New York

New York is a living contradiction—bold, historic, wild, and unyielding. It pulses with energy from the streets of its towering metropolis to the whispering pines of its northern wilderness. This state doesn’t just invite exploration; it demands it. Every brick in its cities, every bend in its rivers, tells a story soaked in revolution, immigration, invention, and art. It was here that revolutionaries carved a nation’s future, where waves of dreamers washed ashore, and where voices demanded liberty—not quietly, but with the roar of movements that shaped America’s soul.

Step beyond the skyline and you’ll find sacred grounds where echoes of valor, vision, and sacrifice still linger. National treasures preserved in stone, iron, and memory stand watch over the stories that shaped the United States. From battlefield to bastion, from inspiration to innovation, New York offers not a gentle retelling, but a forceful, unforgettable plunge into the nation’s past.

To know New York is to confront the very essence of American ambition—gritty, grand, and gloriously unfiltered. It doesn’t just hold history. It is history, alive and relentless.

The 31

National Treasures in New York

African Burial Ground National Monument
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Castle Clinton National Monument
Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
Federal Hall National Memorial
Finger Lakes National Forest
Fire Island National Seashore
Gateway National Recreation Area
General Grant National Memorial
Governors Island National Monument
Hamilton Grange National Memorial
Harriet Tubman National Historical Park
Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site
Kate Mullany National Historic Site
Lower East Side Tenement Museum National Historic Site
Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
Middle Delaware National Scenic River,
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site
Saratoga National Historical Park
Statue of Liberty National Monument
Stonewall National Monument
Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
Thomas Cole National Historic Site
Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site
Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail
Women's Rights National Historical Park

Shea's Videos and Travel Journal Entries From New York

A black Jeep is parked in a State Forest, towing a teardrop camper trailer near Long Pond, ready for the weekend camps.
With the holiday weekend approaching, I needed to find someplace free to hide out, get some work done, and try to relax before getting back on the road.
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On my way to find a quiet, secluded spot to ride out the holiday weekend, I bagged another National Monument and found a cool old church, but then found disappointment in Rome.
A black Jeep is towing a small, white teardrop camper in a wooded campsite with a picnic table, nestled within the serene beauty of Delta Lake State Park.
Tired from another busy day of sightseeing and driving, I pulled into Delta Lake, hoping to have a good Internet connection for a solid day of catching up on work
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Talk about a couple of crazy, packed-full days of hitting destinations of national importance and learning more about the one National Park Service unit dedicated to Conservation.
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Having a few weeks with my friends Mark and Kate was spectacular, with trips to New York City and crash courses on modern and contemporary art from a successful artist.
A black SUV is parked towing a small teardrop camper next to a lush green field at Kanakadea Park, with a lake and wooded hills in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
After having an absolute blast on South Cass Island, I spent a good chunk of the day driving and was quite tired when I arrived at this adorable campground near the Finger Lakes.
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Checking off another incredible National Treasure was only part of the joy of my day on Cass Island, which included a ferry, wineries, a Biergarten, a cave, a golf cart, and some hiking.