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THE 15 MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN UPSTATE NEW YORK YOU DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED By LAUREN MATISON 3/28/2016 NEW YORK JIM VALLEE/SHUTTERSTOCK There's so much more to upstate New York than Niagara Falls, despite what family road trip movies and various desktop wallpapers might tell you. In fact, there are beautiful places to see all over upstate New York, from the Catskills to Rochester -- most of which you probably haven’t even heard about, let alone seen. That’s about to change. From a field of gold to the Grand Canyon of the East, these are the places worth discovering on your next weekend getaway.

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Page 1: THE 15 MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN UPSTATE NEW …doclibrary.com/MSC174/DOC/Thrillist1603282818.pdf · THE 15 MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN UPSTATE NEW YORK YOU DIDN'T ... most of which you

THE 15 MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN UPSTATE NEW YORK YOU DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED By LAUREN MATISON

3/28/2016

NEW YORK

JIM VALLEE/SHUTTERSTOCK

There's so much more to upstate New York than Niagara Falls, despite what

family road trip movies and various desktop wallpapers might tell you. In fact,

there are beautiful places to see all over upstate New York, from the Catskills

to Rochester -- most of which you probably haven’t even heard about, let

alone seen. That’s about to change. From a field of gold to the Grand Canyon

of the East, these are the places worth discovering on your next weekend

getaway.

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GARY GLASER/SHUTTERSTOCK

Letchworth State Park Castile

Try your hardest not to Instagram with the hashtag #beautyoverload when you

visit Letchworth State Park, known as the “Grand Canyon of the East.” It

harbors three spectacular waterfalls, where you’re guaranteed to see

rainbows. Whether you hike along the 66 miles of trails, take an air balloon

ride, or kayak down the roaring Genesee River, this is one for the New York

sightseeing bucket list.

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COURTESY OF THE SAGAMORE

The Pavilion at The Sagamore Lake George

The Sagamore Resort has been around for over 100 years, but you’ll be

forgiven for not knowing about this hidden gem, perched on Green Island in

the middle of six-million-acre Adirondack Park. Come summer, the most

picturesque place in the state to have a mid-afternoon cocktail (like a

refreshing Country Thyme Lemonade) is the upper deck at the resort’s

Pavilion restaurant.

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COURTESY OF THE CORPORATION OF YADDO

Yaddo Gardens Saratoga Springs

Yaddo Gardens is where New Yorkers can go to finally understand the true

meaning of peace. Part of an artists’ community that’s situated on a 400-acre

estate dating back to 1900, Yaddo is a closely guarded local secret, so expect

to stroll by sculptures and rose bushes in the company of Saratogans and

resident artists. And since this is the closest thing to The Shire outside of New

Zealand, you will sense the urge to frolic or hug a tree. Don’t fight it.

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COURTESY OF STU GALLAGHER

McGregor Vineyard Dundee

The Finger Lakes wine region may not boast as many awards as Napa, but

standing amidst the grapes of McGregor Vineyard, you’d argue it’s more

beautiful. Located off the beaten wine trail overlooking the bluff of Keuka

Lake, McGregor’s perch is so stunning you’d stay and drink the wine even if it

were bad. Fortunately, it’s really, really good. Bring a picnic, grab a bottle of

Black Russian Red, and watch the light dance across the lake until they kick

you out, which they won’t.

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COURTESY OF BRETT MAURER

Whittaker Falls Martinsburg

In a little unheard of town tucked away at the end of Whittaker Park, you’ll

discover a waterfall inside a waterfall inside a waterfall. Pack your camping

gear because you won’t find a more breathtaking -- and crowd-free -- spot to

pop a tent. Just be prepared to wake up at night when nature calls, again and

again.

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FLICKR/JOHN MCCULLOUGH

Rainbow Falls Bridge Watkins Glen

Get this gorgeous place to yourself by coming early in the morning, when the

busloads of tourists haven’t yet arrived. There are 200ft cliffs and 19

waterfalls, including the famous Cavern Cascade, but the most jaw-dropping

spot to soak it all in at Watkins Glen State Park is the Rainbow Falls Bridge.

