New York

Understand

Nicknamed the Empire State, New York was one of the original thirteen colonies that formed the United States. It has, since the beginning, been among the most populous and influential states.

History

Before European settlement, the area now known as New York was already home to a number of Native American tribes. The Iroquois Confederacy (or Haudenosaunee), comprising the Cayuga, Onondaga, Seneca, Mohawk, Oneida, and Tuscarora tribes, was a major early exercise in representative democracy that may have influenced the Founding Fathers of the United States in their own pursuit of constitutional government.

European settlement of New York began at New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island. From there, Dutch and then English settlers expanded northward along the Hudson River to present-day Albany, then west along the Mohawk River. Sites in this area of New York were pivotal in the Revolutionary War, especially at Saratoga north of Albany, and New York City served briefly as the nation's first capital.

White settlement further west was impeded by poor terrain and Indian territories until the early 19th century. That slowly increasing population turned into an explosion with the construction of the Erie Canal from Buffalo to Albany, completed in 1825. Cities like Rochester grew up almost overnight, able to ship their goods easily to points both east and west, and New York City at the mouth of the Hudson became the young country's busiest and most important harbor.

New York has long hosted a diverse, vibrant population. New York Harbor served as the point of entry for countless immigrants after the Civil War, leading to rich ethno-national communities in the city and throughout the state. New York's cities were also important stops on the Underground Railroad, and they later saw the Great Migration of Black people coming from the South in the early 20th century.

New York grew and thrived for decades, its cities serving as centers of industry, business, and culture for the entire nation. It held the title of most populous state in the country for over 150 years and has counted numerous important and influential figures among its native sons and daughters. Since the middle of the 20th century, New York's influence has waned somewhat as California, Texas, and Florida have swelled in population, but New York remains one of the dominant states in the nation.

Geography

There is no concise way to describe the geography of New York, except maybe to say it is "diverse".

The city of New York, a major Atlantic port, is of course at sea level. It serves as a small fulcrum connecting Long Island (to the east) and the rest of the state (to the north)—to reach one from the other, one must pass through New York City. North of the city lies the vast majority of the state, known as "Upstate New York". The land rises as one goes north, following the Hudson River upstream. The river cuts a gorge through these Appalachian highlands, forming a wide river valley. To the west of this valley, the Catskills rise—a "dissected plateau" to geologists, but just "mountains" to laymen. Beyond the Catskills, the terrain drops and levels, forming the rolling hills of the Southern Tier. The Lower Hudson River south of Bear Mountain Bridge is geologically a fjord, making it the only fjord in the eastern United States.

North of the Catskills is the Mohawk River valley, which runs from west to east into the Hudson. Further west, you will find the Finger Lakes region, a series of long skinny lakes formed when river valleys were blocked by debris from retreating glaciers. North of the Finger Lakes, between them and Lake Ontario, lie large swaths of lowlands, areas which were once underneath the surface of a much larger, pre-glacial Lake Ontario.

North of the Mohawk valley and east of Lake Ontario, you can find the vast mountain range of the Adirondacks, which gradually give way to the St. Lawrence River valley in the northernmost part of the state.

Climate

New York has four distinct seasons.

Upstate New York is well known for its brutal winters. Although temperatures don't get as low as they do in areas like Minnesota and North Dakota, thanks in part to the giant heat reservoir known as Lake Ontario, that same lake serves to generate plenty of lake-effect snow. That being said, it is not unheard of for temperatures to drop into the single digits or even below zero, especially in areas of the Adirondacks and North Country, away from the lake. The major upstate cities compete each year for the "coveted" Golden Snowball Award for most total inches of snow—one small measure of pride for a city digging itself out from piles of snow several feet deep.

Snow is especially heavy to the east of Lake Ontario. Clouds pick up moisture as they travel over the lake's longest dimension, then dump it all on Watertown as they are forced to rise by the Tug Hill Plateau.

New York City is downright tropical by comparison. With the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, the Big Apple benefits from the warm Gulf Stream waters without having to deal with ocean-effect snow. Nevertheless, though New York City gets much less snow than places upstate, it is not uncommon in winter, especially January and February.

Spring in New York tends to start out cold and damp, especially in areas near Lake Ontario, as the lake's waters have by then been thoroughly chilled by winter. True springtime comes around May, segueing quickly into summer.

Summer features brilliant sun, with occasional heat waves. Humidity is often high but the months are punctuated by spells of lower humidity that bring everyone outside to enjoy the weather.

