These farms may breed and raise animals themselves, but their goal is to keep these creatures happy and safe. On the other hand, farm animal sanctuaries are generally small farms that have saved or purchased animals to keep them away from slaughterhouses or similar fates. I would recommend avoiding sanctuaries that house wild and exotic animals without researching beforehand look into how they procured the animals, the history of the establishment, whether they breed these animals, etc. There are a ton of farm animal sanctuaries and small farms in Upstate New York. Don’t forget to take a llama selfie with the countryside backdrop! Farm Animal Cuddles Courtesy of Airbnb Experiences Walk through magnificent pastures and fields, strolling alongside llamas and alpacas with a large or private group. From homestead owner and educator Andrea, you can learn all about camelids (the biological family containing alpaca and llama members) while getting up close and personal. If you love a hands-on experience with animals, this is the perfect activity! Llamas and alpacas are soft and cuddly creatures with an exciting history. Hiking & Farm Experience with Llamas/Alpacas

Tiffani’s Ranch: You can easily book this guided tour and either go on a private tour or join a larger group.

Here are some excellent places to go horseback riding in NYC:

So if you’re looking for a specific NY area, keep scrolling!ĭid we miss anything interesting? Do you have a small local business you’d like us to check out? Drop us a comment below!Ĭatskills, NY Book a Horseback Riding TourĬombine a leg workout with exploring the Catskill’s beautiful nature on horseback! After all, New York State is horse country! So take advantage of the unique horseback riding culture just a few hours north of NYC. In addition to the dictionary, even Wikipedia agrees with this definition!įavorite Things to Do in Upstate New Yorkĭid you know that the entire country of Iceland could fit in New York State? Our state is so big that we had to divide this list by region. From the Adirondacks to Buffalo to the Catskills. Since most of New York State’s population lives in the NYC region, we’ll define Upstate New York relative to NYC. Here are our favorite Upstate New York hidden gems!įun Fact: The dictionary defines “Upstate” as whatever is north of you. But did you know that NYC is less than 1% of the landmass of New York State? There are endless things to do in Upstate New York, too! From cute small towns to breathtaking waterfalls to fun young cities. Most people, when they think of New York, they immediately assume New York City.

Hidden gems in nyc