We know that upstate New York is charming, but World Atlas just confirmed what we've always suspected: There are plenty of towns just north of New York City that feel plucked straight out of fairy tales. From lavender-dusted lakeshores to former capitals frozen in time, these eight towns are proof that you don’t need to cross the ocean to find magic.

Begin with , where Boldt Castle perches on a 5-acre island like something from a fantasy novel. Gardens, waterfront views—this is a place that turns a weekend into a king’s retreat. Then there’s , snug on Lake Cayuga, with inns overlooking the water, farm fields at the edge of town and a brewery or two to keep things from getting too boring.

, on the Hudson, is the artistic sibling of these storybook escapes. Castles (the haunted, ruinous

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