Generally, you don’t want a aircraft ticket to really feel removed from New York Metropolis. A couple of hours on the highway can convey you to quiet lakes, charming coastal cities, or mountain hideouts the place time slows down. These weekend getaways exterior NYC are shut sufficient for a simple drive however far sufficient to clear your head.
Whether or not you need a romantic weekend, a enjoyable household journey, or a solo reset, there’s one thing inside attain. You may spend your mornings mountaineering by means of fall leaves, your afternoons tasting wine within the Hudson Valley, or your evenings watching the sundown over the Atlantic.
17 of the Finest Weekend Getaways Outdoors NYC
Every spot right here is lower than 5 hours from Manhattan—some barely two. These are the finest weekend journeys close to New York Metropolis for each temper, season, and traveler.
Pack gentle, depart early, and prepare to rediscover how a lot magnificence sits proper exterior NYC.
1. Hudson Valley, New York – Scenic Drives, Wineries & Small-City Allure
Distance: About 2 hours from NYC
The Hudson Valley feels made for weekend escapes. It’s crammed with farm markets, wineries, and riverfront cities that look straight out of a portray. In case you’re searching for romantic getaways close to NYC, this area checks each field.
Begin your morning with a drive alongside Route 9, stopping at orchards for cider donuts or farm stands for contemporary apples. Spend the afternoon exploring cities like Beacon or Rhinebeck, the place you’ll discover artwork galleries, bookstores, and comfortable cafés. For one thing scenic, hike Breakneck Ridge or stroll throughout the Walkway Over the Hudson.
In case you’re into meals and wine, plan a cease at Millbrook Vineyards or seize a desk on the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. Many vacationers additionally love the Storm King Artwork Heart, the place huge outside sculptures sit amongst rolling hills.
Keep the evening at Mohonk Mountain Home, an iconic lakeside resort that blends luxurious with historical past, or decide a neighborhood B&B for a quieter evening. Whether or not you come for fall colours or spring blooms, the Hudson Valley all the time seems like an ideal escape from metropolis life.
Why it’s among the best weekend getaways exterior NYC: Simple to succeed in, wealthy in nature, nice for {couples} and households, and stuffed with year-round attraction.
2. The Catskills, New York – Forest Trails & Cozy Cabins
Distance: Round 2.5 hours from NYC
In case you’re craving contemporary mountain air, head to the Catskills, some of the basic weekend getaways from New York Metropolis. The drive itself seems like remedy—inexperienced valleys, winding rivers, and small cities tucked between the bushes.
The area has one thing for everybody. In summer season, you’ll be able to tube down the Esopus Creek or hike to waterfalls at Kaaterskill Falls. In winter, you’ll be able to ski at Hunter or Windham Mountain. Many vacationers come merely to unwind in log cabins with sizzling tubs and fireplace pits.
Cities like Phoenicia and Tannersville have that simple small-town rhythm, with espresso retailers, craft shops, and diners that haven’t modified in a long time. For a dose of artwork and good meals, cease by Woodstock—it’s artistic, laid-back, and stuffed with historical past.
Keep at Scribner’s Catskill Lodge or one of many fashionable boutique cabins scattered by means of the hills. In case you’re touring with children, you’ll discover household resorts with swimming pools and outside film nights.
The Catskills are lovely in each season—lush in summer season, fiery in fall, and snowy in winter. It’s the form of place that reminds you the way peaceable life can really feel only a few hours exterior New York Metropolis.
3. Lake Placid, New York – Mountain Air, Mirror Lake Views & Olympic Spirit
Distance: About 5 hours from NYC
Tucked deep within the Adirondack Mountains, Lake Placid is a kind of uncommon locations that feels peaceable but lively. It’s a basic weekend getaway exterior NYC that balances nature, consolation, and a contact of nostalgia. You’ll discover crisp mountain air, shimmering lakes, and comfortable lodges that make you neglect about deadlines or subway noise.
In summer season, paddle throughout Mirror Lake or take a drive up Whiteface Mountain for panoramic views that stretch for miles. Households can spend the day exploring the Lake Placid Olympic Museum or attempting the Cliffside Coaster—the nation’s longest mountain coaster. Winter brings snowboarding, snowshoeing, and evenings by the fireplace at a country lodge.
Downtown has a heat, small-town vitality with boutique retailers and native eating places. Don’t miss Smoke Indicators for lakeside barbecue or The Breakfast Membership for hearty pancakes earlier than heading out to the paths.
