An excellent way to get a taste of both urban and rural New York [1] is to spend a few days in the Big Apple [2] and then head north to the historic Hudson Valley [3], Catskills [4], and Adirondacks [5].
Start your day early with a visit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island [6]. Grab a slice or a simple lunch from a vendor’s cart to enjoy in the High Line Park [7] and take in the latest art installation. Browse through quirky boutiques and galleries or take a self-guided walking tour through Greenwich Village [8], SoHo [9], or other unique Lower Manhattan [10] neighborhoods before finishing the night off in one of the area’s top restaurants [11] or hot Chelsea clubs [12].
Spend the morning at the Museum of Modern Art [13], before dipping into beautiful Central Park [14]. When the park ends at 59th Street, continue south on 5th Avenue [15], shopping or window-shopping along the way. At night, brave the Times Square [16] madness to take in a Broadway show and dinner in the Theater District [17]. Visit the Empire State Building [18], open until 2 a.m., to end the day with the lights of the city laid out before you.
In the morning, hit the Upper West Side [19] to pay a visit to the iconic blue whale at the American Museum of Natural History [20], stock up on road trip goodies at Zabar’s [21], or swap sides of the park to fill your classic art tank at the Guggenheim Museum [22] or Frick Collection [23] on the Upper East Side [24]. Check for free evening concerts at Manhattan School of Music [12], like Café Jazz featuring student jazz combos in an intimate setting or the school’s impressive 19-piece Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra.
Head north on Route 9 out of New York City for about 30 minutes to Tarrytown [25] in the Hudson Valley [3], where you can tour the historic homes of Washington Irving at Sunnyside [26], John D. Rockefeller, Sr. at Kykuit [27], and/or Jay Gould at Lyndhurst [28]. If time permits, take a late afternoon stroll in the Rockefeller State Park Preserve [29]. At night, dine in one of the town’s many excellent restaurants; if your budget permits, overnight in one of its two castles.
Head north on Route 9 to Hyde Park [30], where the Culinary Institute of America [31] offers a tasty lunch at its Apple Pie Bakery Café. In Hyde Park, you’ll find Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Home, Library, and Museum [32] and the lovely free paths overlooking the Hudson within the Vanderbilt Mansion [33] property. Further north is the adorable town of Rhinebeck [34], which features indie bookshops, cafés, a lovely organic and sustainable product farmer’s market on Sundays or the unique Aerodrome classic biplane show [35] on summer Saturdays. Classic “drive-ins” show current movies in both Hyde Park [30] and Catskill [36], complete with dancing popcorn.
Continue north another 40 miles or so to the historic town of Hudson [37], home to a Persian-style castle, Olana [38], the American Museum of Firefighting [39], some 60 antique shops within five blocks, and plenty of restaurants for lunch. Afterward, head on to Albany [40], about a half hour further north on I-87. Stop at the Albany Heritage Area Visitor Center [41] for a good introduction to this historic region or go straight to the New York State Museum [42] at the Empire State Plaza [43], admiring impressive architecture en route.
Continue another 40 minutes north on I-87 to Saratoga Springs [44]. In the morning, hit the Saratoga Race Course [45] for breakfast and enjoy a behind-the-scenes tram tour or drop some belongings to secure your seats or picnic table for the afternoon races. Stroll back to town to shop and eat lunch along quaint Broadway [46]. In the afternoon, non-race fans can take in a spa treatment or go for a dip at the Saratoga Spa State Park [47] or enjoy a classic poolside cocktail as guests at the unique Adelphi Hotel [48].
Before leaving the Saratoga area, make a stop at the Saratoga National Historic Park [49], where the battles that turned the course of the American Revolution were fought. Then continue on Route 9 another half hour to Glens Falls [50], home to the Hyde Collection [50], a mansion filled with Old Masters paintings.
Take Route 9N north along the shores of Lake George [51] and Lake Champlain [52]. In picturesque Westport [53], continue on Route 9N (which turns west), past the mountain villages of Elizabethtown [54] and Keene [55], to Route 73, which leads to Lake Placid. Spend the rest of the day exploring Lake Placid [56] and, if time permits, observe the feats performed year-round at the Olympic Ski Jump Complex [57], go snowless sledding with a bobsled experience on the Olympic track and/or bring the adrenaline down a notch at the John Brown Farm State Historic Site [58].
Drive eight miles south of Lake Placid and visit the Adirondak Loj [59] on the shores of Heart Lake. Set out from the lodge and spend the day hiking, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing on trails in the Adirondacks [5].
Take Routes 73 and 9N east to the New York Throughway (I-87) and head south to the Albany [40] area, where you can pick up I-88, which leads to the Cooperstown [60] area. Have a late lunch in the pretty village and then explore its shops and lakefront or visit one of its three first-class museums: the National Baseball Hall of Fame [61], Farmers’ Museum [62], and Fenimore Art Museum [63]. Have a cocktail at the Otesaga Hotel [64], a delicious grande dame of a 1902 hostelry.
Spend the morning exploring more of Cooperstown’s attractions. After lunch, take Route 28 south, which leads into the heart of the Catskills [4]. Pass the pretty mountain towns of Andes and Margaretville before arriving in Woodstock [65] and Saugerties [66], both home to numerous restaurants, shops, and B&Bs. Woodstock’s Sunday afternoon drum circle will unleash your inner hippie in this notorious artist colony village.
From the Woodstock/Saugerties area, head south to explore the tiny canal town of High Falls [67], breaking in one of nearby Stone Ridge [67]’s organic farms to pick-your-own hiking snacks of apples or raspberries before climbing the Shawangunks [68]’ heights up to the 140-year-old Victorian mountaintop castle that is Mohonk Mountain House [69].
