THE “American Idol” auditions for next season are skipping New York.

Tryouts for the seventh edition of “Idol,” which is set to start again next January, will begin late next month in San Diego, the show’s producers announced yesterday.

In all, seven cities were named – but surprisingly, both New York and Los Angeles were not on the list.

Instead, the “Idol” audition tour this year will travel extensively in the South.

Also, Seattle – the city the judges said produced the most dreadful group of tryouts – will also be skipped over. (Then again, this year’s winner, Jordin Sparks, was a Seattle tryout.)

New Yorkers will have to go to Philadelphia, a two-hour drive, to attend the nearest audition.

The full audition schedule follows:

* San Diego: July 30 at Qualcomm Stadium

* Dallas: Aug. 6 at Texas Stadium

* Omaha: Aug. 10 at Qwest Center

* Atlanta: Aug. 14 at TBA

* Charleston, SC: Aug. 18 at N. Charleston Coliseum

* Miami: Aug. 22 at AmericanAirlines Arena

* Philadelphia: Aug. 27 at Wachovia Center