Ten Reasons to Relocate to Upstate New York

 

Trying to cherry pick only ten reasons why Upstate New York is a great place to live borders on the impossible. If only it were as easy as saying, “trust us,” but you might need a little more to go on than that.

Upstate New York offers a high quality-of-life for both work and play, and even The Huffington Post suggests that Upstate New York can teach the rest of the country about living well, especially when it comes to thinking and acting progressively, addressing public health and safety, leveraging natural assets for recreation, eating well, staying married, and fostering creativity.

So, what are the ten best reasons to relocate to Upstate New York?

 

1. Multiple and diverse vacation regions

Eleven diverse vacation regions across the state (including New York City) are all unique from one another in their landscape, history, events, architecture, and flavor. These regions, with a highlight for each, are:

• The Adirondacks: The state park within this mountainous region is larger than Yellowstone, Everglades, Glacier and the Grand Canyon combined.
• Capital-Saratoga: Home to the state’s capitol city – Albany.
• The Catskills: A mountainous region where the infamous Woodstock Festival happened.
• Central New York: Home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
• Chautauqua-Allegheny:  The Lucy Desi Museum is in Jamestown, Lucille Ball’s hometown.
• Finger Lakes: Corning’s home region, and the leading wine region of the state.
• Greater Niagara: Niagara Falls, of course.
• Hudson Valley: This National Heritage Area wraps around the mighty Hudson River.
• Thousand-Islands-Seaway: A river border with Canada and dotted with over 1,800 islands, including Heart Island, home to Boldt Castle.
• Long Island: White-sand beaches on the Atlantic Ocean.
• New York City: Not considered a part of Upstate NY, but you may have heard of this city that never sleeps, just four hours from Corning.

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2. Year-round outdoor recreation accommodating a healthy lifestyle and opportunities for adventure

Upstate New York’s semi-rural landscape is ideal for an active, healthy lifestyle all year round. Take advantage of 180 state parks, over 4.8 million acres of forested state lands, and 2,000 miles of trails for adventures in camping, golfing, hiking and biking, fishing, hunting, bird-watching, beachgoing, boating, and more.

Additional public and private operators offer those activities, plus even more pursuits for fun and fitness, including horseback riding, caving, rock climbing, hang gliding, river tubing, scuba diving, downhill and Nordic skiing, paintball, and zip lining, just to name a few.

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3. Wegmans

Wegman’s earns its very own section simply because it is the brick-and-mortar embodiment of quality-of-life and living well, and it could almost be considered a “must-do” tourist attraction. This Upstate New York-based grocery store chain is consistently perched in the #1 spot atop the list of America’s favorite grocery stores, and shoppers are extremely loyal. In fact, several years ago actor Alec Baldwin famously told David Letterman about his mother’s refusal to move away from the Syracuse, NY area, “and leave Wegmans?!?” There are now more than 96 stores across six states, with 46 stores in Upstate New York (including one in Corning).

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4. Regional foods, farm-to-table dishes and locavore cuisine for every taste

Upstate New York is a melting pot of diverse cultures, and each region takes particular pride in their interesting or sometimes strange local cuisine. Have you heard of spiedies, chicken riggies, beef on weck, or tomato pie? Check out this regional food map. It’s not 100% comprehensive, but it’s a starting point for your culinary adventures.

Our strong agricultural industry and diverse restaurants come together in the Taste NY Cuisine & Beverage Trails system, merging authentic and regional food and drink destinations into thematic trail experiences. In the Finger Lakes, there are quite a few foodie-friendly trails to sample. 

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5. A craft beverage explosion

Bottoms up! Following in the footsteps of a robust and growing wine industry, the third-largest wine-producing region in America, favorable legislation in recent years has opened the door for what is described as an “explosive growth of the craft beer and cider industry.” Not to be outdone, the innovators that produce small-batch artisanal spirits have several distilleries and tasting rooms around the state, and recently established spirits trails. The craft beverage industry is having a positive economic benefit on the allied New York-based industries that are growing along with it.

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6. The path through history

Amazingly, there are over 500 historic destinations across the state celebrating hundreds (and even thousands) of years of history. The “Path Through History” program has grouped them into 13 themes. New York proudly celebrates its rich history and preserves its important heritage and natural wonders with sites and events for

• Arts and Culture
• Native Americans
• Canals and Transportation
• Natural History
• Revolutionary War
• Sports History
• Colonial History
• Civil Rights
• Immigration
• Innovation & Commerce
• War of 1812
• U.S. Presidents
• Women’s Rights

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7. Strong community support for arts and culture

Creative arts and culture are alive in both small towns and large cities. With strong community support and preservation activities, places and events like Corning’s Rockwell Museum (a Smithsonian affiliate), the Corning Museum of Glass, and major annual outdoor theatrical productions like the Glimmerglass Festival and Hill Cumorah Pageant thrive in all their color and glory, enriching the local quality of life. Close by, check out the “Tiffany & Treasurers Trail.”

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8. International travel is right in your own back yard

From Corning, you can easily go international on a trip across the border to the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Toronto, a little under four hours away, is considered the “New York City of Canada.” Other Canadian destinations worth a road trip* include Niagara-on-the-Lake (wines), Ottawa (Canada’s Capital), and Montreal (with its Parisian feel in the old city). *Don’t forget your passport!

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9. Water, water everywhere! Great Lakes, waterfalls, rivers, canals and more lakes

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation estimates there are over 7,600 freshwater lakes, ponds and reservoirs in New York State, and over 70,000 miles of rivers and streams. In fact, it is eleven glacially-formed lakes that give the iconic Finger Lakes vacation region its name. All this water means an almost endless supply of recreational opportunities, and some memorable scenic adventures exploring waterfalls, gorges and chasms, or perhaps some historic lighthouses.

The New York State Canal Corporation preserves the history and culture of the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga-Seneca canal systems, important commercial and travel routes in their heydays.

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10. Education: Some of the best public schools and higher education institutions in the US

Whether you have children or not, good school districts matter for local quality-of-life.

GreatSchools.org finds Corning-area schools rank at least average to above average, on a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being the highest).

The Greater Southern Tier STEM Academy offers P-TECH – Pathways in Technology Early College High School. High school students get real work experiences and take college-level, credit-bearing courses starting in their first year, with a potential opportunity to earn an associate degree from Corning Community College at no cost. 

In its recent study, U.S. News and World Report ranked 11 Upstate New York colleges on its best National Universities list. The State University of New York, with 64 institutions, is the nation’s largest comprehensive system of public higher education, and Gradeslam.org opines that there are “9 Reasons the SUNY System is the Best in America” including low costs, unique course offerings, study abroad programs, and even hilarious mascots.

Relocating to Upstate New York is a positive move in the right direction for a great place to live and a high quality-of-life to enjoy day in and day out.

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