12 Most Underrated Cities In New York

When mentioning New York to someone, especially outside the country, but sometimes even inside its borders, it is often assumed to be the city instead of the state as a whole. While the "Big Apple" seems well-known to the world, the rest of the state tends to be forgotten more often than not. Though New York City offers several excellent opportunities, there are many other underrated cities across the state of New York that possess attributes not always accessible in the country’s largest city.

Syracuse

Located in Onondaga County, southwest of Oneida Lake, the city of Syracuse is a hidden gem in the center of upstate New York. Whether you are visiting to wander around downtown Syracuse, checking out the Neoclassical and Gothic architecture, or stopping in at one of several local museums, like the Museum of Science and Technology, Syracuse is a fount of history. For those who choose more naturalistic experiences, the Rosamond Gifford Zoo has meercats, monkeys, penguins, and red pandas. They also have a petting zoo on site for the kids. And if you find yourself wanting a bit of seclusion, check out Green Lakes State Park, featuring not one but two glacial lakes.

Yonkers

Home of Tibbets Brook Park, Rockefeller State Park, and Sprain Ridge Park, Yonkers portrays a communing of nature while still maintaining its title as a proper suburb of New York City. Other exciting activities that make this city worthy of a visit include checking out Untermyer Gardens and the Science Barge. If nature is not your thing, visitors can also check out Ridge Hill, a city within a city, for some away-from-home shopping or iFLY Indoor Skydiving. Yonkers also has several fine restaurants, like X20 Xaviars on the Hudson, Salsa Bembe, and Rory Dolan’s. Before leaving the city, make sure you stop in Paleteria La Michoacana for tasty ice cream.

Buffalo

The city of Buffalo, with 275,000 residents, has a population higher than any other city in the state of New York, excluding the four Boroughs of New York City, and possesses endless opportunities for fun and excitement. Though it hasn’t been nicknamed "the city that never sleeps," there are always things to do at any time of day or night in this second-largest city of New York. With the Niagara River 20 miles northwest and Lake Erie just off the southwestern part of downtown, opportunities abound for watersports, like boating, fishing, and kayaking. Buffalo also has foodies in mind, with food-tasting tours throughout the daytime and many restaurants and street food choices open late into the night.

Albany

Located on the west bank of the Hudson River, the city of Albany is the capital city of the state of New York and is famous for several attractions. These include the USS Slater DE-776, a restored Destroyer Escort, Washington Park, and the Ghosts of Albany tour. Other opportunities that make Albany one of the most enjoyable cities in the state are including yourself in one of the many scavenger hunts, or stopping by Crossgates for shopping. Several restaurants are also available in Albany, like Delmonico’s Italian Steakhouse, Kitchen 216, which offers local soul food, and the Cheesecake Factory, famous for some of the best cheesecake in New York.

Binghamton

The city of Binghamton, located in Broome County, is one of the most southern cities boasting a population of approximately 50,000 people in upstate New York, less than ten miles from the Pennsylvania border. This does not stop it from possessing some of the most exciting opportunities for visitors, though. Not only is it one of the most picturesque cities in New York, but it is also home to the Rod Sterling Gazebo and the Bundy Museum of History and Art. There are also several natural attractions, like Otsiningo Park, Cutler Botanic Garden, and Ross Park Zoo, which is the fifth-largest zoological institution in the country and home to howler monkeys and snow leopards.

Brooklyn

One of the four major boroughs of New York City, and also deemed a city on its own, the city of Brooklyn rests on the westernmost edge of Long Island and has a variety of spectacular opportunities not available anywhere else in the state or country. Brooklyn is home to Coney Island and the Brooklyn Bridge. This iconic city is also well-known for the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and Brooklyn Bridge Park, both appearing in the movie Dumbo. Along with all this history, Brooklyn also has some of the best food available anywhere, including L&B Spumoni Gardens, The River Café, and Peter Luger Steakhouse.

