Trip From Manhattan to the Niagara Falls
The City of New York serves for many an exit point for a
visit to the famous Niagara Falls located on the border
between that State of New York and Canada, at a distance
of about 7 hours of drive (660 km) from Manhattan.
Between those two famous tourists sites are spread many
tourists sites that include picturesque villages, large
cities with interesting museums, rivers, lakes, falls,
caves as well as customary in the U.S. large scale
amusement parks. Each one can chose the attractions he
likes. This track is recommended especially from the end
of May until the beginning of September, during that
period, the weather is pleasant and all tourist sites
are open.
Recomended Hotels in New York:
Hyatt
Place New York
A 3 star Hotel Just 5 minutes’
walk from the Empire State Building, offers free Wi-Fi,
a corner sofa, refrigerator, work desk and coffee making
are included in each room.
Hotel Belleclaire
A 4 star Hotel in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, 3 blocks
from Central Park. Free Wi-Fi.
The New Yorker
Hotel
Historic Midtown Manhattan 4 star hotel
located 2 minutes’ walk from Madison Square Garden and
opposite Penn Station. Times Square and the Theater
District are 10 minutes’ walk away. Free Wi-Fi .
Bedford Hotel
3 star hotel located 3-minute walk to Grand Central
Station, offering easy access to Manhattan shopping and
dining. Flat-screen cable TV and desk along with a safe.
Each room is equipped with a microwave, refrigerator and
coffee maker. free Wi-Fi.
TRYP by Wyndham Times Square
South
3 star hotel. Located 5-minute walk from
Penn Station. Free Wi-Fi.
Our articles about New York: New York Vacation for Families | Guided Tours of Manhattan
Albany the Capital of New York State
Upon leaving Manhattan to the north, the landscape
changes rapidly from skyscrapers and loaded streets into
a green serene valley thru which flows the Hudson River.
Albany, the Capitol of New York State is the largest of
the valley cities, and is located at a distance of three
hours' drive (250 km) from Manhattan (On highway No.
I-87) and it recommended to devote to it at least one
full day. The official internet site of the city is;
https://www.albany.org/. The City was established about 400 years
ago by Dutch fur merchants, and it has a modern and
impressive governmental center that constitutes a
contrast with the picturesque landscape of the Hudson
River. The City is considered a cultural hub with
museums, theaters and historical buildings. A huge
complex of 11 government buildings, conferences and
culture named "Governor Nelson Rockefeller State Plaza"
that controls the skyline of the city's center. The
complex includes two lines of skyscrapers and among them
a reflective pool. Exceptional in structure is an oval
building named "The Egg" that serves as a hall for
shows.
The most worthwhile sites for a visit in this
complex are the Capitol of New York State (in which
guided tours are conducted several times daily) and the
New York State Museum that includes a variety of
multimedia exhibits telling the history of New York
State from the dinosaurs era thru the days of the
Indians and the development of the large metropolis of
the City of New York, including stories about the
immigration waves during the various periods. One of the
most impressive exhibits is dedicated to the
firefighters of the State of New York who died in the
Twin Towers Disaster. The tallest building in the complex
is named "Corning Tower". It is recommended to go up to
the observation balcony and view the city and its
surroundings. In this building is also located the
visitors center of the city and an impressive art
collection.
For information about all the tourists' sites and attractions of the Empire State Plaza Click Here.
A way yielding an experience to visit Albany is by the amphibious bus that has a funny shape, named Albany Aqua Ducks. Half of the visit is driving the streets of the historical town, among the important buildings, and later the bus turns into a boat that calmly cruises the waters of the river.
The Howe Caverns Stalactite caves.
At a distance of 45 minutes' drive to the West of Albany (65 km), on highway I-90 and later on I-88, are located the Howe Caverns discovered by a local rancher named Lester in the year 1842. He noticed that during the summer days, instead of looking for a hiding place in the shade, his cows always rest at the edge of the field. When he tried to understand the reason for this, he discovered a hole in the ground from which cool air is blowing. When he carefully entered the hole, he was surprised to see a huge cave with labyrinth full of stalactites and stalagmites and an underground river flowing in it. Eighty minutes guided tours are conducted starting with a descent by elevator to a depth of 60 meters underground, after which you walk on a brick lane that follows the underground river among the beautiful stalagmites and stalactites. The visit end with a cruise on the "Venus" underground lake. The cave is open for visitors all year round and the temperature in it is steady: 12-centigrade degrees. In one of the underground halls, named the "Bridal Altar" many weddings take place each year. A challenge visit is also conducted in the cave, which includes climbing and crawling thru an underground passage inside the cave.
