As dynamic and exciting as New York City is, America’s biggest and boldest metropolis can feel a little overwhelming — and crowded — at times. Fortunately, you’ll find an array of bucolic yet sophisticated towns relatively close by.
These are the kinds of places where you can gaze up at a starry sky and fall asleep at night to the hum of crickets or the pounding surf without missing out on worldly diversions, from acclaimed art scenes to sensational farm-to-table restaurants and hip wine bars. All of these towns are also convenient bases for exploring interesting surrounding regions like the Hamptons, the Berkshires and the Hudson Valley.
These seven destinations are all within a three-hour drive or train ride of Manhattan, including salt-tinged shore towns, forested hilltop hamlets and bustling river villages, making them great for an easy weekend getaway from New York City.
Rhinebeck, New York
With its quiet lanes shaded by towering trees and lined with handsome homes, this genial town in scenic Dutchess County is one of the most picturesque villages in the lower Hudson River Valley. Rhinebeck is a compact, walkable community with excellent restaurants, including the cozy Matchbox Cafe for locally sourced burgers and comfort cooking and Terrapin, which serves inventive American fare in a converted 1820s Baptist church. Just up the road, Tivoli is a dapper Victorian town near the campus of Bard College, where famous entertainers perform at the Frank Gehry-designed Fisher Center at Bard. The town’s most unusual attraction, Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, displays a remarkable collection of vintage aircraft and offers 15-minute flightseeing experiences in a sleek 1929 biplane — this is an unforgettable way to take in the region’s incredible scenery.
Within a short drive, you can tour several opulent mansions of the Gilded Age, including the 65-room Staatsburgh State Historic Site, which is decorated with original antiques and artwork, the palatial Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site in nearby Hyde Park, where you can also visit the fascinating Home of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site, and — a must for foodies — the Culinary Institute of America, which operates four renowned on-site restaurants.
Be sure to schedule a tour and tasting at the state-of-the-art Dassai Blue Sake Brewery, the first of this renowned sake maker’s breweries outside Japan. Farther south, Dia Beacon is a world-class contemporary art museum in a cool little town, and just a quick hop across the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge, you can explore increasingly trendy Kingston and the famously free-spirited and artsy Catskills town of Woodstock.
Getting there
Amtrak offers service from Manhattan to the cute neighboring village of Rhinecliff. Because there’s much to do in the surrounding region, however, it’s helpful to have a car. The drive from New York City takes two hours, or you can take a 40-minute train ride to White Plains, New York, rent a car (agencies here typically have lower rates than in New York City) and drive 90 minutes to Rhinebeck.
Where to stay
A short drive from Rhinebeck, Hotel Tivoli is set in an imposing early 20th-century building owned by renowned painters Brice and Helen Marden. It features a stellar Mediterranean-inspired farm-to-table restaurant along with 11 individually furnished rooms with inspired contemporary and vintage art and decor. An exceptional full breakfast is included, and next door is the much-adored dessert shop, Fortunes Ice Cream. Rates start at $279 per night.
For convenience to Hyde Park attractions, the Inn at Bellefield/Hyde Park is a great choice. This high-end member of Marriott’s Residence Inn brand is across the street from the Culinary Institute of America and has spacious rooms with full kitchens, a lively lobby bar and a well-outfitted fitness center. Rates start at $208 or 23,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.
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Sag Harbor, New York
Explore the Hamptons without actually having to contend with its sometimes intense traffic and high-profile social scene by heading to this diminutive town on a protected harbor just a 15-minute drive north of the busy state Route 27 Westhampton-to-Montauk corridor.
Plenty of A-listers and celebs flock to Sag Harbor’s tony shops and eateries, but this mid-19th-century whaling port with fewer than 3,000 residents is definitely more low-key than some of the surrounding areas. Historically a haven of creative spirits, from John Steinbeck to Spalding Gray, these days it attracts discerning diners to buzzy eateries like Tuscan-inspired Dopo La Spiaggia and the convivial French wine bar Vin Sur Vingt.
