New York State

While New York City is a hustling, bustling metropolis with huge economic importance and tons of city-based things to do, the state it's in is full of natural beauty in many varieties. From orchards to dairy farms to the Adirondack Mountains and Niagara Falls, New York state has an abundance of natural beauty!

Before Europeans came to New York, the area was occupied by the Iroquois Indians. The Hudson River area was one of the first areas explored – early explorers traveled as far as Albany. In the early 1600's a few Dutch settlements were made on Manhattan Island and named New Netherlands. New York City (formerly New Amsterdam) was founded in 1623 by the Dutch, but the colony was devastated by a war with Native Americans and England moved in to take it over. New York has been the scene of many historical events and is a great spot to learn more about American history.

New York City was the capital of the United States from 1785 to 1790 and it was the state capital from 1784 to 1797 before it was moved to Albany. Today, New York City offers tons of great things to do and is the single most populated city in the United States, with over 27,000 residents per square mile! New York is also one of America's biggest and best tourist destinations, and there is no shortage of great stuff to do in this big city. To get an idea of how big and expansive the city is, just visit the Top of the Rock Observation Deck, which is less crowded than the Empire State Building and offers better views.

Some of the most popular things to do in New York City include seeing a show on Broadway, visiting Central Park or taking the Staten Island Ferry. If seeing a show on Broadway is on your New York To-Do list, some of the most popular shows continue to be Lion King, Wicked, Memphis and Jersey Boys. Of course, visiting the Statue of Liberty is a necessity for any NYC trip. Whether you take the ferry and pass it from a distance, or go into the statue and ride up to the top, the experience is great and the Statue itself is a World Heritage Site.

New York City also offers an abundance of great museums for the curious visitor. The Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum is a bit different – a unique journey through interactive exhibits where visitors can see 30 restored aircrafts. The Metropolitan Museum of Art offers an amazing collection - it's the largest "encyclopedic" museum of art under one roof in the entire world! This is an all-day museum, but visitors say it is "well worth it." Also available is the Museum of Modern Art which houses the largest collection of artwork from 1880 to today. For New York visitors who want to learn about the Native Americans, visit the National Museum of the American Indian, a branch of the excellent Smithsonian Museum where Native Americans from all over the country have a spot to tell their story. For the science lover, visit the American Museum of Natural History where visitors are greeted by a huge dinosaur skeleton upon entrance. Their collection of dinosaur fossils and other natural science artifacts is stunning.

If you're traveling to Ground Zero you'll want to visit the Ground Zero Museum Workshop to see images from the recovery of Ground Zero, and the 9-11 Memorial. Across the street is St. Paul's Chapel, where visitors can pay their respects to those lost in 9-11 and its aftermath.

NYC Is also famous for Ellis Island, where immigrants had to stop before being permitted into the USA. Get your ferry tickets beforehand and prepare for an all-day visit as lines are often long. Many people whose families came through Ellis Island can find records of their family's entry into America.

If you're traveling with the NYC Public Transport system you'll get to see Grand Central Terminal, but even if you don't Grand Central is a great place to do shopping and have some local food and snacks. Of course, there are too many NYC sites to list, but some other great tourist hot-spots include the Apollo Theatre, SoHo, Madison Square Garden, the Chrysler Building, Madame Tussauds, and the Hayden Planetarium.

If it's Syracuse you're visiting, some of the in-town attractions include the Museum of Science and Technology and the Erie Canal Museum. For visitors with small children, the Rosamond Gifford Zoo is a perfect little zoo for toddlers or young children. Visitors to Syracuse who are looking for a fun night out love the Wise Guys Comedy Club for great food and "tons of stuff to do."

Syracuse is also close to Onondaga Lake and Oneida Lake and not all that far from Lake Ontario and the Adirondack State Park. These areas offer tons of great outdoor adventuring and make great day trips out of the city. Onondaga Lake is right by the city and has archery, kickball, trails, dog parks, playgrounds, fishing and more.

Today, Albany is the capital of New York State and a popular destination for visitors who want to visit New York without staying in the city. Visitors love the New York State Museum where visitors learn about the artistic, social, natural and historic aspects of New York. Also popular is Historic Cherry Hill, an 18th century mansion that sits on a wooded hill and overlooks the Hudson River. The New York State Capitol building is another great architectural find. The capitol took 40 years to build and is extremely impressive and regal.

For arts, the Albany Institute of History and Art is one of the oldest museums in North America and offers a glimpse of early life in the Upper Hudson Valley with furniture, photographs, clothing and more. The Egg is a performing arts complex in Albany designed by Wallace Harrison that has great concerts and performances.

No matter where you go in New York State, there are plenty of fun things to keep you entertained and of course, Hotels.bz will see you through with a great list of budget hotels and luxury hotels with more in the middle, too!

For the best budget hotels try these gems:

Baymont Inn and Suites - Starting at $64 a night this Albany hotel is located right near Pine Bush Preserve, and offers a restaurant and limited room service. The hotel also features a continental breakfast, indoor pool and spa tub, and a fitness facility.
Ramada Inn - Starting at $86 a night this Syracuse hotel is right next to Lake Onondaga, the Carousel Mall and more! The hotel features a restaurant and bar, limited room service, and an indoor pool!
DoubleTree Hilton - Starting at $99 a night this amazing 4-star property is a great NYC bargain! Visitors loved the cleanliness of the hotel, and its proximity to the nearby Empire State Building, Madison Square Garden, Grand Central Terminal and more! The hotel has a restaurant that serves breakfast and dinner, and a bar. Limited room service and a fitness facility make this an obvious choice!

For mid-range hotels try these great hotels:

Hampton Inn & Suites Albany - Starting at $129 a night this hotel is right by all of the best Albany tourist spots, and features a restaurant and bar. The hotel also features limited room services, complimentary breakfast, a health club, fitness facility and more! Visitors love this Hampton Inn!
The Genesee Grande Hotel - Starting at $117 a night , this Syracuse hotel is right near the Carrier Dome and the Everson Museum of Art, plus the hotel has great features such as a restaurant, bar, and room service!