‘Education is always a focus,’ says Ross Levi, executive director / VP, New York State Division of Tourism. ‘We know that New York State has what Kiwis want to do, the outdoors – hiking, fishing, soft and serious adventure.

‘We know they love New York City,
and that they will love holidaying in the state that New York City residents holiday in.’

While many Kiwis will want to make the trip to Niagara Falls, not many are aware of the many other attractions in the state.

The Corning Museum of Glass, halfway between New York City and Niagara Falls, has the world’s most comprehensive collection of glass in the world, along with a library on glass, and one of the top glass-working schools in the world.

Corning is in the Finger Lakes region, known for its 11 lakes (and associated outdoor recreation opportunities) and wine, most particularly rieslings. It also has a number of breweries, distilleries and cider producers.

Rochester is home to The George Eastman Museum, housed in his mansion, with the oldest, and one of the largest, photography collections in the world.

Based on the vision of Jamestown native Lucille Ball for her hometown to become a destination for comedy, the National Comedy Centre in Jamestown (90 minutes south of Niagara) takes visitors on an interactive journey through comedy history, from early vaudeville to the latest viral memes. A museum dedicated to Lucy herself, three blocks from the comedy centre, features artefacts, rarely seen footage, re-creations of studio sets, clothes, props and more.

Having twice hosted the Winter Olympics, Lake Placid in the Adirondaks has a Winter Olympics Museum. Starting as a private collection in 1974, the museum’s latest iteration opened late 2022. Visitors can dive into a bobsled, ski jump and speed skate, all in interactive exhibits.