Pop for a day pass to enjoy the gorgeous 85 miles of hiking trails, dotted with hand-hewn wooden gazebos for rest stops, or to have a cocoa break by the massive stone ice skating pavilion’s bonfire. Stay on for the night at the inclusive resort and take time to enjoy afternoon tea and cookies, a wealth of unique activities, or the resort’s excellent spa. If more rustic accommodations are preferred, continue on down the south side of the mountain past New Paltz [70] and historic Huguenot Street [71] to Bear Mountain State Park.
Take Route 9W south to Bear Mountain State Park [72], where you can take a short hike or drive to the top of Bear Mountain where a clear day reveals the NYC skyline. Continue, depending on your interests, for a visit to Washington’s Headquarters [73], the Storm King Art Center [74], or West Point [75].
Then head back to New York City [2] to finish the trip with a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge [76] and relive old New York with a classic toast goodbye in one of the speakeasies [77] on either side.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/discover-new-york-city
[3] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley
[4] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/mid-hudson-valley/the-catskills
[5] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-adirondacks
[6] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/lower-manhattan/statue-liberty-and-ellis-island
[7] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/chelsea-and-the-garment-district/the-high-line-park
[8] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/greenwich-village
[9] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/soho
[10] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/lower-manhattan
[11] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/food-and-drink
[12] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/entertainment/live-music
[13] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/midtown/museum-modern-art-moma
[14] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/central-park
[15] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/midtown/fifth-avenue
[16] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/midtown/times-square
[17] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/midtown/theater-district
[18] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/chelsea-and-the-garment-district/empire-state-building
[19] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/upper-west-side
[20] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/upper-west-side/american-museum-natural-history
[21] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/shopping/food-and-gourmet-shops
[22] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/upper-east-side/guggenheim-museum
[23] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/upper-east-side/the-frick-collection
[24] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/upper-east-side
[25] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/lower-hudson-valley/tarrytown-and-sleepy-hollow
[26] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/lower-hudson-valley/tarrytown-and-sleepy-hollow/sunnyside
[27] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/lower-hudson-valley/tarrytown-and-sleepy-hollow/kykuit
[28] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/lower-hudson-valley/tarrytown-and-sleepy-hollow/lyndhurst
[29] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/lower-hudson-valley/tarrytown-and-sleepy-hollow/rockefeller-state-park-preserve
[30] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/mid-hudson-valley/hyde-park
[31] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/mid-hudson-valley/hyde-park/culinary-institute-america
[32] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/mid-hudson-valley/hyde-park/fdr-s-home-library-and-museum
[33] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/mid-hudson-valley/hyde-park/vanderbilt-mansion
[34] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/mid-hudson-valley/rhinebeck
[35] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/mid-hudson-valley/rhinebeck/old-rhinebeck-aerodrome
[36] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/mid-hudson-valley/the-catskills/catskill
[37] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/upper-hudson-valley/hudson
[38] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/upper-hudson-valley/hudson/olana-state-historic-site
[39] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/upper-hudson-valley/hudson/american-museum-firefighting
[40] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/albany
[41] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/albany/sights/albany-heritage-area-visitor-center
[42] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/albany/sights/new-york-state-museum
[43] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/albany/sights/empire-state-plaza
[44] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-adirondacks/saratoga-springs
[45] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-adirondacks/saratoga-springs/sights/saratoga-race-course
[46] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-adirondacks/saratoga-springs/sights/broadway
[47] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-adirondacks/saratoga-springs/sights/saratoga-spa-state-park
[48] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-adirondacks/saratoga-springs/accommodations
[49] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-adirondacks/saratoga-springs/excursions-saratoga/saratoga-national-historic-park
[50] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-adirondacks/lake-george-and-southeastern-adirondacks/glens-falls
[51] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-adirondacks/lake-george-and-southeastern-adirondacks/lake-george-village
[52] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-adirondacks/champlain-valley
[53] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-adirondacks/champlain-valley/westport
[54] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-adirondacks/champlain-valley/elizabethtown
[55] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-adirondacks/high-peaks/keene
[56] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-adirondacks/high-peaks/lake-placid
[57] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-adirondacks/high-peaks/lake-placid/olympic-sites
[58] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-adirondacks/high-peaks/lake-placid/john-brown-farm-state-historic-site
[59] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-adirondacks/high-peaks/lake-placid/hiking
[60] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/excursions-albany/cooperstown
[61] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/excursions-albany/cooperstown/national-baseball-hall-fame
[62] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/excursions-albany/cooperstown/farmers-museum
[63] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/excursions-albany/cooperstown/fenimore-art-museum
[64] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/excursions-albany/cooperstown/accommodations
[65] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/mid-hudson-valley/the-catskills/woodstock
[66] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/mid-hudson-valley/the-catskills/saugerties
[67] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/mid-hudson-valley/north-route-209
[68] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/mid-hudson-valley/the-shawangunks
[69] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/mid-hudson-valley/the-shawangunks/mohonk-mountain-house-and-preserve
[70] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/mid-hudson-valley/new-paltz
[71] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/mid-hudson-valley/new-paltz/huguenot-street
[72] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/lower-hudson-valley/the-ramapo-mountains/bear-mountain-state-park
[73] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/lower-hudson-valley/newburgh
[74] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/lower-hudson-valley/storm-king-art-center
[75] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-state/the-hudson-valley/lower-hudson-valley/west-point
[76] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/manhattan/lower-manhattan/brooklyn-bridge
[77] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/discover-new-york-city/explore-new-york-city/speakeasy-nyc