Drive 469.9 miles • 10 hours, 3 minute

Fabulous parks, serene lakes and enough outdoors activities to keep anyone busy are all reasons that keep visitors coming back to the western part of the Empire State.

1. Chautauqua

Starting Point • Entertainment, History, Nature, Outdoor Recreation

Take your pick of state parks along the shores of Chautauqua Lake, the largest inland lake in western New York. Board the Chautauqua Belle Steamboat for a narrated history tour. Back on shore, enjoy Lake Night at the Movies and concerts by The Bemus Bay Pops, which performs on a huge floating stage. Summer performances are offered by the Chautauqua Opera.

2. Niagara Falls

91.7 miles, 1 hour, 59 minutes • Food, History, Nature, Outdoor Recreation

Niagara Falls State Park is the nation’s oldest state park. It offers decks, boats, vista points and trails, allowing visitors up-close vantage points of the 167-foot-high American and Horseshoe Falls. Nearby are adventure attractions, shopping and dining options of every kind. The Aquarium of Niagara showcases 1,500 aquatic animals from around the globe. Visit the Niagara Aerospace Museum or Old Fort Niagara, preserved as it was in the 1700s when France and Britain controlled the region.

3. Geneva

139.2 miles, 2 hours, 57 minutes • Food, History, Outdoor Recreation, Shopping

Spectacular natural beauty welcomes visitors to Geneva and Seneca Lake Park, a 60-acre waterfront playground for family fun. Geneva showcases Seneca Lake, the largest of the Finger Lakes, featuring a swimming beach, picnic area, playgrounds, boat slips and lots of lake trout. Seneca Lake is home to many shipwrecks documented by New York’s Underwater Blueway Trail. Downtown Geneva offers urban vibrancy and a small town feel. Sample eclectic dining, shops and cultural offerings.

4. Lake George

239 miles, 5 hours, 7 minutes • Entertainment, Nature, Outdoor Recreation

Las Vegas meets Lake George each summer when more than 4,000 Elvis Presley fans come to Lake George for the Elvis Festival. Competitions, cruises and collectibles are just part of the fun. Once the celebration of “The King” is over, enjoy the self-titled “Queen of American Lakes.” Pristine waters, sandy beaches and outdoor family adventures make Lake George the spot for endless vacation memories. Other attractions include theme and water parks, adventure centers and steamboat or ship cruises. Try whitewater rafting, kayaking and tubing on the Hudson River.