Leaves start to turn color in September; at their peak, New York's leaf scenery is among the best in the country. By late October, though, it's all over but the raking, and winter begins to set in, with snow often falling by Halloween.

People

New York City is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, being home to immigrants from all around the globe. Upstate New York, on the other hand, tends to be made up of a combination of white people, Black people and Latinos, with many of the more rural areas being overwhelmingly white. Although New York is generally considered a liberal state, people's political leanings vary significantly by area. While larger cities like New York City and college towns like Ithaca are relatively progressive, in rural upstate New York, people tend to be more conservative.

Although New York City is culturally an East Coast city, much of upstate New York, including the city of Buffalo, is Midwestern in character and part of the Rust Belt.

Tourist information

• New York State tourism website

Regions

Some people say that New York has two regions: New York City and "Upstate" — i.e., everywhere north of there. In fact, New York is a large state with a number of distinct travel regions.

Cities

• Albany — the state capital, steeped in the history of the state
• Binghamton — the Carousel Capital of the World
• Buffalo — the largest city in upstate New York, home of the Buffalo Bills, the Buffalo Sabres... and the Buffalo wing
• Cooperstown — a historic town that features the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
• Ithaca — a small town with an attitude and home to Cornell University and Ithaca College
• New York — possibly the most celebrated city in the world, with towering skyscrapers, extraordinary diversity, international corporations, and incomparable culture
• Rochester — an old industrial city with a rich history of innovation and progress; now home to numerous universities and the famous "garbage plate"
• Saratoga Springs — the "Spa City", famous for its horse races and also a worthy stop for its offbeat performing arts scene
• Syracuse — the "Salt City" is known for its industry, and is home to Syracuse University and the Great New York State Fair

Other destinations

• Adirondack High Peaks — the tallest mountains in the largest state park in the United States
• Catskills — largely rural, wild, and mountainous, the Catskills are a popular vacation destination
• Chautauqua Institution — more-or-less a summer camp for adults, founded in 1874
• Darien Lake — the roller coaster capital of New York
• Fire Island National Seashore — a barrier island in Long Island with great beaches
• Lake George — boating, lakeside activities, and a big amusement park
• Letchworth State Park — see the Genesee River gorge and its three large, scenic waterfalls
• Niagara Falls — a powerful and awe-inspiring set of waterfalls on the Canadian border, and the "honeymoon capital of the world"
• Thousand Islands — a scenic vacation spot for the rich and famous, right on the Canadian border

Get in

By plane

International travelers will almost certainly come in via one of New York City's airports; while the major upstate cities have airports that can accommodate international flights, they are now fairly rare. Domestically, travelers will usually be coming from hubs such as Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte, Philadelphia, or Boston. Flights into the smaller airports will likely connect through the larger ones.

New York City - the Big Three

• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Jamaica (Queens), +1 718-244-4444.
• Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Newark, New Jersey, +1-800-397-4636 (EWR-INFO).
• LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Flushing (Queens), +1 718-533-3400.

Large upstate airports

• Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF), 4200 Genesee St. Cheektowaga, +1 716 630-6000.
• Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC), 1200 Brooks Ave. Rochester, +1 585 464-6000.
• Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR), Colonel Eileen Collins Blvd. Syracuse, +1 315 454-4330.
• Albany International Airport (ALB), 373 Albany Shaker Rd. Albany, +1 518 242-2200.

New York City metro area smaller airports

• Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP), 100 Arrivals Ave. Ronkonkoma (Islip), +1-888-542-4776 (LI-AIRPORT).
• Westchester County Airport (HPN), 240 Airport Rd. White Plains, +1 914 939-8484.
• Stewart International Airport (SWF), 1 Express Dr. Newburgh, +1 845 567-2563.

Southern Tier regional airports

• Greater Binghamton Airport (BGM), 2534 Airport Rd. Box 16, Maine (New York), +1 607 763-4471.
• Ithaca Tompkins International Airport (ITH), 72 Brown Rd. Ithaca, +1 607 257-0456.
• Elmira-Corning Regional Airport (ELM), 276 Sing-Sing Rd. Horseheads, +1 607 795-0402.

Jamestown (JHW), Saranac Lake (SLK), Plattsburgh (PBG), and Niagara Falls (IAG) have very small airports with only a few scheduled flights each day. General aviation airports are scattered throughout the state.