Keep at Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa for luxurious, or e book Whiteface Lodge for a family-friendly mountain retreat with recreation rooms, s’mores nights, and an indoor pool.
Why go to: Lake Placid works year-round. You may hike, ski, swim, or just sit by the water and watch the mountains replicate within the lake—it’s that form of magic.
4. Cape Might, New Jersey – Victorian Allure & Peaceable Seashores
Distance: Round 3 hours from NYC
In order for you the seashore with out the crowds of the Hamptons, Cape Might is your reply. This seaside city on the southern tip of New Jersey mixes quiet nostalgia with coastal magnificence. Suppose colourful Victorian homes, horse-drawn carriages, and smooth sandy seashores that stretch for miles.
Days listed here are easy: seize your towel, discover your spot on the seashore, and keep till sundown. Households love how calm and protected the water feels, whereas {couples} get pleasure from sundown walks previous the candy-colored cottages. For a bit of journey, e book a dolphin-watching cruise or discover the Cape Might Lighthouse.
Downtown’s pedestrian streets are stuffed with boutiques, ice cream parlors, and seafood spots. Don’t miss The Lobster Home or George’s Place for dinner. And in the event you’re touring with children, a cease on the native fudge and saltwater taffy retailers is non-negotiable.
Keep at Congress Corridor, America’s oldest seaside resort, or decide a comfy bed-and-breakfast inside strolling distance of the seashore. In fall, the city turns golden with quiet streets and funky sea air—excellent for these low season getaways exterior New York Metropolis.
5. Mystic, Connecticut – Seaside Village & New England Nostalgia
Distance: About 2.5 hours from NYC
Few cities seize New England’s attraction like Mystic. Identified for its maritime historical past and laid-back vitality, this waterfront village is among the most liked weekend journeys from NYC for {couples} and households alike.
Begin on the Mystic Seaport Museum, the place historic ships and coastal displays inform tales of life by the ocean. Then wander alongside the docks, cease for ice cream at Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream, or seize lunch at S&P Oyster overlooking the river. The Mystic Aquarium is a should for households—Beluga whales, penguins, and sea lions all make it well worth the cease.
Kayaking alongside the Mystic River at sundown is among the finest methods to finish the day. In case you’d relatively keep on land, Olde Mistick Village gives small retailers and cafés beneath twinkling lights.
Keep at The Whaler’s Inn, a historic lodge with trendy consolation, or the Delamar Mystic for waterfront luxurious.
Why it’s particular: It feels cozy, nautical, and timeless. Mystic offers you that excellent mixture of historical past, seaside calm, and simple weekend journey—with out ever feeling rushed.
6. The Berkshires, Massachusetts – Artwork, Nature & Cozy Mountain Cities
Distance: Round 3 hours from NYC
Set alongside the western fringe of Massachusetts, the Berkshires mix tradition and countryside in a means that few locations can. This area is thought for artwork galleries, theater festivals, mountain trails, and small cities that appear frozen in time. It’s a kind of weekend getaways exterior NYC the place you’ll be able to hike within the morning and catch a dwell live performance at evening.
In case you’re into the humanities, go to MASS MoCA in North Adams or see a efficiency at Tanglewood, the summer season house of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Nature lovers can discover the paths at Monument Mountain or go leaf-peeping in fall when the hills flip gold and crimson.
Meals right here is straightforward and comforting—native farms provide many of the substances. Strive Café Adam in Nice Barrington or seize pastries from a roadside market. You’ll additionally discover a number of wellness retreats and yoga lodges that make it an ideal escape for anybody craving stillness.
Keep at Canyon Ranch in Lenox for a soothing spa retreat, or decide a quiet B&B close to Stockbridge for a extra intimate keep. The Berkshires really feel miles away from town’s chaos but nonetheless shut sufficient for a protracted weekend that really resets you.
7. North Fork, Lengthy Island – Wineries, Coastal Drives & Peaceable Seashores
Distance: About 2 hours from NYC
In case you like the thought of the Hamptons however favor fewer crowds and extra open area, the North Fork of Lengthy Island is the place you must head. This 30-mile stretch of farmland and shoreline feels refreshingly down-to-earth.
The area is filled with vineyards, oyster farms, and seashores that invite sluggish mornings and lengthy lunches. You may drive between Greenport and Southold, tasting wines at Bedell Cellars or Kontokosta Vineyard, and cease for seafood at The Halyard overlooking the water. Households can go to lavender fields in summer season or decide apples within the fall.
Downtown Greenport is charming with its small retailers, espresso stops, and marinas. For a quiet night, stroll the pier at sundown and watch sailboats drift previous.
