With so many incredible things to do in New York City, you are unlikely to ever get bored. But while New York City has no shortage of interesting things to see and do, we all have our preferences, and for some people, skyscrapers and landmarks just don’t allow for that. If you are the type of person who prefers to walk a little further off the beaten path, then some incredible day trips are guaranteed to pique your interest – we’ve compiled the top of the best options for day trips from New York.
Looking for a great way to see different landscapes and experience the alternative culture firsthand during your time in New York? A great way to accomplish this, then, is to visit the sights of Philadelphia, then head west to Lancaster County to meet the Amish community. The first stop on this incredible journey will stop at Philadelphia, home of the world-famous steak. Your first port of call will be America’s oldest still inhabited street; Elven Alley. We then recommend that you move to Benjamin Franklin Boulevard before entering Independence Hall and Plaza, as well as the world-famous Liberty Bell.
Philadelphia
After a short lunch break where you can sample the city’s culinary delights, you can climb the “rocky” steps made famous for the iconic scenes in blockbuster films. Once you’ve seen the top attractions in Philadelphia, hop on a bus and head west to meet the Amish community. Although the Amish live nearby, their culture is different from ours.
Let’s face it, with so many great shops and outlets – Woodbury Commons just has to be on your itinerary. Located just outside the city, this vast plaza is home to 220 shops selling designer gear at bargain prices. You will find representatives from stores such as Chanel, Givenchy, Jimmy Choo, Levi’s, and Nike, where you can get the highest quality clothing for a fraction of the RRP.
Woodbury Commons
Besides, this is the place where you can taste the best ice cream in the state. There are separate tours to Woodbury Commons, in which people, wanting to save money, participate in joint purchases, doing something like a wholesale purchase, and getting a good discount for it. In short, Woodbury Commons is a haven for shopaholics and people who value high-quality items at an affordable price.
If you don’t intend to travel that far from New York just yet, then you can go on an entertaining weekend trip along the Hudson River Valley, home to beautiful historic castles. The best place to start is at the Rockefeller Coquette estate, which is located 40 minutes from Manhattan by car. This is the Rockefeller family estate, where all the numerous descendants of John Rockefeller still gather. True, they do not live in the main building, but in guest houses – in 1979, the main house of the estate was transferred to the state and opened to the public. John Rockefeller Jr. was fond of collecting objects of art – and he decorated the house with a unique collection of Chinese ceramics of the 6th – 17th centuries, masterpieces of painting, and supplemented the park collection of sculptures.
Actually, each of the Rockefellers updated and supplemented the collection of sculpture and painting – this is how the works of Picasso, Henry Moore appeared on the estate. Many want to visit here, so tickets must be bought in advance (from $ 15 and more, depending on which excursion you choose).
Hudson River valley
Curiously, car parking is organized at a distance from the estate. You will be taken to the palace by special buses. Several thematic excursions are organized for visitors: a survey (suitable for those who come for the first time), a lecture on park sculptures, landscape, general (three hours long), and a short one (one and a half hours). This is a real museum of classical and modern art, so it will not be very interesting here with small children – you cannot run on the grass or play here.
Philipsburg Manor
With younger children, it makes sense to head to the nearby Philipsburg Manor, a historic open-air farm-museum. Everything here is stylized to resemble the life of the colonists of 300 years ago: kitchens, bedrooms, storage rooms, a vegetable garden, a well, pastures, and even a water mill and a dam – everything has been restored with historical accuracy and completely repeats how it was under the first owner. The museum staff – who are also guides – are dressed in costumes of that time, as it should be in the case of historical reconstructions. The estate often hosts various festivals and events. The Hudson Valley’s “historic landmarks” also include the home of the writer Washington Irving. The meticulously restored home is a great place for fans of the “father of American literature”.
This nature reserve is located just an hour from New York City on the western slopes of the Hudson River. The park has playgrounds, picnic groves, lake and river access, a swimming pool, museums, and a zoo, and features hiking and biking trails. The Perkins Memorial Tower at the top of Bear Mountain provides spectacular views of the park, the Hudson Highlands, and Harriman State Park.
Bear Mountain State Park
Perkins Memorial Park and Tower are open from April to late November weather permitting. Here you can follow the footsteps of the Apache, and then have a picnic with a beautiful view. Black bears, wild turkeys, deer, raccoons, skunks, Canadian geese, foxes, swans, and hares are found here.
Whether you live in New York City and want to take a day trip or drive around the neighborhood looking for a fun, family-friendly getaway, Howe Caverns is one of the most exciting attractions around New York City. Each Howe Caves tour begins with a 156-foot descent underground. Your journey will take you through limestone corridors, cavernous galleries under massive stone vaults until you discover an underground river bed carved out for millennia.
Howe Caverns
Deep in the cave, the solid rock looks liquid: creating strange formations and dripping stalactites. Mysterious grottoes lead to distant, unexplored halls. Shadows hide secrets in deep crevices and crevices. The curved road bends, descending into the depths, down to the glassy surface of an underground lake, which stretches into the absolute darkness of the Eastern Terminus cave.
The fact that Niagara Falls is one of the wonders of the world is inevitably convinced by every lucky person who has felt on his skin the coolness of the spray of giant streams, loudly falling from the rocks in a picturesque place on the border of the USA and Canada. Niagara – “thundering water” – a waterfall falling from a height of 50 m, a natural wonder, and a landmark of Canada and the USA. Every year millions of tourists come to North America to see this embodiment of the power and power of nature. Niagara can be seen and heard long before its appearance: a cloud of water vapor appears in front of you and the noise of crashing water is heard.
Niagara Falls
There are two check-in options: from the Canadian or American side. In the first case, it is optimal to fly to Toronto and get to Niagara Falls by bus, which departs every one and a half to two hours from the central bus station Toronto Coach Terminal. The driving time is about two hours. A local bus runs from the Niagara Falls bus station to Niagara Falls, the journey takes about 20 minutes, the ticket price is about 3 USD. The prices on the page are for September 2018.
Niagara Falls
You can take a day trip to the falls from New York, Toronto, or Ottawa. The nearest airport is Buffalo at 40 km. You can also look at Niagara Falls from a bird’s eye view by going up by helicopter, or “from below” by sailing up to it on a steamer. At the foot of the waterfall is the “Cave of the Winds”, where tourists go down by a special elevator. Every traveler gets a raincoat and a bag for personal belongings because it is impossible to stay dry near Niagara.
The Storm King Art Centre is a 500-acre open-air museum located in New York’s Hudson Valley. There are dozens of sculptures and other art objects throughout the territory.
Art Centre Storm King
Opened 55 years ago, the Art Centre aims to combine the beauty of nature and beauty created by human hands. It exhibits contemporary art with a focus on large-scale sculpture. The Art Centre opens its doors annually on April 1. Here you can combine a great holiday with a picnic in nature and an overview of art objects.
This art center is also about 2 hours away from New York. All summer themed parties, exhibitions, orchestral performances, and much more are held here. The mission of the center: to attract leading artists to the Hudson Valley so that they can realize their adventurous programs, including new works; to support the development of new works by artists at all stages of their careers; and provide a home for students and teachers in the arts.
Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts
This is one of the most beautiful towns on Long Island. A large number of colonial-style buildings, many cozy restaurants, and small shops have been preserved here. Two centuries ago, Greenport was one of the largest fishing villages in the northeastern United States.
Town Greenport
The coastline offers stunning ocean views, and the Rail Road Museum of Long Island, local wineries, and a brewery (Greenport Harbor) are a must. Alternatively, you can buy organic produce from your local farmer’s market.
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