The use of preposition in this case

Do I always need a preposition when I say..

"I traveled (in) NY?"

Can I simply say, "I traveled NY"?

Solution 1:

I'd say that there is a difference in meaning.

I travelled in New York (State) = I went here and there in NY State.

but

I travelled New York (State) = I covered most of the state. I journeyed widely.

The transitive (or surface-transitive, if seen as prepositional deletions?) constructions "travel(l)ed the world", "travelled the continent" and certainly "travelled the state" are not uncommon. I think it's the 'journeyed widely throughout', 'covered the length and breadth of' sense. Probably, substituting individual states would not be seen as unacceptable. Anything smaller, like a region, wouldn't sound too good (*/?I travelled the Brecon Beacons) (though the preposition chosen here might well be 'around').