Green Travel Choices

What is ‘green’ travel? It’s responsible travel to destinations of natural and historical significance that promotes conservation, sustains the well being of the local community and generates economic benefit. 

It’s about how you get to where you’re going, where you eat and the places you stay. But most of all, it’s about exploring, gaining awareness, experiencing, appreciating, and preserving the natural wonders and outdoor adventures that await you in New York State.

GREEN HOTELS 

New York offers a variety of green accommodations for you to tailor your own personal green getaway. Each offering has been reviewed and approved to ensure it meets a specific level of environmental standards and we are proud to support these lodging facilities with the green heart logo!  

NYS Green Hotel Certification Program
When you stay at lodging in New York State proudly displaying a three-leaf green certification by Audubon International/Green Leaf, your hosts are committed to environmentally-friendly practices. Listed here is the “freshman class” of the NYS Green Hotel Certification pilot program: 

  Adirondacks

  Capital-Saratoga

  Catskills

  Central New York

  Finger Lakes

  Greater Niagara

  Hudson Valley

  Long Island

  New York City

    Beekman Tower Hotel
    Grand Hyatt New York
    Westin New York

  Thousand Islands-Seaway

    Best Western Carriage House
    White Pillars Lodging

GREEN DINING

New York also offers a grand variety of green dining options for travelers to match their palates. Each restaurant has been reviewed and approved to ensure it meets a specific level of environmental standards and we are proud to support these dining facilities with the green heart logo! 

New York has more Certified Green Restaurants® than any other state in the country! From fine dining, to coffee shops, burger joints, organic eateries, landmark tourist spots, caterers, and more, consumers can easily Dine Green anywhere in New York.

Restaurants that boast the new Green heart logo have earned the Certified Green Restaurant® mark in accordance with the Green Restaurant Association's (GRA)rigorous science-based certification standards. For two decades, the GRA has provided environmental solutions, education, and Certification to thousands of restaurants throughout North America. The GRA's program requires restaurants to meet a point minimum in 7 environmental categories, including energy, water, waste, chemicals, food, disposables, and green building. When you choose to Dine Green, you know that you are enjoying your meal Lighter on the Planet! View the complete list of Certified Green Restaurants® in New York.

GREEN TRANSPORTATION

From hybrid cars to rail travel to the good old fashioned bicycle, alternative transportation options here are abundant and allow you to get where you want to go and still be environmentally friendly.

Amtrak

With gasoline prices and concern for the sustainability of our natural resources at an all time high, the need to balance travel necessities while being respectful of the environment is shining the light on rail travel. Traveling by rail is one of the most energy efficient ways to reach your destination. Visit Amtrak for more information about rail travel.

Enterprise

At Enterprise Rent-A-Car, more than their logo is green. Enterprise helps you minimize the environmental impact of your rental by offering the world’s largest fleet of fuel-efficient cars, including more than 440,000 vehicles that achieve 28 mpg highway or better. Enterprise’s Carbon Offset Program provides an opportunity for customers to benefit the environment by offsetting the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated by an average rental car. For every 100,000 customers who choose to take part in this program, more than 30 million pounds — or 13,500 metric tons — of CO2 will be offset. Visit Enterprise for more information on their environmental initiatives.