9 Underrated Destination In New York To Avoid Summer Crowds
During the summertime, when most people seem to be heading to the shores of coastal Florida and California for their favorite beachscape, others seek a time off in New York. The Empire State, one of North America's most popular destinations year-round, gets scores of visitors during the hot summer months, leaving many only to desire a real, quick getaway.
Forget New York City for a minute, the modern-day center of the world, and avoid other iconic landmarks for the lesser-known New York. There are many little nooks, picturesque corners, and serene crannies throughout New York, from the state's infamous state parks to inviting small towns, beaches, gardens, and even a unique museum. Mingle one-on-one with nature and only locals in the know over many family-friendly adventures, serene pastimes, and scenic relaxation opportunities.
Adirondack Animal Land
The Adirondack Animal Land, with fabulous views of the stunning Adirondack Mountains, is among the best family summer getaways in New York. It is the largest zoo in upstate New York, with entertainment for all tastes and groups that keeps everyone engaged and informed scenically. Set base in the zoo's cozy hometown of Gloversville and spend sunny days carousing among over 500 animals from May to Labor Day at the peaky backdrop.
With 80 acres of browseable farmland, the zoo offers opportunities to get up close and personal with monkeys and giraffes, feed the deer ducks, and take thrilling Safari Rides. Check out the cool Western Town replica with a jail and a mine, while Gloversville's local businesses await after all the animal interactions with fun evenings on the town.
Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a 52-acre oasis quietly tucked away in one of New York's friendliest neighborhoods, Brooklyn Heights. Enjoy relaxing nature strolls amid over 12,000 plant types from different pockets of the world and a variety of climates. Having miraculously adapted to local weather, the gardens thrive with plant species of all shapes, colors, and sizes as a refreshing escape right in your backyard. There are also regular events, from helpful tips on keeping your own greenery alive to the picturesque Cherry Esplanade and the Power of Trees, featuring live jazz, sound baths, fetes, and sculptures.
The garden is never crowded and has something for everyone, including simple respite seekers. Enjoy quality time with your close friends, reflect in solitude, or find your inner gardener along its delightful trails, including a Japanese garden, an herb garden, and the ever-colorful Cranford Rose Garden. Head to the Shakespeare garden on a literary hunt for the over 80 herbs and plants from his plays, or the interactive children’s garden with your little ones to learn over play with exhibits.
Letchworth State Park
Letchworth State Park is a dream come true destination for anyone seeking city respite in a beautiful natural environment with relaxing strolls, hikes, or bike rides. The huge park, often called the "Grand Canyon of the East," spans over 14,400 acres across two counties in western New York, with waterfalls and gorges abounding. Come for reflective strolls and stunning views, family picnics through refreshing forests, and wide ground crevices that will leave you breathless. Take a relaxing kayak ride or the whitewater rapids of the river, and return for tubing and skiing in the winter.
The park's cascades are some of the largest in the state, like its main three waterfalls, the Upper, Middle, and Lower Falls, dispelled from the Genesee River. Find them in the southern part, the Portage Canyon, and explore around or clamber the tallest Middle Falls, at 107 feet. The park's unobstructed lookout points are unmatched anywhere in the state, with over 60 miles of hiking routes leading to highlights like the Inspiration Point Overlook, some half a mile from the Visitor Center. There are also several playgrounds, swimming pools, campsites, and weather-permitting hot air balloon rides.
Sag Harbor
Sag Harbor is an unmissable town when in York, offering the Hamptons atmosphere without the bougie vibe. The small seaside town straddling the border of Southampton and East Hampton is much more easygoing than the latter, making it a perfect NYC getaway for every taste and group. Immerse yourself in culture and nature along the waterfront and in the easy-going, picturesque downtown area. Sag Harbor is a top choice for nature ventures and family-friendly activities like relaxing harborside strolls with scenery abounding.
The popular Sag Harbor Whale & Historical Museum displays exhibits in an impressive historic mansion, while the luxurious Loveshack Fancy lifestyle store is only part of a whole shopping scene. Enjoy vibrant art around the streets and sights in this artist colony that welcomed and inspired the likes of Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko, and Andy Warhol. Find several atmospheric state parks right around the corner, like Montauk Point State Park and Lighthouse, for more bonding and relaxing in nature.
Southwick Beach State Park
This wonderful state park in New York, fringed by a stretch of sandy beach on Lake Ontario, offers an envied setting for crowdless summertime pursuits for every taste and group. Venture on a stroll with a picnic to relax along the 3,500-foot-long sandy beach with a rare, freshwater coastal barrier environment around you. The fanning-out trails through beaches, sand dunes, and marshes offer opportunities for fun activities or scenic relaxation, with wildlife sightings abounding.