Soccer and cars museums on the way
Continue on highway I-88 to the little town Oneonta where "The National Soccer Hall of Fame" is located. For cars fans it is recommended to deviate from the main travel route and drive for about an hour on road number 23 to visit the little town of Norwich. Here is located the Northeast Clasic Car Museum, exhibiting 125 antique cars, some are rare and extremely prestigious (in this museum is the world's largest exhibition of Lincoln cars).
The Finger Lakes and Ithaca
An additional
drive of two hours to the west will bring you to the
nice university town
Ithaca, the home of the prestigious
Cornell University. Ithaca is situated at the lower part
of Cayuga Lake, the longest of all 11 Finger Lakes.
Those long narrow lakes that stretch from north to south
were created following receding glaciers during the last
ice age. It is recommended to visit the beautiful
Cornell University with its interesting
Cornell Plantations.
This entire area has an abundance of
nature parks with many hiking trails, bicycle tracks,
rivers, falls and water sports of all kinds. Already on
the outskirts of Ithaca one can see falls and hike in
charming parks. The highest water-fall in the area is
Taughannock Falls, 65 meters high, located at a distance
of only about 15 km north of the town. The fall is in a
state park with the same name, and you reach it by trail
of about 1 kilometer that passes thru a canyon on both
sides of which are cliffs with a height of more than 100
meters. The most popular park in the area is "Watkins
Glen State Park" located at the southern tip of nearby
Lake Seneca (West of Ithaca). The park has wonderful
hiking routes along a river gorge in a canyon leading to
nice waterfalls.
The park has 19 different waterfalls, the nicest of which is the Rainbow Fall. The Finger Lakes Area is also the best area in the state to grow vineyards. There are more than 65 vineyards and wineries that you can visit and taste their wines. In fact, the Cayuga Wine Trail begins in Ithaca and continues in scenic route between many vineyards along the north shore of the lake. Ithaca itself has number of successful wineries, a recommended winery is Six Mile Creek Vineyard.
Recommended Hotels in Ithaca:
The Homewood Suites by Hilton
Ithaca
Hilton Chain Suites Hotel
Country
Inn & Suites Ithaca
More economic but good
suites hotel.
Courtyard Ithaca
Marriot chain hotel with rooms and suites for up to 6
persons.
Corning
South of the Finger Lakes is located the town of Corning famous mainly for the glass factories that manufacture from housewares to art items, fiber optics and even windows for spacecraft. The Corning Museum of Glass is located here, containing a collection of objets d'art from 35 countries, considered as one of the largest in the world. The museum has an interactive exhibit of technologies and inventions related to work with glass as well as a demonstration of glassblowing. The town also has the interesting Rockwell Museum of Western Art exhibiting artwork describing the era of the "Wild West".
Rochester
From Corning go north to the city
of Rochester located on the shores of Lake Ontario.
Rochester, nicknamed "The City of Flowers" because of
George Eastman that established here the famous Kodak
Corporation. Therefore it is of no surprise that
George Eastman House is one of the City's main attractions.
This is a mansion of 50 rooms surrounded by gardens and
that houses the International Museum of Photography and
Films. The museum holds an impressive collection of
cameras, photos of known artists, movies and photography
books.
The city has two additional nice museums:
Rochester Museum & Science
Center showing exhibits of
innovations in science and technology and in contrast
exhibits of the culture and tradition of the area
inhabitants over generations, from the Indians of the
Seneca Tribe that lived in the area to the Europeans who
arrived to the State.
Another museum, especially fit
for families with young children is the
Strong National Museum
of Play. A children museum based mainly on the
popular children program, "Sesame Street". Here the kids
can experience the photography of a television program
with the lovable characters and many other interactive
experiences. The Museum also houses collections of
dolls, dollhouses and miniatures.
The City also has
an abundance of additional family attractions such as an
amusement park and a nearby water park,
Seabreeze Park/ Raging River Water Park, which offer in addition to
rollercoasters other rides, waterslides and live shows.
Darien Lake Amusement Park
The rollercoaster fans will not give up a visit to the Darien Lake amusement park (Belonged in the past to the "Six Flags" Chain). The park includes in addition to the rides also a water park and nice shows. The park is located in the town of Darien Center on the way to the Niagara Falls at a distance of about an hour's drive west of Rochester.
Less than an hour drive to the west, away from the world of fun, awaits you one of nature's most impressive phenomena; the Niagara Falls, the final destination of the trip.
Our articles about Niagra Falls: Guide to Niagara Falls Atractions | More Attractions on the Canadian side of the Niagara Falls