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Photo: Scott Schild

Day trip ideas in Upstate NY: 19 fun places to visit

A day trip in Upstate New York can lead to all kinds of adventures. Take a selfie with statues of women's rights legends Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. Chase waterfalls from Niagara to the gorges of Ithaca to Ausable Chasm in the Adirondacks. Get wet at water parks in Canandaigua or Old Forge and catch sunsets on Million Dollar Beach in Lake George or atop Mount Defiance at Fort Ticonderoga. Check out these ideas when planning your next day trip in Upstate New York.

By Alaina Potrikus | Contributing writer

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Photo courtesy of The Wild Cente

Tupper Lake

Advertised as the "High Line of the Forest," the Wild Walk gives visitors a chance to walk among the trees on a trail of bridges at the 81-acre Adirondack campus. The park includes a four-story twig tree house, a spider's web-like net for climbing, and a nest that visitors can climb into to see the view from 42 feet in the air. While in Tupper Lake, stop by Little Wolf Beach, one of the largest public beaches in the Adirondacks, with lifeguards watching over a floating dock with trampoline and rope swing. Or take in a movie at Adirondack State Theater, which opened its doors in 1914.

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Photo: Mike Lynch for newyorkupstate.com

Santa's Workshop

Guaranteed to delight young audiences year-round, Santa's Workshop near Whiteface Mountain has been an Adirondack tradition since 1949. The storybook village includes Santa's House, the reindeer barn, a bakery, candy shop, blacksmith and toy shop. Rides include a sleigh coaster, bobsled ride, Candy Cane Express train, ferris wheel and Christmas carousel. Summer hours at the park are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, from June 28 to Sept. 5. Autumn and winter hours vary.

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Photos by Mike Lynch for newyorkupstate.com

Ausable Chasm

Billed as the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks, the sandstone gorge south of Plattsburgh offers spectacular views of primeval rock formations including Elephant's Head, Column Rock Hyde's Cave and Jacob's Well. The adventure center offers a variety of activities, from low-intensity hiking to more adventurous rock climbing, rappelling and cliff walks. Visitors can tube or raft down the Ausable River (bring water shoes), experiencing the towering cliffs, rapids and whirlpool basin. Fifteen miles of mountain biking trails for beginner and advanced riders wind through the Adirondack terrain.

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Photo: Sam Maller | Contributing photographer

Thousand Islands

Explore the Thousand Islands with a boat tour, where seasoned guides share the stories of the more than 1,800 islands that cover 50 miles of the St. Lawrence River between New York and Canada. Set aside time to explore Heart Island, home of the six-story, 120-room Boldt Castle with an indoor pool, stunning grounds and panoramic views of the St. Lawrence. Weekend festivities take over downtown Alexandria Bay throughout the summer, with live entertainment for the whole family.

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Photo: Grace Carlic for newyorkupstate.com

Fort Ticonderoga

Located at the southern end of Lake Champlain, the Fort Ticonderoga facility recreates life in the mid-1700s with musket firing demonstrations each day at 11 a.m. and cannon firing demonstrations at 2 p.m. In addition to military history, have a picnic atop Mount Defiance, where panoramic vistas include Lake Champlain and the High Peaks; reach the picnic pavilion by car or hike up the mountain trails once traversed by troops. Rent a canoe to explore the fort by water, or take a boat tour of the Ticonderoga Peninsula aboard the 49-passenger tour boat Carillon.

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Photo courtesy of Enchanted Forest Water Safari

Old Forge

The fun never stops at Enchanted Forest, the state's largest water theme park with more than 50 rides and attractions. The water park includes relaxing tube rides to high speed slides, including the newest double-tube ride "The Silverback," a 100 foot drop into a large 40-foot-diameter bowl. Need a break from the water park? Take a six-mile paddling tour of the Moose River and return via the Adirondack Scenic Railroad. For an aerial view of the High Peaks, ride the scenic chairlift to the top of McCauley Mountain.

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Photo: The Associated Press

Lake George

Nicknamed "Queen of the American Lakes," the resort town north of Albany has been a favorite since the late 19th century, when John D. Rockefeller was a regular visitor. Spend the afternoon at Million Dollar Beach at Lake George Beach State Park, named one of the best beaches for families for its cleanliness, public facilities and panoramic views of the lake and Adirondacks. Hop aboard the Minnie-ha-ha, one of the last steam paddlewheel boats in America, for an hour-long cruise of the lake at sunset (or catch fireworks on Thursdays during the summer).

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Photo: Stephen D. Cannerelli

Saratoga Springs

Place a bet on the thoroughbreds at Saratoga Race Course, the third oldest race course in America. Races run six days a week, and visitors are welcome to bring their own food and drink for a picnic. Walk through the downtown business district to Congress Park, where you can take a ride on the historic wooden carousel. Drive down the Avenue of the Pines to enter Saratoga Spa State Park, where you can walk past the marble colonnades and reflecting pool of the spa complex. Grab tickets for a nighttime concert at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.

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Woodstock Farm Sanctuary

The shelter cares for farm animals that were victims of cruelty and neglect, rescued from stockyards, auctions and slaughterhouses. Each of the sanctuary's animals has a name and a story, including Clyde, a chicken found on the streets of New York City; Harper and Atticus, a pair of goats whose mother was rescued from a downstate farm; and Elvis, rescued while awaiting sale to at a veal auction. Expect to interact with the animals - some of the pigs enjoy belly rubs, and sheep are likely to nuzzle you as you walk through the pasture. Tours are given on weekends, and a cafe offers vegan food options.

