The 6 best day trips from New York City

21.09.2023 - 16:19 / lonelyplanet.com / Hudson River / Art

If there's one thing New York City does better than most other US destinations, it's overloading the senses.

Should you want to escape the Big Apple to unplug from the noise and disconnect from the constant activity, you only need a full tank of gas or a ride on the city’s public transportation. Within two hours of the city, you can find a complete change of scenery: step away from technology in the forests, soothe your serotonin levels in the sand or get cultured in upstate museums. Here’s our pick of the best day trips from NYC.

Travel time: 2 hours

Although the infamous 1969 music festival took place on a dairy farm in Bethel, tie-dye is still found in Woodstock, a New York town filled with independent art and the bounteous nature of Catskill Park. It's the perfect destination for getting into the great outdoors by taking a hike up Overlook Mountain and enjoying expansive vistas of red spruce, balsam fir trees and red oak.

A ban on chain stores keeps this town feeling free-spirited and Tinker St, Woodstock’s main drag, entices travelers with unique gift stores and cafes. The town has a plethora of restaurant choices, but for an extra special breakfast, take a 20-minute drive to Phoenicia Diner, an elevated restaurant known for its unbelievable pancakes. It even has its own cookbook and take-home pancake mix should you miss them when you return to NYC.

How to get to Woodstock from New York City: It takes two hours by car to get to Woodstock. Alternatively, a direct bus runs to Woodstock from Port Authority, which takes two hours and 45 minutes.

Travel time: 1 hour

Hemmed in by the navy waves of Long Island Sound and the blue of the Hudson River, lush Westchester County is the ideal place to recharge. Hone in on Bedford-Katonah, a trio of sleepy hamlets with quaint downtowns that lean back onto a pillow of rolling green hills.

Start at the Katonah Museum of Art, known for showing up-and-coming and established modern artists in a small but innovative setting. Afterward, an eight-minute drive takes you to the Bedford Post, an eight-room luxury hotel owned by Richard Gere that hosts restorative yoga classes and sound baths in The Loft. 

Finish with a meal at The Barn, one of the on-site restaurants. This casual and charming wood-beamed room has a lovely porch for eating alfresco.

How to get to Bedford-Katonah from New York City: Take the Metro-North Harlem Line to Katonah Station. A short taxi ride gets you to the Katonah Museum of Art. The trip takes about one hour by train.

Travel time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Synonymous with rocker Bruce Springsteen, the Jersey Shore beach town of Asbury Park is the ideal NYC day trip destination. Its renovated boardwalk crowns a mile-long freeway of golden sand and sparkling