{"id":1306424,"date":"2026-10-12T11:39:43","date_gmt":"2026-10-12T11:39:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/?page_id=1306424"},"modified":"2026-10-12T13:57:40","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T13:57:40","slug":"new-york","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/north-america\/usa\/new-york\/","title":{"rendered":"New York"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":200,"featured_media":0,"parent":1306307,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"hw-hub-state","meta":{"footnotes":"","hw_hub_hero_eyebrow":"","hw_hub_hero_h1":"","hw_hub_hero_intro":"","hw_hub_hero_image":"","hw_hub_hero_overlay":"","hw_hub_hero_cta":"","hw_hub_why_title":"","hw_hub_why_body":"","hw_hub_why_link_label":"","hw_hub_why_link_url":"","hw_hub_why_cards":"","hw_hub_stats":"","hw_hub_countries_title":"","hw_hub_countries_intro":"","hw_hub_featured":"","hw_hub_regions":"","hw_hub_hostels_title":"","hw_hub_hostels_intro":"","hw_hub_hostels_cta_label":"","hw_hub_hostels_cta_url":"","hw_hub_hostels_source":"","hw_hub_hostels_location_type":"","hw_hub_hostels_location_id":"","hw_hub_hostels_currency":"","hw_hub_hostels_count":"","hw_hub_hostels_cache":"","hw_hub_hostels":"","hw_hub_when_title":"","hw_hub_when_intro":"","hw_hub_seasons":"","hw_hub_costs_title":"","hw_hub_costs_body":"","hw_hub_cost_rows":"","hw_hub_cost_note":"","hw_hub_money_reads":"","hw_hub_rail_title":"","hw_hub_rail_body":"","hw_hub_rail_link_label":"","hw_hub_rail_link_url":"","hw_hub_rail_image":"","hw_hub_routes":"","hw_hub_events_title":"","hw_hub_events_intro":"","hw_hub_events_source":"","hw_hub_events_continent":"","hw_hub_events_count":"","hw_hub_events_cache":"","hw_hub_events_cta_label":"","hw_hub_events_cta_url":"","hw_hub_events":"","hw_hub_events_pills":"","hw_hub_reads_intro":"","hw_hub_article_rows":"","hw_hub_show_read_time":"","hw_hub_all_title":"","hw_hub_all_body":"","hw_hub_all_cta":"","hw_hub_trips_title":"","hw_hub_trips_note":"","hw_hub_trips":"","hw_hub_faq_title":"","hw_hub_faq_note":"","hw_hub_faqs":"","hw_hub_cta_title":"","hw_hub_cta_body":"","hw_hub_cta_buttons":"","hw_hub_newsletter_title":"","hw_hub_newsletter_body":"","hw_hub_newsletter_shortcode":"","hw_hub_hub_term":"","hw_hub_scope_rows":"","hw_hub_country_hero_eyebrow":"","hw_hub_country_hero_h1":"","hw_hub_country_hero_intro":"","hw_hub_country_hero_image":"","hw_hub_country_hero_overlay":"","hw_hub_country_hero_cta":"","hw_hub_country_stats":"","hw_hub_country_intro_title":"","hw_hub_country_intro_body":"","hw_hub_country_facts":"","hw_hub_country_cities_title":"","hw_hub_country_cities_intro":"","hw_hub_country_cities_live":"","hw_hub_country_cities":"","hw_hub_country_trips_title":"","hw_hub_country_trips_intro":"","hw_hub_country_trip_types":"","hw_hub_country_do_title":"","hw_hub_country_do_body":"","hw_hub_country_do_points":"","hw_hub_country_do_tag":"","hw_hub_country_do_more":"","hw_hub_country_food_title":"","hw_hub_country_food_body":"","hw_hub_country_food_points":"","hw_hub_country_food_tag":"","hw_hub_country_food_more":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_title":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_body":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_points":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_tag":"","hw_hub_country_nightlife_more":"","hw_hub_country_transport_title":"","hw_hub_country_transport_body":"","hw_hub_country_transport_points":"","hw_hub_country_transport_tag":"","hw_hub_country_transport_more":"","hw_hub_country_money_title":"","hw_hub_country_money_body":"","hw_hub_country_money_points":"","hw_hub_country_money_tag":"","hw_hub_country_money_more":"","hw_hub_country_safety_title":"","hw_hub_country_safety_body":"","hw_hub_country_safety_points":"","hw_hub_country_safety_tag":"","hw_hub_country_safety_more":"","hw_hub_country_entry_title":"","hw_hub_country_entry_