New York · The Empire State
New York Local Guide
A neighbor's guide to New York State — from Manhattan's neighborhoods and Brooklyn's brownstones to the beaches of Long Island, the river towns of the Hudson Valley, the state capital at Albany, the Finger Lakes, and the cities and mountains of Western and Northern New York. Explore the communities, counties, parks and places that make the Empire State home.
Explore New York by Region
Practical groupings for navigating the state. Regions overlap, and every county belongs to more than one travel itinerary.
New York City
Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island — five boroughs and five counties.
Long Island
Nassau and Suffolk counties, the North and South shores, and the Hamptons.
Lower Hudson Valley
Westchester, Rockland, Putnam and Orange counties.
Mid-Hudson Valley & Catskills
Dutchess, Ulster, Sullivan, Greene and Columbia counties.
Capital Region
Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga Springs and surrounding communities.
Mohawk Valley
Utica, Rome, Herkimer, Amsterdam and Little Falls.
Central New York
Syracuse, Auburn, Cortland and Oswego.
Finger Lakes & Greater Rochester
Rochester, Canandaigua, Geneva, Ithaca and Watkins Glen.
Western New York
Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Erie, Niagara and Chautauqua counties.
Southern Tier
Binghamton, Elmira, Corning, Owego and Hornell.
Adirondacks & North Country
Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Plattsburgh, Watertown, Potsdam and Canton.
New York City
1 community guide
Long Island
20 community guides
Babylon
VillageSuffolk County
A South Shore village with a canal-lined downtown
Learn MoreBay Shore
HamletSuffolk County
A South Shore waterfront hamlet with a revived Main Street
Learn MoreBrentwood
HamletSuffolk County
A large, diverse hamlet in central Long Island
Learn MoreEast Hampton
TownSuffolk County
Ocean beaches, farm stands and the Montauk peninsula
Learn MoreGarden City
VillageNassau County
A planned village built around a railroad station
Learn MoreGlen Cove
CityNassau County
A small waterfront city on Long Island's Gold Coast
Learn MoreGreat Neck
VillageNassau County
North Shore villages with a fast commute into Manhattan
Learn MoreHempstead
TownNassau County
Long Island's largest town and its densest village center
Learn MoreHuntington
TownSuffolk County
A North Shore town of harbors, villages and a cultural downtown
Learn MoreLong Beach
CityNassau County
A barrier-island city with an ocean beach and a boardwalk
Learn MoreMineola
VillageNassau County
Nassau County's seat and a major rail crossroads
Learn MoreMontauk
HamletSuffolk County
The eastern tip of Long Island, known for surf and the lighthouse
Learn MoreOyster Bay
TownNassau County
North Shore harbor town with a presidential home
Learn MorePatchogue
VillageSuffolk County
A South Shore village rebuilt around its Main Street
Learn MorePort Jefferson
VillageSuffolk County
A North Shore harbor village with a ferry to Connecticut
Learn MoreRiverhead
TownSuffolk County
Suffolk County's seat and the gateway to the North Fork
Learn MoreRockville Centre
VillageNassau County
A South Shore village with a walkable downtown
Learn MoreSmithtown
TownSuffolk County
A central Suffolk town with a historic Main Street
Learn MoreSouthampton
TownSuffolk County
A South Fork town of ocean beaches and historic villages
Learn MoreStony Brook
HamletSuffolk County
A North Shore hamlet built around a research university
Learn MoreLower Hudson Valley
20 community guides
Bronxville
VillageWestchester County
A compact village built around a college and a rail station
Learn MoreDobbs Ferry
VillageWestchester County
A river village with a waterfront park and a hilltop main street
Learn MoreHastings-on-Hudson
VillageWestchester County
A small river village with a walkable Warburton Avenue
Learn MoreMamaroneck
VillageWestchester County
A harbor village with a working waterfront
Learn MoreMount Kisco
VillageWestchester County
A northern Westchester village with a busy crossroads downtown
Learn MoreMount Vernon
CityWestchester County
A dense city at the northern edge of the Bronx
Learn MoreNew City
HamletRockland County
Rockland County's seat and its central commercial hub
