With spring officially arriving and our exciting summer months just around the corner, it’s hard for us to keep from thinking about all the activities we want to accomplish this year! All throughout our state you’ll find incredible landmarks and seasonal activities, often making it hard to narrow down exactly what it is we want to accomplish while it’s warm. Many of our residents may have already started making our summer 2016 bucket lists. In case you haven’t or managed to leave certain adventures off your list, here are 11 unforgettable things you must add to your New York summer bucket list:
- Make a splash and plunge into one of our many refreshing swimming holes.
V.T. Polywoda/Flickr Hiding all over our state are some of the most relaxing and refreshing swimming holes you’ll ever come across. Who needs a pool when you have so many naturally made ways of cooling off?
- Take a day to explore the adventurous areas inside our Minnewaska State Park Preserve.
redisant/Flickr While there are so many parks in New York that are worth exploring, Minnewaska’s proves to be worth the trip. Packed full of adventures from rock climbing to hiking the highest points of the Shawangunk Ridge to exploring ice caves (yes, even in the summer), you’ll leave with unforgettable memories!
Click here for more information.
- Looking for a unique way to cool off below the surface and explore the more uncommon areas of our state? Then take a dive below and see what lies beneath you in the Thousand Islands!
Tyler Baldino/YouTube For our true adventurers, this one’s for you! There may be a handful of fantastic areas to go scuba diving in New York, but Alexandria Bay is one of the most interesting spots of all. Pictured above, you can see for yourself that you never know what’s hiding beneath you in the water!
Click here for a list of places to go scuba diving in Alexandria Bay.
- Take a break from the fast track city life and enjoy the more serene area of Fire Island.
A.D. Wheeler / The Explorographer With the gorgeous beach, a lighthouse, camping and friendly deer waiting to greet you on this island, it’s hard to turn down an offer to spend the day here.
Click here for more things to do at Fire Island.
- If you’re truly ready for an unforgettable experience, try tackling one of our mountainous challenges like the Adirondack 46, the Saranac 6 or the Castkill Fire Tower Challenge!
Andy Arthur/Flickr Ranging in size and skill level, these hiking challenges will give you incredibly rewarding views and a sense of true accomplishment! While the fire tower challenges and the Saranac 6 could be accomplished over the span of a weekend, taking on the Adirondack 46 is a fun adventure to spread across your entire summer.
- Another alternative for going below the surface to cool off and explore? Get out of the summer’s heat and explore New York’s underground world!
iris/Flickr While there’s plenty of mind-blowing caves to explore underneath our state, if you’re open to suggestions the Lockport Caves are one of our favorites! Featuring a boat ride during this underground tour, you’ll have a hard time forgetting this uncommon adventure.
- Enjoy a weekend or more exploring all there is to enjoy around the beautiful Lake George.
diane cordell/Flickr Where does one even begin? Is a summer even truly a summer if you don’t head up to Lake George at least once? With a water park, amusement parks, arcades, beaches, a Drive-in theatre and more all within 15 minutes from the village of Lake George, you’ll truly never run out of activities when you vacation here.
Click here for more activities to check out in Lake George.
- Raise your adrenaline and test your bravery by riding one of the many roller coasters and water park rides at Darien Lake!
Tracy M./Yelp
Rick/Flickr Known throughout New York as one of the best places to go for extreme roller coasters, Darien Lake will absolutely get your blood flowing!
Click here for a preview of what is waiting for you at Darien Lake.
- Take a walk on the wild side…literally! Spend a day at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake and stroll through the Wild Walk.
Wild Center/Flickr One of the most enjoyable ways to learn about New York’s wildlife and the wonders of our Adirondack region, coming to explore this enchanting center makes for a day well spent!
- Come face to face with our bold and adventurous rivers during a day of Whitewater Rafting.
Jeanette C/TripAdvisor Another unique way to cool off and enjoy our exhilarating bodies of water, grabbing a group of friends and conquering the raging waters is something you’ll never forget!
- Quench your thirst and jump start your palette with a tour of our Seneca Lake Wine Trail.
k8zeusdog/TripAdvisor Taking a visit to any one of our state’s wine trails, especially in the Finger Lakes, is something worth trying in your lifetime. Sometimes us New Yorkers just need to spend the day by the water with a drink in our hand!
To take a look at the Seneca Lake Trail Map, click here.
Have you already started to create your summer bucket list for this year? Tell us about any places we’ve left off of our list that are worth checking out!
V.T. Polywoda/Flickr
Hiding all over our state are some of the most relaxing and refreshing swimming holes you’ll ever come across. Who needs a pool when you have so many naturally made ways of cooling off?
redisant/Flickr
While there are so many parks in New York that are worth exploring, Minnewaska’s proves to be worth the trip. Packed full of adventures from rock climbing to hiking the highest points of the Shawangunk Ridge to exploring ice caves (yes, even in the summer), you’ll leave with unforgettable memories!
Click here for more information.
Tyler Baldino/YouTube
For our true adventurers, this one’s for you! There may be a handful of fantastic areas to go scuba diving in New York, but Alexandria Bay is one of the most interesting spots of all. Pictured above, you can see for yourself that you never know what’s hiding beneath you in the water!
Click here for a list of places to go scuba diving in Alexandria Bay.
A.D. Wheeler / The Explorographer
With the gorgeous beach, a lighthouse, camping and friendly deer waiting to greet you on this island, it’s hard to turn down an offer to spend the day here.
Click here for more things to do at Fire Island.
Andy Arthur/Flickr
Ranging in size and skill level, these hiking challenges will give you incredibly rewarding views and a sense of true accomplishment! While the fire tower challenges and the Saranac 6 could be accomplished over the span of a weekend, taking on the Adirondack 46 is a fun adventure to spread across your entire summer.
iris/Flickr
While there’s plenty of mind-blowing caves to explore underneath our state, if you’re open to suggestions the Lockport Caves are one of our favorites! Featuring a boat ride during this underground tour, you’ll have a hard time forgetting this uncommon adventure.
diane cordell/Flickr
Where does one even begin? Is a summer even truly a summer if you don’t head up to Lake George at least once? With a water park, amusement parks, arcades, beaches, a Drive-in theatre and more all within 15 minutes from the village of Lake George, you’ll truly never run out of activities when you vacation here.
Click here for more activities to check out in Lake George.
Tracy M./Yelp
Rick/Flickr
Known throughout New York as one of the best places to go for extreme roller coasters, Darien Lake will absolutely get your blood flowing!
Click here for a preview of what is waiting for you at Darien Lake.
Wild Center/Flickr
One of the most enjoyable ways to learn about New York’s wildlife and the wonders of our Adirondack region, coming to explore this enchanting center makes for a day well spent!
Jeanette C/TripAdvisor
Another unique way to cool off and enjoy our exhilarating bodies of water, grabbing a group of friends and conquering the raging waters is something you’ll never forget!
k8zeusdog/TripAdvisor
Taking a visit to any one of our state’s wine trails, especially in the Finger Lakes, is something worth trying in your lifetime. Sometimes us New Yorkers just need to spend the day by the water with a drink in our hand!
To take a look at the Seneca Lake Trail Map, click here.
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