Although farther from oceanfront beaches than the Hamptons, Sag Harbor has its own blissful bay-side sands, which offer gentle waters ideal for swimming, stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking. The town is just a 10-minute drive and then a 10-minute ferry to Shelter Island, a bucolic 27-square-mile slice of neatly kept homes and pristine Nature Conservancy refuges that’s almost entirely free of commercial development. At the north end of the island, you can make a second short ferry trip to the laid-back North Fork of eastern Long Island, which is one of the top wine-touring regions in the eastern U.S., with some 60 tasting rooms to choose from.
Getting there
From New York City, you can drive to Sag Harbor in as little as two hours, but in the high season, especially on Fridays and Sundays, heavy traffic can add greatly to your trip’s duration. You can also get here via the famed Hampton Jitney bus; be sure to book well in advance.
Where to stay
For a romantic waterfront escape, head to Baron’s Cove, a 67-room boutique resort overlooking the bay and offering a slew of recreational features, including a saltwater pool, a tennis court and complimentary bike, kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals. Rates start at $424 per night.
Right on Sag Harbor’s shop-lined Main Street, the redbrick American Hotel dates back to the town’s whaling heyday and offers a refined experience. Its eight rooms are filled with period antiques, and the popular restaurant and bar serve a classic surf-and-turf selection of steak and seafood paired with wines from an exhaustive list. Rates start at $455 per night.
For an even quieter getaway, stay at The Chequit on Shelter Island. This venerable inn underwent a stunning update in 2022 and offers splendid views of Dering Harbor from the convivial restaurant and many of its airy, unfussy rooms. Rates start at $445 per night.
Washington, Connecticut
A colonial hilltop village anchoring the undulating, wooded countryside of northwestern Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills, understated Washington is perhaps best known among seekers of luxury as the home of the sumptuous Mayflower Inn & Spa, but it’s also a peaceful area for a couple of days of relaxation. Not to mention, it has some of the prettiest fall foliage within a relatively short drive of Manhattan. Enjoy a meal at the G.W. Tavern, a casually smart American eatery where you might glimpse a local luminary — Patti LuPone, Conan O’Brien and Mia Farrow are among the many celebs with homes in the area. Just up the road in Bantam, Connecticut, Arethusa al tavolo stands out for its deftly plated farm-to-table cuisine.
A few miles from town, adorable New Preston, Connecticut, is a mere speck of a village that’s nonetheless packed with esteemed galleries and boutiques. It’s also close to Lake Waramaug, an enchanting alpine body of water flanked by a state park. Other nearby excursions include the regal county seat, Litchfield, Connecticut, where you can hike some 35 miles of trails and visit an outstanding nature museum at the 4,000-acre White Memorial Conservation Center, and Woodbury, Connecticut, known as the antiques capital of Connecticut thanks to its more than 20 venerable shops.
Getting there
Allow about two hours for the drive here from New York City. Another option is to take the Metro-North commuter rail from Manhattan to Danbury, Connecticut, and then rent a car for the final 35-minute drive to Washington.
Where to stay
Part of the exclusive Auberge Resorts Collection, the Mayflower Inn & Spa is set amid 58 acres of tall trees and fragrant gardens beside a bucolic brook. Rooms feature plush country manor-inspired furnishings, and the myriad amenities include a sybaritic wellness spa, a vaunted restaurant and engaging activities and workshops, from archery lessons to garden-to-glass cocktail classes. Rates start at $1,095 per night.
The upscale, Colonial-style Litchfield Inn is surrounded by verdant fields and forest groves, yet it’s just a few minutes’ drive from Litchfield. Many of the 32 rooms at this inviting pet-friendly property have been individually designed with playful specialty themes, like country cabin and leafy garden. Rates start at $249 per night.
New Hope, Pennsylvania
A charming hamlet on the Delaware River just 40 miles north of Philadelphia, pocket-size New Hope has long been an esteemed arts colony noted for its historic Bucks County Playhouse, which was established in the 1930s, and a bounty of fine art galleries and well-curated boutiques. The walkable village lies along the west bank of the Delaware River, and a historic bridge with a wide pedestrian deck connects it with similarly endearing Lambertville, New Jersey, which has plenty of great retail and dining as well.
