New Yorkers looking for an autumn weekend getaway are in luck.  From the Hudson Valley to the Delaware Water gap, fall is a prime season for weekend travelers flowing out of nyc to enjoy nature, get away from the grind and generally relax.

Catskills & Adirondacks Weekends

There are any number of resource destinations to consult including New York magazines’ lists and the New York Times travel section.  Hard core leaf peepers will want to head for the dedicated online resources at the Audobon society or state parks web pages.  One simply can’t go wrong plumbing the heights of the Catskill and Adirondack mountain ranges for a fall getaway.  Activities range from cozy, romantic and luxurious cabins, to challenging and natural campsites and back country escapes.  The foliage is astonishingly gorgeous, and drive time ranges anywhere from 3-8 hours depending on how deep into the woods you’re willing to travel for your escape.

New England Fall Getaway Suggestions

From New England, the abundance of autumn weekend getaways is truly overflowing with beauty and sophistication.

In the rest of the country, autumn weekend getaways can be had far and wide and everywhere in between.  Los Angelenos can fly north to portland or South to Cabo, or simply drive three hours north to see the last vestiges of Indian summer grace the autumnal colors of the High Sierra.

Provided you know where to look, autumn weekend getaways trips can be a wonderful way to improve your life by the miracle of relaxing travel.

You just have to know where to look. Last-minute airfare and car rental out of NYC is fairly easy to run down for Labor Day weekend as well. We recommend checking in often with the Airfare Watchdog’s NYC specials page – as well as starting you search with a simple browse of Travelocity or Expedia’s last minute deals. See below for a more specific list of various NYC Labor Day Weekend Getaways.

Labor Day Getaway List: Get Away From New York City

• Escape NYC and head for the Jersey shore.
• Go North into the Woods of Catskills or the Adirondacks.
• Head due West to the Delaware Water gap.
• Hop a flight to Vieques, Puerto Rico and frolic in the sand and surf in an relatively unspoiled Caribbean paradise. The only catch is you’ll have to dodge unexploded ordnance from the islands former incarnation as a U.S. military strafing range!
• Have a Labor Day Staycation and tool around Manhattan, secure in the knowledge that the more obnoxious elements of the city have all decamped to the Hamptions for the long weekend.
• See what’s happening out beyond the Hamptons in Montauk. It’s a really nice Labor Day destination.

Whatever the case, we hope you’ll enjoy the last weekend of summer, before the city snaps back to life with cool Autumn weather, pro football, and sense that anything is possible. And if that doesn’t whet your appetite, then maybe it’s time to get out of town anyway.  Autumn in New York is wonderful indeed, but there’s no reason to be in a special hurry about getting there.

Thus, without further ado, we give you five very prescient suggestions for summer weekend getaways from NYC – each one emphasizing a less humid, cooler environment than what New York City in summertime has to offer.

Surf on the Jersey Shore

The shore isn’t just for over-tanned proletarians with vulgar manners and overdriven sexual urges. It als can offer nice breaks if you know where to paddle out.

Camp in the Adirondacks

There’s a reason Mike Tyson trained up here. He could exercise twice as long without having a heatstroke and then get a great night’s sleep in a quiet environment a world away from the mean streets of Brooklyn.

Bet the Ponies at Saratoga

The racing season up here is civilized and surprisingly urbane for a bunch of horse-crazy gambling junkies with large amounts of disposable income.

Summer in the Hamptons

Just like Saratoga, only for status obsessed publicity junkies.

Float down the River in Pennsylvania

The state has to be good for something other than cheesesteaks and John Kruk – right?

Summer Weekend Getaways From NYC

You can really choose your own adventure with this one. We’ll update the post soon if you’re looking for more suggestions.

Long Beach Island, New Jersey

Don’t confuse this beach with the one on Long Island.  This is actually a narrow stip of land off the coast of New Jersey – within sight of Atlantic City.  “L.B.I.” as the locals call it is a really great destination for a summer weekend getaway or a stopoff on a beach roadtrip en route from NYC.  BE sure to visit legendary local club “The Katch” to sample some cheesy-but-fun Jersey nightlife.  Also be sure to pick up some fried seafood from one of the several excellent roadside stands on the island.  A great nyc-area beach experience!

