Midweek Summer Getaway outside of NYC
July 10, 2019 6:39 AM   Subscribe

Mr. Kimdog and I are celebrating our 15th Anniversary in two weeks. I've just realized I needed to use or lose some vacation, so I wanna do a quick getaway July 24-25, something within a 2-3 hours drive from NYC. What are your favorite towns to unwind in?

We've enjoyed time in Beacon, Woodstock and Great Barrington in the past, and would like a similar experience. Looking for recs of small to medium towns with a walkable downtown area and a nice museum or historic landmark to explore. We're not interested in anything beachy and want to avoid crowds. We like scenic walks, flea markets, artisans and casual dining. We've done most of the lower Hudson River Valley (Cold Spring, Garrison, New Paltz). What should I be checking out?
posted by kimdog to Travel & Transportation (12 answers total) 10 users marked this as a favorite
 
Just saw this on the NY Times this morning. I was thinking of doing Shelter Island with my wife!
posted by bxvr at 6:53 AM on July 10, 2019


Hudson NY? just slightly further up the river, walkable town, good dining and a plethora of weird old antique shops to explore.

Remodelista did a pull of places to stay with interesting design in the Catskills recently if you're looking for something more aesthetic.
posted by larthegreat at 6:54 AM on July 10, 2019


Lancaster, PA! So much to see and do, and so quiet!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 6:55 AM on July 10, 2019 [1 favorite]


Newport, Rhode Island? It's on the far end of your travel time (maybe right within it if you drive fast), but there's a lot to see and explore.
posted by xingcat at 6:55 AM on July 10, 2019


Block Island is awesome- tons of beaches, easy ferry ride, fun bars. It's basically Martha's Vineyard without the stick up it's butt.
posted by jenkinsEar at 7:10 AM on July 10, 2019


Saratoga Springs
posted by AugustWest at 7:52 AM on July 10, 2019 [1 favorite]


Kent, Connecticut is a great little town with an arts scene and some nice galleries. It's right next to the Appalachian Trail if you want to do some walking in the woods and meadows and there are a couple of covered bridges in the area as well.
posted by theory at 8:11 AM on July 10, 2019


Have you been to the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in Red Hook, NY?
posted by Sophont at 8:46 AM on July 10, 2019


This site is helpful for determining how far you can drive within a set amount of time.

https://www.oalley.net/map/

Clear cookies if it nags you about creating an account after X maps.
posted by terrapin at 8:52 AM on July 10, 2019 [2 favorites]


Why not the Finger Lakes region? They have wineries, and one or two distilleries. There's also a ton of waterfalls, hiking areas, and all around what you're looking for. Do a day touring the wineries, and a day hiking!
posted by rich at 11:42 AM on July 10, 2019


Storm King Art Center
Tubing the Esopus Creek

+1 for Block Island as well
posted by Calibandage at 9:05 PM on July 10, 2019


Block Island is awesome but it's a lot of travel time for just a couple of days. Given your interests and time constraints I recommend exploring the River Towns along the Delaware in Hunterdon and Bucks County. Frenchtown, Stockton, Lambertville on the NJ side. New Hope on the PA side of the river. Tons of historic landmarks and local culture. Very pleasant walkable towns with Victorian houses and pretty gardens this time of year.

Another possibility is Princeton, NJ. There's a gem of an art museum at the University and the campus and town are historic, with lots of interesting places to walk to. On campus, you could spend an hour or two just touring the gargoyles. Oh, and the farmer's market is in the middle of town on Thursdays, with live music and local produce.
posted by 6thsense at 4:15 AM on July 11, 2019


« Older Conscious/mindful consumption   |   What's this smell? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.