You can rent bikes to explore the area’s rolling country roads or Delaware Canal State Park‘s scenic towpath, or kayak and stand-up paddleboard along the river. Just a 10-mile drive west in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, check out the superb collection at the Michener Art Museum and the engaging Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle. New Hope’s popularity with the LGBTQIA+ community has made it a low-key alternative to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and Fire Island, New York, complete with a festive queer bar, The Cub Room. Acclaimed restaurants abound, too, including warmly welcoming Martine’s RiverHouse Restaurant, with its eclectic menu and river views, and Ferry + Main, the romantic fireplace-warmed dining room inside the venerable Logan Inn.
Getting there
It’s about a 90-minute drive from New York City, and Trans-Bridge Lines offers direct bus service from New Hope and Lambertville to Manhattan.
Where to stay
Next door to the Bucks County Playhouse, the contemporary Ghost Light Inn has 12 cozily appointed rooms, most of them with expansive views of the river. The hotel’s restaurant, Stella, is a favorite for brunch and dinner. Rates start at $416 per night.
Anchoring a sprawling 5-acre country estate, the posh Inn at Bowman’s Hill is a tranquil alternative to staying in New Hope itself, a few miles north. The lavishly decorated suites and guest rooms have French doors or large windows framing the gorgeous grounds, and a gourmet multicourse breakfast is included. Rates start at $545 per night.
Cape May, New Jersey
Wealthy families and dignitaries, including a string of mid- to late-19th-century U.S. presidents, have summered in this balmy beach town. At the very southern tip of the Jersey Shore but well insulated from the exuberant water parks and boardwalk amusements of nearby Wildwood, New Jersey, Cape May is spot-on for a chill seaside vacation.
The beaches are ideal for lazing on the sand, but there’s also ample opportunity here to get out and explore. Climb the 199 steps to the top of the 1859 Cape May Lighthouse, then walk amid the wetland and dune trails of neighboring Cape May Point State Park, a favorite destination for birding.
Several of the historic district’s grand Victorian homes are now open as museums, including the Emlen Physick Estate and the illuminating Harriett Tubman Museum of New Jersey (the iconic anti-slavery advocate lived here briefly). Genteel though it is, Cape May still has an energetic but small strip of souvenir stands, surf shops and casual family restaurants clustered along downtown’s pedestrian-only, three-block Washington Street Mall. Along the beach, George’s Place is a legendary Greek-owned breakfast spot known for its pancakes and waffles, while steak- and seafood-focused Primal is the spot to go for a romantic date night.
Getting there
When taking the Garden State Parkway, it’s about a three-hour drive from New York City to Cape May. There’s also direct bus service from Manhattan via New Jersey Transit.
Where to stay
The Virginia Hotel & Cottages has been welcoming vacationers for nearly 150 years. The three-story Victorian with ornate trim and breezy verandahs has one of the best locations of any lodging in town, a half block from both the beach and the Washington Street Mall esplanade. Although it has a classic old-world design, the 24 luxurious rooms and cottages have been brightly updated, and guests enjoy access to the Sea Spa at The Virginia’s sister property, Congress Hall. Rates start at $342 per night.
Steps from the beach but with a decidedly contemporary vibe, Lokal Hotel offers eight well-equipped suites with full kitchens and beach-chic decor. There’s a small heated saltwater pool, reserved lounge chairs and umbrellas at Howard Beach, and plenty of games and beach toys to keep you entertained. Rates start at $540 per night.
Great Barrington, Massachusetts
The closest large town to New York City in the fabled Berkshires of western Massachusetts, Great Barrington stands out for its neatly preserved downtown of stately storefronts, many of them containing fashionable clothiers, garden and home goods shops and fine restaurants, including the seasonally driven American bistro The Prairie Whale and stylish Mooncloud, a go-to for inventive cocktails, natural wines and delectable cheese and charcuterie boards. There’s also the outstanding artisanal ice cream shop, SoCo Creamery.
