Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for new york
The Gem of the Catskills
By Linda Tancs
Located in the Great Northern Catskills of Greene County in Hunter, Kaaterskill Falls is the highest cascading waterfall in New York State. Dropping in two tiers over 260 feet, the waterfall has been one of the region’s most popular destinations among locals and tourists for centuries. A convenient way to access the falls is to park and take the trolley, which stops in locales like Tannersville, Haines Falls, Palenville and throughout the Kaaterskill Clove (the gorge). A roundtrip hike to the falls, a moderately challenging route, is less than 2 miles on a marked path.
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Arts and Crafts in Woodstock
By Linda Tancs
One of the most iconic landmarks in Woodstock, New York, is Byrdcliffe Arts Colony. It was founded in 1902 by Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead and his wife Jane Byrd McCall out of an ideal to form a “brotherhood of artists.” It’s the oldest operating Arts and Crafts colony in America and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The organization continues to be a thriving year-round home to an ever expanding community of artists. Private tours can be booked by appointment. You can also take a self-guided walking tour of the grounds or a guided tour of White Pines, the original home of Byrdcliffe’s founders.
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Halloween in NYC
By Linda Tancs
One of the most iconic events in New York City is the annual Halloween parade in Greenwich Village. Now in its 51st year, the parade starts at 7 p.m. with participants lined up on Canal Street and 6th Avenue. The procession can be viewed on 6th Avenue from King Street to 15th Street. Anyone can march in the parade, provided that you’re wearing a costume. You’ll be joined by hundreds of giant puppets, dancers and bands.
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Queen of American Lakes
By Linda Tancs
Sometimes referred to as the Queen of American Lakes, Lake George is the longest lake in New York State, stretching 32 miles from north to south in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. One of the most popular hikes in the Lake George region is the Prospect Mountain trail, which begins on Smith Street in Lake George Village. The 3-mile, roundtrip trek is steep in places, not surprising considering that the route once incorporated the Prospect Mountain Cable Incline Railway, at one time the longest cable railroad in the world. At the summit you’ll find remnants of the railway, which was built in the 1800s as an alternative to horse-drawn carriages to transport wealthy guests to the Prospect Mountain House. Although the hotel subsequently burned down, its fireplace is still visible. In addition to its historical features, the 2,030-foot-high summit rewards hikers with 100-mile views of Lake George and the Adirondacks.
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War History at Lake George
By Linda Tancs
In Lake George, New York, you can step back in time at Fort William Henry and experience life at a British fort in 1755 during the French and Indian War, a conflict that many describe as the original first world war. Named for two royal grandsons, the fort was erected to protect the British colonies against French incursions in the region. Among the many activities at the fort, you can watch live musket and cannon firings, play 18th-century games and join the King’s Army!
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New York’s Whispering Gallery
By Linda Tancs
A whispering gallery is usually a circular, hemispherical, elliptical or ellipsoidal enclosure, often beneath a dome or a vault, in which whispers can be heard clearly in other parts of the gallery. One famous example is the one in New York City’s Grand Central terminal. Located outside the entrance to the Oyster Bar & Restaurant, the near-perfect arches there provide a corner-to-corner acoustic oddity. Just stand with a friend in opposite corners of the gallery, face the wall, and whisper. You’ll hear each other’s voice as if you were standing side by side, no matter how much noise surrounds you.
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Springtime in Rochester
By Linda Tancs
Nothing says springtime in Upstate New York better than the Rochester Lilac Festival. Now in its 126th year, the event boasts the largest collection of lilacs in North America with over 1,800 bushes and 500 different varieties of lilacs on display. More than just a flower show, the event features a series of concerts, wine tastings, vendors and the much-anticipated parade.
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Between the Forks
By Linda Tancs
Nestled between the North Fork and South Fork of Long Island, New York, is Shelter Island. Approximately 27 square miles, it’s accessible only by ferry from either Greenport on the North Fork or North Haven on the South Fork. Known for its natural beauty, it boasts Mashomack Preserve, a coastal nature reserve featuring over 2,000 acres of woodlands, marshes and creeks. Enjoy a hike along the many trails, which are open daily from dawn to dusk.
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New York’s Research Forest
By Linda Tancs
Black Rock Forest is a 3,920-acre forest and biological field station in Cornwall, New York. Named for the black magnetite in the forest’s bedrock, the nature preserve is as much a gem for hikers as it is for researchers. The site boasts 26 miles of trails and 17 miles of forest roads which are open to the public year-round. From there you can experience the area’s rich biodiversity in trees, mammals, birds and reptiles owing to the forest’s location at the intersection of two ecological systems: the New York-New Jersey Highlands and the Hudson River Basin. On a clear day, you might even see Manhattan.
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Tranquility at the Hammond
By Linda Tancs
Founded by American artist Natalie Hays Hammond, the Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden in North Salem, New York, is a museum with Japanese art and a 3.5-acre Japanese stroll garden. A peaceful oasis amidst the hustle and bustle of Westchester County, the garden is centered around its pond and includes numerous rare Japanese plants and trees as well as species native to the area. Also on the grounds is a traditional Japanese tea room, which was imported from Kyoto and is used for tea ceremony events. The Hammond will open seasonally in April until November.
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