The Empire State played a pivotal role in the nation’s journey to independence and subsequent 250 years of American history. With events happening now through 2026 and beyond, there is no better time to learn, celebrate, and reflect on our history, and there is no better place than New York State. From living history museums to Revolutionary War battle sites, to homes of presidents, activists, trailblazers and innovators, New York State offers an unparalleled experience for America’s 250th anniversary. Plan a historic adventure to remember!

EXPLORE THIS ARTICLE:

1. All Aboard Sail4th 250

2. Visit Revolutionary War Sites in New York State

3. Find America 250 Events in New York State

4. Explore Indigenous History and Culture

5. Visit Historic Equal Rights Sites

6. Explore New York’s Role as the Gateway to America

7. Get to Know New Yorker Alexander Hamilton

8. Dive into Presidential History

9. Discover the Untold Stories of New Yorkers

10. Explore New York’s History of Making History

11. Stay and Dine at Historic New York Hotels and Restaurants

1. All Aboard Sail4th 250 (New York City)

Experience a once-in-a-lifetime maritime moment along New York’s harbor during Sail4th 250, the six-day centerpiece of America’s Semiquincentennial.

Happening July 3-8, 2026, the event will feature the largest international flotilla of tall ships and naval vessels ever assembled. Highlights include:

• An International Aerial Review, headlined by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels 

• A prestigious International Naval Review

• A magnificent parade of historic tall ships from more than 30 nations

• A specially-scheduled Fleet Week that will bring sailors and ships to New York City

The tributes continue with parades, concerts, cultural festivals, and public access to these majestic vessels at multiple points along the harbor.

2. The Critical Battleground: Revolutionary War Sites in New York

Today, you can walk the very ground where history was made at New York State’s Revolutionary War sites, including: 

• Fort Ticonderoga (Ticonderoga, NY): Visit the site captured by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold in May 1775, marking the first offensive victory for the American forces. 

• Old Stone House Historic Interpretive Center (Brooklyn, NY): Discover the site of the war’s largest battle, the Battle of Brooklyn.

• Saratoga National Historical Park (Stillwater, NY): Walk the grounds where the American triumph at the Battles of Saratoga became known as the “Turning Point of the Revolution.”

• Fort Stanwix (Rome, NY): Learn how American troops successfully held off the British in August of 1777, making it the only American post to never surrender throughout the entire war. 

• Washington’s Headquarters (Newburgh, NY): Stand in the spot where General George Washington made impactful contributions that shaped the American republic at the nation’s first publicly-owned historic site.

• Federal Hall National Museum (New York, NY): The site where George Washington took the oath of office as the first president of the United States and home to the first Congress, Supreme Court, and Executive branch offices.

Explore even more revolutionary history at New York State Parks and Historic Sites with ties back to the war, from Oriskany Battlefield to Crown Point, Fort Montgomery and many more.  “Our History” kiosks present interactive video displays that highlight New York’s role in the American Revolution, through a more inclusive narrative with diverse perspectives and digital artifacts.

3. Immerse Yourself in an America 250 Event

With 2026 marking 250 years since the founding of our nation, New York honors its pivotal role in shaping American history through live, immersive events that commemorate the revolutionary actions of New Yorkers, their groundbreaking innovations, contributions to arts and culture, natural history, and the courageous fight for equality. Notable events include:

Explore the latest schedule of events on I LOVE NY’s America 250 calendar.

4. Explore Indigenous History and Culture

Exploring Indigenous history and perspectives is essential to an accurate telling of the story of the American Revolution, and subsequent 250 years. November is Native American Heritage Month, and New York State celebrates and honors the traditions, culture, and enduring contributions of Native Americans year-round.

• In Victor, the Ganondagan State Historic Site, a National Historic Landmark, offers an immersive look into the original site of a 17th-century Seneca town. The on-site art & cultural center showcases the work and traditions of the Seneca and Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) people. 

