Popular reality TV shows Summer House, The Amazing Race, and Ghost Hunters all have one thing in common: they’ve all filmed in New York State! Whether you prefer to stay at the all-inclusive Adirondack resort where Snooki, JWoww, Vinny, and Pauly D visited in Jersey Shore: Family Vacation or visit the real working farm behind Prime Video’s June Farms, New York is home to plenty of amazing destinations that reality TV fans can visit for themselves. Read on to explore these 14 locations that made their way into reality TV and start planning your New York State vacation! Photo credit: @saltyvisionz on Instagram
The Amazing Race (NYC)
Season 38 of the Amazing Race ended with the final leg taking place throughout New York City. Upon arriving in NYC, teams learned that they would be rappelling down the iconic Empire State Building. While visitors are not allowed to rappel down the Empire State Building, you can soak up 360-degree views of the city from the 86th floor Main Deck or 102nd floor Top Deck observatories. Teams then had to deliver 16 specific fabrics to students at the Fashion Institute of Technology, which is also home to the city’s only museum dedicated solely to the art of fashion. Pay the museum a visit to explore award-winning exhibits and more than 50,000 garments and accessories dating back to the 18th century to the present. Yankee Stadium served as the finish line for Season 38 winners Jas and Jag Bains, so end your own Amazing Race through the city at the one and only Yankee Stadium for a ball game, a visit to the museum, or a stadium tour.
American Rehab: Buffalo (Greater Niagara)
Credit: @scott_balzer on Instagram
HGTV’s American Rehab: Buffalo follows a couple on a mission to save homes from demolition throughout their hometown of Buffalo. With expertise in urban planning and a love for their city, follow along their journey to tackle the restorations to preserve beloved neighborhoods. From Buffalo Bills football to an amazing arts and culture scene, there’s a lot to love about the city dubbed “the city of good neighbors!” Explore it for yourself with our City Guide for Buffalo, NY or start planning with our 48 hour itinerary for Buffalo and Niagara Falls.
Ghost Hunters (Various regions)
New York State has a long history that comes with its share of local myths, urban legends, and folklore, with the Legend of Sleepy Hollow being among its most famous. Over its 16-season run, the pioneering paranormal investigation show Ghost Hunters visited several New York sites that are said to be haunted, encountering unexplained occurrences at Rolling Hills Asylum and strange whispers at Fort Ticonderoga. Plan your own haunted adventure visiting other Ghost Hunter investigation sites including Old Fort Niagara, Fort Ontario, the Culinary Institute of America, and Burn Brae Mansion, where you can even stay overnight—if you dare! If you time your trip around Halloween you may even be able to join a ghost tour and check out the Haunted History Trail of New York State to find more ghostly getaways.
Jay & Pamela (New York City)
Credit: Marta Zielinska
In TLC’s Jay & Pamela, couple Jay and Pamela, who both share the same extremely rare condition, take a trip to New York City to make their runway debut during New York Fashion Week. They visit iconic locations like Times Square, ride in an accessible taxi (roughly half of NYC’s yellow taxi fleet consists of wheelchair accessible vehicles with ramped entry), and take a Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise, where they see the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge. Both Jay and Pamela are wheelchair users and New York City is filled with accessible experiences ready to welcome visitors of all abilities. Check out our blog A Local’s Guide to Accessible NYC and our accessibility page for statewide travel ideas and to start planning your own accessible getaway!
Jersey Shore: Family Vacation (Adirondacks)
In season 2, episodes 21 and 22 of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, Snooki, JWoww, Vinny, Pauly D and the rest of the crew head north, trading the beach and clubs for mountains and line dancing in the beautiful Adirondacks. Instead of gym, tan, laundry the roomies find themselves fishing, horseback riding, and canoeing at 1000 Acres Ranch Resort just 20 minutes outside Lake George, the birthplace of the American vacation. The all-inclusive resort offers a dude ranch experience on the Hudson River from May through October and features rustic riverfront cabins, kosher dining and programming for Jewish families, plus a wealth of activities including a ropes course, wagon rides, petting zoo, hiking, kayaking, river tubing, live entertainment, and more.
