An Adventure Travelers Guide To New York State

Leave New York City to the newbies—outdoor adventure awaits you in New York State. From downhill mountain biking to hiking at an elevation of over 5,000 feet (1,524 meters), this state is sure to get your heart rate up. For a vacation more likely to pump you up than calm you down, here is our adventurer’s itinerary for New York State.

Go downhill mountain biking on Whiteface Mountain

Boasting the greatest vertical drop on the East Coast, Whiteface Mountain is a must-visit for daredevil travelers. A hub for a variety of sports (the mountain has twice hosted the Winter Olympics), this Lake Placid location features 27 diverse trails ranging in experience level and used for everything from skiing to hiking. With its steep drops and tight turns, Whiteface Mountain is particularly popular with downhill mountain bikers. Expert riders can board the Cloudsplitter Gondola to reach the summit of Little Whiteface before taking the 2,500-foot (762-meter) verticle plunge.

Hike Mount Marcy

Go backcountry camping in the Catskills

Just a stone’s throw from extravagant outdoor glamping sites is an opportunity for adventure. Backcountry camping, or camping with little to no amenities, is all the rage in New York’s Catskills, home to numerous diverse campgrounds. Set up shop at Devil’s Tombstone Campground, one of the oldest in the Catskill Forest Preserve, for access to the 21-mile (33.7-kilometer) Devil’s Path Trail. Or hold your horses—literally—at Bear Spring Mountain Campground, a 41-tent site offering accommodations for animals. Wherever you choose to rough it, be sure to follow the rules that the Department of Environmental Conservation put in place to protect backcountry campers.

Go whitewater rafting or tubing

Whitewater rivers, or rivers where rapids naturally occur, are abundant in New York State. Categorized by five different classes, with Class I being the least challenging and Class V being the most, these rivers allow adventurers to choose their difficulty level. Both the Moose River, one of the most difficult in the Adirondacks, and the Black River offer whitewater rafting and tubing from Class IV to Class V, while the Hudson River ranges from Class III to Class V. For the fastest and most challenging whitewater experience, time your trip for April, when the rapids are at their most turbulent.

Scuba dive

Some of the top freshwater diving sites in the Northeast can be found in—or below—New York State. Visitors can experience wreck, deep, and historical scuba diving along the Seaway Trail, a 518-mile (833-kilometer) National Scenic Byway in America’s northeast. Dive deep into 18th-century American history as you explore the wreckage of hundreds of ships dating back to the 1700s, relics of the shipping industry’s heyday.

Rock climb

Home to three major mountain ranges, New York is a rock climber’s paradise. There’s no shortage of climbing sites in the Adirondack, Catskill, and Appalachian Mountains, all of which host rocks with varying difficulty levels, characteristics, and views.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.