Why I Love New York and so should you!

Yesterday, I attended the "Focus on U.S.A" session at the New York Times Travel Show which is taking place this weekend at the Javits Center in New York City. I listened as Visit California, Visit North Carolina, and I LOVE NY took the stage to talk about new developments, hot trends, and must-see areas in their respective states.

The Panel, which was sponsored by Visit California as moderated by Steve Cohen, Senior Vice President, Travel Insights, MMGY Global.
Panelists were:

• Caroline Beteta, President & C.E.O. of Visit California
• Wit Tuttell, Director, Visit North Carolina
• Ross D. Levi, Executive Director, Vice President, Division of Tourism- I Love NY, Empire State Development

OK, so lets dive into why I LOVE NY, and why you should to. From Broadway shows, to skiing, to hiking all in the same 24-48 hours is just one of the many reasons I love New York. The large misconception that New York City is the only thing in New York blows my mind all the time. It's funny working in a hotel in New York City you hear crazy things from out-of-towners. One thing I hear, that Ross also mentioned yesterday was how many times people say they are going to Niagara Falls and NYC for dinner. It's not that close, and yet so many people have made this remark.

View from The Highline

Did you know that there are 11 diverse vacation regions in New York? Have you been to any or all of them? The only ones I have been to are New York City, Long Island, Hudson Valley, and The Catskills. The other 7 are: Finger Lakes, Greater Niagara, Chautauqua-Allegheny, Thousand Islands-Seaway, Adirondacks, Central New York and Capital-Saratoga. 

I look forward to exploring so much more of New York after listening to Ross and visiting some cool booths at the New York Times Travel Show in the I Love NY aisle. From brew trails to wineries, comedy centers to amusement parks, and you can't leave out beautiful mountains and hiking trails. Looking for a relaxing getaway check out Mohonk Mountain House or the new YO1. 

Last year I visited Lake Minnewaska at Minnewaska State Park Preserve. Our State Parks and National Parks a such a big part of the country and visiting just one is not nearly enough. A goal I made this year is to visit more State and National Parks. 

Exploring your own backyard, your own city, your own state can really connect you with your surroundings and even ground you. I feel at peace when I am near water, and there are so many lakes and beaches to visit right in New York. Sure, you can go in the water all year long, but you can certainly visit. Being a tad cold won't kill you. 

Other related posts include: Explore Hudson, Self- Guided NYC Food Tour, and Street Art. 

Tell me your home state and your favorite place to visit there?

XoXo,

Tracy