Credit: @junefarms on Instagram
Take a peek into the hectic life of Matt Baumgartner, the meticulous entrepreneur and manager of the 120-acre gentleman’s farm found in West Sand Lake, NY on Amazon Prime’s June Farms. A peaceful sanctuary for heritage breed animals like Highland cows, Nigerian dwarf goats, Old Spot pigs, and Shire horses, this working farm also features a farm bar and restaurant, quirky yet luxurious overnight cabins, and a gorgeous wedding venue. Watch as Matt juggles the demands of a busy wedding season and the vibrant personalities of his staff of twenty-somethings. Pay a visit to the lovely farm for yourself with tranquil nature trails, special events like dueling pianos, drag brunch, ATV tours, live music, sheep walking, and morning animal feedings, craft beverage tastings at The Pony Barn, adorable animal experiences, and more.
Long Island Medium (Long Island)
Credit: @chelseabannon on Instagram
TLC’s Long Island Medium follows Theresa Caputo, a normal mom from Long Island in every way except one: she talks to the dead. The show mostly takes place in Nassau County on Long Island as you learn about how Theresa’s gift impacts her life and the lives of those around her. Visit our Spotlight: Long Island page to explore Long Island for yourself, from its Gold Coast mansions to award-winning beaches. Long Island Medium is also on tour and will be making stops throughout the state at the Landmark Theatre (November 7, 2026) in Syracuse, UPAC (November 8, 2026) in Kingston, and The Paramount (December 1-3, 2026) in Huntington.
Next Gen Chef (Hudson Valley)
Credit: @d_rebz on Instagram
Netflix’s Next Gen Chef highlights 21 up-and-coming chefs as they fight for a chance to win $500,000 and be crowned a generational talent with the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) as its backdrop. The Culinary Institute of America has been setting the standard for excellence in professional culinary education for more than 70 years, with notable alumni such as Anthony Bourdain, David Burke, and Cat Cora. Visit one of the five student-led restaurants: American Bounty, The Bocuse, Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici, Apple Pie Bakery Cafe, and CIA Brewery, where you may get to have a meal prepared by the culinary world’s next famous chef. Tours of and other events are also available.
Next Gen NYC (NYC)
Next Gen NYC focuses on a group of friends, many of which were raised alongside reality TV or celebrity parents, as they stumble through adulthood with New York City as their backdrop. The cast visits a number of popular spots throughout the city, mostly in the Financial District and South Street Seaport areas. Pier 17 is a frequent spot for the Next Gen NYC cast, overlooking the East River, with world-class restaurants, concerts at The Rooftop, and front-row seats to the Brooklyn Bridge and NYC Skylines. The Lawn Club is a popular meetup for the cast sporting a relaxed indoor lawn space with fun lawn games like corn hole, frisbee, and bocce as well as food and drinks. Under the Brooklyn Bridge, you’ll find Cowgirl Seahorse, where the season 1 finale was filmed. This casual restaurant serves up nautical decor and Southwestern cuisine with seafood twists.
Real Housewives of New Jersey (Adirondacks)
In season 5, episodes 7-9 of The Real Housewives of New Jersey pack their bags and head up to a frozen Lake George to thaw out some lingering drama on a luxurious winter getaway at The Inn at Erlowest. When Teresa, Jacqueline, Melissa, Kathy, and the rest of the group weren’t getting into heated arguments, they were cooling off while exploring some of Lake George’s most popular winter activities like ice fishing out on the lake, cooking in the kitchen at the resort’s four-star kitchen, and enjoying all that this winter wonderland has to offer. Built in 1898, The Erlowest is a gorgeous mansion with lush suites complete with jacuzzis, fireplaces, and balconies with stunning lake views. The cast also returns to Lake George in season 11, episode 2, where they were seen grabbing a bite to eat at Bolton Landing’s Chateau on the Lake!