Keep at Sound View Greenport, a waterfront lodge with a relaxed, minimalist vibe, or Silver Sands Motel & Seashore Bungalows for a comfy coastal retreat.
The North Fork delivers a easy form of magnificence—unpolished, open, and completely fitted to vacationers who need a weekend escape from NYC that feels each scenic and easygoing.
8. The Hamptons, Lengthy Island – Seaside Luxurious & Coastal Calm
Distance: Round 2.5 hours from NYC
Few locations say “New York weekend escape” like The Hamptons. Whereas it’s well-known for summer season crowds and superstar houses, it’s additionally stuffed with quiet seashores, native artwork, and small villages the place life slows down.
Spend your mornings strolling Coopers Seashore in Southampton or biking the again roads by means of Sag Harbor. Store at native farm stands for peaches and sunflowers, then cease for lunch at The Lobster Roll or Duryea’s Montauk. For artwork lovers, the Parrish Artwork Museum in Water Mill is price an hour or two.
Summer season brings the excitement, however fall and spring reveal the softer facet of this space—empty seashores, cool breezes, and golden gentle. You may go to wineries, take a yoga class by the dunes, or just get pleasure from a protracted dinner with the sound of the ocean close by.
Keep at The Reform Membership in Amagansett for high-end consolation or The 1708 Home in Southampton for timeless coastal attraction. The Hamptons may be as peaceable or social as you need them to be—both means, it’s one of many most iconic weekend getaways close to New York Metropolis.
9. Newport, Rhode Island – Historic Mansions & Ocean Views
Distance: About 3.5 hours from NYC
In case you love old-world attraction combined with coastal magnificence, Newport is among the finest weekend getaways exterior NYC you’ll be able to take. Town blends luxurious with historical past, from Gilded Age mansions to cliffside walks that really feel straight out of a film.
Begin your go to with the Cliff Stroll, a 3.5-mile path that hugs the Atlantic and passes by the well-known Breakers Mansion. Historical past buffs can tour the lavish houses constructed by America’s wealthiest households, whereas meals lovers can get pleasure from contemporary lobster rolls and seaside eating at The Mooring or Clarke Cooke Home.
Newport additionally shines within the night. Take a sundown cruise from Bowen’s Wharf or seize a drink on the Roof Deck at The Vanderbilt. It’s the right mixture of seaside rest and refined residing.
Keep at The Vanderbilt, Auberge Resorts Assortment for luxurious or Newport Harbor Island Resort for unbeatable views. Newport’s coastal magnificence, romantic ambiance, and wealthy historical past make it some of the rewarding escapes from New York Metropolis.
10. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – City Power with a Relaxed Edge
Distance: About 2 hours from NYC
If you need a break from New York’s tempo however nonetheless crave metropolis life, Philadelphia delivers. It’s walkable, stuffed with historical past, and has a meals scene that simply rivals NYC. This makes it some of the handy weekend journeys close to New York Metropolis for many who don’t need to spend all day driving.
Go to the Philadelphia Museum of Artwork, discover Independence Corridor, and don’t neglect the cheesesteaks at John’s Roast Pork or Dalessandro’s. You may spend a day wandering by means of Studying Terminal Market or trying out avenue murals in Fishtown.
Households love the Franklin Institute, whereas {couples} can get pleasure from a romantic stroll alongside Boathouse Row or a quiet dinner at Zahav, one of many metropolis’s high eating places.
Keep on the Kimpton Resort Monaco for type and luxury or The Logan Philadelphia close to the artwork museum. Philly gives the most effective of each worlds: cultural depth, nice meals, and a slower rhythm that also feels acquainted to any New Yorker.
11. Saratoga Springs, New York – Spas, Horses & Historic Streets
Distance: Round 3.5–4 hours from NYC
Identified for its mineral springs and well-known racetrack, Saratoga Springs combines small-town attraction with a contact of old-world glamour. It’s a kind of weekend getaways from New York Metropolis the place you’ll be able to unwind and nonetheless discover loads to do.
Begin your journey at Saratoga Spa State Park, the place you’ll be able to soak within the pure springs or take a stroll by means of the leafy trails. In summer season, the Saratoga Race Course attracts guests from throughout the nation. In case you are available in fall, you’ll discover colourful bushes, outside markets, and comfortable cafés on each nook.
Downtown Saratoga has boutique retailers, wine bars, and native breweries. Seize dinner at 15 Church or Druthers Brewing Firm, then finish your evening with dwell jazz at Caffè Lena, one of many oldest music venues within the nation.
