11 idyllic places with history, food, art

While many people outside of the state know New York for its bustling city, New Yorkers know the state’s beauty also comes from its many small towns. WorldAtlas recently selected New York’s most idyllic small towns you should visit this year, each picked for their rich history, natural beauty and variety of things to do.

Here’s everything you need to know about New York’s most idyllic small towns.

Montauk

Location: the east end of Long Island

Estimated 2025 population: 4,571 people

Natural sights to see:

• Camp Hero State Park, which not only offers hiking and scenic views, but is also located on a former military base

• Ditch Plains Beach, located on the farthest southeast end of Long Island and is a popular spot for surfing

• Montauk Point State Park, which boasts a variety of amenities, from paddle boarding and fishing to snowshoeing and cross-country skiing

Places to visit:

• Montauk Point Lighthouse, a National Historic Landmark and the state’s oldest lighthouse

• Eothen, Andy Warhol’s former estate

• The Edward F. Albee Foundation, a residency for artists and writers

Popular dining:

• Harvest on Fort Pond, known for its outdoor garden seating

• Montauk Brewing Co., which offers outdoor seating and is dog-friendly

Greenport

Location: Long Island’s North Fork

Estimated 2025 population: 2,537 people

Natural sights to see:

• 67 Steps Beach, a peaceful beach that is close to town

• Shelter Island, a small island you can only travel to by ferry

Places to visit:

• Greenport Carousel, an antique carousel originally built over 100 years ago

• East End Seaport Museum and Marine Foundation, which offers boat cruise tours to Bug Lighthouse

• Olana State Historic Site, a museum that was previously painter Frederic Edwin Church’s estate

Popular dining:

• Kontokosta Winery, where you can sample their award-winning, authentic wines

• Claudio’s Waterfront, which has fresh seafood and live music

Cold Spring

Location: the Hudson Valley region, across the Hudson River from West Point

Estimated 2025 population: 1,997 people

Natural sights to see:

• Breakneck Ridge, a challenging hike with worthwhile views

• West Point Foundry Preserve, where you can hike past the Foundry Brook

Places to visit:

• Bannerman Castle, an abandoned military warehouse located on Pollepel Island

Popular dining:

• Riverview Restaurant, a Cold Spring staple that has been open for four decades

• Brasserie Le Bouchon, a French bistro that is vegetarian-friendly

Beacon

Location: the Hudson Valley region, across the Hudson River from Newburgh

Estimated 2025 population: 15,493 people

Natural sights to see:

• Mount Beacon Park, where you can hike Mount Beacon and the South Mount Beacon fire tower for views of different spots across the state, like New York City and Albany

Places to visit:

• Dia Beacon, an art museum that was previously a Nabisco box-printing factory

• The Madam Brett Homestead Museum, the oldest house in Dutchess County and honors Beacon’s first European settler

• Beacon’s Main Street, which is filled with a variety of restaurants and shops

Popular dining:

• Beacon Falls Cafe, a cozy eatery right on Main Street

• Red Pepper Diner, which serves a combination of Sri Lankan and American cuisine

Lake George

Location: the southern Adirondack region

Estimated 2025 population: 1,003 people

Natural sights to see:

• Prospect Mountain Trail, where you can get views of the Adirondacks at Prospect Mountain’s summit

• Shepard Park, which has a beach and an amphitheater

Places to visit:

• Fort William Henry, a museum and hotel that was a British fort during the French and Indian War

• Lake George Steamboat Company, which has been in business since 1817

Popular dining:

• Adirondack Winery, known for its local vintages

• Charlie’s Bar & Kitchen, a steakhouse and cafe open for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Ticonderoga

Location: the Adirondack region, south of Lake Champlain

Estimated 2025 population: 3,403 people

Natural sights to see:

• La Chute River Trail, a walking trail with scenic views, including the La Chute Falls

• Cook Mountain Preserve, which has three hiking trails

• Mount Defiance, an 840-foot-tall mountain that is part of Fort Ticonderoga

Places to visit:

• Fort Ticonderoga, a museum and historic site that was a French fort in the French and Indian War

• The Ticonderoga Heritage Museum, located in the Ticonderoga Pulp and Paper Company’s historic building, which was built in 1888

Popular dining:

• Hot Biscuit Diner, a full-service restaurant with country-style cooking

• Paper & Pencil, a farm-to-table restaurant that supports local farms

Skaneateles

Location: eastern part of the Finger Lakes region

Estimated 2025 population: 2,503 people

Natural sights to see:

• Skaneateles Lake, which has events all year-round, including boat cruise tours in the summer

• Lakeside parks, which include Clift Park, Thayer Park and Shotwell

• Carpenter Falls, a 90-foot-tall waterfall

Places to visit:

• Skaneateles Historic District, with buildings and homes from the 19th century

• Skaneateles Historical Society, which preserves local history through initiatives like the Museum at The Creamery

Popular dining:

• Blue Water Grill, a restaurant and bar on the lake that’s known for its sushi

• Rosalie’s Cucina, an Italian restaurant that has been in Skaneateles for over two decades

Corning

Location: New York’s Southern Tier, just over an hour west of Binghamton

Estimated 2025 population: 10,629 people

Natural sights to see:

• Chemung River, which is a popular spot for paddleboarders

Places to visit:

• The Corning Museum of Glass, where visitors can sign up to make glass with experienced glassworkers

• The Rockwell Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate that showcases American art

• Centerway Square, a popular spot in Corning’s Gaffer District

Popular dining:

• The Cellar, which has both a casual bar and an upscale dining space

• Three Birds Restaurant, which displays art from local painters, sculptors and glassblowers

Hammondsport

Location: New York’s Southern Tier, near the southern end of Keuka Lake

Estimated 2025 population: 578 people

Natural sights to see:

• Keuka Lake State Park, which offers boat tours, winery cruises and brewery cruises

• Depot Park, which has a swimming area and a boat launch

Places to visit:

• The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum, which honors the Hammondsport native who launched the first working seaplane and designed motorcycles

• Pulteney Square, Corning’s Historic District that has lots of options for shopping and dining

• Patina, a popular antique store

Popular dining:

• Keuka Lake Vineyards, one of six wineries on the Keuka Lake Wine Trail

• Timber Stone Grill, which uses local ingredients to make pizzas, grain bowls, pastas and more

Medina

Location: Western New York, an hour away from Rochester and Buffalo

Estimated 2025 population: 5,837 people

Natural sights to see:

• Medina Falls, a 40-foot waterfall

• Old Orchard Creek, which runs under the Erie Canal

Places to visit:

• The Culvert Tunnel, the only tunnel that allows you to drive under the Erie Canal

• Bent’s Opera House, a 19th-century opera house that is now a hotel

• The Medina Railroad Museum, which features the state’s largest toy train museum

Popular dining:

• Zambistro, a Medina staple for its seasonal menu

• Rudy’s Diner, which has been family-owned for three generations

Ellicottville

Location: Western New York, about an hour south of Buffalo

Estimated 2025 population: 284 people

Natural sights to see:

• Nannen Arboretum, where you can immerse yourself in the outdoors by walking along the Nature Trail

Places to visit:

• Holiday Valley Resort, a vacation spot that offers skiing and tubing in the winter and golfing and ziplining in the summer

• Griffis Sculpture Park, known for its annual fall NIGHT LIGHTS festival

Popular dining:

• Ellicottville Brewing Company, a microbrewery that has won multiple International World Beer Championship Awards

• Katy’s Cafe, a breakfast and lunch spot with a full-service coffee bar and a custom cake design business

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Small NY state towns: These 11 places offer art, history, good food