Learn MoreNew Rochelle
CityWestchester County
A Sound Shore city rebuilding its downtown
Learn MoreNyack
VillageRockland County
A river village known for its Main Street and arts scene
Learn MoreOssining
VillageWestchester County
A Hudson River village below Sing Sing's walls
Learn MorePeekskill
CityWestchester County
A river city with an arts district and mountain views
Learn MorePort Chester
VillageWestchester County
A diverse Sound Shore village with a busy dining scene
Learn MoreRye
CityWestchester County
A Sound Shore city of beaches, villages and open space
Learn MoreScarsdale
VillageWestchester County
A planned suburb known for its schools and village center
Learn MoreSleepy Hollow
VillageWestchester County
A river village shaped by Washington Irving's legend
Learn MoreSpring Valley
VillageRockland County
A diverse village in southern Rockland
Learn MoreSuffern
VillageRockland County
A Rockland village at the foot of the Ramapo Mountains
Learn MoreTarrytown
VillageWestchester County
A Hudson River village below the Tappan Zee Bridge
Learn MoreWhite Plains
CityWestchester County
Westchester's county seat and commercial center
Learn MoreYonkers
CityWestchester County
Westchester's largest city, on the Hudson at the Bronx line
Learn MoreMid-Hudson Valley & Catskills
15 community guides
Beacon
CityDutchess County
A river city with Dia:Beacon and a revived Main Street
Learn MoreFishkill
VillageDutchess County
A crossroads town at the I-84 Hudson crossing
Learn MoreGoshen
VillageOrange County
Orange County's seat and the home of the historic track
Learn MoreHyde Park
TownDutchess County
A river town of presidential and estate history
Learn MoreKingston
CityUlster County
Ulster County's seat and New York's first capital
Learn MoreMiddletown
CityOrange County
Orange County's inland city, serving the Wallkill Valley
Learn MoreMonroe
VillageOrange County
A growing village in the lower Hudson Valley
Learn MoreNew Paltz
VillageUlster County
A college village below the Shawangunk Ridge
Learn MoreNewburgh
CityOrange County
A historic river city rebuilding its waterfront and downtown
Learn MorePoughkeepsie
CityDutchess County
Dutchess County's river city and the Walkway's eastern anchor
Learn MoreRhinebeck
VillageDutchess County
A river village of inns, farms and a historic fairground
Learn MoreSaugerties
VillageUlster County
A river town below the Catskill escarpment
Learn MoreWappingers Falls
VillageDutchess County
A mill village on Wappinger Creek
Learn MoreWarwick
VillageOrange County
An orchard town in the Warwick Valley
Learn MoreWoodstock
TownUlster County
A Catskill town known for music, art and its village green
Learn MoreCapital Region
12 community guides
Albany
CityAlbany County
New York's capital city at the head of the Hudson
Learn MoreAmsterdam
CityMontgomery County
A Mohawk Valley mill city with a riverfront
Learn MoreBallston Spa
VillageSaratoga County
Saratoga County's seat and a mineral-spring village
Learn MoreClifton Park
TownSaratoga County
A fast-growing southern Saratoga town
Learn MoreCohoes
CityAlbany County
A mill city at the Mohawk's mouth
Learn MoreColonie
TownAlbany County
Albany's largest suburb and airport host
Learn MoreGlens Falls
CityWarren County
A small city at the southern gateway to the Adirondacks
Learn MoreLatham
HamletAlbany County
A busy crossroads hamlet in the Town of Colonie
Learn MoreQueensbury
TownWarren County
A lake-and-mountain town beside Glens Falls
Learn MoreSaratoga Springs
CitySaratoga County
Mineral springs, thoroughbred racing and a walkable Broadway
Learn MoreSchenectady
CitySchenectady County
A river city of invention and the Stockade district
Learn MoreTroy
CityRensselaer County
A collar city of brick rowhouses and a revived waterfront
Learn MoreMohawk Valley
7 community guides
Herkimer
VillageHerkimer County
A canal village known for Herkimer diamonds
Learn MoreLittle Falls
CityHerkimer County
A canal city in a Mohawk River gorge
Learn MoreNew Hartford
VillageOneida County
Utica's commercial suburb
Learn MoreOneida
CityMadison County
A small city with a namesake community heritage
Learn MoreRome
CityOneida County
A canal city built at the Oneida Carry
Learn MoreUtica
