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The Atlas Obscura Guide To New York State

1,185 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in New York State

Updated August 14, 2025

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Cities

Top Cities
All Cities
  1. Albany
  2. Amsterdam
  3. Auburn
  4. Ballston Spa
  5. Beacon
  6. Binghamton
  7. The Bronx
  8. Brooklyn
  9. Buffalo
  10. Carmel Hamlet
  11. Catskill
  12. Centerport
  13. Cohoes
  14. Cold Spring
  15. Cooperstown
  16. Dobbs Ferry
  17. Dover Plains
  18. East Hampton
  19. Elmira
  20. Fayetteville
  21. Hammondsport
  22. Howes Cave
  23. Hudson
  24. Ithaca
  25. Jamestown
  26. Keene Valley
  27. Kinderhook
  28. Kings Park
  29. Kingston
  30. Lake George
  31. Lake Placid
  32. Monroe
  33. Newcomb
  34. New Paltz
  35. New York City
  36. Manhattan
  37. Niagara Falls
  38. Nyack
  39. Oneida
  40. Orient
  41. Oyster Bay
  42. Palmyra
  43. Pawling
  44. Penn Yan
  45. Port Jervis
  46. Poughkeepsie
  47. Queens
  48. Red Hook
  49. Rhinebeck
  50. Rochester
  51. Rome
  52. Romulus
  53. Roscoe
  54. Roxbury
  55. Sands Point
  56. Saranac Lake
  57. Saratoga Springs
  58. Schenectady
  59. Seneca Falls
  60. Shoreham
  61. Sleepy Hollow
  62. Speculator
  63. Staten Island
  64. Syracuse
  65. Tomkins Cove
  66. Troy
  67. Waterloo
  68. West Point
  69. Woodstock
  70. Yonkers

Unusual Attractions in New York State

See All 1,185 Things To Do in New York State

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in New York State

See all 126 Places to Eat in New York State
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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

The Explorer's Guide to Hudson Valley, New York

Sponsored by Defender

Just a short trip north of New York City, the Hudson Valley is great for both day trips and road trips. Atlas Obscura co-founder Dylan Thuras is a local resident, and loves the natural wonders, as well as the incredible culture and history found in the region. This itinerary combines his favorite spots into one stunning road trip. Start your adventure at a living antique aviation museum near the historic town of Red Hook, and end with dinner at a Victorian resort. Along the way, you’ll make pit stops at towering waterfalls, a giant kaleidoscope, and incredible views of the beautiful Hudson Valley.

View Itinerary

Explore New York State

Architecture 148
Art 98
Museums 93
Architectural Oddities 91
History 86
Abandoned 71
Shops 69
Cemeteries 68

New York State Leaderboard

Recent New York State Activity

Stories About New York State

A place setting at Blue Hill at Stone Barns includes Moore’s bone china water cup and plate as well as a charger made from soil.

The Artist Turning Bones Into Beautiful Dishware

Gregg Moore uses 18th-century techniques to transform a restaurant's leftovers into bone china.
by Rebecca L. Rhoades
Brigadier General Benedict Arnold lost the Battle of Valcour Island on Lake Champlain in 1776—as well as several of the young navy’s ships, including the gunboat Spitfire—but the skirmish bought the Continental Army much-needed time in the war.

Benedict Arnold's Lake Champlain Gunboat Is the Last Shipwreck of Its Kind

Preserved in the lake's chilly waters for more than 200 years, the Spitfire now faces a new threat.
by Hope Hodge Seck

Podcast: Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center

Lacrosse can trace its origins back centuries to the Native American "Creator's Game."
by The Podcast Team
Hudson River Rail Excursions runs a classic car between New York and Albany to make the vintage rail experience more accessible.

Meet the People Who Keep Vintage Rail Cars Rolling Across America

About two dozen classic carriages around the country offer time travel by train.
by Justin Franz
The Seneca County Courthouse Complex in Ovid, New York, commonly known as “the Three Bears,” is a fine example of the Greek Revival style in the Military Tract, from which both the fad for classical place names and notions of classical architecture spread throughout the country.

Why Does America Have So Many Towns With Classical Names?

There are nearly 100 named "Troy."
by Frank Jacobs

Podcast: John Brown’s Farm

A monument to a famed abolitionist and the fight for Black suffrage.
by The Podcast Team
Parts of the Buffalo area saw more than 6 feet of snow over three days in November 2022.

What Is Lake-Effect Snow?

A snowstorm that slammed into Western New York left more than six feet of snow in places. Blame the Great Lakes.
by Michael A. Rawlins

Podcast: Lily Dale Spiritualist Community

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team

Lists Featuring New York State

Book Corner.
Edward Dean Adams Power Station
Clifton Hill

The 11 Best Places to Visit Near Niagara Falls for Curious Travelers

11

Including Book Corner, Prophet Isaiah's Second Coming House, and Edward Dean Adams Power Plant

The rare book reading room.
Keen’s Steakhouse
The New York Herald Monument.

The 11 Best Things to do Near the Empire State Building for Curious Travelers

11

Including Tannen's Magic Shop, The Conjuring Arts Research Center, and Keen's Steakhouse

The House of the Temple.
Statue of George Washington

Novus Ordo Seclorum: 14 Places to Unearth Masonic Secrets

Your best bets for gaining insight into the real history of Freemasonry.

14

Including Zedekiah's Cave, Masonic Lodge of the Andaz Hotel, and House of the Temple

The Paddington Bear statue at Paddington station.
The Alice in Wonderland statue in Central Park.
Mrs Mallard and her entire brood.
Dr Seuss, Cat in the Hat, and a book with lines from Oh The Places You’ll Go.

9 Favorite Children's Book Characters, Immortalized in Bronze

Visit Paddington Bear, Ramona Quimby, and other childhood heroes in person.

9

Including Paddington Bear Statue , Alice in Wonderland Statue, and Make Way for Ducklings Statue

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
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