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COURTESY OF KAREN WHEELER-LOCKWOOD, LOCKWOOD LAVENDER FARM

Lockwood Lavender Farm Skaneateles

On a hillside overlooking Skaneateles Lake (pronounced skinny-atlas), is the

120-acre Lockwood Lavender Farm and New York’s own piece of Provence.

Grazing sheep, baby goats, and endless rows of lavender amounts to a purple

dreamscape worthy of back-to-back Instagram posts.

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COURTESY OF GRAYCLIFF/PATRICK MAHONEY

Graycliff Estate Derby

Instead of yet another weekend spent Netflix-and-chilling, head upstate for a

behind-the-scenes Master Architectural tour of a Frank Lloyd Wright house.

Built from 1926-1931, the Graycliff Estate sits at the edge of Lake Erie, where

the 70ft limestone cliffs served as inspiration for Wright’s work.

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COURTESY OF MORGAN SAMUELS INN

Morgan Samuels Inn Canandaigua

You’ve seen one ivy-covered B&B, you’ve seen ‘em all, right? Wrong. Save

the money on a trip to England’s Lake District and instead book a room at the

most beautiful bed and breakfast in New York State. While the 1810 mansion

is close to Letchworth State Park, Watkins Glen, and the Finger Lakes’

cheese, wine, and beer trails, you’ll find it hard to stay away from this soul-

stirring setting for very long.

FLICKR/MIGUEL VIEIRA

The Devil’s Path Catskills

You will sweat in places you didn’t know you could sweat from, but it’ll be

worth it for the spectacular views from various summits like Twin Mountain,

Indian Head, and Plateau Mountain. With over 14,000ft of elevation change,

this 25-mile trail is considered by many to be the toughest hike in the East.

(Duh, it’s called Devil’s Path.)

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FLICKR/WILD CENTER

The Wild Walk Tupper Lake

Channel your inner Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon at this 81-acre

playground for nature lovers. Nestled 45ft up in the Adirondack forest at The

Wild Center (the first LEED-certified museum in New York), the permanent

High Line-inspired Wild Walk exhibit reopens Memorial Day weekend and is

the only elevated treetop trail in the state.

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COURTESY OF THE CORNING MUSEUM OF GLASS

The Corning Museum of Glass Corning

The glass collections at this offbeat museum are intriguing, but it’s the striking

new 100,000sqft Contemporary Art + Design Wing that has out-of-towners

(and non-glass gurus) planning a trip to the Finger Lakes for more than just

wine and waterfalls.

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COURTESY OF MIKE FROM ROCHESTER SUBWAY

The Secret Sidewalk Rochester

A mile west of Ontario Beach Park, in the little hamlet of Charlotte, is the most

idyllic street you’ve ever seen. Though it’s technically Rochester, it feels like

you’ve landed inMonet’s Garden at Sainte-Adresse in northwestern France.

The Secret Sidewalk is a public walkway, but the residents who live in those

big lakefront homes from the early 20th century would prefer their slice of

paradise remain off the tourist checklist, so keep your cool, don’t take selfies,

and just enjoy your Abbott’s Frozen Custard with the rest of the locals.

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COURTESY OF BEAVER BROOK

Beaver Brook Barryville

Vimeo co-founder Zach Klein literally wrote the book on Cabin Porn so you

know his 55-acre upstate hideaway will be a night to remember. Tucked away

in a woodland preserve, this almost-too-beautiful retreat is only for those lucky

ones who get accepted to Klein’s artist residency program, which includes

accommodations in a converted 19th-century barn, a sauna, hot tub on the

river, and an eternity of peace.

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FREDERICK FARMS

Frederick Farms Clifton Springs

Every August, 700,000 sunflowers bloom across the rolling hills north of

Seneca Lake. Dairy and sunflower farmers John and Jan Frederick offer

wagon rides through their fields of gold, which will forever be the annoyingly

unsurpassable highlight of summer.

Lauren Matison is the Green Getaways correspondent at Travel + Leisure and

the co-founder of offMetro.com. She thought she might leave New York one

day, but after working on this story, now she knows that will never be possible.

Follow Lauren onTwitter and Instagram