CityOneida County
The Mohawk Valley's largest city, remade by new arrivals
Learn MoreWhitesboro
VillageOneida County
A village west of Utica on the Mohawk
Learn MoreCentral New York
11 community guides
Baldwinsville
VillageOnondaga County
A canal village on the Seneca River
Learn MoreCamillus
TownOnondaga County
A western suburb with a canal park
Learn MoreCicero
TownOnondaga County
A lakeshore town north of Syracuse
Learn MoreCortland
CityCortland County
A college city at the crossroads of I-81
Learn MoreEast Syracuse
VillageOnondaga County
A rail village east of downtown Syracuse
Learn MoreFayetteville
VillageOnondaga County
An eastern suburb with a walkable village center
Learn MoreFulton
CityOswego County
A river city on the Oswego
Learn MoreLiverpool
VillageOnondaga County
A lakeside village north of Syracuse
Learn MoreManlius
VillageOnondaga County
A hill town east of Syracuse
Learn MoreOswego
CityOswego County
A Lake Ontario port city with a college
Learn MoreSyracuse
CityOnondaga County
Central New York's hub, growing around a tech corridor
Learn MoreFinger Lakes & Greater Rochester
19 community guides
Auburn
CityCayuga County
Cayuga County's seat and Harriet Tubman's home
Learn MoreBrighton
TownMonroe County
A close-in suburb with strong schools
Learn MoreCanandaigua
CityOntario County
A lake city at the north end of Canandaigua Lake
Learn MoreCorning
CitySteuben County
A glass city on the Chemung River
Learn MoreElmira
CityChemung County
A Southern Tier city on the Chemung River
Learn MoreFairport
VillageMonroe County
An Erie Canal village with a walkable waterfront
Learn MoreGeneva
CityOntario County
A lake city between Seneca and Cayuga
Learn MoreGreece
TownMonroe County
Rochester's largest suburb on Lake Ontario
Learn MoreHenrietta
TownMonroe County
A commercial and campus town south of Rochester
Learn MoreIrondequoit
TownMonroe County
A lakefront town between the Genesee and the bay
Learn MoreIthaca
CityTompkins County
The City of Gorges, home to Cornell
Learn MorePenfield
TownMonroe County
A suburban town east of Rochester
Learn MorePenn Yan
VillageYates County
A lake village between Keuka and Seneca
Learn MorePittsford
VillageMonroe County
A canal village with an award-winning Main Street
Learn MoreRochester
CityMonroe County
The Flower City, built on the Genesee
Learn MoreSeneca Falls
TownSeneca County
The birthplace of the women's rights movement
Learn MoreVictor
TownOntario County
A growing town at the Thruway's Finger Lakes exit
Learn MoreWatkins Glen
VillageSchuyler County
A gorge village at the foot of Seneca Lake
Learn MoreWebster
TownMonroe County
A Lake Ontario town east of Rochester
Learn MoreWestern New York
18 community guides
Amherst
TownErie County
Buffalo's largest suburb and its university town
Learn MoreBatavia
CityGenesee County
Genesee County's seat between Buffalo and Rochester
Learn MoreBuffalo
CityErie County
Western New York's largest city, reborn along its waterfront
Learn MoreCheektowaga
TownErie County
Buffalo's airport town and a postwar suburb
Learn MoreDepew
VillageErie County
A railroad village east of Buffalo
Learn MoreDunkirk
CityChautauqua County
A Lake Erie city with a working waterfront
Learn MoreEast Aurora
VillageErie County
A village of craft, arts and a walkable Main Street
Learn MoreFredonia
VillageChautauqua County
A college village in the Chautauqua grape belt
Learn MoreHamburg
VillageErie County
A Southtowns town on Lake Erie
Learn MoreJamestown
CityChautauqua County
A lake city known for comedy and furniture
Learn MoreLancaster
VillageErie County
A historic village on Buffalo's eastern edge
Learn MoreLockport
CityNiagara County
The Erie Canal city of locks and stone walls
Learn MoreNiagara Falls
CityNiagara County
The American city beside Niagara Falls
Learn MoreNorth Tonawanda
CityNiagara County
A twin city of lumber and carousels
Learn MoreOlean
CityCattaraugus County
The commercial center of the Enchanted Mountains
Learn MoreOrchard Park
VillageErie County
A Southtowns community and the home of the Bills
Learn MoreTonawanda
CityErie County
A canal city at the Niagara River's head
Learn MoreWilliamsville
VillageErie County
A creek-side village inside the Town of Amherst
Learn MoreSouthern Tier
