New York , It truly is the Empire State! WOW!! So much to tell!
Written: Nov 28 '02 (Updated Aug 12 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Extremely diverse in scenery, culture, and history.
Cons: Hey, to some it's New York. To me it's home.
The Bottom Line: I am proud to be a New Yorker and am happy to tell the world about it.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: New York |
I have lived all my life in NY. I have been fortunate to travel around the state quite a bit. There is so much to say and so much to tell.
LONG ISLAND
Living on Long Island I'll first mention it's shoreline. We have over a hundred miles of white sand beaches. These stretch across the full southern end of the island. There's Coney Island, The Rockaways, Long Beach, Jones Beach State Park, Robert Moses, Fire Island, and the Hamptons to name a few. Millions of visitors take advantage of them every year. The beaches start in Brooklyn and go all the way out to Montauk Point. Some are very crowded and some you can find peace and the constant rhythms of the waves. Did you know that the oldest and still operating horse ranch of the United States is in Montauk? "Yup, That's right partner!"
I happen to live in Freeport a town right on the bays. We have an area known as the Nautical Mile that happens to be a major attraction on Long Island with its many fine restaurants, fishing fleets, and nautical charm. It's well worth a visit.
Long Island's north and south forks have world class wineries. That's something else few people know. It's fun to take a tour of the vineyards and do some wine tasting.
Long Island also has many of its own museums including a Children's Museum, a number of art museums, and the Cradle of Aviation Museum. Teddy Roosevelt's "Summer White House" is a National Historic Site as well as the Fire Island Sea Shore and Lighthouse.
Long Island is considered the suburb of New York City. The boom started with Levittown. It has grown to be one of the top "places to live" in many magazines and other publications. It has so much to offer on it's own and it's "just forty five minutes to Broadway". I might add it's also on the highest taxed list.
The North shore has it's "Millionairs Row" of mansions. There are also many sea towns like Cold Spring Harbor. On any given summer day you will see hundreds of sail boats catching the wind on the Long Island Sound.
PRO TEAMS
Some of the states largest shopping malls are on the island.
Long Island has it's own hockey team, the Islanders.
New York State is known for it's professional sports teams. The Yankees, Mets, Knicks, Giants, Jets and Rangers all call New York their home. Let's not forget the Buffalo Bills and Sabers from the far northwest of the state. There isn't much that's more fun than going to a sports game. And whether you love 'em or hate 'em you have to get to Yankee Stadium at least once.
NEW YORK CITY
New York City needs a review of it's own but lets start with the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. So many Americans today can be grateful to their grand parents, great grand parents and great great grand parents for leaving their homes in foreign nations and coming to this new land of promise and hope. Many of them were processed through Ellis Island. I always wondered what was in their minds, hearts, and souls as they first saw the Lady in the harbor with a torch lighting their way to a place where they would build a new city and a new life.
And what a city they have built. One of the biggest and finest in the world New York City. It has become a leading cultural spot. There is Lincoln Center with it's opera, ballet and orchestras. Then there are Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall and Times Square with a multitude of Broadway and off Broadway shows. There are all kinds of multi-cultural arts programs every single day and night of the year.
MANY PEOPLES
The city has representative neighborhoods of people from all over the world. Some of these places are must stops. Walking through the streets of Chinatown is always fun. Eating in Little Italy is always wonderful. Walking through some of the Jewish neighborhoods and shops of downtown is always interesting. Having breakfast, lunch or dinner, at Sylvia's restaurant in Harlem is a delight. In the East Village, Soho, Tribeca, you will find all kinds of international cuisine. The foods all around the city are so diverse and inviting. Have a hot dog from a street vendor's cart or go up to the Rainbow Room in the NBC building at Rockefeller Center and have a fine dinner with dancing while taking advantage of gorgeous views.
EMPIRE STATE BUILDING AND MORE
Where can you get better views than from the top of the Empire State Building? It's magnificent!!! Look down and see the incomparable Chrysler Building with it's glistening top. See the bridges of the city that look like strings of glimmering pearls on a bright night.
Down below is Grand Central Station. They gave it that name for good reason. Walk up a few blocks from there and you are in the middle of Times Square. There is no place like that in the world. Do you dare join the revelers in bringing in the New Year?