• In Manhattan, the National Museum of the American Indian invites you to explore the ongoing Native New York exhibit which asks and answers, “What makes New York a Native place?” 

• In Howes Cave, the Iroquois Museum, built to resemble an Iroquois elm bark longhouse, memorializes Iroquois history and culture through the world’s most comprehensive collection of modern Iroquois art. 

• In Akwesasne, the Akwesasne Cultural Center and Museum showcases the vibrant culture of the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) people through images, artifacts and interactive displays.

5. Unfinished Revolutions: Visit Historic Equal Rights Sites

The ratification of the U.S. Constitution in 1789 marked the birth of a new government, but its promises of freedom and equality did not initially extend to all. New York State has long been at the helm in the fight for equal rights, from the abolitionist movement to women’s suffrage and LGBTQ+ rights, and the NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center brings this history to life through interactive displays and artifacts in Auburn. Step beyond war sites and explore the battlegrounds of various struggles for freedom and equality.

The Power of Freedom: Abolitionist and Civil Rights History

In Lake Placid, the John Brown Farm State Historic Site marks the home and final resting place of the abolitionist known for his raid on Harper’s Ferry and relentless fight against slavery. Harriet Tubman National Historic Park honors the “Moses of her people,” who guided countless freedom seekers along the Underground Railroad. At the National Abolition Hall of Fame, the brave work of antislavery activists is highlighted alongside the contributions of New Yorkers who have worked toward the continuing goal of ending discrimination.

Women’s Rights Movement: The Seneca Falls Legacy

Recognized as the birthplace of the women’s rights movement, Seneca Falls preserves the homes of pioneers like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Wesleyan Chapel, the site of the first Women’s Right Convention that ignited the suffrage movement in 1848, at the Women’s Rights National Historical Park. Celebrate the achievements of extraordinary American women at the National Women’s Hall of Fame and visit the Rochester home of Susan B. Anthony, where the pioneering leader lived during the most politically active years of her life. The Alice Austen House Museum on Staten Island, and Eleanor Roosevelt’s Val-Kil, the only National Historic Site dedicated to a first lady, honor the legacies of those who further advanced women’s rights.

LGBTQ+ Rights and the Stonewall Legacy

New York State is widely regarded as the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. The Stonewall National Monument and Visitor Center in Greenwich Village stands as a powerful tribute to the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, preserving the legacy of that defiant spark that transformed the global fight for equality. In 1971, the New York State Capitol was the site of the first statewide march for gay rights in the nation. On Long Island, the Fire Island Pines and Cherry Grove have long been a restful and relaxing refuge for LGBTQ vacationers. The Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art in New York City stands as the world’s only dedicated LGBTQ+ art museum, exhibiting and preserving art that speaks about the LGBTQ experience.

6. Explore New York’s Role as the Gateway to America

The Empire State has long been at the heart of the American immigrant experience. New York City’s Ellis Island, once the gateway for millions across the globe pursuing the American dream and now a living monument and museum, stands with the Statue of Liberty National Monument as powerful symbols of freedom, democracy, and hope for those who have made America their home.

In Oswego, the Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Shelter Museum preserves the stories of 982 refugees welcomed to the United States during World War II as “guests” of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and housed at Fort Ontario.

In Kingston, the Reher Center for Immigrant Culture and History honors the legacy of the Jewish immigrant family, who operated a beloved neighborhood bakery for nearly a century, bringing bread and community to the working-class, largely immigrant Rondout district. 

Discover more immigration stories at museums and cultural centers across New York State.

One of the United States’ Founding Fathers and the nation’s first secretary of the treasury, Alexander Hamilton left a lasting footprint across New York State. 

Today, you can experience his story on the big stage as the musical Hamilton celebrates ten years on Broadway and dive even deeper into his remarkable life at sites that preserve his legacy. 

