On a recent trip to the East Coast, as we boarded our plane to Philadelphia we received a notification that our upcoming tour of Independence Hall was canceled due to the government shutdown. Soon after, the Liberty Bell visit was off the list too. But when we got to New York? The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island were wide open and full of visitors.

The difference? Some sites are shut down because they’re managed directly by the National Park Service (NPS), while others stay open — sometimes thanks to state funding. In fact, several states have stepped up to cover operating costs so they don’t lose vital tourism dollars.