Real Housewives of New York City (NYC)
This fast-paced reality show follows the incredibly busy and ambitious Housewives of New York City as they balance jam-packed social calendars, challenging careers, and motherhood, all backed by the bustle of the Big Apple. Throughout the show, the Housewives visit a variety of locations throughout the city. Grab a bite to eat at the timeless Russian Tea Room (pictured) which was the location for the RHONY reunion. Soak up city skyline views with a stroll over the Brooklyn Bridge, where Bethenny and Ramona got into one of their biggest fights in season three, episode six. Alice’s Tea Cup is a whimsical Alice In Wonderland-themed tea house on the Upper West Side, where Luann and Ramona get into a heated argument before heading out on a group vacation in season four, episode seven. The Regency Hotel on the Upper East Side is visited multiple times by the RHONY cast, known for its refined bar and grill. Head up to the Bronx for a visit to Arthur Ave., known as the Bronx’s Little Italy, where the Housewives stop for a meal at Zero Otto Nove in season nine, episode 13.
Selling the Hamptons (Long Island)
Credit: @rjwphoto on Instagram
Six real-estate agents battle to make their mark in the elite East Hampton real-estate market in Selling the Hamptons. With pristine sandy beaches, picturesque wineries, and history around every corner, this ritzy part of New York is home to some of the state’s best luxury travel experiences. Plan a trip of your own to Long Island’s gorgeous Hamptons with our 48 Hours in the Hamptons blog.
Summer House (Long Island)
Credit: @saltyvisionz on Instagram
For the cast of Bravo’s Summer House, summer is all about escaping the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple and living it up in the luxurious Hamptons, with plenty of sun, fun, and drama. Home to pristine beaches, farm-to-table restaurants, luxury shopping, and sprawling vineyards, the crew spends time in several different towns throughout the South Fork of Long Island’s East End, most notably Montauk, with the iconic Montauk Lighthouse as its backdrop. “Summer is for having fun,” so sip rosé at wineries like Duck Walk Vineyards, Wölffer Estate Vineyard, and Channing Daughters Winery often visited by the cast throughout the show, or take a winery bike tour like the group does in season 2, episode 2. The luxury boutique hotel Topping Rose House in Bridgehampton is where the cast attends parties and events in season 2 and 3. When you’re ready for a bite to eat, Dockers Waterside is where Carl and Lindsay celebrated their engagement, and Duryea’s Lobster Deck and the Crow’s Nest offer lobster rolls, seafood spreads and splurge-worthy waterfront dinners.
In the adorable town of Bolton Landing, located on the shores of Lake George, the summer tourist season is critical for small businesses like family-owned Chateau on the Lake and Cate’s Italian Garden Restaurant. Started on the Food Network and continued on Youtube, Summer Rush follows the day-to-day for the Foy family’s restaurants, over the course of 10 intense weeks. Nestled on a gorgeous lakefront property, the Chateau on the Lake, serves up tasty seafood and organic meats and lamb from a restored 1800s private home. Enjoy Italian favorites, pizza, lunch, and ice cream at Cate’s Italian Garden Restaurant, located right off Bolton Landing’s main street.
Winter Break: Hunter Mountain (Catskills)
Credit: Hunter Mountain
MTV’s Winter Break: Hunter Mountain, from the same producers of Jersey Shore, follows a group of eight twenty-somethings as they spend winter break at the amazing Hunter Mountain Resort, skiing, snowboarding, apres-skiing, and mingling to their hearts content. Just two and a half hours north of New York City, Hunter Mountain offers a playground for winter fun with 67 trails, 320 skiable acres, four freestyle areas, a snow-tubing park, and a large base lodge for apres-sking. Be sure to pop into the towns of Hunter and Tannersville for ultimate ski town vibes with local shops, restaurants, and mountain views.
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