body":"","hw_hub_country_entry_points":"","hw_hub_country_entry_tag":"","hw_hub_country_entry_more":"","hw_hub_country_season_title":"","hw_hub_country_season_intro":"","hw_hub_country_season_note":"","hw_hub_country_season_rows":"","hw_hub_country_budget_title":"","hw_hub_country_budget_intro":"","hw_hub_country_budget_note":"","hw_hub_country_budget_rows":"","hw_hub_country_budget_currency":"","hw_hub_country_events_title":"","hw_hub_country_events_intro":"","hw_hub_country_events_source":"","hw_hub_country_events_country":"","hw_hub_country_events_count":"","hw_hub_country_events_cache":"","hw_hub_country_events_cta_label":"","hw_hub_country_events_cta_url":"","hw_hub_country_events":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_title":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_intro":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_cta_label":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_cta_url":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_source":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_location_type":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_location_id":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_currency":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_count":"","hw_hub_country_hostels_cache":"","hw_hub_country_hostels":"","hw_hub_country_team_title":"","hw_hub_country_team_intro":"","hw_hub_country_team":"","hw_hub_country_faq_title":"","hw_hub_country_faq_note":"","hw_hub_country_faqs":"","hw_hub_country_cta_title":"","hw_hub_country_cta_body":"","hw_hub_country_cta_buttons":"","hw_hub_country_newsletter_title":"","hw_hub_country_newsletter_body":"","hw_hub_country_newsletter_shortcode":"","hw_hub_country_hub_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guide","hw_hub_state_hero_h1":"Things to do in New York","hw_hub_state_hero_intro":"The city that needs no introduction, and a state far bigger than it: the Hudson Valley, the Catskills and Adirondacks, the Finger Lakes wine country and Niagara Falls on the Canadian border.","hw_hub_state_hero_image":"1308024","hw_hub_state_hero_overlay":"light","hw_hub_state_hero_cta":"See the main cities | #cities\r\nWhat it costs | #money","hw_hub_state_live_stats":"1","hw_hub_state_stats":"5+ | Days for the city alone","hw_hub_state_intro_title":"Much more than the city","hw_hub_state_intro_body":"Most travellers come to New York for New York City, and it deserves the time: five boroughs, world-class museums, neighbourhoods that each feel like a different city, and a pace that never really stops. Manhattan has the skyline and the sights, Brooklyn and Queens have much of the food, nightlife and street life, and the subway runs all night between them.\r\n\r\nThe rest of the state is a surprise to many visitors. The Hudson Valley, an hour or two north of the city by train, has riverside towns, art museums and hiking. The Catskills and the Adirondacks are mountain wilderness, with lakes, forests and the old Olympic village of Lake Placid. Further west, the Finger Lakes are a long, glacier-carved lake district with gorges, waterfalls and wineries, and Niagara Falls thunders on the border with Canada.\r\n\r\nGive New York City at least four or five days, and add a few more for the state. Summer and autumn are the best seasons upstate, when the hiking is good and the leaves turn red and gold in October. Long Island's beaches and the Hamptons are the summer escape from the city.","hw_hub_state_facts":"Main airports | JFK, LaGuardia and Newark\r\nTime zone | Eastern Time\r\nSales tax | 8.875% in New York City\r\nTipping | 18\u201322% in restaurants\r\nGetting around | Subway in the city, a car upstate\r\nEmergency | 911\r\nTap water | Safe to drink, and good\r\nDriving | Avoid it in Manhattan\r\nHow long to stay | A week, ten days with upstate\r\nBest months | May, June, September and October","hw_hub_state_areas_title":"Regions