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Photo: Stephen D. Cannerelli

Howe Caverns

The underground limestone cavern is the largest cave open to the public in the Northeast and the second most visited natural attraction in New York State (after Niagara Falls). A 90-minute walking tour and boat ride takes visitors 156 feet below the ground to stalactites, stalagmites and an underground lake millions of years in the making. Above ground, the High Adventure Park includes a zip line, ropes course, rock wall and the H20-GO Ball, a 12-foot inflatable ball that takes riders down a 1,000-foot hill.

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Photo: Scott Schild | sschild@newyorkupstate.com

Chittenango

Get up close and personal with a variety of exotic and domestic animals that were hand-raised at The Wild Animal Park. The stars of the park are a pair of giraffes -- Jase and Jasmine -- which visitors can hand feed from a new deck. While you're in Chittenango, take a walk down the Yellow Brick sidewalk to the All Things Oz museum, a tribute to the village's native son L. Frank Baum, author of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." Adults can stop at the Yellow Brick Road Casino, which opened in May 2015. Or head up to Chittenango Falls State Park, home to a 167-foot waterfall.

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Photo: Gary Walts

Sylvan Beach

The vacation community on the eastern shore of Oneida Lake is perfectly sized for a day trip. Spend the afternoon at Sylvan Beach Amusement Park, a throwback to the town's early resort days with a vintage Kiddieland with 10 rides for smaller guests, classic arcade games like Skeeball, the Galaxi steel roller coaster and bumper boats.There are plenty of opportunities for swimming, boating and fishing. Be sure to grab an ice cream cone and stroll through the downtown district after catching the sunset on the beach.

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Photo courtesy of ThisisCooperstown.com

Cooperstown

You can start at the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but there is a lot more to do in this lakeside community. Plan a side trip to the Farmer's Museum and ride the Empire State Carousel. Or walk the grounds of Hyde Hall, a 50-room mansion overlooking Otsego Lake, and take a walk on the beach at Glimmerglass State Park. Enjoy a tasting at one of the six stops on the Cooperstown Beverage Trail; Brewery Ommegang offers a cafe menu of Belgian favorites (try the frites - handcut fries that are twice fried and served with dipping sauces).

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Photo: Joed Viera | Contributing photographer

Niagara Falls

Cross this one off your bucket list: a trip to see one of the natural wonders of the world. Board the Maid of the Mist boat tour to get within soaking distance of Horseshoe Falls; for an even wetter experience, take the Cave of the Winds tour, where a poncho is required for the Hurricane Deck that brings visitors beneath Bridal Veil Falls. End your day with fireworks, which go off at 10 p.m. every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday from May 1 to Oct. 31.

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Photo: Joed Viera | Contributing photographer

Ellicottville

Start your visit at Holiday Valley's Aerial Park, a series of platforms, bridges and zip lines that create 13 different courses (the largest in New York State). Check out the climbing forest -- a three-dimensional version of a climbing wall that is one of only three in the United States. Take a ride on the Mountain Coaster, a roller coaster ride down the terrain that includes curves, jumps and spirals. After an adventurous day, enjoy the small-town charm of Ellicottville and take home a sweet treat from Watson's Chocolates, known for its sponge candy.

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Photo: Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com

Rochester

The 15.5-acre Seneca Park Zoo is the perfect size for children and adults alike. African lions prowl a savannah-like enclosure in the "A Step Into Africa" exhibit, which also is home to elephants and olive baboons. While in Rochester, try the city's signature dish at Nick Tahou Hots, home of the "Garbage Plate," -- where customers choose two selections of eggs, grilled cheese, fried ham, fried haddock, a cheeseburger, hamburger, red hot, white hot, Italian Sausage or chicken tender and two sides. And if you're on a budget, there are several free things to do in Rochester.

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Provided photo

Roseland Park

The 56-acre Roseland Water Park offers attractions for the entire family, from a splash pad for little kids, a lazy river for adults, a family raft ride that mimics whitewater rafting, a wave pool and high-intensity slides like the Cliff, which drops riders 65 feet at speeds of 30 mph. For a bigger rush, head over to the new Roseland Wake Park, the first full-sized cable wakeboarding park in the Northeast that pulls riders through a 2,100 foot continuous loop course on the lake that includes ramps and rails for tricks and stunts.

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Photo: Michael Greenlar | mgreenlar@syracuse.com

Finger Lakes

Visit the Women's Rights National Historical Park and the National Women's Hall of Fame and take a selfie with statues of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Frederick Douglass and Lucretia Mott. Take a stroll through Seneca Falls, the quaint community that is widely believed to be the inspiration for Frank Capra's holiday classic, "It's A Wonderful Life." Plan to visit several of the wineries on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail, including Belhurst Castle in Geneva, where you can dine at outdoor tables overlooking the lake. Not up for a wine tour? Make time to shop at Waterloo Premium Outlets or spend several serene hours birdwatching at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge.

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Photo courtesy of Kristina Reynolds.

Ithaca

With more than 150 waterfalls within 10 miles of Ithaca, you don't have to go far for a spectacular view. Check out Taughannock Falls State Park, home to a 215-foot waterfall (three stories higher than Niagara Falls) and walk the gorge and rim trails. Robert H. Treman State Park offers public swimming at the stream-fed pool beneath Enfield Falls; nine miles of trails follow the gorge past 12 waterfalls, including the 115-foot Lucifer Falls. After a day of hiking, enjoy the atmosphere at the newly renovated Ithaca Commons, a four-block pedestrian area with more than 100 shops, restaurants, street vendors and street entertainers.

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Photo: The Associated Press

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