evenly distributed throughout the year.
In the Appalachians, on
the other hand, temperatures are lower due to the altitude and there is
less precipitation. In the winter months the average temperature is down
to −10 °C, in summer it is around 20 °C. The amount of precipitation is
200 to 300 mm less than on the coast, but is still evenly distributed.
In the northwestern part of the state, along the lakes and St. Lawrence
River, the climate differs little from that of the Appalachian
Mountains, except that it is somewhat milder due to the lower altitude.
The most important river is the Hudson River, which rises in the
north of the state. It has numerous smaller tributaries (e.g. Mohawk
River), which also rise in the Appalachians. Other important rivers
include the St. Lawrence River, which forms part of the border with
Ontario, the Susquehanna River and the Delaware River.
The state
lies on Lake Erie to the west and Lake Ontario to the northwest. There
are also a number of small and medium-sized lakes (e.g. the Finger Lakes
with Seneca Lake, Cayuga Lake and Oneida Lake, Lake George and Lake
Champlain, which forms the border with the state of Vermont in the
northeast), as well as many waterfalls ( e.g. Niagara Falls or
Taughannock Falls).
Much of the state's area is covered by deciduous mixed deciduous forests and grassland; at higher elevations in the Appalachians, mixed deciduous forests predominate.
GDP of New York State 2016: approx. 1,487 billion US dollars (share
of total US GDP: 8.1%)
New York State GDP per capita 2016:
$75,360 (US average $57,118)
Economic growth (2014): 2.5% (US
average: 2.2%)
Unemployment rate (November 2017): 4.7% (national
average: 4.1%).
Overall, the New York economic area is characterized by the secondary
(industry) and tertiary (services) economic sectors. Agriculture (mixed
and traditional) and fishing play a relatively minor role. Fruit
(especially apples, strawberries and cherries) is grown on the Hudson
and Lake Ontario, and small amounts of wheat are also grown in the
Rochester area. There are also small wine-growing areas. Livestock is
also raised in the hillier areas. The state of New York is therefore one
of the largest milk producers in the USA. The farms are small; the
“agribusiness” that is common in the Midwest and South of the USA does
not exist here because the areas are relatively small. Raw material
extraction, which is also part of the primary sector, is carried out
primarily in the north of the state. Iron ore and steel refiners are
mined in a few places, as are rock salts (in the Rochester area), and
small amounts of oil and natural gas in the Southwest. Industry plays a
major role in the medium-sized cities (Buffalo, Rochester, Albany), and
the entire state of New York belongs to the Manufacturing Belt. The most
important industrial sectors are mechanical and vehicle construction as
well as electrical engineering. The basis for this is iron and steel
production, which is primarily carried out in and around Buffalo.
Electrical engineering and printing are among the most important
industries in the New York City region. Nevertheless, this region
occupies an exceptional position because services are by far the most
important economic sector here. Numerous companies in the high-tech
industry (e.g. IBM), banking and finance (e.g. Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan)
and influential newspapers (e.g. The New York Times, The Wall Street
Journal) and television channels (e.g. NBC, HBO) are based in New York
City, as is the world's most important stock exchange (New York Stock
Exchange). In addition, New York City is home to numerous important
academic (e.g. New York University, Columbia University) and cultural
(e.g. Metropolitan Opera, Museum of Modern Art) institutions in a very
small area.
The infrastructure is well developed in the state of New York; the
New York State Department of Transportation, in particular, is
responsible for planning, construction and maintenance, along with other
authorities. Several highways connect New York City with the cities on
the Great Lakes as well as with other states, especially New Jersey,
which is home to many people who work in New York City. Only in the
southwest of the state is the road network very wide-meshed, although
there is little need there due to the low population density.
Long-distance passenger rail transport within New York is only available
with the so-called Empire Service, which runs the New York – Albany main
line every day with twelve pairs of trains, three of which continue to
Niagara Falls and one of which to Toronto; There is also a connecting
connection to Chicago once a day in Buffalo. Two pairs of trains run
daily between New York and Glens Falls, one of which continues to
Montreal. In New York City there are excellent connections on the
relatively well-developed Amtrak Acela route Boston - NYC - Philadelphia
- Baltimore - Washington, D.C., from whose respective endpoints the rest
of the East Coast can be reached.
What is rather atypical for the
USA, however, is the extensive and heavily used subway and regional
train network in the city of New York. This network relieves pressure on
the roads, which often already have large traffic jams.
New York
City has J. F. Kennedy Airport (mainly for international flights), the
thirteenth largest airport in the world (41.9 million passengers in
2005; sixth largest airport in the USA). Another airport is La Guardia
Airport, which is mainly used for domestic flights. A good 25 million
passengers were handled there in 2006. Other airports are in Albany,
Rochester, Buffalo (Buffalo Niagara International Airport and Buffalo
Municipal Airport) and Syracuse, i.e. in every major city.