By car

• From southern Ontario, Toronto, and points west (including Detroit): Take the QEW; it ends at the Peace Bridge (US$3/CA$3) and puts you on I-190 in Buffalo. You could also take the QEW to the 420 (for the Rainbow Bridge (US$2.50 Canada-bound only) to Niagara Falls) or the 405 (for the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge (US$3.25 Canada-bound only) to Lewiston). Both of these will connect up with I-190 as well. Visitors from the Detroit area sometimes cut across Southwestern Ontario (401-403-QEW) rather than going south around Lake Erie.
• From Ohio and Western Pennsylvania: I-90 becomes the New York State Thruway (see Get around for details) at the PA-NY border. I-86 splits off shortly before the border, allowing you to avoid tolls.
• From Pennsylvania and New Jersey: U.S. 219 heads north near Olean, headed for Buffalo. U.S. 15 connects with I-86 in Corning; you can continue north on NY 15 or I-390 to Rochester. I-81 connects with NY17 in Binghamton, headed for Syracuse. I-84 passes through the lower part of the state. I-95 is the major east coast route and passes through New York City.
• From New England: I-95 connects Boston to New York City through Connecticut; I-90 goes through Springfield, Massachusetts to Albany. Near the Canadian border, U.S. 2 bridges Lake Champlain between Vermont and New York.
• From Quebec: Autoroute 15 (Interstate 87) is your route south from Montreal and the Laurentians to Albany and New York City.
• From Eastern Ontario: Highway 401 follows the border in the Thousand Islands region; the (toll) Thousand Islands Bridge (401 exit 661) leads to I-81 (Watertown-Syracuse-Binghamton). International bridges at Prescott-Ogdensburg and Cornwall-Massena may be less busy than I-81 as they land on two-lane highway on the US side.

By boat

• From Vermont: A ferry joins Burlington to Plattsburgh. Multiple ferries cross Lake Champlain from Vermont to New York, including some in the Adirondacks region.
• From New Jersey: Multiple operators transport commuters directly into Manhattan, including NY Waterway/BillyBey (+1-800-533-3779 (53-FERRY)), Seastreak (+1-800-262-8743 (BOATRIDE)) and Liberty Park Water Taxi (+1 201-432-6321). There's even a New Jersey ferry specifically to visit the Statue of Liberty in New York.
• From Connecticut: Seastreak operates a limited sightseeing service
• From Eastern Ontario: A seasonal car ferry joins Wolfe Island ON in the Thousand Islands to Cape Vincent NY; many seasonal passenger tour boats call at Boldt Castle on Heart Island NY from both sides.

Many cruise ships call at New York's ports from far and wide. The last of the major ocean liners, Cunard's Queen Mary 2, continues to uphold the century-old traditions of the Titanic era with scheduled liner service from Southampton UK to New York City.

By train

There are many trains that go through New York, especially through Pennsylvania Station in New York City.

• Routes traveling to New York state:

• From New England:
• Acela is a high-speed train connecting Boston, Providence, and New Haven to New York City
• Northeast Regional is a train that also follows the same route but cheaper
• Lake Shore Limited goes from Boston to Albany and Buffalo
• Ethan Allen Express comes from Vermont to New York City via Albany
• Vermonter is a train from Vermont to New York City via Springfield and Hartford
• From other states in the Mid-Atlantic
• Acela is a high-speed train through New York City from Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
• Northeast Regional is a train from Virginia that follows the same route as Acela but cheaper
• Keystone Express comes from Harrisburg to New York City
• Pennsylvanian goes from Pittsburgh to New York City
• From the Midwest
• Lake Shore Limited goes from Chicago through Cleveland, Buffalo, and Albany to New York City.
• Cardinal comes from Chicago via Cincinnati and Washington, D.C.
• From the South
• Carolinian goes from North Carolina through Virginia to New York City
• Palmetto, Silver Meteor and Silver Star go from Florida to New York City
• Crescent goes from New Orleans to New York City via Atlanta
• From Canada
• Adirondack goes from Montreal to New York City via Albany
• Maple Leaf goes from Toronto through Buffalo and Albany to New York City

Get around

New York is a big state, but it's not so big that driving isn't feasible. Even the trip from Buffalo to New York City is only about seven hours—too long for a day trip, certainly, but a weekend trip is doable for the dedicated. An alternative is to take a small regional jet from one of the upstate cities into New York; more expensive, but the trip is only 45-90 minutes in the air. Amtrak also runs trains that connect the five major cities for an in-between solution. If you're headed someplace more out of the way, though, you'll probably need to drive.