of New York","hw_hub_state_areas_intro":"New York City is the reason most people come, but the state stretches 500 km north and west, from Atlantic beaches to the Great Lakes.","hw_hub_state_areas_zoom":"6","hw_hub_state_hostels_pins":"1","hw_hub_state_areas":"New York City | First-timers, culture, nightlife | Five boroughs: Manhattan's sights and skyline, and Brooklyn and Queens for food, bars and neighbourhood life. | 40.7128 | -74.0060 | \nLong Island and the Hamptons | Beaches, summer | Atlantic beaches, wineries on the North Fork and the summer towns of the Hamptons, reached by train from the city. | 40.8500 | -72.9000 | \nHudson Valley | Art, hiking, day trips | Riverside towns, art museums and hikes, one to two hours north of the city by train. | 41.7000 | -73.9300 | \nThe Catskills | Waterfalls, small towns | Forested mountains with waterfalls, hiking and the town of Woodstock. | 42.1000 | -74.3000 | \nThe Adirondacks | Wilderness, lakes, winter sports | A huge park of mountains and lakes around Lake Placid, with the High Peaks. | 44.1000 | -74.1000 | \nFinger Lakes | Gorges, wineries, Ithaca | Long glacial lakes with waterfalls, gorges and wineries, centred on Ithaca. | 42.6000 | -76.8000 | \nWestern New York | Niagara Falls, Buffalo | Niagara Falls on the Canadian border, and Buffalo, a city of architecture and wings. | 43.0000 | -78.8000 | ","hw_hub_state_itin_title":"","hw_hub_state_itin_intro":"","hw_hub_state_itin":"","hw_hub_state_do_title":"Things to do in New York State","hw_hub_state_do_body":"In New York City, walk the High Line and across the Brooklyn Bridge, see the city from the top of a skyscraper, spend a day in the Metropolitan Museum of Art or MoMA, and visit the 9\/11 Memorial. Take the free Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty, explore Central Park, and see a Broadway show, cheaper through the TKTS booth or digital lotteries. Spend as much time in the neighbourhoods as at the sights.\r\n\r\nUpstate, take the train along the Hudson to Beacon for the Dia Beacon art museum, or hike Breakneck Ridge above the river. The Catskills have waterfalls such as Kaaterskill Falls and the town of Woodstock. In the Adirondacks, Lake Placid, which hosted the Winter Olympics in 1932 and 1980, is a base for hiking the High Peaks, paddling and winter sports.\r\n\r\nIn the Finger Lakes, walk the gorges of Watkins Glen State Park, with 19 waterfalls, and visit the wineries along Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. Niagara Falls is best seen from the boat that sails into the spray at the foot of the falls, and the Cave of the Winds walkways.","hw_hub_state_do_points":"Brooklyn Bridge | Walk it at sunrise or sunset\r\nStaten Island Ferry | Free, past the Statue of Liberty\r\nWatkins Glen | A gorge with 19 waterfalls\r\nNiagara Falls | The boat into the spray","hw_hub_state_do_tag":"things-to-do","hw_hub_state_do_more":"All things to do in New York State","hw_hub_state_free_title":"And what it costs nothing to do","hw_hub_state_free_body":"Many of New York City's best experiences are free: the Staten Island Ferry, Central Park, the High Line, the Brooklyn Bridge, the 9\/11 Memorial plaza and street life in every neighbourhood. Several museums have free or pay-what-you-wish times, and in summer there are free concerts, outdoor cinema and Shakespeare in the Park.\r\n\r\nUpstate, hiking trails and many state parks are free to walk into, though some charge a parking fee. Niagara Falls State Park itself is free to walk around.