Call or write the New York State Division of Tourism, P.O. Box 2603, Albany, NY 12220-0603 (tel. 800/CALL-NYS or 518/474-4116; www.iloveny.com), for a stack of free brochures, including the informative I Love New York Travel Guide, the Official NYC Guide, and pamphlets about seasonal events. They even throw in a free state map that's just as useful as any you'd pay $5 for at the gas station. While on the road, you can pick up brochures at one of the state's information centers. Call the toll-free number above or check the I Love New York Travel Guide for the locations along your route.
If you're planning a tour of the great outdoors, contact the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Albany, NY 12238 (tel. 518/474-0456, or 518/486-1899 for the hearing or speech impaired; www.nysparks.state.ny.us), to request a free brochure, order admission passes, or find out about camping, hiking, and a host of other activities within the state's parks and historic sites. To reserve a campsite or other accommodations, book online or call tel. 800/456-2267.
For fall foliage reports, see www.empire.state.ny.us/tourism/foliage.
