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Yonkers is the fourth largest, and one of the best, cities in New York. Set on the east bank of the Hudson River, this New York City neighbor is a commuter haven for those with Manhattan-based jobs.

Beautiful Albany is a historic haven mixed with modern architectural marvels (we're looking at you, The Egg and Empire State Plaza). The New York State Capitol is perhaps its most famous structure, a majestic building set atop State Street Hill. It took over 32 years to build this masterpiece during the late 1800s.

The fourth largest city in New York state, Syracuse boasts all the impressive elements of a big city: interesting museums (i.e. the Erie Canal Museum and the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology), good restaurants, and boutique shops. It's also home to the 43-acre Rosamond Gifford Zoo, which offers enough indoor attractions to make it a good bet for keeping kids entertained in all types of weather. With so many great tourist attractions on offer, it's no wonder Syracuse is deemed one of the best cities in New York.

Pretty much everyone has heard of Niagara Falls. A cool, 150,000 gallons of water plunge over this famous landmark waterfall every second. Yes, you read that right. Every SECOND! Everyone should really see these exceptional falls at least once in their life.

Rochester is a city built for fun, especially if you're a kid. First off, it boasts a thundering, 96-foot waterfall (a.k.a. High Falls), one of the best waterfalls in New York state. If you ever want to feel small, stand next to this beauty!

Want to feel young again? Take a dip in the waters of Saratoga Springs. Believed by the Mohawk and Iroquois tribes to have healing powers, the waters from the springs in this pretty city in New York were once thought to cure diabetes, heartburn, and kidney ailments, among others. While none of these claims have been proven, they did help turn Saratoga Springs into a top New York State tourist destination by the 19th century.

Ithaca offers visitors a truly inclusive vacation filled with shopping, entertainment, academia, and some of the most gorgeous scenery in the state. This fun college city is set on the stunning southern edge of Cayuga Lake, the largest of New York's Finger Lakes. A tranquil city, so beautiful, your camera will quiver with excitement, you'll want to spend days, not hours, in this picturesque spot.

For years, Buffalo has had a bit of a bad rap. Once an economic powerhouse (it literally got its power from Niagara Falls), this big city in New York fell upon hard times, which resulted in empty buildings and a few less than stellar areas of town.

Technically more of a village than a city, Lake Placid is perhaps the most beautiful town in New York State. If you're looking for a scenic spot to eat good food, shop in small boutiques, and spend the day skiing down hills or kayaking on a lake, Lake Placid is the place to be.

The proverbial apple of New York State's eye, Manhattan is the most popular tourist destination, not to mention one of the best places to visit in New York State. It's also one of the best cities in New York and, arguably, the world.