Escape the City: 10 Trips to Make From New York City
In a city as inexhaustibly diverse and adventure filled as New York, it’s easy to forget that there’s a whole world just beyond the five boroughs. But on those occasions when you crave an out-of-town excursion, a slice of small-town life or a brush with nature, the options are endless. Here are 10 quick escapes just outside of NYC.
Woodstock
School
Breakneck Ridge
Park, Hill Station
Storm King Art Center
Museum, Park
Fire Island
Natural Feature
Delaware River
The 330mi (531km) Delaware River crosses four states before meeting the Atlantic Ocean near Cape May, New Jersey. Along the stretch that curves through New York’s leafy Catskills region, some fun-loving geniuses (including the guys at Lander’s River Trips) decided to open canoeing and tubing operations. If you’re feeling active, strap on a life vest and pick the rapids route.
Hudson
Historical Landmark
North Fork
Once you arrive on the North Fork peninsula, you’ll wonder why more people don’t make the hour-and-a-half journey to Long Island’s wine region. Although the town’s wineries excel at producing sauvignon blanc, riesling and merlot, rosé fans haven’t been overlooked – Croteaux Vineyards specializes in pink tipple tastings. Sample its unique varieties in a rustic 1800s carriage house or (on warm-weather days) the pebbled courtyard shaded by cherry blossom trees.
Dia:Beacon
Art Gallery, Museum
Along with the Whitney and MoMA, Dia:Beacon should be on your culture hit list. Part of the Dia Art Foundation’s constellation of sites, this old Nabisco box-printing factory houses works dating from the 1960s to the present. Past exhibitions have included installations that were “site-conditioned” to engage with the museum’s architecture and lighting.
The Adirondacks
Natural Feature
It’s easy to forget that where the urban jungle ends, the wilderness begins. The Adirondacks are vast, beautiful and serene – the perfect landscape for exploring by foot, canoe or skis. They also host some famously idyllic camping spots, and for New Yorkers who like to buffer nature with a little home comfort, Camp Orenda’s canvas cabins fit the bill. Each abode comes with rustic decor (think wooden beds with cozy comforters, tree-stump nightstands and wood-burning stoves) and convenient electrical outlets to keep your iPhone charged and the Spotify jams playing. While you’re in the area, swing by Wild Walk. Known as a “High Line for the Forest,” this elevated trail through the foliage of Tupper Lake facilitates up-close-and-personal encounters with the region’s intriguing trees and creatures.
Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health
Yoga Studio
Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip
meet our Local Insider
Hanna
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?
2 years.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.
WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?
I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!
Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.
KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?
Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
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