Beach!

August 19, 2011 3:00 PM

Trip ideas for my mom and me next weekend? NYC area, fairly accessible, beach preferred, and we'd like to stay two nights. Please help!

My mom is coming to visit, and I'd like to take her to the beach somewhere in the NYC area 8/26 and 8/27 (next weekend). I'd like to stay two nights and not spend more than $200/night. The Hamptons would be ideal so we can train it out there, but I can't find any occupancy online. Does anyone know if this is a call the place type thing? Fire Island would also be nice, but I worry she won't like dealing with the ferry. Please note: no car.

Failing all that, if we went to the Catskills, if that might be easier, that could be nice, although the beach is a slight preference. Would that be easier to find short notice places to stay.

I'm hoping I get some good answers, as all my friends have beach houses and no idea how to find area lodging, or just never deal and do day trips, which I don't want to do.

posted by sweetkid to travel & transportation around New York, NY (7 answers total)

I can't even imagine any place in the Hamptons exists that would have something available on the weekend before Labor Day at such short notice, much less for under $200/night. I'm not even that optimistic about the Catskills, although admittedly it has been at least 20 years since I've been there.
posted by elizardbits at 3:13 PM on August 19, 2011

Save yourself some money and look at motels in Montauk instead. Just a couple more LIRR stops!

They still may be crowded this time of year, but hopefully there's something in your price range.
posted by hermitosis at 3:18 PM on August 19, 2011

The Hamptons and Catskills were just two examples of preferences. I'm open to other ideas as long as they're not too far afield.
posted by sweetkid at 3:19 PM on August 19, 2011

Why are you looking northeast? You should be looking in New Jersey. Do you have a car or does it have to be the train?
posted by Miko at 4:04 PM on August 19, 2011

No car. I could do Jersey, I just don't know that much about it.
posted by sweetkid at 5:47 PM on August 19, 2011

One really nice option is to take the North Jersey Coast Line from Penn Station to Asbury Park, NJ, and then spend your two nights in Ocean Grove. Get a cab from the station - it's only maybe a mile and a half, but it's not a good walk.

OG is an unusual town; it's a well-preserved Victorian Methodist camp-meeting town, with street upon street of gingerbread buildings all nestled together. There is still an ongoing Methodist presence every summer, of people camping in Tent City and going to events in the Great Auditorium; but Ocean Grove is also an arty-crafty community with a strong LGBT presence. The beach is lovely, and there's a nice street full of shopping in boutiques, old-school newsstands, ice cream places and vintage shops. There are tons of hotels and B&Bs and you should be able to find something in your price range. You can walk down the Asbury Park boardwalk for more things to do - that boardwalk is coming back from a long period of blight, and is starting to have some really nice shops and restaurants. There are also outdoor concerts, bonfires, and events throughout the summer on the beach there. If it matters, Ocean Grove is a dry town. But you can bring wine or your favorite booze to have in your room if you want.

If that doesn't suit, skip the next few towns and stay on the train as far down as Spring Lake. That's more of a high-end, Victorian-type, more buttoned-up boutiquey town, with a long noncommercial boardwalk and a really beautiful beach. That's more of a peaceful/simple town than a resort town, but you might like it too.
posted by Miko at 6:36 PM on August 19, 2011 [6 favorites]

Thanks all. Irene totally scuppered these plans of course. My parents didn't even get to come and I spent the weekend on the MeTa hurricane thread.
posted by sweetkid at 12:51 PM on September 2, 2011