Fire Island, Long Island

Yes- it’s trendy. Yes people occasionally get naked and partake in recreational drug use there – but Fire Island beach is beautiful nonetheless and worth a visit at some point. A gem among beaches near NYC – if slightly played out and over-used.

Rockaway Beach, Queens

If you can avoid the riptides here, you’ll be in good shape – as soem of the best surfing in the Atlantic emerges depending on weather conditions and time of day.

Montauk Beach

Yes – the water runs cold this far East on Long Island – but there’s something undeniably serene about strolling the beaches once frequented by the lovelorn and mildly depressed characters animating The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.  Who can forget the Montauk Beach Scenes from that ’00s classic?

Brighton Beach

Fire up some strong cigarettes and sip some strong coffee or stronger vodka with the very dapper denizens of this Brooklyn classic – proximal to Coney Island and, seemingly, the Caspian Sea.

Nearby Options for the Long Memorial Weekend

The Hamptons season will now be officially underway, and, let’s face it, it’s pretty choice out there if you can afford the price of admission.  Otherwise, the more downmarket, but no less oceanically invigorating Jersey Shore might be the spot for you.  In that case you should consider giving Long Beach Island a try – or even Cape May.  Or if outer long Island is your thing, then Montauk will be starting to heat up.

Memorial Day Mountain Escapes 

The Catskills are close but the Adirondacks are probably the most beautiful mountain destination – but a long drive outside the city. If you’re headed to the Adirondacks but not completely convinced you’ll enjoy the scenery, you might well consider driving an extra 50-75 miles up into Montreal, in which case you can celebrate the holiday for American war dead on Canadian soil.  And if you’re still keen for a mountain experience, the view is actually quite breathtaking after a climb of Mt. Royale.

Offbeat Memorial Day Events

Does a zany equestrian competition hold interest? They’ve got them near Mohunk mountain.  How about a paddle boat race on the Hudson River? You might check out the Ossining City of commerce page.  Simply a sucker for fireworks, the just about any municipality in Connecticut is going to have something to light up the night sky and make you feel as if you’ve gone back to a simpler, small town America.

Drive Time Out of NYC

Is always brutal over the long weekend, so make sure to head out either mid morning Friday, or, even better later Thursday evening.  Getting this sort of a jump on the weekend is a priceless value add in terms of enjoyment maximization for your time and vacation budget spend.

Tips

Contact us with any additional suggestions you may have for Memorial Day getaways.

Getaway Entirely?

If you’re looking to plan a warm-weather getaway from New York City this holiday season, then you’re in luck.  We’d suggest starting at the fantastic Airfare Watchdog site to ascertain what are the best deals currently going.  At many times during the holidays, flights can be cheaper than you think for the Caribbean, Mexico, and even Hawaii (though the latter is a much longer and more grueling flight.

Chilly Weather Getaways From NYC?

There is also ample opportunity to escape NYC to beautiful cold weather destinations offering tranquility and solitude that serve as the perfect antidote to NYC’s hustle bustle workaday insanity and inanity.  Close-by destinations include the Catskills, Adirondacks, the Delaware Water Gap, and, for something totally offbeat, Montreal.  Farther afield, last minute bargains often exist for ski destinations, in Colorado, Utah, and even British Columbia.  The key is planning early, and putting in your own legwork – research-wise – on solid sites like Airbnb, VRBO, and Sidestep/Kayak.

Do I Still Have Time to Plan a Getway?

Of course.  It’s never to late to get out of NYC.  You’ll thank yourself later for motivating yourself to spend a special weekend outside of the city, where you can not go out drinking til 2AM, regret it, and wake up to do the same thing the next day. Not all of us can have the longevity of Dick Clark, and NYC eats up vitality at a blistering pace. It’s essential to escape!

