Luxury holidays in Upstate New York

It may begin just beyond the Big Apple, but Upstate New York can seem a world away in character, home to all-natural thrills like the Niagara Falls and rugged Catskill mountains. While not all areas are quite so dramatic in looks, Upstate New York is famous for its rolling fields, hilly pine forests and the Hudson River, which snakes its way through the landscape towards New York City in the south. The national parks encircling the Adirondack and Catskill mountains provide great swathes of wilderness to explore, and are criss-crossed with more trails and hiking routes than you could get through in a lifetime. Historic cities like Rochester and Saratoga Springs deliver all-American 18th-century splendour, and the entire state is peppered with heritage towns and villages, including Sleepy Hollow, where steel magnate Andrew Carnegie and cosmetic queen Elizabeth Arden are buried.

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Areas in Upstate New York

When to go

Upstate New York is a year-round destination, but the summer and autumn are the most popular time to visit. October is particularly beautiful, when the forests start to turn red and gold.

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Getting there

  • Planes

    Most flights from the UK touch down at JFK International, but Newark is also an option. From New York City, many upstate destinations will be within a few hours’ drive; for those further north, you can catch connecting flights to airports like Buffalo and Greater Rochester Airport.

  • Automobiles

    Your own set of wheels will undoubtedly come in handy, as the distances between sights can be considerable.