What's a fun little day trip I can do for my birthday?
May 6, 2011 8:11 AM Subscribe
My birthday is in early June. I'd like to do a little fun day trip thing with my friends. Nothing crazy. Reachable with mass transit from NYC.
So my bday is the first weekend of June. I'd love to something more than just eat and drink our way through Brooklyn which we do every weekend anyway! Any suggestions? It'll probably be too early in the season for a beach trip. I'd love something along the lines of a hot air balloon ride... but those are crazy expensive. NO sky diving or bungee jumping.
I guess what I'm looking for a is a fun, afternoon event/destination we can go to that won't run us more than say $75 a person. I'd like to get out of nyc, but if you can think of something really great in the city where you feel like you've escaped even though you havent... that would work too.
OH one more thing. i dont really like boats. so please no boat related things. I could do like a kayak or row boat, but big cruisey boats make me nervous.
So my bday is the first weekend of June. I'd love to something more than just eat and drink our way through Brooklyn which we do every weekend anyway! Any suggestions? It'll probably be too early in the season for a beach trip. I'd love something along the lines of a hot air balloon ride... but those are crazy expensive. NO sky diving or bungee jumping.
I guess what I'm looking for a is a fun, afternoon event/destination we can go to that won't run us more than say $75 a person. I'd like to get out of nyc, but if you can think of something really great in the city where you feel like you've escaped even though you havent... that would work too.
OH one more thing. i dont really like boats. so please no boat related things. I could do like a kayak or row boat, but big cruisey boats make me nervous.
The Storm King Art Center if you're into that kind of thing? They do day packages with buses from the Port Authority.
And it's kinda beachy, and probably too obvious, but Coney Island? Or along those lines, maybe Great Adventure in NJ if you're more into the rollercoasters and such.
posted by Grither at 8:18 AM on May 6, 2011
And it's kinda beachy, and probably too obvious, but Coney Island? Or along those lines, maybe Great Adventure in NJ if you're more into the rollercoasters and such.
posted by Grither at 8:18 AM on May 6, 2011
If you're looking for a definitive place or thing or destination: Storm King Sculpture Park, the Dia center in Beacon, or Opus 40 in Saugerties may be interesting. Don't know how "artsy" you all are, but Storm King and Opus 40 are mainly "funky outdoor sculpture gardens in an interesting place," so if you don't dig the art you'll still be outdoors somewhere pretty, and both grounds are big enough that you can goof off taking staged photos like you're on STAR TREK and the sculptures are spaceships or something.
Woodstock or Kingston, upstate, are also generally interesting places to just walk around a little. Round-trip bus fare is pretty decent.
Or you could take the "the journey is more important than the destination" approach -- everyone just shows up at Grand Central at a given time, finds some way of deciding which train to take randomly (roll dice? close your eyes and point?) and whereever you select, you just all go there for the day, whereever it is, and just see what there is to do. Even if all there is to do is buy everyone huge-ass Slushees at their local 7-11.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:25 AM on May 6, 2011
Woodstock or Kingston, upstate, are also generally interesting places to just walk around a little. Round-trip bus fare is pretty decent.
Or you could take the "the journey is more important than the destination" approach -- everyone just shows up at Grand Central at a given time, finds some way of deciding which train to take randomly (roll dice? close your eyes and point?) and whereever you select, you just all go there for the day, whereever it is, and just see what there is to do. Even if all there is to do is buy everyone huge-ass Slushees at their local 7-11.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:25 AM on May 6, 2011
Some friends and I have a tradition of taking a day trip up to Cold Spring, NY for a hike in early summer. It is so pretty up there and really fun. I am also a wee bit clumsy and, shall we say, far from an athlete- there are hikes that are totally doable, even for me. :)
Even without the hiking part, the town of Cold Spring itself is also adorable. There are cute shops, museums, and ice cream that feels particularly refreshing at the end of the day.
AND it's accessible by Metro North, so you don't even need a car.
posted by bookgirl18 at 8:28 AM on May 6, 2011
Even without the hiking part, the town of Cold Spring itself is also adorable. There are cute shops, museums, and ice cream that feels particularly refreshing at the end of the day.
AND it's accessible by Metro North, so you don't even need a car.
posted by bookgirl18 at 8:28 AM on May 6, 2011
Response by poster: Most of us went to SUNY New Paltz so we're very familiar with the Hudson Valley stuff (Opus 40 and Storm King are so great!) although I've never made it to the Dia place in Beacon so... that has possibilities.
Keep 'em coming!
posted by silverstatue at 8:29 AM on May 6, 2011
Keep 'em coming!
posted by silverstatue at 8:29 AM on May 6, 2011
Oh -- check out the sections for New York, New Jersey, Connecticut or Pennsylvania on the "Roadside America" web site. They have maps so you can check what's in the basic tri-state area; I just found a Wild West Theme Park in New Jersey that may be gloriously goofy (you may all have to pool your money to rent a minivan for the day, but with all of you splitting the cost that won't be bad).
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:32 AM on May 6, 2011
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:32 AM on May 6, 2011
Oh! Looking at the Roadside america sites reminded me -- the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport! That actually is walkable from the Bridgeport Metro-North station, and...it's a circus museum.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:44 AM on May 6, 2011
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:44 AM on May 6, 2011
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posted by silverstatue at 8:13 AM on May 6, 2011