Keep at The Gideon Putnam, a historic lodge set contained in the park, or e book a contemporary keep at Adelphi Resort downtown. Whether or not you come for the races, the spas, or the calm vitality, Saratoga Springs seems like a real break from metropolis life.
12. Woodstock, New York – Artistic Power & Mountain Calm
Distance: About 2 hours from NYC
Few cities steadiness artwork, music, and mountain surroundings as effortlessly as Woodstock. As soon as well-known for its function within the 1969 counterculture motion, as we speak it’s some of the peaceable weekend getaways exterior NYC—a mix of forest trails, native artwork, and quiet cafés.
You may spend a morning mountaineering Overlook Mountain, wander by means of small galleries on Tinker Avenue, or go to the Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild, considered one of America’s oldest artwork colonies. Cease for lunch at Backyard Café for plant-based consolation meals, or get pleasure from dwell music and craft beer at The Colony.
Woodstock can also be a year-round favourite. In summer season, it’s inexperienced and alive with outside reveals; in winter, it’s cozy, snow-dusted, and calm.
Keep at Woodstock Approach Resort for contemporary design beside a waterfall, or Twin Gables of Woodstock for a nostalgic bed-and-breakfast vibe. The combination of creativity and calm makes Woodstock excellent for artists, {couples}, or anybody who wants a easy mountain reset.
13. Asbury Park, New Jersey – Seashore, Music & Boardwalk Vibes
Distance: Round 1.5 hours from NYC
In order for you a enjoyable, simple seashore escape with out touring far, Asbury Park is it. This revitalized Jersey Shore city has every little thing—dwell music, sandy seashores, and a number of the finest boardwalk eats close to NYC.
Spend your morning on the seashore or looking the retailers alongside Cookman Avenue. The boardwalk is filled with vitality with murals, classic shops, and arcades that preserve the old-school spirit alive. For lunch, attempt Porta for pizza or MOGO Korean Fusion Tacos. At evening, catch a present on the legendary Stone Pony, the place Bruce Springsteen obtained his begin.
Keep at The Asbury Resort for a contemporary, social vibe or Asbury Ocean Membership Resort for luxurious and sea views. Weekends listed here are vibrant but relaxed—the right mixture of summer season vitality and coastal calm.
14. The Finger Lakes, New York – Wine Nation & Waterfall Adventures
Distance: About 4.5 hours from NYC
The Finger Lakes area in upstate New York is among the state’s most lovely pure areas, well-known for its lengthy, slim lakes, cascading waterfalls, and greater than 100 wineries. It’s a should for anybody searching for scenic getaways from New York Metropolis that mix nature and nice meals.
Begin at Watkins Glen State Park, the place 19 waterfalls line the path by means of a dramatic gorge. Then comply with the Seneca Lake Wine Path for tastings with views that rival California’s Napa Valley. Don’t miss native favorites like Dr. Konstantin Frank Vineyard or Fox Run Vineyards.
For outside lovers, there’s kayaking, mountaineering, and swimming all summer season lengthy. Fall brings apple choosing and sensible foliage throughout the hills.
Keep at Argos Inn in Ithaca, a restored mansion crammed with artwork, or attempt The Lake Home on Canandaigua for lakeside magnificence. Between the vineyards, trails, and small cities, the Finger Lakes make you neglect how shut you continue to are to New York.
15. Chilly Spring, New York – River Views & Small-City Simplicity
Distance: Round 1.5 hours from NYC
For these craving peace with out a lengthy drive, Chilly Spring is among the finest weekend getaways close to NYC. Sitting quietly alongside the Hudson River, it gives charming streets, nice mountaineering, and riverfront cafés the place you’ll be able to linger for hours.
Begin your day with a stroll down Primary Avenue, lined with vintage retailers and comfortable espresso stops. Seize breakfast at Hudson Hil’s Café earlier than heading out to Breakneck Ridge—a favourite amongst New Yorkers for its rewarding views. In case you favor one thing gentler, stroll alongside the riverside path or discover Foundry Dock Park.
Afterward, unwind with craft beer at Chilly Spring Depot or browse the native artwork galleries. The city is small however stuffed with persona, making it excellent for {couples} or solo vacationers who need a quick escape from metropolis noise.
Keep at Pig Hill Inn, a quaint B&B with a backyard terrace, or hire a riverside cottage for further privateness. Each nook feels calm right here, making Chilly Spring an ideal fast reset for busy weeks.
