The Official New York State Facts and Travel Tips

One of our favorite states to visit in the northeast happens to be New York. While millions of people flock to New York City every year, we prefer visiting all of the other areas to the west and north. If you've never visited the western part of the state, we highly recommend it.

Here are the Official New York State Facts, along with some fun information for travelers.

- The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island and surrounded by water from the New York Harbor. It was a gift to the United States from the government of France.

- New York became the 11th state in the U.S.A. and was one of the original 13 colonies.

- 90% of Ellis Island lies in New Jersey. Only 10% lies in the state of New York.

- Bordering States: Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont and Massachusetts. It also shares a border with Canada.

State Capital: Albany
Nickname: The Empire State
Bird: Eastern Bluebird
Flower: Rose
Seashell: Bay Scallop
Tree: Sugar Maple
Fruit: Apple
Insect: Lady Bug
Mammal: Beaver
Fish: Brook Trout
Official State Song: I Love New York

- Major New York City Tourist Attractions: Times Square, Central Park, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Grand Central Terminal, Rockefeller Center, Broadway, National September 11th Memorial and Museum, etc.

- Niagara Falls is located in the northwest corner of the state and is one of the top ten world's most famous tourist attractions. The Niagara Falls State Park, established in 1885, is the oldest state park in America. In my personal opinion, the best time to visit the falls is during late spring, early summer and during the early fall seasons.

- Best Scenic Road Trip: We enjoy visiting western New York...starting at the Pennsylvania border near Bradford and taking a scenic road trip up through the state until we reach Niagara Falls. It's a beautiful and very scenic drive without all of the interstate congestion. We enjoy driving through all of the mountains and seeing the small towns along the way.

New York is hustling and bustling with a wide range of activities all year long! During the summer you can enjoy the beach, visiting tourist attractions, boating, cruising, camping, hiking, fishing, etc. During the winter season you can go ice skating, ice fishing, skiing, snowmobiling, dog sledding, etc. Every year when the beginning of the fall season kicks in, we like to drive through the state to check out all of the beautiful fall foliage. Spring is a great time to visit if you enjoy visiting botanical gardens, birding, fishing, hiking and camping.

When you're thinking about visiting this great state, think outside the box and try visiting some of their other beautiful areas...other than New York City.