Right now as I start writing this piece it's the eve of Thanksgiving. New York is the home of The Macy's Thanksgiving day Parade. It has marching bands, the Radio City Rockettes, huge floats and gigantic balloons. Once again "Where else would you see a parade like that than in NYC!?!?"
CENTRAL PARK
Right in the middle of all this is the famous Central Park. This place has more to enjoy than you ever thought it could. It has 21 children's parks, two zoos, an ice skating rink, baseball fields, huge meadows and over ten major museums in it or bordering it. It has two landmark restaurants, theatres that have free and pay for shows featuring opera and contemporary music. There are lakes with row boating and even Gondola Rides with singing gondolers. There is a carousel, hundreds of sculptures and monuments and even a castle!!
The city is part of the birthplace of our nation. It changed hands of different countries in it's early years and the influences are still with us.
PRESIDENTS
Our first president George Washington was sworn into office in NYC. Many of his haunts are still around. You can see the pew where he sat for services in Trinity Church downtown. Ben Franklin's spot is there too. Ask where it is. You will be surprised. You can see where George may have raised a glass of spirits or two in Fraunces Tavern. This is also where he gave his farewell address.
Speaking of presidents. Do you remember the testing question of "Who is buried in Grants Tomb". Well that's right General Grant of civil war fame. The tomb is a grand National Historic Site dedicated to this former president. There is also Federal Hall in downtown Manhattan. That's another National Site with much history too it.
Right across the street from it is The New York Stock Exchange building. New York is the financial capital of the world!!
WTC
We have lost our two towers on September 11th, 2001. More importantly we lost many good people, American's mostly, but also freedom loving people from around the world. We will never forget them or the hero's who gave the ultimate sacrifice in trying to rescue others.
Update 2005
Construction has begun on the new Freedom Tower and the rest of the World Trade Center complex that will also include a permanent memorial called the "Reflecting Pool".
There is also a temporary memorial just a ten minute walk away in Battery Park with Castle Clinton in it's boundaries. This is also a National Historic site that has tours and a small museum.
The memorial has as it's centerpiece a sculpture that once rested between our WTC towers. It is a good place to stop and pay respects.
MORE TO SEE
Not far from here is the South Street Seaport. It's a place with restaurants, shops, and boats and ships of yesteryear.
Again not far away is New Yorks famous Greenwich Village with it's diversity of people and many clubs and different styles of music.
New York has some of the worlds finest department stores and hotels. They are all here to see from afar or spend some dollars and experience them yourself.
CHURCHES
Don't forget some of the churches. St Patrick's Cathedral is just around the corner from Radio City. Uptown you will find St John the Divine, the largest church in North America. Riverside Church is also near there. Back down town is the Chapel of St Paul. This was around during the revolutionary war and is another National Historic site.
Ok, I could go on and on about the place where I spent my earlier years of life. I lived in NYC till I was thirteen years old. I have many great memories of the city. But there is still so much about New York the State.
OTHER CITIES
There are other cities in New York State. Albany is the capital. The Albany Mall is an interesting place where you can get tours of the state capitol buildings. The New York State Museum is also right there. It's dioramas are a definite treat for kids and adults alike.
Other cities like Buffalo, Syracuse, Binghamton, and Schenectady all have their own fine restaurants, historic sites and places of culture.
HUDSON VALLEY
People tend to think of New York as a city when the truth is it has many many different kinds of diverse land. As you go up the Hudson Valley there are many old turn of the century mansions that were built by our nations first families of wealth during what was called the Guilded Age. The homes reflect the name.
The Rockefellers and Vanderbilts built some of these homes. It is also through their wealth, generosity, and dreams of the future that we have some beautiful park lands set aside for our use.
In this same area is the the home of Franklin D Roosevelt and the one he built for his wife Elenore. One is right on the river while the other is just twenty minutes away set in the hills and woods.
Up further in the valley is Olana, It's a fanciful castle built by Frederick Church, one of America first artist who painted scenes of the Hudson River.
The Hudson valley and the rolling hills around it are beautiful. There are farms and orchards throughout the area. In fact they are through out the state. Dairy farming is a very big part of New Yorks commerce along with pig raising. Much of this is in the Finger Lake and Great Lake regions too. In between all this land and throughout the state are pieces of land set aside for our use. The state park system. I have an Empire Pass. With this pass that cost about forty dollars for the year I have access to some of the most beautiful places in the nation. I really mean that.I have been cross country a few times visiting many of our National parks. The NYS parks may not all have the grandeur of a Yellowstone or Grand Canyon but they do hold their own on beauty and tranquility. Some of the parks are just for recreation and others also have camping facilities.
