These 5 New York Towns Have Picture-Perfect Views
New York’s most memorable small-town views stretch from the Hudson River to the Adirondack High Peaks and the eastern edge of Long Island. Cold Spring pairs dramatic river scenery with steep trails and sweeping overlooks above the Hudson. Watkins Glen shifts the landscape entirely, replacing open vistas with a gorge of stone bridges, towering cliffs, and cascading waterfalls. Montauk, at the far eastern tip of Long Island, trades inland beauty for windswept ocean bluffs and the iconic Montauk Point Lighthouse. Together, these towns show that some of New York’s most rewarding scenery is found in places that are just as enjoyable to explore as the views themselves!
Cold Spring
Just 50 miles north of New York City, Cold Spring sits on the east bank of the Hudson River at one of its most dramatic points. Established in 1818, the 87-acre West Point Foundry Preserve is a great place to start exploring. Here, you can explore the ruins of what was once the country’s largest armaments manufacturing facility, as well as enjoy excellent views of Foundry Brook and Foundry Cove (it’s also a popular birdwatching spot).
From the preserve, it's a short walk to Cold Spring's half-mile-long Main Street, a charming strip of 19th-century storefronts that slopes down to the river and the Cold Spring Pier. Both the pier and adjacent Dockside Park offer great views over the Hudson River. Better still, grab an ice cream from Moo Moo's Creamery before claiming your riverside bench.
Cold Spring's most famous views, however, require a little more effort. Breakneck Ridge, about a mile north of town, is one of the state’s most popular hiking routes. Climbing 1,250 feet in a steep rock scramble, it’s not for the faint of heart. The payoff, though, is the sweeping views of the Hudson and Storm King Mountain on the opposite bank, as well as the ruins of Bannerman Castle on Pollepel Island below.
Watkins Glen
Located at the southern tip of Seneca Lake in New York’s Finger Lakes region, the village of Watkins Glen is home to one of the most photogenic gorge trails in the United States. Set in Watkins Glen State Park, within just two miles, Glen Creek descends 400 feet past towering cliff faces and over 19 waterfalls along the way.
The 1.5-mile-long Gorge Trail gets you to the best views. Winding through tunnels that were cut into the cliffs in the late 1920s, crossing stone bridges built in 1935, and passing directly behind the spray of Cavern Cascade are all part of the fun. Other trail highlights include Rainbow Falls, the most photographed spot in the park, and the soaring chamber of Glen Cathedral with its layered sandstone and shale walls.
Make sure you include the park’s Suspension Bridge in your Watkins Glen itinerary. Completed in 1870, it connects the rim trails and offers a dizzying look straight down into the gorge. It’s worth noting, though, that the trail is seasonal and is typically closed in winter.
Lake Placid
Two hours from Albany and five from New York City, Lake Placid’s setting in the Adirondack Mountains makes it a must-visit for those who enjoy spectacular scenery. Surrounded by the tallest peaks in the state and one of only a handful of places in the world to have hosted the Winter Olympics twice (in 1932 and 1980), the town’s setting between its namesake and Mirror Lake only adds to its appeal.
You’ll get some of the best views by following the Mirror Lake loop, a gentle, paved 2.7-mile path that follows the shoreline past Lake Placid Public Beach, the Lake Placid Toboggan Chute, and the elegant homes that line the shore. It’s especially pretty on a clear day in the fall for the mountain reflections in the usually calm waters. And motorboats aren’t allowed, so it’s quiet.
For some of the best views in this beautiful part of the Finger Lakes region, drive the Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway to the summit of Whiteface Mountain. The fifth-highest peak in New York at 4,867 feet, the views from the summit take in the entire Adirondack region, and on a clear day, you can see as far as Montreal, Canada, some 65 miles to the north.
Keene
Just 15 minutes east of Lake Placid along scenic Route 73, the small town of Keene is certainly no slouch when it comes to magnificent views. As a gateway to the High Peaks Wilderness Area, it’s where you’ll find some of the state’s best mountain views, with incredible vistas here taking in 15 of the highest peaks. For hikers in particular, its proximity to the 5,343-foot Mount Marcy, the highest point in New York, is the big draw.
The most popular route to the summit follows the Van Hoevenberg Trail from neighboring Lake Placid. A nearly 15-mile, full-day round-trip hike, the summit provides stunning views of nearly all 46 of the Adirondack High Peaks. You’ll also find yourself gazing over Lake Tear of the Clouds, the highest source of the Hudson River.
If a long hike isn’t in the cards, don’t despair: the drive along Route 73 through Keene is itself photo-worthy. This scenic route passes the twin Cascade Lakes, whose mirror-still surfaces reflect the surrounding peaks, as well as Chapel Pond, a popular spot for rock climbers. Roaring Brook Falls, accessible via a short trail from the road, is an easier and equally rewarding stop.
Montauk
At the far eastern tip of Long Island and 120 miles from Manhattan, Montauk’s windswept peninsula is where you go for incredible views over the Atlantic Ocean. A former fishing village and now one of New York's most sought-after coastal vacation areas, it’s here you’ll find Montauk Point Lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse in New York State and the fourth-oldest active lighthouse in the country.
Commissioned by President George Washington in 1792 and completed four years later, it makes for a stunning photo. Standing 110 feet tall on the bluffs, it's now a museum with exhibits on maritime history. You can also climb the 137 stairs to the top for panoramic ocean views.
Camp Hero State Park is another must-visit. A decommissioned U.S. Army coastal defense station cleverly disguised as a fishing village, its WWII-era artillery bunkers and massive Cold War-era radar tower still stand. The park's trails wind through maritime forest to dramatic ocean bluffs with some of the finest views of the lighthouse. Neighboring Montauk Point State Park is also a great place to visit for its Atlantic views. Time it right, and you’ll even catch a glimpse of the converging tides from the Atlantic and Block Island Sound racing to meet in front of you.
New York's Best Views
From the stunning river views of the Hudson Highlands to the ancient peaks of the Adirondacks, the Empire State has no shortage of places where the scenery alone is worth the trip. Whether you prefer pretty river vistas framed by historic architecture or stunning ocean panoramas viewed from the top of old lighthouses, these New York towns deliver the best the state has to offer.
