Weekend getaways near NYC- birthday edition!
August 29, 2011 2:21 PM Subscribe
Looking for suggestions for weekend getaways near NYC! Help me plan my EPIC birthday! :)
I'm looking for ideas and suggestions for my upcoming birthday. I'm born in November and this year my birthday is going to be an AWESOME super-special day! Although I don't want to post the actual date on teh interwebz, my birthday is similar to 9/9/99. I love traveling and if I had a blank check, I would ideally go to Europe or take a cruise somewhere. Unfortunately, I don't have unlimited funds. I have very little funds to work with. Because I will not be the one paying for this trip, costs must be as low as possible. I will be going with my best friend who is a female the same age as me.
The destination and sightseeing locations must be accessible by public transit/hotel shuttle because we do not have a car and will probably be unable to rent one due to our ages (I've heard 25 is the required minimum). Even if there are places that rent to under-25s, it doesn't matter because my friend will be the only one that can drive.
My friend and I do not hike, camp or do other outdoorsy things. (If there's a really, really great destination that just so happens to have a must-see hiking spots nearby, we'll certainly give it a try but we are not hikers or outdoorsy people). I think a vineyard tour and wine tasting would be awesome since I don't know much about wine and would like to be able to try several different varieties with the guidance of a wine expert. I also love B&Bs and traditional, homestyle foods. Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket would be cool for that but I'm concerned about weather and getting around. Also, what else is there to do in the fall besides antiquing and hiking? My friend and I are in our twenties and would like fun things more targeted to our age group. I thought about Atlantic City but preliminary searches suggest that the main things to do would be gamble and summery things such as going to the beach and boardwalk. I'd ordinarily love to hit the casinos but don't want to waste money and I'm not sure that the beach will be a great destination in November. Maybe Niagara Falls or Quebec would be better fall destinations?
I'm always up for visiting states I've never been to and although I've been to NJ, CT, and DC, I'm still open to those areas if you make great suggestions! Again, must be accessible by bus, plane or train. Don't want to reveal the budget to you folks unless requested because I don't want to potentially rule out a traditionally "expensive" destination. There are always ways to cut costs and I can figure out a way to do it on the cheap if its an otherwise great place to be.
So excited to hear ideas!! :)
I'm looking for ideas and suggestions for my upcoming birthday. I'm born in November and this year my birthday is going to be an AWESOME super-special day! Although I don't want to post the actual date on teh interwebz, my birthday is similar to 9/9/99. I love traveling and if I had a blank check, I would ideally go to Europe or take a cruise somewhere. Unfortunately, I don't have unlimited funds. I have very little funds to work with. Because I will not be the one paying for this trip, costs must be as low as possible. I will be going with my best friend who is a female the same age as me.
The destination and sightseeing locations must be accessible by public transit/hotel shuttle because we do not have a car and will probably be unable to rent one due to our ages (I've heard 25 is the required minimum). Even if there are places that rent to under-25s, it doesn't matter because my friend will be the only one that can drive.
My friend and I do not hike, camp or do other outdoorsy things. (If there's a really, really great destination that just so happens to have a must-see hiking spots nearby, we'll certainly give it a try but we are not hikers or outdoorsy people). I think a vineyard tour and wine tasting would be awesome since I don't know much about wine and would like to be able to try several different varieties with the guidance of a wine expert. I also love B&Bs and traditional, homestyle foods. Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket would be cool for that but I'm concerned about weather and getting around. Also, what else is there to do in the fall besides antiquing and hiking? My friend and I are in our twenties and would like fun things more targeted to our age group. I thought about Atlantic City but preliminary searches suggest that the main things to do would be gamble and summery things such as going to the beach and boardwalk. I'd ordinarily love to hit the casinos but don't want to waste money and I'm not sure that the beach will be a great destination in November. Maybe Niagara Falls or Quebec would be better fall destinations?
I'm always up for visiting states I've never been to and although I've been to NJ, CT, and DC, I'm still open to those areas if you make great suggestions! Again, must be accessible by bus, plane or train. Don't want to reveal the budget to you folks unless requested because I don't want to potentially rule out a traditionally "expensive" destination. There are always ways to cut costs and I can figure out a way to do it on the cheap if its an otherwise great place to be.
So excited to hear ideas!! :)
We had somewhat different requirements than you, but this AskMe question I posted earlier this summer might be of some use to you. (We wound up picking Cape May, NJ and will be going there in a week-and-a-half.)
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 3:03 PM on August 29, 2011
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 3:03 PM on August 29, 2011
Philly! Easy to get to, easy to get around without a car. Fun things to do.
posted by Pineapplicious at 3:16 PM on August 29, 2011
posted by Pineapplicious at 3:16 PM on August 29, 2011
Seconding Montreal! It has a very European feel (truly a foreign travel experience) and GREAT nightlife options for 20-somethings.
If you've got time to spare, you can even take Amtrak ("The Montrealer") for what looks like $62 one way. It takes 11 hours (no joke) but the New England scenery is beautiful, and it could be fun if you plan ahead with stacks of magazines, playing cards, your own stash of wine and cheese, etc..
Happy Birthday!
posted by argonauta at 4:14 PM on August 29, 2011
If you've got time to spare, you can even take Amtrak ("The Montrealer") for what looks like $62 one way. It takes 11 hours (no joke) but the New England scenery is beautiful, and it could be fun if you plan ahead with stacks of magazines, playing cards, your own stash of wine and cheese, etc..
Happy Birthday!
posted by argonauta at 4:14 PM on August 29, 2011
Canada is pretty far for 48 hours, if you're driving, no?
Philly is awesome.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 4:41 PM on August 29, 2011
Philly is awesome.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 4:41 PM on August 29, 2011
Beacon is a nice town accessible from NYC by Metro North. A friend of mine recently went there for an enjoyable long weekend (at my suggestion; I love Dia:Beacon and remembered some nice shops and restaurants in the area). He said he had the best burger of his life from a place in town, and stayed in a lovely b&b. Apparently you can walk along the river, which sound really scenic and not too hiking-like.
posted by mlle valentine at 5:29 PM on August 29, 2011
posted by mlle valentine at 5:29 PM on August 29, 2011
Montreal is fun! But as a Canadian, I'm biased. It would make a great birthday though.I thought the greyhound bus only took 8hrs? Not the most pleasant experience- but guaranteed to be a different kind of memorable! Have fun!!
posted by bquarters at 6:48 PM on August 29, 2011
posted by bquarters at 6:48 PM on August 29, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by JPD at 2:31 PM on August 29, 2011 [1 favorite]