By car

Major areas of the state are served by an adequate network of Interstate Highways, supplemented by state routes that run between all but the smallest villages. Expressways are mostly limited to Interstates with a few exceptions.

Expressway exits are still numbered sequentially in New York, a fact unremarkable to most New Englanders but potentially confusing for everyone else. If you're at Exit 2 and looking for Exit 28, you have a lot farther to go than just 26 miles.

Most gas stations in New York, like most of the rest of the country, are self-serve only. State fuel tax (incorporated in the posted price, as elsewhere in the U.S.) is charged only on that portion of the price above $2 a gallon.

New York State Thruway

The most important highway in New York is the New York State Thruway, which runs on I-90 from the Pennsylvania border in the west, northeast to Buffalo, then east past Rochester, through Syracuse, and to Albany. I-90 continues to Boston while the Thruway picks up I-87 south to New York City. The Thruway, a toll road for most of its length, is the primary route between the major upstate cities and is often used to get to and from New York.

The Thruway is now totally cashless and electronic for tolls; no more stopping at tollbooths when you enter or exit the highway. Travelers with E-ZPass will have their tolls taken automatically from that account, while those without will be billed by mail based on their vehicle registrations. The toll rate for passenger cars is about eight cents a mile (five cents a kilometer; $22.86 from Downtown Buffalo to Downtown Albany, for example). Prices increase for vehicles with more axles or hauling trailers. Vehicles with New York E-ZPass accounts pay a lower rate. Frequent visitors to New York will often get an E-ZPass from New York in order to get the in-state rate, even if they already have one from another state.

To allow travelers to avoid leaving the highway before they reach their destinations, the Thruway is dotted with large service plazas every 35–50 miles (55–80 km) or so. Each contains one to five restaurants and a 24-hour Applegreen convenience store. Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Panera Bread, Popeye's, Shake Shack, Starbucks, and Dunkin' are the most common vendors. (Keep in mind Chick-fil-A locations are closed on Sundays.) Some locations have Taste NY farm markets. Vending machines, ATMs, free wi-fi, and of course gas pumps are available as well. EV charging stations are being added. All prices are high, but such are the benefits of having a captive market.

Other major routes

If you want to avoid the tolls, or if your destination is far from the Thruway, you have other cross-state options. A cheaper but slightly slower route to New York City from the west is along I-86, the Southern Tier Expressway. State Route 17, which I-86 is supplanting, is being upgraded to Interstate standards; east of Binghamton you'll encounter a few at-grade intersections, but it's still a quick route, and it's toll-free.

State Route 5 goes through many of the communities served by the Thruway, but as a surface street that passes through busy downtown areas. Route 5 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. It remains relatively close to the Thruway for much of its route across the state.

The slowest but most "interesting" route across the state is U.S. Route 20, which runs concurrently with Route 5 in a couple of areas, most notably the northern Finger Lakes. As a route stretching coast-to-coast across the northern U.S., it covers much of the same ground as Interstate 90 does today. U.S. 20 is much older, though, traveling right through the middle of countless old villages that lie south of the Thruway, often further south than Route 5. It's a simple two-lane highway for most of its length in New York, but if you have the time and the patience, it can be more interesting than the long stretches of nothingness along the Thruway or the Southern Tier Expressway.

I-81 and I-87 are the major north-south routes. I-81 travels south from the Thousand Islands at the Canadian border through Syracuse and Binghamton into Pennsylvania. I-87 (known as the Northway north of Albany) connects Montreal in Quebec with Albany and New York City. I-88 travels diagonally northeast-southwest, providing a connection between Binghamton and Albany. The only significant east-west route across the top of the state is U.S. 11, which diverges from I-81 in Watertown and heads northeast, then east.

In Western New York, Rochester is connected to points south via I-390 to Corning. From Buffalo, travelers can head southwest along I-90 or south along U.S. Route 219, which has been partially upgraded to expressway. (Those heading southeast will take the Thruway to I-390.)

State routes

New York has a good network of state routes, supplemented by county routes in most counties. Most villages are at the intersection of two or more state routes, and signage is usually clear, making it relatively simple to find your way to a particular place. You can be fairly confident that numbered state and county routes will be well maintained (including plowed in the winter) and rarely too far from civilization. Some interesting itineraries can be devised just by following a particular route wherever it leads.

