Location suggestions between Toronto and New York

[iancl]

I am going to be traveling to Philadelphia for two days and on to New York for four more from Toronto the first week of September.

I am looking for easily accessible locations with some landscape or nature photography potential on route to and from. I realize if I was truly serious, I wouldn't be trying to do this as a stop on the way kind of thing -- but, that said, I have a packed itinerary in Philadelphia and NY as it is and don't really feel like cutting into that time.

So, moving on, I had decided that on the way to Philadelphia I would plan to stop at Watkins Glen -- arriving mid or early morning. I would then spend about 2 hours or so and head on to Philadelphia.

After two days in or around Philly, I then have a full day open for driving to Upper West Side Manhattan from Philadelphia. I am looking for any and all suggestions for a worthwhile location between the two. Any more rugged or less heavily occupied pieces of coastline? Dunes? Just from looking briefly online and at some maps I thought about Cattus Island Park, Hartshorne Woods Park and driving along the coast? But, I'd be equally willing to stay further inland if there was somewhere worth going.

Leaving Manhattan, I am torn between trying to find some pleasant rural landscapes in either upper PA or NY or going up the Hudson. I had planned to split my trip home over two days so, I have a bit more time here. Any and all suggestions welcome here. An open vista would be nice (but, probably a little hard to do).

[Geoff Wittig]

There are a bunch of state parks in the Ithaca/finger lakes area of upstate New York, some of them as photogenic as Watkins Glen. The best target really depends on the weather. Most of the parks are post-glacier glens with waterfalls, which look best in bright overcast "velvia light". Exposure problems can be severe in sunny weather, and this time of year there's not much water flowing through many of the glens unless you visit just after a good rain. Taughannock Falls is worth considering, as the falls are photogenic in sunny weather at the right time of day. Treman and Buttermilk Falls state parks are also very nice.
The state's park website is pretty good; if you click on the specific park icons, you get stats and a photo of the park.
http://nysparks.state.ny.us/regions/finger_lakes.asp

[paulbk]

If you have the time, go up and around the lake and cross at Wellesley Island, not Buffalo . Thousand Island area has lots of opportunity. Then come down I-81 through Watertown and on to the finger lakes.

[Philmar]

sure it's too late for a response now but in case others search this thread looking for info then I'd suggest Letchworth State Park - it is unheralded and unknown but spectacular.

http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?parkId=12

I'm assuming you know Niagara Falls is also along the route - that ain't too shabby either.

[iancl]

Thanks all for the suggestions. I ended up going to Watkins Glen on the way down arriving at 6:00 pm or so. I went home up the Hudson River into the Lac George area.

I really enjoyed Watkins Glen -- it'd be better in fall for leaves or in spring for more water. I might go earlier too -- the whole glen was in total shade as it descends over  the side of a east-facing escarpment and as a result everything was in flat light.

The route home was a spectacular drive -- I was a little too late and too much in a hurry for good photography; only getting a shot or two in the twilight.

Here are some samples. More are in my Photo.net portfolio: HERE.

Watkins Glen:







Along the Hudson:







Ian Cox-Leigh