Roadtrip from Manhattan

October 12, 2006 8:49 PM

Day trip drive from Manhattan?

My parents are flying in from Scotland, I'm flying in from LA, and we're staying in Midtown. It's their first time in the US and they wish to spend one day on a drive out of the city. I'm always up for a road trip - but where: what's a good drive and/ or destination?

posted by The_Partridge_Family to travel & transportation (15 comments total)

How about the Hudson Valley? You can visit Hyde Park and see the FDR home, and there are other historic sites too, not to mention some lovely foliage.
posted by greatgefilte at 9:02 PM on October 12, 2006

A great roadtrip this time of year if you like foliage and big art -- drive up the Hudson and see Dia:Beacon and Storm King Art Center. Have lunch in one of the innumerable charming Hudson towns and watch the river go by.
posted by escabeche at 9:04 PM on October 12, 2006

The Hudson Valley is great... maybe check out Storm King if they're into art (it's great), or Cold Spring for boutiques and restaurants. It's super quaint and beautiful, especially this time of year. I highly recommend it. That whole area is about an hour north of Manhattan. Lancaster County, PA, home of the Amish and lots of good Americana, is less than two hours away, also.
posted by The Michael The at 9:11 PM on October 12, 2006

Seconding Dia:Beacon! You can also take a train up to Beacon, it's about two hours each way. The cafe there is also wonderful.
Additionaly, though I've never tried it myself, I've heard great things about Blue Hill, which was voted Best Foodie Road Trip in 2005.
posted by hooray at 9:50 PM on October 12, 2006

- Delaware Water Gap, NJ-PA
- Bucks County, PA
- Cape May, NJ
- Long Island circuit (out one fork, back the other)
- Litchfield County, CT
Note: For fewest driving hassles, avoid weekends/holidays.
posted by rob511 at 9:56 PM on October 12, 2006

The beacon is definitely worth a trip, and there are a couple of state parks along the way with gorgeous views of the hudson valley.
posted by jrb223 at 11:32 PM on October 12, 2006

by that I meant the Dia:Beacon, if that wasn't clear.
posted by jrb223 at 11:32 PM on October 12, 2006

Further north from the Dia and Storm King: Opus 40 in Saugerties, a sprawling sculpture made by one man out of a former stone quarry over the course of 37 years (it was supposed to take 40, but he died in an accident on the site in 1976).
posted by thejoshu at 2:32 AM on October 13, 2006

I would second The Michael The's suggestion of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. There are great museums and markets, and the countryside is beautiful.

At the opposite end of the spectrum (but also right there) is a huge cluster of outlet malls.
posted by sueinnyc at 5:25 AM on October 13, 2006 [1 favorite has favorites]

Second Litchfield County. Peak of the leaf-peeping season this weekend or so.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 7:07 AM on October 13, 2006

The world's largest casino, Foxwoods. (Follow I-95 North to Exit 92 in Connecticut. Turn left onto Route 2 West and continue eight miles to Foxwoods.)
posted by crunchland at 7:11 AM on October 13, 2006

If autumn foliage in New England is different from that in Scotland, do go leaf-peeping. There is nothing quite so beautiful as New Englad in fall. Otherwise, I'd say Hudson Valley.
posted by dame at 8:30 AM on October 13, 2006

This is a little ambitious for a day trip, but Washington, D.C. is about four hours away by car (and a little quicker if you take the train) It's hard to beat the monuments and museums there.
posted by TBoneMcCool at 10:13 AM on October 13, 2006

Even though you have a car, you could take the MTA North Railroad from Grand Central up to Cold Spring. Great colors, quaint town, outdoors portal (hiking, canoeing), and a wonderful train ride that takes you up the Hudson river valley. You will not need your car in Cold Spring.
posted by hammurderer at 12:26 PM on October 13, 2006

I'd head out to the vineyards on the North fork of Long Island.
posted by jpep at 10:27 AM on October 16, 2006