Born in the British West Indies, Hamilton came to New York City in 1772 to pursue higher education at King’s College (now Columbia University). The Grange, his family home in upper Manhattan, provides a glimpse into his personal life and professional accomplishments. 

His final resting place is found in Trinity Church. During his life, Hamilton provided legal counsel to the parish and had five of his children baptized there.

Venture upstate to Fishkill to the Van Wyck Homestead Museum, which served as a Revolutionary War Depot where Hamilton once worked alongside George Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette, and John Jay.

8. Dive into Presidential History

New York State is the birthplace of five U.S. presidents and the final resting place of six. From childhood homes to inaugural sites, walk in the footsteps of American presidents and see where legacies began in New York State. 

Step into Martin Van Buren’s mansion and trace the Democratic Party founder’s journey from his 220-acre Kinderhook farm to the White House. In Buffalo, the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site highlights the dramatic and unexpected beginning of his presidency. In Hyde Park, tour the home of Franklin D. Roosevelt, along with miles of scenic trails and the nation’s first Presidential Library. 

9. Discover the Untold Stories of New Yorkers

• Shirley Chisholm, a Brooklyn-born trailblazer, became the first Black woman elected to Congress in 1968 and the first woman and African American to run for president. Her legacy is honored at Shirley Chisholm State Park in Brooklyn. 

• During the Revolutionary War, Catherine Schuyler of Albany courageously burned her family’s wheat fields to prevent British troops from seizing them, a story preserved at the Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site. 

• Lewis H. Latimer, the son of formerly enslaved parents, was a brilliant, largely self-taught inventor who helped Alexander Graham Bell patent the telephone and developed the carbon filament for the light bulb, honored today at the Lewis H. Latimer House in Queens. 

Explore this free digital flipbook to uncover more stories about the quieter contributions of women, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, religious minorities, people with disabilities, and more who have influenced American history.

10. Explore New York’s History of Making History

These achievements are celebrated across renowned museums and historical sites that let you touch, explore, and experience the history of invention and innovation. Climb aboard the Intrepid Museum in New York City to witness the evolution of aviation and space exploration. Uncover the birthplace of modern photography at Rochester’s George Eastman Museum and learn how the Kodak founder transformed art and history. Experience the fiery artistry of glassmaking with live demonstrations and centuries of glass art at the Corning Museum of Glass, which celebrates the industry that put the small town of Corning on the map. 

11. Stay and Dine at Historic New York Hotels and Restaurants

Eat and drink at Manhattan’s Fraunces Tavern, a museum, bar and restaurant where then-General George Washington gave his farewell address to officers of the Continental Army. The Pearl Street establishment is also where Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr both attended a dinner party, just one week before their fateful duel. 

Book a night at Beekman Arms (pictured) in Rhinebeck. Built in 1766, this is America’s oldest continuously operated inn and the venue offers a mouthwatering menu at its Tavern and Colonial Tap Room. 

Just an hour south, stop by Brotherhood Winery, America’s oldest (continually operating) winery, a title earned due to its ability to remain open during Prohibition. 

If you’re looking for the winery holding the distinction of being U.S. Bonded Winery No. 1, head to Hammondsport in the Finger Lakes to visit Pleasant Valley Wine Company. 

Credit: @featherinflightproductions on Instagram

In the scenic Thousand Islands, you can stay in the one-bedroom suite at Singer Castle, a 28-room Scottish-inspired estate constructed in the early 1900s. While you’re there, be sure to enjoy the region’s namesake dressing. 

Oheka Castle on the famed Gold Coast of Long Island is a member of Historic Hotels of America®. Widely considered the inspiration for The Great Gatsby, today it is lauded as one of the world’s most prestigious wedding venues and offers luxurious dining and accommodations. 

In the Hudson Valley, the all-inclusive Mohonk Mountain House has hosted  a remarkable roster of guests since its founding in 1869, including Rutherford B. Hayes, Chester A. Arthur, Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, John D. Rockefeller, Booker T. Washington, and Bill Clinton.

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