\r\n\r\nThe Hudson River and the waterfronts in Brooklyn and Queens have some of the best free views of the skyline.","hw_hub_state_free_points":"Staten Island Ferry | Free, every 15 to 30 minutes\r\nCentral Park and the High Line | Free all year\r\nShakespeare in the Park | Free in summer\r\nNiagara Falls State Park | Free to walk around","hw_hub_state_free_tag":"free","hw_hub_state_free_more":"All free things to do in New York State","hw_hub_state_food_title":"Eating and drinking","hw_hub_state_food_body":"New York City has food from everywhere. Eat a dollar-or-two slice of pizza, a bagel with cream cheese, a pastrami sandwich at a Jewish deli and dumplings in Chinatown or Flushing, Queens. Food halls and street carts keep costs down, and Jackson Heights and Flushing in Queens have some of the best cheap food in the city.\r\n\r\nUpstate, Buffalo is the home of chicken wings, and the Finger Lakes produce well-regarded Riesling. Farm stands and orchards in the Hudson Valley sell apples and cider in autumn, and cider doughnuts are a seasonal ritual.\r\n\r\nRemember tipping: 18 to 22 per cent in restaurants and a dollar or two per drink at a bar, plus sales tax on the bill.","hw_hub_state_food_points":"Pizza by the slice | The cheapest meal in the city\r\nQueens | Flushing and Jackson Heights for cheap food\r\nBuffalo wings | Where they were invented\r\nTipping | 18\u201322% in restaurants","hw_hub_state_food_tag":"food","hw_hub_state_food_more":"All food guides for New York State","hw_hub_state_nightlife_title":"Going out","hw_hub_state_nightlife_body":"New York City's nightlife runs all night, and bars can serve until 4am. The Lower East Side and East Village have dive bars and cocktail bars, Brooklyn's Williamsburg and Bushwick have clubs, warehouse parties and live music, and jazz clubs in Greenwich Village and Harlem have shows every night.\r\n\r\nComedy clubs, Broadway and off-Broadway theatre fill the evenings, and rooftop bars are a summer institution.\r\n\r\nDrinks are expensive, and tipping applies to every round. Upstate nightlife is quieter, with college-town bars in Ithaca and breweries everywhere.","hw_hub_state_nightlife_points":"Lower East Side | Bars and cocktails\r\nBushwick | Clubs and warehouse parties\r\nJazz | Greenwich Village and Harlem\r\nClosing time | Bars can serve until 4am","hw_hub_state_nightlife_tag":"nightlife","hw_hub_state_nightlife_more":"All nightlife guides for New York State","hw_hub_state_transport_title":"Getting around","hw_hub_state_transport_body":"In New York City, the subway runs 24 hours and is the fastest way around. A ride costs $3, paid by tapping a contactless card or phone at the gate with OMNY, and fares cap after 12 paid rides in seven days. Do not drive into Manhattan: traffic is heavy, parking is expensive and there is a congestion charge below 60th Street.\r\n\r\nJFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports serve the city. The AirTrain and subway link JFK to the city for around $11 in total. Amtrak trains run up the Hudson Valley to Albany and on to Niagara Falls, and Metro-North commuter trains reach Beacon and the lower Hudson Valley.\r\n\r\nTo explore the Catskills, Adirondacks and Finger Lakes properly, hire a car. Buses connect the larger towns.","hw_hub_state_transport_points":"Subway | $3 with OMNY, 24 hours\r\nFare cap | Free after 12 rides in 7 days\r\nAmtrak | Up the Hudson to Albany and Niagara\r\nUpstate | A car is easiest","hw_hub_state_transport_tag":"transport","hw_hub_state_transport_more":"All transport guides for New York State","hw_hub_state_money_title":"What New York costs","hw_hub_state_money_body":"New York City is one of the most expensive cities in the world. Dorm beds start around $45 and often run to $80 or more, and a simple meal costs $15 to $25 before tip and tax. Upstate is cheaper, though accommodation outside the cities is mostly motels and campsites.\r\n\r\nSales tax in New York City is 8.875 per cent, added at the till, and restaurants expect 18 to 22 per cent tips on top. Museums, Broadway and observation decks add up quickly.