Across the Hudson River is a place some of you may have heard of from the sixties, Woodstock. The town while not the official site of the music fest still has musicians, shops and restaurants in this quaint town.
STATE PARKS AND NIAGARA FALLS
The state parks that dot NYS are very diverse also. From Jones Beach to the Finger Lakes area, to up and around Niagara Falls they are well kept, easy to locate, and full of fun things to do.
I did just mention Niagara Falls. I can't say too much about that "Wonder of the World". It's a place you must visit. You get two sides to this wonder. The Canadian side and the American side. Both hold their own special features.
DELAWARE RIVER
I have enjoyed camping and canoeing on the Delaware river way over on the western part of NY. This area is also a wonderland of hills lakes, rivers and all that go with them. When going to that area we would take route 17 and the Roscoe Diner is a stop we always made. I particularly remember a camping trip there with six buddies of mine in the summer of 1967. My wife had recently put a picture up of me and my buddies on our mantle. I had a lean mean look those days and it's great to check out the old pictures once in a while.
One of the guys in the picture is a friend I still keep in touch with. He now runs a State Park near Binghamton NY. This is in the middle of the state. Again it's the same rivers, lakes, and hills. Take a good look at NY on a map of the states. It really is a huge state!!
THE CATSKILLS AND ADIRONDACKS
New York State has mountainous areas too. The smaller Catskill mountains are down in the southern part of the state. There are all kinds of fun parks and resorts throughout them. For a bit more mountain the Adirondacks Mountains are a must stop. This area to the north is dotted with lakes and ponds for great fishing and boating. Skiing can be found in the Catskills and the Adirondacks. I have been camping in the big mountains. It is gorgeous!!
We recently had a three day weekend in Saratoga Springs. We loved the town for all it offers. It's active and exciting, charming and low keyed and filled with historic sites and museums. Saratoga Springs can be quite romantic too.
In the Adirondack area is Lake George. This is a very busy area with tourist throughout the year but mostly in the summer. Amusement areas and all kinds of fun things for the kids are here. Going up north a bit is the winter playgrounds of Lake Placid. This is also where the Winter Olympics were held. As you travel north you come to the border of our Canadian friends. Montreal is just across the border and it's quite a site to suddenly see signs in French!.
Two favorite places I've visited here are Ausable Chasm and Fort Ticonderoga.
THOUSAND ISLANDS
The Thousand Island area of New York State is also beautiful. This is on the border of Canada. I remember checking it out years ago with a buddy of mine when we went exploring and camping for a couple of weeks. Boating, swimming, fishing, are just some of the things that bring people there every year.
MORE IN NYS
Did you know that New York State has caves? yes it does. I have been to How's Caverns a few times. It's a great tour.
Horse Racing is all over the state too. Saratoga, Belmont, and Aquaduct are three tracks I can think of right away.
OK baseball fans. Right smack in the middle of New York State is Cooperstown, the home of Base Balls, Hall of Fame. It's a lovely town with lot's of places to stay and the museum is a must for baseball fans.
NY also has many many fine schools and lets not forget West Point where men and woman go and become future leaders who help defend our freedoms. This is a great area to tour. I have been there twice over the years. I think it's time to check it out again.
NATIONAL PARKS AND SITES
There are many National historic sites and monuments through out the state. I was recently at Saratoga a fort in the north country. It was an important turning point of the revolutionary war when the Americans were able to hold onto it in face of the advancing British. It was one of those places that have you thanking our forefathers for what we have today.
Well, that's about all for now. I hope I haven't made any glaring omissions. That's what comment are for. There is one thing I really must say
"I LOVE NEW YORK"
Other reviews by Popsrocks about NYS and places in it.
Long Island
New York City
Long Island
Hudson Valley
The Catskills
Niagara Falls
New York State
Saratoga Springs
The Adirondacks
Chenango Valley State Park
Watkins Glen State Park
MY favorite Map.
2005 American Map Road Atlas: Large Scale - Large Type
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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