Great Barrington is also a top destination for fans of the arts and culture. The town is home to the stunningly restored Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center and is less than an hour’s drive from such vaunted venues as Jacob’s Pillow dance center, the Williamstown Theatre Festival and world-renowned Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. There’s also lots of great outdoor recreation nearby, including a scenic stretch of the Appalachian Trail.
Getting there
It generally takes just under three hours to drive to Great Barrington from New York City. Additionally, the Peter Pan bus line offers direct service from Manhattan.
Where to stay
In the center of downtown, The Barrington occupies the third floor of a historic redbrick building that’s within a 10-minute walk of dozens of great restaurants and shops. This urbane property combines the intimacy of a bed-and-breakfast with the professional staff and modern amenities of a boutique hotel. Rates start at $350 per night.
Set on 6 verdant acres an easy and scenic drive northeast of Great Barrington, The Inn at Stockbridge (rates start at $350 per night) occupies a rambling early 1900s former summer estate with several outbuildings, a pool, a fitness center and 13 gracious rooms, some of them pet-friendly. Just up the road from the historic village of Stockbridge, the inn is also close to prominent attractions like Berkshire Botanical Garden, the Norman Rockwell Museum and The Mount, Edith Wharton’s Home.
Hudson, New York
Although home to a year-round population of just under 6,000 people, tiny Hudson feels larger, almost as though a trendy Brooklyn neighborhood broke loose and floated around the tip of Manhattan and up the Hudson River.
In fact, this 2.3-square-mile community was America’s 24th-largest city at the time of the Revolution. It became a prosperous factory town during the 19th century, thriving until its fortunes turned and it entered a long economic slump from the 1950s through the 1990s. Over a decade ago, the abundance of elegant brick row houses and Victorian homes began to attract artists, young professionals, LGBTQIA+ folks and New Yorkers in search of second homes, and Hudson has since regained its reputation as a vibrant boomtown.
Design shops, chef-driven restaurants, thriving coffeehouses and snazzy boutique hotels fill the densely settled downtown core, making this an ideal destination for people with cosmopolitan sensibilities who want to vacation in a small, friendly and easy-to-navigate town. Dining spots of note include James Beard Award-nominated Lil Deb’s Oasis for revelatory pan-Latin bites and Feast & Floret for wood-fired, locally sourced Italian dishes. And as you saunter about town, be sure to duck into a few of the thoughtfully curated boutiques, such as Finch for stylish housewares and Florent for botanical-infused skin care products and fragrances. For a walk in the countryside, head just 5 miles south to explore Olana, the magnificent former estate of Hudson River School painter Frederic Church. Hudson is also a convenient base for exploring the rest of the upper Hudson Valley and even the northern Catskills, which are just across the river.
Getting there
Amtrak trains frequently run to Hudson’s cute station; it sits within walking distance of (or a short taxi ride from) downtown. Expect it to take about 2 1/2 hours to drive from Manhattan to Hudson.
Where to stay
Just steps from Hudson’s Amtrak station, The Wick, Hudson is part of Marriott’s distinctive Tribute Portfolio and features 55 stylish, modern rooms with high ceilings and large windows, vestiges of this imaginatively converted building’s former life as a candle factory. The on-site restaurant is terrific, but you’re also a short walk from downtown’s retail-dining district. Rates start at $246 or 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.
The Maker is a fancy, 11-suite nest of design-driven spaces created by the co-founder of esteemed body care brand Fresh. Rooms are set among three impeccably restored historic buildings, and amenities include a well-designed gym, a heated outdoor pool and both a book library and a perfume library. Rates start at $499 per night.
If you want easy access to bustling Hudson but crave sleeping in the peaceful, pine-scented air of the country, book one of the 10 rooms at The Woodhouse Lodge, a contemporary adaptation of a midcentury motel in the northern Catskills. Just 20 miles from Hudson, The Woodhouse is set around an inviting outdoor living room of sorts, complete with comfy seating and a fire pit, and the adjacent restaurant serves expertly crafted thin-crust pizzas with toppings procured from local farms, as well as natural wines and inventive cocktails. Rates start at $250 per night.