Rural getaways near NYC???

[Sagan Darkside]

If it were still fall I would have recommended the area around New Paltz, NY (across the river from Sagan) - It is beautiful there -

New Paltz is usually a good choice, but considering your window- I would not suggest it. It is a bit of a college town, and that is the weekend the kids arrive for the spring semester. Traffic is going to be a bit of a hassle, and many local eateries will be busy.

Barcode mentioned the fingerlakes- I would second that for a B&B. It is a beautiful areas- even in winter, and you can find quite a few B&B's up there set at a reasonable price.

SD

 

[JeffB]

Actually Williamsburg, VA to NYC would be more like 9 or 10 hours. I am a native Virginian, and I live in upper Westchester NY now. It's about 5 hours drive to my hometown to NYC proper, and Williamsburg is about another 3.5 to 4 hours from where I grew up.

If you don't mind snow:You might look into going to the Adirondacks in northern NY. Lake Placid (where they held the olympics) is really nice. Lake George is nice too but some of the locals make this redneck from the South mighty scared

Also Northern CT in Litchfield County is beautiful, very scenic and it's only about a 2 hour drive or so from the city. Grab a map, take 95 north to the Rt7 North exit in Norwalk, CT. (Exit 15 I think).and keep going...after you get above Danbury, CT it's a nice scenic drive.

 

[edbonny]

I am also an ex-Noo Yawker (now in the mountains of NJ) but I have been all over the place on weekend trips.

Here are my suggestions. BTW, when are you planning on going (Winter, Spring, Summer). Timing can make an OK trip into an amazing thing to remember.

Winter Spots:
> Lake Placid: Home of past Winter Olympics and beautifully situated in the mountains of the Empire State. Beautiful town with very nice views. Can visit all the Olympic event places and watch future gold medalists working out.
> Bed/Breakfast or Cabin in Vermont-NH- Maine for a romantic getaway. Helps if you have 4-wheel drive. Get a place with a fireplace and a bear skin rug.

Spring:
> Washington DC - if only just to see the cherry blossoms.
> Poconos - used to go their all the time with my friends (family has a house about an hour in from the Delaware Water Gap). Go rafting down the Delaware or Lehigh River before the spring melt dries up.
> Niagra Falls

Summer Spots:
> Montreal! Great in the summer with their huge jazz festival and their Just For Laughs comedy festival. And you don't have to speak French to enjoy the place.
> Rehobeth Beach, DE - great beach town filled with things to do. Fantastic shopping at their outlets, too.
> Duck, NC - a great beach place... but pricey. Kitty Hawk is also nearby.

Fall Spots:
> The vinyards of Long Island (north of Montauk. A great day trip with wine tasting galore as you travel down the highway. Fun and romantic day or weekend trip.
> Fall Foliage Fantasy around the Hudson River Valley - West Point is there and perhaps some of the most incredible views of nature in NY state.

More to come after I eat breakfast.

- Ed

 

[Nellisir]

Which college? CCV, CSC or BENN?

Bennington. 90-95

 

[Nellisir]

Of the various mountain ranges in driving distance to NYC, I am most partial to the White Mountains in N.H, though it is quite a hike - probably close to 9 hours. The Presidential Range is a nice ridge of high granite peaks, though I'd recommend saving that for a nice three day weekend in warmer weather (a warm April or May would let you beat the crowds but still be able to get to most things).

I live about an hour from the White Mountains, and while I love them to death, don't go hiking there in April. May, or better yet early June, is alot safer. The weather turns on a dime up there, and every year people get lost, sometimes dead, usually because they weren't prepared for sudden changes in the weather. Mt Washington gets snow into May (sometimes June, but not often).

Cheers
Nell.

Who just shovelled 4 cars out of his driveway.

 

[Drawmack]

> Poconos - used to go their all the time with my friends (family has a house about an hour in from the Delaware Water Gap).

That's cool, I live about an hour from the DWG, where abouts is the house?

 

[jaerdaph]

Haven't been there, but I have friends that say Woodstock is nice.

 

[Barcode]

Actually Williamsburg, VA to NYC would be more like 9 or 10 hours. I am a native Virginian, and I live in upper Westchester NY now. It's about 5 hours drive to my hometown to NYC proper, and Williamsburg is about another 3.5 to 4 hours from where I grew up.

You must be taking a heck of a detour, then, or making a lot of stops. DC is a solid 4 hour drive from NYC driving the speed limit, made worse by traffic, but better by speeding a bit (I find the cops ignore you if you don't go past 74 in a 65 zone). Williamsburg is then about 2.5 hours south of DC, according to Yahoo. When I made the drive, I got there in a little over an hour and a half starting from Alexandria.

 

[mooby]

If you do happen to go through Sleepy Hollow (some signs still label it as "North Tarrytown", make sure you stop at a little restaurant on Rt. 9 called "La Piazza Trattorria"

My goodness, the gnocci is fantastic!

Heck, you might run into my fiancee and I there, it's one of my favorite spots.

Sleepy Hollow has some little historical sites to see as well. If you check out a restaurant two buildings over from "La Piazza", a place called "Horsefeathers" has little historical menus to check out.

 

[edbonny]

That's cool, I live about an hour from the DWG, where abouts is the house?

It's been years... but I believe it was a small town called Albrightsville. I remember it was about 20 minutes south of Wilkes-Barre (where we used to go to party).