New York

When most folks think of New York, instantly they are transported to a vision of the city with the same name-, the bright lights of Time Square, the bursts of yellow as taxis race by, world class museums, and the sights and smells of iconic foods. New York  is also more than just the city that shares it’s namesake, it is a large, mostly rural state.

What was a true revelation to us was that most of New York state is farmland dotted with small Norman Rockwell type villages and townships that are absolutely adorable. We also explored other large cities such as Buffalo and Rochester which are nowhere near the scale of New York City, but each had an unexpected hip vibe with a lively arts scene. And while most attention is paid to the Canadian Niagara Falls, the falls on the American side are pretty amazing in their own right and electrify much of NY state with their awesome power.

Getting back to the big city, there is no denying though that New York is one of the most important cities in the world and I encourage you to explore it with gusto. I would say you could easily spend an entire week taking it all in (unfortunately we only had 3 days to explore). New York city entices every one of your senses and feels like a magical wonderland of cultural diversity. Listen carefully and you will hear languages from all around the world as you explore this “walking city”.

Most astounding is the influence that New York City has had on the rest of our country and even the world. From the founding of the New York Stock Exchange, to the contributions of immigrants on the lower east side tenements. From world class museums, to the engineering marvel known as the New York subway. New York is simply spectacular!