Active Travel and Enjoyable Learning

                                      Explore one of New York State's greatest treasures

Opened in 1825, the canal systems of New York State -- which connect Buffalo on Lake Erie to Albany on the Hudson River -- brought opportunity and prosperity to a young nation.  Erie Canal history is part of the learning curriculum of every American school district and many educational systems in Canada and overseas.

Today it's a working, vibrant canal system -- a beautiful, accessible piece of living history, full of lessons on Heritage… History… Culture… Art… Engineering… Architecture… Agriculture… Environment… Economics… Music & Literature…Flood Control & Energy.

It offers something for everyone of every age -- fun places to eat, picnic, enjoy boat tours, relax at canalside parks, dine at great restaurants and bistros with a waterfront ambiance. Looking for great entertainment, festivals, and tours of interesting places? Many of New York State's best attractions are within a 30 minute drive from the canals! Spend the night at one of our hotels or B&Bs. You'll meet the friendliest, most helpful people.

Find your own hidden treasure in our villages, towns and exciting cities. 

By car, on bikes, on foot or by boat -

Today's residents and visitors can still traverse the state via the nation's oldest continuously operating canal system.

Come and See!

 

 

 

 

 

There's so much to Learn & Experience as you travel NYS canals!

To maximize your visit to any part of the NYS canal system, take advantage of our first-of-its-kind resource featuring educational programs and itineraries on the canals of
New York State - Erie. . . Champlain. . . Oswego. . .  and Cayuga-Seneca.

Download it for:

• Individual descriptions of educational experiences (Talking Points) provided by historic sites, businesses, museums, tours, cities, towns and villages along the entire canal system throughout New York State.
• Links, hours of operation, contacts for planning educational travel trips - and more.
• Suggested itineraries for one to three-day trips or four hour excursions.
• Maps and historic facts about the canals.