New York is a state full of lakes and forests. There are some beautiful places in New York state, which were on the way back to the Midwest. If you are there, visit these for their sheer gorgeousness and scenic beauty.
Watkins Glen State Park
There is a really nice stone-ledge trail that follows the ravine, leading to several waterfalls along the way. It is a little more than 2.0 miles long from the upper falls to the lower falls. One of the most scenic is Rainbow Falls. It is a quaint, essential stop along the way in New York state, or a visit in itself. Watkins Glen is a small town located on the edge of Seneca Lake, one of the Finger Lakes, in the Finger Lakes district.
The Corning Museum of Glass
It is a very large museum – any visitor to the Corning Museum of Glass will likely want to spend the two days the admission ticket allows to fully explore all the beautiful exhibits. Stretching from different time periods, the glass is used in different ways in various artistic exhibitions, and has many large galleries and rooms.
The Finger Lakes region – Ithaca
Ithaca is a destination in and of itself – it has Cornell University, here, as well as deep stone gorges and white rushing, cascading waterfalls. For a small town, it feels larger than its size, likely because of the steep mountain slope the Cornell University is situated upon, and the fact that University of Ithaca is nearby, as well as the large Cayuga Lake, where there are magnificent sunsets and sunrises viewable right from the shore at the clean, beautiful Stewart Park. Jog or walk along the 6 mile Waterfront trail that takes one from Stewart Park to other scenic places along the shoreline in Ithaca, and see the waterfalls in the area, as well as downtown – and visit the Botanical Gardens and impressive architecture in Cornell, before leaving.
Green Lakes State Park
Green Lakes State Park is a few miles outside of Syracuse, NY. It is located right next to a tiny town, Fayetteville. The park itself contains two glacier lakes that are not so big, but worth visiting.
The waters are a beautiful blue-green, very clear, and filled with water that does not mix, so one can see through to the bottom in most places. There are yellow fish that swim along the shore, as well as other species, and a beach lies on one side of the larger lake. A hiking trail within the woods goes right along the edge of both trails – roughly 3 miles loop for the larger trail, and about a 1 mile loop for the smaller trail. Both trails are connected, and return to the beach, which is right near the main parking lot and bathhouse.
The Boldt Castle and Yacht House
The renovated castle of the Boldt family is in the Thousand Islands region, right across from the Canadian borderline. The Boldt castle is on an island itself, which is crossed by a ferry twice an hour for visitors. It is easy to access this place – and the castle is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon, on its grounds, and within its doors.
Rochester is worth a visit also, with the beautiful Highland Gardens, and the beautiful gardens on the grounds of the Kodak museum, inside the mansion of the George Eastman estate.
Buffalo has a very cool set of architecture, too. There are many old churches and buildings that give the skyline character, and a walking tour of them would be worthwhile, if one has the time.
Cuhayoga Valley, right outside Columbus, Ohio, and the Lake Eerie beaches, make visiting Columbus worthwhile, though that is a different state. Also, visit the Columbus Zoo in Ohio for its large animal viewing areas, from different regions of the world.