\r\n\r\nSave with pizza slices, food carts, free sights, the fare cap on the subway and pay-what-you-wish museum times.","hw_hub_state_money_points":"Dorm bed | From around $45, often $80+\r\nSales tax | 8.875% in NYC\r\nTipping | 18\u201322% on food and drinks\r\nSaving | Slices, carts and free sights","hw_hub_state_money_tag":"budget","hw_hub_state_money_more":"All budget guides for New York State","hw_hub_state_safety_title":"Safety and scams","hw_hub_state_safety_body":"New York City is safer than its reputation, and the main tourist areas are busy at all hours. Watch for pickpockets in crowds and on the subway, keep your phone close on the platform, and avoid empty subway cars, which are often empty for a reason.\r\n\r\nIgnore costumed characters in Times Square who demand money for photos, and anyone selling 'free' CDs. Buy Broadway tickets only from the theatre, TKTS or official lotteries.\r\n\r\nUpstate, the risks are outdoors: weather changes fast in the Adirondacks and Catskills, and hikers need maps, layers and water. Health insurance is essential in the USA. In an emergency, call 911.","hw_hub_state_safety_points":"Emergency | 911\r\nTimes Square | Characters charge for photos\r\nSubway | Avoid empty cars\r\nInsurance | Essential in the USA","hw_hub_state_safety_tag":"safety","hw_hub_state_safety_more":"All safety guides for New York State","hw_hub_state_layout":"cities","hw_hub_state_cities_title":"Where to base yourself","hw_hub_state_cities_intro":"New York City for most of the trip, then a few nights upstate.","hw_hub_state_cities_live":"1","hw_hub_state_cities":"New York City | new-york | The biggest and busiest city in the country, and the one with the most hostels. | Statue of Liberty; Central Park; The Met; Brooklyn Bridge; The High Line | 1306622\nNiagara Falls |  | A small town built around the falls, on the Canadian border. | Maid of the Mist boat; Cave of the Winds; Goat Island; Old Fort Niagara | 1306623\nLake Placid |  | A two-time Winter Olympics town in the Adirondacks, with lakes and peaks all around. | Olympic sites; Mirror Lake; Whiteface Mountain; High Peaks hikes | 1306621\nIthaca |  | A lively college town in the Finger Lakes, surrounded by gorges and waterfalls. | Ithaca Falls; Taughannock Falls; Cornell University; Wineries on Cayuga Lake | 1306620","hw_hub_state_cities_tag":"","hw_hub_state_cities_more":"","hw_hub_state_season_title":"When to go","hw_hub_state_season_intro":"Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with mild weather and, in October, red and gold leaves upstate. Summer is hot and humid in the city and perfect in the mountains. Winter is cold, with snow upstate and festive lights in the city in December.","hw_hub_state_season_note":"Average highs for New York City, rounded. Upstate is several degrees colder.","hw_hub_state_season_rows":"January | 4 | 2 | Cold. Skiing upstate\r\nFebruary | 6 | 2 | Cold, quiet\r\nMarch | 11 | 3 | Cool, early spring\r\nApril | 17 | 4 | Spring blossom\r\nMay | 22 | 4 | Pleasant, busy\r\nJune | 27 | 5 | Warm. Summer begins\r\nJuly | 29 | 5 | Hot and humid\r\nAugust | 29 | 5 | Hot. Upstate is cooler\r\nSeptember | 25 | 4 | Warm and pleasant\r\nOctober | 18 | 5 | Autumn colour upstate\r\nNovember | 12 | 4 | Thanksgiving parade\r\nDecember | 6 | 5 | Festive lights and New Year's Eve","hw_hub_state_events_title":"What is on while you are there","hw_hub_state_events_intro":"Parades, festivals, concerts and the biggest New Year's Eve in the world.","hw_hub_state_events_source":"api","hw_hub_state_events_count":"8","hw_hub_state_events_cache":"24","hw_hub_state_events_cta_label":"All events in New York City","hw_hub_state_events_cta_url":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/events\/north-america\/usa\/new-york\/","hw_hub_state_events":"New Year's Eve in Times Square | 31 December | New York City | The ball drop at midnight, with huge crowds from mid-afternoon. |  | \nMacy's Thanksgiving Day Parade | Fourth Thursday in November | New York City | Giant balloons down Central Park West and Sixth Avenue. |  | \nNew York City Marathon | First Sunday in