The
Port of New York is the largest seaport on the US East Coast. Container
throughput has increased enormously, especially at the Newark (NJ)
location of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
An
important inland port is that of the city of Buffalo. Raw materials are
primarily used here for industries based in New York State, such as: B.
coal, iron ores and steel. The Erie Canal also flows here, connecting
Lake Erie to the Atlantic Ocean via the Hudson.
As is the case
throughout the United States, not all residents in New York State have
access to clean drinking water: lead pipes in the local water supply are
still relatively widespread; Drinking water often contains relatively
high levels of fertilizers and industrial chemicals, even in larger
cities; and in rural areas, many families still rely on their own
groundwater wells, which often do not provide very clean water.
The telecommunications network (including the Internet) is relatively
well developed, but there are gaps in the less densely populated parts
of the state, and as throughout the United States, Internet connections
are relatively slow and expensive compared to most advanced nations.
The electricity supply is very good, but these supply networks are
also in great need of renovation, which repeatedly leads to power
outages due to storms. In 2019, 27% of electricity came from renewable
energies, and 88% of this came from hydropower. New York's 2020 Clean
Energy Standard regulation mandates that renewable energy contribute 70%
of electricity generation in 2030 and that this should increase to 100%
by 2040.
New York's last coal-fired power plant closed in early
2020, and since then most of its share has been generated by natural gas
and two nuclear power plants with multiple nuclear reactors.
Fitzpatrick Nuclear Power Station. Construction began in 1970, a boiling
water reactor, 852 MW (net)
Nine Mile Point nuclear power plant
project started in 1963, two boiling water reactors, together 1756 MW
(net)
The Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant in Buchanan, approximately
55 km north of New York City - two pressurized water reactors, built in
1966 and 1969, 1020 and 1025 MW (net) - was shut down on April 30, 2021.
The state's governor has been Kathy Hochul from the Democratic Party
since August 24, 2021.
The governor exercises executive power at
the state level, meaning he leads the state government and determines
policy guidelines. He has the right to pardon, appoints high-ranking
officials and judges to the Federal Constitutional Court and plays a
central role in legislation by signing or vetoing legislative
resolutions. He is also commander in chief of the New York National
Guard and represents the state externally. The governor is elected
directly by the people every four years. Other important members of the
executive branch are the Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General, the
Secretary of State and the State Treasurer (roughly equivalent to a
Secretary of the Treasury).
State legislative power is exercised by the New York State Legislature. It consists of a State Senate with 63 directly elected senators and the State Assembly with 150 directly elected representatives. The terms of office are four and two years respectively. Since the 2018 state legislative elections, Democrats have had a clear majority in both chambers. The seat of the State Legislature is the Capitol in Albany, the state capital.
Between 1809 and 1972, New York was the state with the most electoral
votes in the Electoral College of presidential elections, but is now
only fourth in this regard behind California, Texas and Florida. The
state is of great importance to the Democratic Party of the USA; It is
considered a Democratic stronghold and the last time a majority voted
for the Republican candidate in a presidential election was in 1984. In
the last elections, the Democrats in New York achieved results that were
always just below or even above 60 percent. However, this concentration
is limited to the cities of New York City, Buffalo and Rochester; As in
other states in the USA, the rural population overwhelmingly votes
Republican.
It's also worth mentioning that New York Republicans,
who have played a major role in the Democratic-leaning state over the
past decade, tend to be on the left wing of their party. George Pataki
and Rudy Giuliani should be mentioned here. Synonymous with “moderate
Republican” is the former US Vice President and Governor of New York
State Nelson Rockefeller.
In August 2020, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation published a proposed law to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and thereby implement the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. The proposal calls for an initial 40 percent reduction in methane and other harmful gases by 2030 and an 85 percent reduction by 2050. In addition, a carbon-free electricity system must be created by 2040.
New York State is an important educational location in the USA. The
most important state universities are grouped into the State University
of New York and the City University of New York. The best-known private
universities are Columbia University, Cornell University and New York
University. Other well-known private colleges include Fordham
University, Hofstra University, Long Island University, St. John's
University, Syracuse University, University of Rochester, and Yeshiva
University. Other universities are included in the list of universities
in New York.
Sports
Lake Placid hosted the 1932 and 1980
Winter Olympics. Lake Placid is one of only three locations to host the
Winter Games twice.
Important destinations for the Americans are Long Island (many
beaches and large fish reserves for fishing), a few small towns in the
Appalachians (winter sports resorts), and almost the entire state in
autumn, when the leaves of the deciduous trees of many different,
exceptionally intense colors are obtained. New York City is very
interesting with its many cultural institutions (Metropolitan Opera,
Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim Museum) and famous buildings (Statue of
Liberty, Empire State Building, Chrysler Building).
Overall,
tourism is becoming more and more important because it is becoming more
popular to spend your summer vacation on Long Island again. The increase
in airfares in recent years is the reason why many Americans no longer
fly to the Caribbean or even further (e.g. to Hawaii). The winter sports
areas are still very poorly developed. Indian Summer is still popular.