Schenectady

Located in Schenectady County, the city of Schenectady is one of those places that can take your breath away. Central Park Rose Garden on the fourth of July is the place to be if you love roses. Remember to bring your camera, though. Schenectady also offers visitors a variety of other activities that make the trip worth it, like stopping by the Via Aquarium, featuring over 2,000 sea creatures, and the Schenectady Greenmarket, with many great vendors. There are also several mouth-watering restaurants in Schenectady, including Johnny’s and Canali’s, both serving Italian fare and Stella’s Creamery and Cakes, for tasty ice cream treats.

Utica

Utica is a city in Oneida County in the Mohawk Valley that has something for everyone, including people who look for the strange and unusual. Along with the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute and the Stanley Center for the Arts, Utica is home to Utica Zoo and the National Distance Running Hall of Fame. If outside activities and communing with nature are more to your liking, stop by one of Utica’s parks, like the Oriskany Battlefield State Historic Site in Oriskany or Root Glen near Clinton. For exceptional eats, Utica offers several dining experiences, including Delmonico’s Italian Steakhouse and The Tailor and the Cook, both found on Genesee Street.

White Plains

Located in Westchester County, this eleventh largest city is most famous for its shopping and dining experiences, though there are also several opportunities to stop and smell the flowers as well. Along with The Westchester and White Plains Farmers Market, check out Turnure Park and Saxon Woods Park, both offering nature and fresh air at its best. There are also many different activities to be had in White Plains, including the Percy Grainger Home, the Miller House, and The Puzzle Parlor, an adventurous escape room that you can experience in person. Some of the dining available include Holy Crab Cajun Seafood on Mamaroneck Avenue and TVB: by Pax Romana on East Post Road.

Rochester

Home of the Seneca Park Zoo and Highland Park, Rochester caters to big-city living while, at the same time, allowing visitors to commune with the great outdoors. Located in Monroe County, with over 200,000 people calling this city their home, Rochester has something for everyone, no matter how eccentric your tastes are. There is the Canandaigua Wine-Tasting Experience, several scavenger hunts, and even an axe-throwing contest. Some of the more popular landmarks in Rochester include Mendon Ponds Park, just south of town, and Ontario Beach Park, resting on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. There is also Seabreeze Amusement Park, also on Lake Ontario, and home to the fourth oldest operating roller coaster in the world.

Hempstead

Hempstead, New York, is in Nassau County and is on the western side of Long Island. Famous for Hempstead Lake State Park, where grilling out, walking your dog, playing some frisbee, and exploring nature are all excellent activities, Hempstead is also close to several water sports. With Long Island Sound to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, boating, kayaking, and fishing are also easily managed. Plus, if you get hungry, several restaurants are available in downtown Hempstead, including Mexican, Latin, Spanish, Peruvian, Caribbean, and American options. And, if you have a taste for dessert, El Molina Bakery Café and Dulcemania II offer everything from fine cakes to authentic Mexican candies.

Troy

The city of Troy, located in Rensselaer County, south of Saratoga Springs and north of Poughkeepsie, is home to approximately 50,000 people. Known best for "the Home of Uncle Sam" and Prospect Park, the city of Troy has several activities that make it worthy of a visit, including catching a Tri-City Valleycats game at Joe Bruno Stadium, stopping by the Hart Cluett Museum, taking a hike in one of the nature parks, and journeying down to the Hudson River to check out River Fest, held every year in June. Several fine restaurants also call the city of Troy their home, like Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Plum Blossom, and Testo’s Restaurant.

If you and the family have visited Manhattan a million times already, or you have heard a lot about the cities of New York and have yet to visit any of them, here are a dozen of the most underrated cities in New York. From fine restaurants and exciting opportunities to breathtaking views of nature at its best, these cities will satisfy your taste buds, peak your sense of adventure, and give you a better comprehension of what New York is all about.