The 5 Hidden Landmarks on the New York License Plate

it's a weird thing to admit, but I'm been driving my car around for years and I only just realized there were five separate New York State landmarks hiding in plain sight on my license plate.

This isn't the first version of a New York plate that I've had, but it is the first one with so much decoration (you can even look up the plate from your birthyear here). Some, like the Statue of Liberty, are easily recognizable. Some others, though, took some research to understand.

The New York State Excelsior license plate has five famous New York landmarks... can you name them all? (NYS DMV/Canva)

New York's Latest License Plate: "Excelsior"

The newest design is dubbed the "excelsior plate", with the word (which is also the New York State motto) displayed between the state landmarks. We'll start easy and end with ones you may have never noticed before.

Niagara Falls in one of the most recognizable landmarks on the New York Excelsior license plate (NYS DMV/Canva)

1. Niagara Falls Shown on New York's Excelsior License Plate

The most well-known landmark in New York state (north of the city at least) must be Niagara Falls, which can be seen leftmost on the plate. Speaking of famous landmarks, Niagara Falls might only be in second place thanks to a certain Lady Liberty (below).

The Statue of Liberty makes another appearance on a New York license plate (NYS DMV/Canva)

2. The Statue of Liberty Shown on New York's Excelsior License Plate

The silhouette of the Statue of Liberty is unmistakable, and used to be the centerpiece of one of New York's most iconic license plates. Now that Niagara Falls and the Statue of Liberty have been identified, however, things get a little tougher to recognize.

The Manhattan skyline is one of the five New York landmarks on the Excelsior license plate (NYS DMV/Canva)

3. The Manhattan Skyline Shown on New York's Excelsior License Plate

Okay, maybe we're not totally done with the hits. The Empire State Building, Freedom Tower, and Chrysler should all be pretty recognizable as well. But what's next to the iconic skyline?

The the Montauk Point Lighthouse on Long Island is featured on the New York license plate (NYS DMV/Canva)

4. What's the Lighthouse Shown on New York's Excelsior License Plate?

A hint to the lighthouse's identity is in its proximity to the Manhattan skyline. While there may not be a lighthouse in the city, there certainly are in neighboring Long Island, like the Montauk Point Lighthouse pictured here. There's one more landmark on the license plate, but you wouldn't be blamed if you've never noticed it...

The Adirondack Mountains are hiding in plain sight on the New York Excelsior license plate (NYS DMV/Canva)

5. The Adirondack Mountains Shown on New York's Excelsior License Plate?

According to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, the Adirondacks are on the license plate... but they're nearly impossible to spot. They might be faded in the background, but the mountain range is visible to the right of Niagara Falls (circled above)

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So there you go, your daily dose of (mostly) useless trivia. Next time you need a quick five bucks, why not try betting someone to name all the landmarks on the Excelsior plate? Keep the license plate theme going with the plates from the year of your birth below.