New York State essentials

Most visitors arrive through the three big downstate airports or by train into the city, but upstate has its own regional airports and the Thruway ties the state together. How you arrive depends on whether you are headed for the city, the Hudson Valley, the Adirondacks, the Finger Lakes, or Niagara.

New York is really two travel worlds: the dense, transit-first downstate around New York City, and the car-first upstate of mountains, lakes, and small towns. Knowing which one you are in tells you whether to rent a car or rely on rail and buses.

Fall is the signature season upstate, with foliage arriving first in the high Adirondacks and Catskills and later down in the valleys and the city. Summer belongs to the lakes, mountains, and coast; winter splits between city holidays and upstate ski and snow country.

New York's sales tax is a base state rate plus a local rate that varies by county, so the total you pay differs across the state and is highest in New York City. Lodging swings from very expensive in the city to far better value upstate, and a single state-park pass can pay for itself fast.

New York covers two very different kinds of safety: ordinary city sense in New York City, and genuine wilderness preparation in the Adirondacks and Catskills. Add winter weather and water safety, and a little planning by region goes a long way.