Stateside Guide: Region Focus

When you think about New York you could probably be forgiven for thinking predominantly about New York city. However, the city is only a small section within this exciting and diverse state. Study in New York takes a look at the regions throughout the State of New York and why it still remains the number one study destinations for students across the USA.

1.Chautauqua-Allegany

2.Grester Niagara

The five counties that make up the Niagara frontier include the City of Buffalo in Erie County and Niagara Falls in Niagara County as well as Orleans, Genesee and Wyoming Counties. Buffalo is a major industrial centre with a strong sense of history and New York’s second largest city. The Niagara Region is also home to one of the most celebrated natural attractions Niagara Falls. This can be visited on foot, by boat or by helicopter. The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, plunging down to form the celebrated falls in the process. If you are thinking about studying in this region Greater Niagara has it all - spectacular natural wonders, a thrilling super coaster, fine theatre, historical sites, and everything in between.

3.Finger Lakes Region

The Finger Lakes Region is conveniently located midway between New York City and Niagara Falls Named the Finger Lakes region as gouged into the land by the action of prehistoric glaciers are 11 slender lakes which extend from north to south like fingers of a hand. These 11 lakes, ranging in size from 11 to 40 miles cover more than 650 miles of shoreline. There are 14 counties which make up the Finger Lakes Region which is located between the triangle cities of Rochester, Syracuse and the Corning/Elmira area. The region is bordered by the Pennsylvania border to the south and Lake Ontario to the north. The larger lakes in this region are Canandaigua, Cayuga, Owasso, Keuka, Seneca and Skaneateles. The smaller lakes include Canadice, Conesus, Hemlock, Honeoye and Otisco. These names reflect the region's rich Native American heritage.

4. Thousand Islands

The 1000 Islands - Seaway Region is a playground in one of the most beautiful settings in the north-eastern United States. The historic lighthouses at Oswego, Port Ontario, Sackets Harbor, Cape Vincent and Ogdensburg mark the way along Lake Ontario. Historic battlefields at Fort Ontario, Little Sandy, Sackets Harbor and Ogdensburg defended the frontier of our young nation. And the 1000 Islands, romantic Boldt Castle, the impressive Eisenhower Lock and the Erie Canal - are attractions that stand as monuments to the wonders of nature and mankind.

5. The Adirondacks

The Adirondacks Region is where James Fennimore set the action of his legendary novel, The Last of the Mohicans. The Adirondack Park is the largest State park in the USA. It is a six-million-acre natural sanctuary of public and private land protected under the state constitution. The Park stands today as America’s largest wilderness preserve outside of Alaska and one of the most successful conservation efforts in history. The region is now for its woodland cabins, luxurious lakeside resorts and the prospect of canoeing, salmon fishing and big-game hunting. Winter, spring, summer, fall there is something here for all seasons.

6.Central Leatherstocking

This region is commonly called the Central Leather stocking region. 8 out of 10 people living here will tell you they live in "upstate" New York. Ranging from the city of Binghamton in Broome County up to Oneida County (and lake) and then over to Schoharie this region is packed with indoor and outdoor action. You'll find Cooperstown, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame, in Otsego County and tons of action in Rome and Utica.

7.Saratoga

Saratoga is home to Albany - New York's historic capital. Albany is firmly rooted in history and moving toward the future. Other cities include Saratoga Springs, Troy and Schenectady. Saratoga is renowned for its fine museums and culture and it is a summer home away from home for the New York Opera / Ballet and Philadelphia Orchestra. It is also home to the Rensselaer County..

8.Catskills

Close to New York City, the Catskills region features legendary mountains and splendid accommodations ranging from world-famous resorts to dude ranches. Free from the maddening crowds, Catskill activities are for all seasons - antiquing, historic sites, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, canoeing, skiing, snow shoeing.
Ski resorts offer entertainment year round, from art fairs to music and ethnic dance celebrations. A Catskill streams and rivers yield some of the best trout fishing in the nation, and the Catskill Fly Fishing Center offers a variety of programs to delight anglers. In the Catskills you can choose from a full range of exciting activities or simply enjoy the fresh mountain air and quiet charm of this delightful region.

9.Hudson Valley

The Hudson River cuts a great, sinuous path through its valley. The vista created in the spring and summer are of deep green and river sky. In the fall the colours burst; in the winter they fade to white. The sweep of the riverscape, clouds bunched, the land flourishing, alive, unspoiled: it is the land 19th-century painters Thomas Cole, Charles Herbert Moore and Frederick Church loved. The river cities ... Catskill, Hudson, Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Beacon, Newburgh, Ossining and Peekskill...(to name a few), touch the Hudson with street and parkland. In the summer, sailboats clog the marinas. In winter, iceboats flash along the river ice.

10. Long Island

A short train ride east of Manhattan in New York City Long Island is the largest island adjoining the continental USA. A popular destination for native city dwellers Long Island has recently been discovered by everyone else. It boasts some beautiful white sandy beaches as well as the celebrated seaside resort of Hamptons. Each year thousands of city dwellers flock out to the Hamptons to escape the crowds and enjoy the breath taking scenery.

For more information on New York State contact the
Official New York State Tourism website on:
www.iloveny.state.ny.us