16. Lake George, New York – Adirondack Adventures & Lakeside Serenity
Distance: About 3.5 hours from NYC
Nestled within the southern Adirondacks, Lake George is a basic upstate New York weekend getaway. With its vast blue lake, forested mountains, and family-friendly sights, it’s nice for anybody who loves the outside.
Begin your day with a ship cruise throughout the lake or a morning swim from Million Greenback Seashore. Hikers will love the Prospect Mountain Path, which rewards you with panoramic views. Households can go to Fort William Henry Museum, go mini-golfing, or benefit from the amusement parks close by.
In summer season, the lake sparkles with exercise—kayaking, paddleboarding, and fishing are in all places. In fall, the bushes gentle up the shoreline with fiery colours.
Keep at The Sagamore Resort, an opulent historic lodge by itself island, or select a comfy cabin close to the water for an easier expertise. Lake George has that uncommon mixture of vitality and calm that retains vacationers coming again yr after yr.
17. Shelter Island, New York – Hidden Between the Forks
Distance: About 2.5 hours from NYC (plus ferry)
Tucked between Lengthy Island’s North and South Forks, Shelter Island is a quiet gem surrounded by water and nature preserves. You attain it by a brief ferry journey, however when you arrive, it feels worlds away from metropolis life.
A lot of the island is protected land, together with the Mashomack Protect, the place you’ll be able to stroll by means of oak forests and salt marshes whereas recognizing herons and ospreys. Spend the afternoon kayaking round Coecles Harbor or biking alongside empty backroads that curve previous outdated houses and small marinas.
Cease by Vine Avenue Café for dinner—it’s beloved by locals—and keep at The Chequit, a boutique inn with smooth tones and ocean breeze views. For a extra social scene, attempt Sundown Seashore Resort, the place evenings convey dwell music and seaside cocktails.
Shelter Island is calm, scenic, and sometimes ignored. It’s the form of romantic getaway from NYC the place you’ll be able to spend hours doing nothing—and that’s precisely the purpose.
Remaining Ideas
New York Metropolis’s vitality by no means fades, however even essentially the most devoted metropolis dwellers want a break. Whether or not you crave seashores, mountain air, or small-town attraction, these weekend getaways exterior NYC remind you that peace and contemporary air are by no means distant.
From the vineyards of the Finger Lakes to the calm shores of Shelter Island, every vacation spot gives one thing distinctive—good meals, open skies, and slower moments that reset your thoughts. Even a brief journey could make you respect each worlds: the calm of nature and the heartbeat of town ready once you return.
Pack gentle, depart early, and let the highway information you someplace quiet this weekend.
Steadily Requested Questions
1. What are the most effective weekend getaways inside 2 hours of NYC?
Prime spots embrace Chilly Spring, Beacon, Asbury Park, and Nyack. Every gives a peaceable break, scenic walks, and good eating with out lengthy drives or prepare rides.
2. The place can I’m going for a romantic weekend close to NYC?
Strive Woodstock for its cozy inns and inventive vibe, Shelter Island for quiet seashores, or the Finger Lakes for wine trails and lakeside views.
3. What are good family-friendly getaways from NYC?
Lake George, Mystic, and Saratoga Springs are excellent for households. They’ve kid-friendly actions like museums, boat rides, and nature trails.
4. Can I go to the Hamptons year-round?
Sure. Summer season is busiest, however spring and fall supply quiet seashores and decrease charges. Many eating places and wineries keep open year-round.
5. What’s the most effective time to go to the Hudson Valley?
Fall is unbeatable for its foliage and crisp air. Spring brings flower festivals, whereas summer season is nice for mountaineering and farmers’ markets.
6. Which locations are reachable by prepare from NYC?
Chilly Spring, Beacon, and Fairfield County in Connecticut are all simple to succeed in by Metro-North. Philadelphia and Boston are additionally direct Amtrak rides.
7. What are the most effective seashore cities close to New York Metropolis?
Asbury Park, Cape Might, and Montauk are high decisions. Every gives distinctive coastal vitality—Asbury for music, Cape Might for attraction, Montauk for waves.
8. The place can I discover good wineries or vineyards close to NYC?
Head to the North Fork on Lengthy Island or the Hudson Valley. Each areas have wonderful wineries with excursions and tastings.
9. Are there any car-free weekend getaways from NYC?
Sure. Take the prepare to Beacon or Chilly Spring for mountaineering and artwork, or the bus to the Hamptons and Fireplace Island throughout summer season.