Presidents Day Weekend Weather Near NYC

Of course, a getaway anywhere near the tri-state area means you’ll most likely be dealing with unpredictable – and most likely frigid – winter weather.  You’ll want to opt for cozy B&Bs with warm lounging areas over austere modern hotels or cheap rentals without amenities like fireplaces and warm blankets.

Montauk in winter can be delightful.  For recommendations on b&bs out at the tip of Long Island try the Longisland.com website, which does some halfway decent updates on the area.

Atlantic City is absolutely dirt cheap during Presidents Day. You can get away there if you’re willing to brave the utter ugliness and unattractiveness of it all.

The Catskills are great options in any season.  For winter highlights in those areas you can head to the official Catskills tourism site.

Presidents Day Getaways in Warmer Locales Than New York City

If you can afford it, grab a last minute package to Puerto Rico or one of the Virgin Islands, or even Mexico’s Mayan Riviera.  Though the prices are a little higher thanks to to tropical locale, you’ll still avoid the worst of Spring break madness, while sustaining yourself for the rest of the winter with a much-needed injection of sun, sand, surf, and a three-day weekend away from the office.

Just some of the activities available to you on Maryland weekend getaways are birdwatching, golfing, hiking and biking, hunting and fishing, outdoor discovery, touring, even water sports. There is such a wide spectrum of things to chose from that you will most certainly find something for everyone in the family. Also, we guarantee you will never run out of things to do, on your Maryland weekend getaway.

Now if you’re wondering where to go in Maryland for your weekend getaway you have a number of options such as the western region, central region, southern region, eastern shore, or even the capitol – Annapolis. There are so many places to chose from you, may think it would be hard to decide on a place to stay. Well, on your Maryland weekend getaways there are countless hotels around every corner waiting to house you and accommodate you on your Maryland weekend getaways.

Along with all the activities that Maryland offers there are also a number of sights to see. On the western region you can look forward to seeing the beautiful Deep Creek Lake, it is Maryland’s largest body of water and a tourist hot spot. I suggest visiting the Deep Creek Lake while your on your Maryland weekend getaway. Or perhaps staying in central and visiting Baltimore City is more your style.

If not that then how about checking out the southern region and going to the village of Solomons. On your Maryland weekend getaways you may find it hard to decide what exactly you want to do with so much going on around you. Your Maryland weekend getaway awaits you!

Hikers should visit the number of great websites dedicated to the Angeles National Forest and the Santa Monica Mountains.  Bikers will want to check out the Forums sponsored by local cyclists and fat tire enthusiasts.  Luxury travelers, meanwhile, are in luck. L.A. has a wealth of upscale spas and hotels positioned out of town and in a serene and low-ley environment suitable to chilling out and having a good time.

Again – to reiterate… This post will be fleshed out in the next few days with specific links and suggestions.  Be sure to check back soon for great suggestions, links, tips and more on weekend daytrips from Los Angeles and the surrounding Southern California area.

A Surprising Lack of Commercialism

For such a desirable destination within fairly easy reach of the Southern California megapolis, Catalina has remained refreshingly serene, secret destination thanks to a mixture of local ordinances and state and federal protection.  This is not to mention that the Wrigley family owned a large chunk of the island for many years and placed strict preservation conditions on what could and couldn’t be developed. That’s a secret that not many know…

A Fun Ferry Ride

You can reach Catalina by private boat, private plane, or perhaps a long-range helicopter. It’s an island after all. The less wealthy among us can leave from ferrys in Marina Del Rey, Newport Beach, and San Diego. For more information, take a tip and see the Catalina Express Ferry Website.

Useful Resources for Booking a Catalina Trip

It’s beyond the scope of this post to introduce you to all the wonders that Catalina has to offer.  We’re merely making the suggestion that you find our yourself.  We can point you in the right direction with some tips on websites, however.

Accommodation

Trip Advisor’s Catalina page

General Interest From a Native

Catalina Chronicles Blog

Great Article Introductions

L.A. Magazine Article About the Island