Things to Do in New York State

Located in the northeastern part of Cornell’s campus, Cornell Botanic Gardens is a living museum that consists of a rich botanic garden and arboretum, making the campus one of the most beautiful in the country. The gardens are organized around the Nevin Welcome Center and include areas for ornamental and useful herbs, rhododendrons, heritage vegetables, perennials, ornamental grasses, groundcovers, conifers, a bioswale garden, plants in containers, and much more. The F.R. Newman Arboretum is a 100-acre space that contains wonderful collections of oaks, crabapples, maples, conifers, urban trees, dogwoods, nut trees, and many other tree species. There is also a collection of flowering shrubs, streamside gardens, and pleasant overlooks, which invite you to take a break to enjoy the magnificent view of the surrounding rolling terrain.

124 Comstock Knoll Dr, Ithaca, NY 14850, Phone: 607-255-2400

Kykuit, the Dutch word for “lookout,” is the name of the Rockefeller mansion in the Hudson River Valley, which was the residence for four generations of the oil tycoon and philanthropist family. Completed in 1913, the house is in neo-Georgian style, and its 250 acres feature vast gardens filled with beautiful sculptures by some of the world’s greatest sculptors.

The house overlooks the Hudson River with a view of the New York City skyline twenty-five miles south, and the ground floor and basements may be toured year round with a docent.

Art lovers will be amazed at the priceless works hanging on the walls; the Rockefeller’s collection of the 20th century art includes pieces by Chagall, Picasso, and Warhol. Chinese antiquities and European ceramics are also on display. Another highlight of the tour is the carriage house, which contains the family’s classic cars and horse-drawn carriages.

381 North Broadway, Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591, Phone: 914-366-6900

One World Observatory is located on the 100th floor of One World Trade Center, also known as the Freedom Tower. At 104 floors, One World Trade Center is the tallest building in New York City, and offers unparalleled 360-degree views of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and New Jersey. Access to the tower’s observatory is via Sky Pod, a super-fast elevator that climbs to the 100th floor in under a minute.

For the truly brave, there is a 14-foot glass floor on the observatory level that allows visitors to walk one hundred stories above Lower Manhattan with a clear view to the ground. Floor 101 has three dining options for visitors: a café, an artisanal small plate bistro that serves international cocktails, and a reservations-only fine dining restaurant. The Observatory also includes a special events area that can be rented for private gatherings.

1 World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007, Phone: 844-696-1776

miSci Museum of Innovation and Science was originally established in 1934 as a center for imagination, creativity and learning. In 1997, the museum merged with the General Electric Hall of Electric History, thereby expanding their collection to include more than 15,000 fascinating science and technology artifacts. The museum is housed in a large building which includes exhibition space, a planetarium and classrooms. Just a few of the most popular exhibits include Ground to Gourmet, which documents the history of some of New York’s favorite foods and the Selling Electricity exhibit which traces the history of electrical appliances. Visitors should not miss the chance to attend one of the shows at the Planetarium.

miSci Museum of Innovation and Science, 15 Museum Dr, Schenectady, NY 12308, 518 382 7890

Cave of the Winds is an extremely popular tourist attraction on the American side of Niagara Falls. The original natural cave behind Bridal Veil Falls was destroyed in a rockslide in 1954. Now the area behind Bridal Veil Falls is covered in redwood boardwalks and viewing platforms, ready to receive the tourists who descend 175 feet in a specially built elevator.

Ponchos and slippers are provided for each visitor, but it should be noted that you will probably get very wet anyway, as the power and might of the falls is like a tropical storm and soaks everything in the immediate area. The wooden platforms are removed every year in the late fall to prevent ice damage and are replaced in the spring; special tours are offered in the spring to visitors interested in watching park workers put the boardwalks back into place.

Cave of the Winds, Goat Island, Niagara Falls, NY 14303, Phone: 716-278-1730

Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum is one of the region's prime family-friendly destinations. The museum, which was the 2015 recipient of the United Way Nonprofit Spotlight Award and the Dutchess Tourism Family Entertainment Award, serves as the only children's museum within the Hudson River Valley between New York City and Albany, easily accessible via the Poughkeepsie Metro-North train station. Family-friendly exhibits introduce literacy, art, health, and STEM concepts to more than 75,000 annual young visitors, offering opportunities to learn through play and curiosity. Exhibits include a science center, an imagination playground, an Early Learning Junction playspace for children under four, and an outdoor children's garden.

75 N Water St, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601, 845-471-0589

George Eastman was the founder of Eastman Kodak Co., and the visionary who helped popularize photography and made the art of movie making possible. His estate, opened to the public in 1949, is now the home of vast photographic and cinematographic archives, and it is a must-see stop for anyone with an interest in the history of film and photography.

The mansion and gardens may be toured alone or with a knowledgeable docent; the gardens are beautifully laid out and peaceful. At all times there are at least three temporary galleries open with displays related to George Eastman’s life and work, and a 500 seat theater shows over 300 films every year. With advance registration, visitors can participate in hands-on workshops.

900 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607, Phone: 585-271-3361

The Statue of Liberty is one of the best-known monuments in the world; it has graced New York’s harbor for over a hundred years, and it is a much-loved tourist destination. Built in 1886 by Gustave Eiffel, who also constructed the Eiffel Tower, the statue was gift to the United States from the people of France. Entirely made of copper, it sits on a stone pedestal that was funded by private donations.

Tourists wishing to climb the spiral staircase to the statue’s crown must make reservations, as only 240 people a day may make the climb. Advance reservations are also required for those who wish to mount the pedestal and see the museum inside it. Visitors who come just to tour the grounds may buy tickets on the day of their visit. The National Park Service maintains the statue, and ranger-guided tours of the park are available daily.

Liberty Island, New York, NY, 10004, Phone: 212-363-3200

The National September 11 Memorial and Museum commemorate the attacks on the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, the related attacks near Shanksville, PA and at the Pentagon, and the World Trade Center bombing of 1993. The names of the nearly 3,000 victims of these attacks, which included many rescue personnel, are inscribed on bronze panels around twin reflecting pools that are each nearly an acre in size and sit in the footprints of what were once the Twin Towers.

These reflecting pools have the largest manmade waterfalls in North America. The museum examines the implications of the events of September 1, through multimedia presentations, artwork, artifacts, historical exhibits, and photographs, and it commemorates every victim of the terror attacks.

National September 11 Memorial and Museum, 180 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007, Phone: 212-312-8800

The Storm King Art Center is a unique open-air museum in Mountainville, named for its proximity to the beautiful nearby Storm King Mountain. The museum, which stretches across approximately 500 acres of gorgeous foothills land, was originally founded in 1960 and today showcases one of the United States' largest collections of contemporary outdoor sculpture. A core collection features master works by prominent 20th-century artists such as Henry Moore, Alexander Calder, Mark di Suvero, Douglas Abdell, and Isamu Noguchi, showcased alongside works by contemporary luminaries such as Alice Aycock, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Andy Goldsworthy, and Sol LeWitt. A number of pieces on display have been donated by Manhattan's Museum of Modern Art. Visitors can explore the museum's visitor center, museum store, and outdoor cafe and food truck court, which serves up a wide variety of locally-sourced, organic fare.

1 Museum Rd, New Windsor, NY 12553, Phone: 845- 534-3115