In general, one- and two-digit state routes will be primary routes, although plenty of exceptions exist; you shouldn't assume anything just from the number. Major cross-state routes include 3, 5, 7, 17, and 104.

Safety

Municipalities in New York are well prepared for winter weather, but it can get so severe at times that even their expert crews can't keep up. Pay attention to travel advisories; in New York, if they say stay off the roads, they really mean it! During less severe winter storms, drive slowly and carefully. Follow a snowplow (at a safe distance!) if you can, though watch out for ones dropping salt.

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 that region.

A few miscellaneous traffic laws:

• State law mandates that your headlights must be on if your windshield wipers are running.
• Drivers, front-seat passengers, and children sitting anywhere must wear seat belts with primary enforcement.
• You are not permitted to use hand-held cellular phones while driving; hands-free phones are permitted but use with extra caution.
• Turning right on red light is permitted after stop, except where signs indicate otherwise like "No turn on red". However, this rule is reversed in New York City.
• There is no turn on red arrow.
• Vehicles turning left must yield to oncoming traffic unless they have a green left-arrow.
• The state speed limit is 55 mph, unless otherwise posted, as is the case with rural expressways being 65. Speed limits on surface roads will generally be 30 within cities and villages, except on the outskirts where it might be 35-45; New York City's default speed limit is 25. School zones may have a limit of 15 to 45 mph during school hours, 7AM-6PM.
• New York has a 'safe and prudent' speed law, so in adverse weather conditions, you can be pulled over even if you are below the posted limit if you appear to be sliding or otherwise struggling to maintain control over your vehicle.

By train

Amtrak provides passenger rail service primarily among the "Big Five" cities. Anything outside of the Erie Canal/Mohawk River/Hudson River corridor, though, and you're probably out of luck.

The Lake Shore Limited from Chicago has stops in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Schenectady, and Albany; from there riders can switch trains to Boston or continue (with a stop in Croton-on-Hudson) to New York City's Penn Station. The Empire Service starts in Niagara Falls but follows the same route as the Lake Shore Limited once it gets to Buffalo, with some additional stops along the way. The Maple Leaf is identical to the Empire Service except that it continues across the Canadian border to Toronto.

The Adirondack line travels roughly along I-87 from New York City to Montreal. The Ethan Allen Express splits off from the Adirondack route to go to Vermont instead of Quebec.

New York City's commuter rail network also reaches some of the nearby smaller cities; the Metro North Railroad serves upstate New York as far as Wassaic and Poughkeepsie, while the Long Island Railroad serves the entire length of Long Island. NJ Transit also serves some routes between New York City and upstate New York via New Jersey.

By bus

Information on New York transit can be found here.

By boat

Every year thousands of travellers take to the New York State Canal System to spend hours, days, or even weeks cruising the placid waters and visiting a variety of villages and cities along the way. By navigating up the Hudson River from New York City, it is possible to go all the way to the Great Lakes and beyond via these waterways. Side trips to the Finger Lakes in Western New York or to Lake Champlain and Vermont are possible. Small watercraft, including canoes and kayaks, are welcome on these canals.

The crown jewel of the canal system is the famous Erie Canal, celebrating its bicentennial in 2025. The Erie runs from Buffalo all the way to the Hudson River at Albany, but there are several smaller canals that connect the Erie to other waterways: the Cayuga-Seneca Canal to the Finger Lakes, the Oswego Canal to Lake Ontario, and the Champlain Canal to Lake Champlain. This extensive network means you can, in theory, see the six biggest cities in the state all without leaving your boat.

The canals are drained and unusable between November 16 and April 30 each winter... not that you'd want to be out on them anyway. The canals open at 7AM and close between 5PM and 10PM depending on season. Call toll-free +1-800-422-6254 (1-800-4CANAL4) for canal information and conditions.

There are locks and sometimes lift bridges throughout the system, and if you want to go through any of them, you'll need to purchase a permit. Two-day, ten-day, and all-season passes are available, and the price varies based on the length of your vessel. You can purchase permits ahead of time by mail, or in person at any Canal Corporation Sectional Office; many of these offices are next to locks or bridges, but not every lock or bridge has one. The canal web site has a list of offices, and forms for mailing. Permit fees as of 2017:

Cruises

Many small companies offer river, lake, or canal cruises lasting an hour or three, but they rarely make stops and usually just come back to their departure point.