7 community guides
Binghamton
CityBroome County
The Southern Tier's largest city, at two rivers
Learn MoreDansville
VillageLivingston County
A valley village known for its balloon festival
Learn MoreEndicott
VillageBroome County
A shoe-town village with an intact main street
Learn MoreHornell
CitySteuben County
A rail city in the Canisteo Valley
Learn MoreJohnson City
VillageBroome County
An Endicott-Johnson company village
Learn MoreOwego
VillageTioga County
A river village with a historic main street
Learn MoreVestal
TownBroome County
Binghamton's university town
Learn MoreAdirondacks & North Country
12 community guides
Canton
VillageSt. Lawrence County
St. Lawrence County's seat and college village
Learn MoreLake Placid
VillageEssex County
Two-time Olympic village in the High Peaks
Learn MoreLowville
VillageLewis County
Lewis County's seat on the Tug Hill Plateau
Learn MoreMalone
VillageFranklin County
Franklin County's seat near the Canadian border
Learn MoreMassena
TownSt. Lawrence County
A St. Lawrence River town of industry and fishing
Learn MoreOgdensburg
CitySt. Lawrence County
A St. Lawrence River city across from Canada
Learn MoreOld Forge
HamletHerkimer County
The western gateway to the Adirondacks
Learn MorePlattsburgh
CityClinton County
A Lake Champlain city on the Canadian border corridor
Learn MorePotsdam
VillageSt. Lawrence County
A college village known for its music school
Learn MoreSaranac Lake
VillageFranklin County
An Adirondack village of cure cottages and lakes
Learn MoreTupper Lake
VillageFranklin County
An Adirondack village on three lakes
Learn MoreWatertown
CityJefferson County
The North Country's largest city, beside Fort Drum
Learn MoreNew York City's Five Boroughs
Each borough is also a county. Manhattan is New York County, Brooklyn is Kings, Queens is Queens, the Bronx is Bronx, and Staten Island is Richmond.
New York County
Manhattan
The borough at the center of New York City
Kings County
Brooklyn
Brownstone blocks, waterfront parks and a borough of neighborhoods
Queens County
Queens
The most linguistically diverse place in the city
Bronx County
The Bronx
Yankee Stadium, the Grand Concourse and the city's greenest borough
Richmond County
Staten Island
The borough of parks, waterfront and ferry commutes
Things to Do
From the harbor to Lake Erie, here's where New Yorkers spend their time.
History & Culture
- Visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island from Battery Park
- Walk the Brooklyn Bridge and the Brooklyn Heights Promenade
- Tour the New York State Capitol in Albany
- See the National Comedy Center in Jamestown and the Corning Museum of Glass
Outdoors & Scenery
- Hike the High Peaks in the Adirondacks
- See Niagara Falls from Niagara Falls State Park
- Walk the gorge trail at Watkins Glen
- Spend a day at Jones Beach or Robert Moses on Long Island
Food & Local Life
- Eat through Jackson Heights and Flushing in Queens
- Shop Arthur Avenue in the Bronx and Chelsea Market in Manhattan
- Try a beef on weck in Buffalo and a garbage plate in Rochester
- Taste along the Seneca Lake and Keuka Lake wine trails
Getting Around New York
The New York State Thruway (I-87 and I-90) and the interstate system — I-81, I-84, I-86, I-88, I-95, I-278, I-495 and I-787 — connect every region of the state. Buffalo and Albany are roughly four and a half hours apart by car, and New York City to Buffalo takes about six and a half hours.
The MTA runs the subway, buses, Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road across New York City and its suburbs, while NJ Transit and PATH connect the region to New Jersey. Amtrak's Empire Service links New York City with Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo, the Adirondack runs to Montreal, and the Maple Leaf continues to Toronto.
Major airports include John F. Kennedy International, LaGuardia, Newark Liberty, Westchester County, Albany International, Buffalo Niagara International, Greater Rochester International, Syracuse Hancock International and Plattsburgh International.
Explore New York's Local Businesses
Browse our directory of restaurants, shops, services, and more across the Empire State.
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