There are also extensive campgrounds at the park for tents and trailers, in between picnic areas and fields, to use at your discretion for recreation. Take refreshing nature hikes and cooling water dips in the family-friendly swimming areas with lifeguards. Boat around the lake and out to relax in the middle under the sun, where you can dive and swim in the deep. The most avid will enjoy the hiking trails to the nearby Lakeview Wildlife Management Area as well as returning in winter for snowmobiling through the seasonal wonderland of the park.
Storm King Art Center
The open-air museum at Storm King Mountain, Storm King Art Center, is a notable addition to any bucket list when in New York. Immerse yourself in the story of its founding days in the 1960s, when Ralph Ogden opened his estate to the public and began the quirky museum with unique sculptures that he collected over his Eurotrip. Having expanded gradually to cover the landscape around his home, the museum was then redesigned to match the changing museum exhibits.
Today, Storm King Art Center delights curious visitors with a fusion of art and nature in a harmonious environment that celebrates both human and divine beauty. Storm King Art Center is an open-air museum where nature enhances the sculpture displays to explore in any way you prefer, like a rented bike, a guided tour, or a relaxing saunter through the calming environment.
Thousand Islands
Thousand Islands, comprising 1,864 islands that range in size in the St. Lawrence River, is one of the coolest places to venture out on the waters in upstate New York. These islands range from the largest, the Canadian side's Wolfe Island, to the aptly named world’s smallest inhabited island at 3,300 square feet, Just Room Enough Island, on the US side. The archipelago, straddling the border between New York and Ontario, was declared a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 2002.
Visit Ironsides Island, with one of the state's largest great blue heron colonies, or Carleton Island, with the British-built old Fort Haldimand, built in 1779 during the American Revolutionary War. Alexandria Bay is a great base to explore around, like the most popular Heart Island with its famous 120-room Boldt Castle. The Riveredge Resort Hotel is only a 10-minute boat ride to Boldt Castle, making it perfect to relax after a venturous day with spa bathtubs and a gym hot tub.
Watkins Glen State Park
The stunning Watkins Glen State Park in the Finger Lakes region is arguably the state's best. popular among naturalists for hikes. It is a real oasis, offering a network of trails that disperse the outdoors over 770 acres strewn with pretty waterfalls, rushing rapids, and stone steps over and under the waters. Take a rim hike along the narrow, 400-foot-deep gorge, with a stream cutting through and several waterfalls.
The Gorge Trail is a gorgeous path over a stream, gorge, and several waterfalls to the Finger Lakes Trail. Getaway on a budget by choosing one of Watkins Glen's tent or trailer campsites, or stay at the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel with beautiful rooms featuring outdoor seating areas, lake views, and an on-site restaurant, bar, and gym. You can skip the last, as the park fulfills all your exercise requirements with a spectacular backdrop.
Youngstown
This small, spirited town full of pride sits at the meeting point of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario, just 11 miles north of Niagara Falls, along the Canadian border. Immerse yourself in local culture along the main street with independently owned small businesses, or get your thrill fix with Niagara Jet Adventures. Youngstown attains a resort-style atmosphere during the summer, when thousands descend for harbor yacht races and world-class fishing opportunities. Take a stroll through the nearby waterfront parks, with the best lookout points at Lower Niagara Falls. Every summer's Friday evening, the heart of the town, Falkner Park, comes alive during the free live concerts.
The beautiful, historic village offers rich heritage sights with a historic marker like Old Fort Niagara and surrounding areas, which played a key part in North America's history. Enjoy nature at your doorstep with fabulous wet adventures, refreshing strolls, and waterside relaxation, with nostalgic diners awaiting to recharge you over home-cooked comfort food or gourmet fare. Feel part of the locally-paced vibe in no time, like on a drive through the charming roadside farmers markets with fresh goods, shopping for unique gifts, and joining locals at street events and pubs. Visit for the annual Labor Day parade marking the end of summer, and return next season for the Here Comes Summer Street Dance.
New York is no exception when it comes to the holiday crowds throughout the United States. Get away from it all to the naturally rich state that the Empire State has forgotten itself as such. Choose the zoo, a small town with friendly people, culture, and food, water access to miles of shoreline, or state parks with hundreds of refreshing landscape acres.
Escape the cities and holidaymakers alike in one of these nine underrated destinations in the Empire State without the sweaty bodies and unobscured views. Scattered around from Upper New York to the stunning Adirondacks and countless islands, these nine off-the-beaten-path hidden gems eagerly await new faces.
