School’s out, the temperature is rising, and everyone’s thoughts are turning to summer getaways. If you’re looking for a new place to spend an afternoon, a weekend, or longer and not break the bank doing it, you’ve come to the right place. We asked our Fun Experts to take you on a tour of some of the lesser-known, hidden-gem spots in our system, and they delivered: fascinating history, peaceful lakeside oases, and camping away from the crowds. Let’s go!
Continue reading Road Trip to These Hidden-Gem Parks and Historic SitesTag Archives: Evangola State Park
New York State Parks’ Best-Kept Secrets: Seven Campgrounds Worthy of Your Summer
Camping at our 100-plus campgrounds is the ultimate affordable getaway option, but it’s so much more than just a money saver. Camping connects you to nature and allows you to unplug in ways you just can’t replicate on a day trip. While some of our campgrounds are well-known statewide, others are unsung outside their immediate area, their natural beauty and ecological significance waiting to be discovered. As you plan your summer, get up to speed on camping guidance and consider these seven often-overlooked New York State Parks campgrounds for your next great stay.
Continue reading New York State Parks’ Best-Kept Secrets: Seven Campgrounds Worthy of Your Summer
A New Outdoor Aesthetic: New York’s Postwar Park Architecture
Many buildings and features built for New York state parks during the 1930s mimicked the natural environment. In the period after World War II, this rustic style started sharing space with more modern designs.
One of the busiest construction periods of the New York State Parks system was during the 1950s and 1960s, when park planners were expecting to welcome record numbers of visitors. You can learn more about that history in our Blazing a Trail timeline project. But, for a deeper dive into the architecture leading up to that era, keep reading…
Continue reading A New Outdoor Aesthetic: New York’s Postwar Park Architecture
Buffalo’s ‘Parks Adventure Bus’ Returns, Offering Free Transportation and Entry to State Parks
For many of us, getting to our favorite state park isn’t as easy as packing some snacks and jumping in a vehicle to spend a beautiful day in nature. Transportation to parks located in rural and off the beaten path locations where public transportation doesn’t service can be a challenge. And even if the park is in an urban setting, it may not always be accessible either.
That is why NY State Parks in the Niagara Region are partnering with Erie County, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, and Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) to kick off the second season of the Parks Adventure Bus! The program launched in the summer of 2022, offering riders (1) FREE transportation to and from a number of Buffalo-area parks as well as (2) FREE entry to those parks.
How it works:
On Saturdays from June to early August, NFTA-METRO buses depart from and return to the Metropolitan Transportation Center in Buffalo throughout the day. The Parks Adventure Bus is free and park entry is free to riders. Please arrive 10 minutes to board all buses downtown and at all parks. Bike racks are available, but are first-come, first-served.
To get more information about what to bring and what to know before you go, have a look at our Parks Adventure Bus brochure.
Schedule and Trip Times:
- June 17: Knox Farm State Park
- June 24: Chestnut Ridge Park
- July 1: Reinstein Woods and Como Lake Park (enjoy one or both)
- July 8: Fort Niagara State Park
- July 15: Emery County Park
- July 22: Beaver Island State Park
- July 29: Akron Falls State Park
- August 5: Evangola State Park
If any of the days are cancelled due to weather, August 12 is reserved as a make-up day. Two trips in September and one in December are also available. Learn more here.
Buses depart from the Metropolitan Transportation Center at 8:30 AM, 10:15 AM, 11:30 PM, 1:15 PM, and 3:15 PM.
Buses depart from the park destination (to return to the Metropolitan Transportation Center) at 11:10 AM, 12:20 PM, 2:10 PM, 4:05 PM, and 6:00 PM.
PAL Trip Times:
Using the same dates above, Parks Adventure Bus service to and from each park will be provided on PAL for eligible riders.
Reservations are available to arrive at the parks at 9:00 AM, 10:45 AM, 12:00 PM, 1:45 PM, and 3:45 PM.
PAL vehicles depart from park destinations at 11:10 AM, 12:20 PM, 2:10 PM, 4:05 PM, and 6:00 PM.
Continue reading Buffalo’s ‘Parks Adventure Bus’ Returns, Offering Free Transportation and Entry to State Parks
Sweet Dreams: Explore State Parks’ Remote Islands, Cabins, Resorts and More
When it comes to planning a vacation or getaway, New York State Parks has overnight options for all kinds of adventures – and budgets!
While some enjoy sleeping in tents away from it all in remote, natural settings under the stars, others crave a few more amenities. Whether you prefer booking rustic cabins and bringing your RV, staying in fully equipped cottages, or resting your head at a historic inn or resort with the comforts of home, State Parks has something for everyone.
Our Parks system includes 8,148 campsites, 967 cabins and cottages, 18 yurts, three inns, and – yes – a lighthouse. There are countless adventures for every type of stay. Get a map handy and explore highlights from some of our most interesting properties to inspire your next stay.
La Isla Bonita
If you have a boat or have access to renting one, answer the siren song of the water and consider the benefits of staying on one of three island parks in the Thousand Islands that are only accessible by boat.
- Canoe Point, Cedar Island, and Mary Island State Parks offer a quiet camping experience with plenty of dock space for a one-of-a-kind island excursion.
Who’s On Deck?
Why worry about clearing your campsite for the tent when you can enjoy a level platform? Platform camping provides a wooden deck floor for pitching your tent on a smoother and more even surface.
- Many campgrounds across the state have platforms including Harriman and Lake Taghkanic State Parks in the Hudson Valley.
Cabins and Cottages and a Lighthouse (Oh My!)
The perfect place for a family reunion on the Great Lakes? Check. Lakefront luxe in the Finger Lakes for a bachelorette wine-tasting weekend? Check. Thousand Islands waterfront cabin for anglers telling fish tales about the day’s catch? Check. Memories to last a lifetime? Check, check, check.
- Robert Wehle State Park features a private setting that accommodates eight, and includes a compound with a main house, guest quarters, studio, and formal gardens set cliffside along the Lake Ontario shorefront.
- Fans of America’s pastime can stay at a cottage at Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park near Cooperstown and head to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, then go old school and listen to a game on the radio from the cottage’s front porch.
New York State Parks and Historic Sites Blog 