For a multi-day cruise vacation, [American Cruise Lines](https://www.americancruiselines.com/cruises/great-lakes-cruises/great-lakes-and-thousand-islands-cruise) offers 9-day Lake Ontario cruises in the summer. After staying overnight in Syracuse, passengers board the ship in Oswego, then sail to the Thousand Islands, Ogdensburg, Rochester, the Welland Canal, and Buffalo.

Stay safe

• Dialing 9-1-1 on any phone, wireless or landline, is free and will connect you with local police, fire, and ambulance services in an emergency.
• In New York State it is illegal to use your cellular telephone while operating a motor vehicle or riding a bicycle, unless it is a hands-free phone. Violators should expect hefty fines, although enforcement varies widely across the state. Texting while driving is also prohibited; the state has outfitted all interstate highway rest areas with limited free Wi-Fi to give drivers an alternative.
• Deer are very common in New York and pose a threat to motorists, more so at night. Reduce your speed in suburban and rural neighborhoods at night to reduce the chance of an accident.
• Don't approach wild animals, especially if they are acting unusually friendly or confused. Rabies outbreaks in animals do occasionally occur. If bitten, especially by a racoon, bat, skunk, fox or dog, seek medical attention immediately.
• Upstate New York contains a few species of poisonous snakes, such as the copperhead, the eastern massasauga and the timber rattlesnake. Although it is uncommon to encounter these snakes, seek medical attention immediately if bitten.
• Also beware of the black widow spider, and seek medical attention if bitten.
• Possession of recreational cannabis is legal (for those over 21) in New York, up to 3 oz. outside the home. You can purchase it at licensed dispensaries (for off-premises consumption) or licensed consumption lounges. Legal marijuana is expensive, but it's legal—and much safer than black-market weed. Limit your consumption to consumption lounges, private homes, and public spaces that allow smoking; it's prohibited anywhere smoking is prohibited, as well as inside vehicles (parked or not). Whatever you do, do not bring it in from other states, or take it out of New York into other states. It's still illegal federally, and you can get into very deep trouble for interstate transportation of cannabis.
• Rifles and shotguns: In contrast to neighboring New Jersey, which has virtually zero-tolerance for firearms of any sort, New York (except for New York City) has a more welcoming policy as to travel with long guns (rifles and shotguns) except for so-called 'assault weapons.' Rifles and shotguns need to be unloaded and cased in a vehicle's trunk while under transport, and can be carried afield while hunting or target shooting. See the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation website for appropriate hunting licenses, which will add legitimacy to the possession of long guns, and make encounters with law enforcement a non-event. The same cannot be said of handguns.
• Handguns: Do not transport a handgun into New York State without a New York State handgun license. Handguns in New York are required to be registered and listed upon the individual's handgun license. No unregistered handguns are allowed in New York State (even by a license holder), and no individual can possess 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 utilize Albany International Airport as the nearest airport to home have been arrested upon check-in with the airline if they have a handgun in their checked luggage.

Respect

New York was the birthplace of the modern gay rights movement in the USA with the Stonewall Rebellion of 1969. New York and states in New England were among the early US states to legally recognize same-sex marriage. The majority of New Yorkers are socially tolerant and used to diversity, even in upstate areas that are perceived to be more conservative than New York City.

It is important to remember that New York City was one of the targets of the September 11 attacks in 2001, and the memory of 9/11 is still very fresh in the minds of New Yorkers, especially in New York City. Some may not wish to discuss the topic of 9/11, while others will gladly share their personal stories with you.

Go next

• Vermont — the fall foliage in New York's northeastern neighbor is a famously beautiful sight, and the state offers rural charm all year
• Massachusetts — the birthplace of America's revolution, this eastern neighbor of New York is home to historical towns, the vacation hotspot of Cape Cod, and the always-interesting city of Boston
• Connecticut — home to Yale University, Mystic Seaport, the restaurant and nightlife scene in downtown New Haven, the Maritime Aquarium, and two major Native American casinos
• New Jersey — the Garden State, south and west of southeastern New York, offers everything from the glitz of Atlantic City to the migratory birds of Cape May
• Pennsylvania — New York's southern neighbor saw the birth of the nation in Philadelphia and also offers rural charm
• Ontario — just across the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River, this Canadian province shares Niagara Falls and offers everything from the eclectic city of Toronto to the nature of Algonquin Provincial Park
• Quebec — New York's northern neighbor is Canada's French-speaking province, home to a unique culture and distinctly European feel