November | All five boroughs | The world's biggest marathon, with crowds along the route. |  | \nShakespeare in the Park | Summer | Central Park | Free open-air theatre at the Delacorte Theater. |  | \nAutumn colour | Late September to October | Adirondacks, Catskills and Hudson Valley | Peak autumn colour upstate. |  | ","hw_hub_state_budget_title":"What your trip will cost","hw_hub_state_budget_intro":"Per night, for one person, based on New York City prices.","hw_hub_state_budget_note":"Treat these as a guide. Upstate is cheaper; Broadway and observation decks cost extra.","hw_hub_state_budget_rows":"Shoestring | 55 | 35 | 10 | 15\r\nMiddle of the road | 90 | 70 | 20 | 45\r\nComfortable | 200 | 120 | 40 | 90","hw_hub_state_budget_currency":"$","hw_hub_state_hostels_title":"Where to stay","hw_hub_state_hostels_intro":"The highest-rated hostels across New York's main cities, straight from Hostelworld. Prices and availability are live on each property page.","hw_hub_state_hostels_cta_label":"All hostels in New York City","hw_hub_state_hostels_cta_url":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/hostels\/north-america\/usa\/new-york\/","hw_hub_state_hostels_source":"api","hw_hub_state_hostels_count":"12","hw_hub_state_hostels_cache":"12","hw_hub_state_picks":"","hw_hub_state_hostels":"","hw_hub_state_faq_title":"New York State questions","hw_hub_state_faq_note":"The ones we get asked most.","hw_hub_state_faqs":"How many days do you need in New York? | At least four or five for New York City, and a week or more if you want the Hudson Valley, the Adirondacks or Niagara Falls.\r\nIs New York City expensive? | Very. Dorm beds start around $45 and often run to $80 or more, and tipping and sales tax add around 30 per cent to restaurant bills. Free sights and cheap food help a lot.\r\nHow do I get from JFK to Manhattan? | Take the AirTrain to Jamaica or Howard Beach and the subway or LIRR into the city, around $11 in total, or a taxi.\r\nCan I visit Niagara Falls from New York City? | It is around 650 km away. Fly to Buffalo or take a train or bus of around nine hours, and stay at least a night.\r\nIs the subway safe? | Yes, millions ride it every day. Watch your phone and bag, and avoid empty cars.\r\nWhen is the best time to visit New York? | May, June, September and October for comfortable weather, and October for autumn colour upstate.\r\nDo I need a car in New York State? | Not in the city. Upstate, a car makes the Catskills, Adirondacks and Finger Lakes much easier.","hw_hub_state_cta_title":"Say yes to hostels, meet the world","hw_hub_state_cta_body":"Compare hostels across New York: live prices, real reviews and free cancellation on most bookings. Then meet the people already there in the app.","hw_hub_state_cta_buttons":"Find hostels in New York City | https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/hostels\/north-america\/usa\/new-york\/\r\nGet the app | https:\/\/hostelworld.onelink.me\/IdiK\/f5a50nhd","hw_hub_state_newsletter_title":"Get the good stuff monthly","hw_hub_state_newsletter_body":"New city guides, deals and route ideas. No filler.","hw_hub_state_newsletter_shortcode":"","hw_hub_state_hub_term":"new-york","hw_hub_state_country_slug":"usa","hw_hub_state_parent_hub":"north-america\/usa","hw_hub_state_currency":"USD","hw_hub_state_scope_rows":"1"},"class_list":["post-1306424","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","wpbf-post"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>New York State Travel Guide: NYC, Upstate and Hostels<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Plan a trip to New York State: New York City, the Hudson Valley, the Adirondacks, Finger Lakes, Niagara Falls and the top hostels.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/north-america\/usa\/new-york\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" 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