National Magazine Calls Local Landmark NY’s “Best Kept Secret Place”

Readers Digest is calling what is a statewide landmark New York's coolest secret location.

My first thought when I saw this recognition was "Maybe it is a secret for those living outside of New York." Regardless of who these spots are secrets for, Reader's Digest has compiled their list of The Coolest Secret Location in all 50 United States.

The goal of the article? To lease tourists to "some magical destinations" or what Readers Digest calls "...the best-kept-secret place in every state." So according to the magazine, what is New York's best-kept secret?

It is the Erie Canal. Like I said, not necessarily a secret for me and you here in New York. It is hard to miss an almost 340-mile waterway from Albany to Buffalo with quite a storied history and so many locations to explore at points throughout the Empire State.

But I am sure the canal is a well-kept secret for many travelers outside the state. While I was aware of the Erie Canal before I moved here, I was not very aware of its size, scope, history, and all the elements that the Reader's Digest article refers to like "...lock and lift bridges...hiking and biking trails on the old towpaths, small towns, wildlife refuges, urban areas, and verdant woodlands.” These are the secrets for tourists that make the canal truly unique.

The great thing about the canal too - even if you have explored a lot of it, there is still so much more to see as far as old sections of the canal. So I guess in some ways, it till has secrets to reveal for many of us.