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We know that upstate New York is charming, but World Atlas just confirmed what we've always suspected: There are plenty of towns just north of New York City that feel plucked straight out of fairy tales. From lavender-dusted lakeshores to former capitals frozen in time, these eight towns are proof that you don’t need to cross the ocean to find magic.
RECOMMENDED: Three upstate towns were named the best budget vacation spots in the country
Begin with Alexandria Bay, where Boldt Castle perches on a 5-acre island like something from a fantasy novel. Gardens, waterfront views—this is a place that turns a weekend into a king’s retreat. Then there’s Aurora, snug on Lake Cayuga, with inns overlooking the water, farm fields at the edge of town and a brewery or two to keep things from getting too boring.
Beacon, on the Hudson, is the artistic sibling of these storybook escapes. Castles (the haunted, ruinous kind) float on Pollepel Island, while Main Street bustles with galleries, farm-to-table eats and luminous river views. Cold Spring, not far from the city, feels like a wildflower painting come to life: antique storefronts, quiet river walks, and hikes that reward you with panoramas you’ll want to tattoo on your memory. (It also just made the list of best budget vacation towns.) Kingston has the history, the museums and even the riverfront docks for when you want to drift out by boat at day’s end.
Then there’s Lake George, a summer dream of boats, mountain backdrops, islands and forested shorelines. New Paltz offers trails, nature preserves and stone houses built by Huguenot settlers centuries ago. And of course, the OG health spa, Saratoga Springs, with its mineral waters, ornate architecture, horse racing and the kind of spa vibes that make you forget what your worries were.
What unites these eight towns isn’t just picture-perfect settings (though there’s plenty of that) but a feeling of time slowing down to a more manageable pace. Any of them could make for an ideal weekend getaway that requires just a change of clothes, a book and maybe a picnic from a local restaurant. These towns prove that magical places don't have to be fictional. Sometimes it's just a question of traveling somewhere new.