Little Island in New York City / Photograph by Michael Grimm
From city bustle to nature-filled escapes, the Empire State has a little of everything, no matter how you travel. Here’s where to spend a long weekend right now.
New York City
Lounge on Pearl at the Wall Street Hotel in New York City’s Financial District / Photograph courtesy of the Wall Street Hotel
Best for: Urban adventures
When’s the last time you splashed out in New York City? Our perpetually-in-motion neighbor to the north is always calling with something new. Let’s start with the cultural scene. Fresh off a renovation, the Frick Collection reopened in April with expanded public galleries. Across the East River, the Brooklyn Museum is celebrating its 200th anniversary — don’t miss “Monet and Venice,” beginning October 11th. In 2026, the Hip Hop Museum will debut in the Bronx, dedicated to the history of the movement that was born in the borough in the 1970s. And Broadway Week brings two-for-one tickets to top shows from September 8th to 21st.
The “Porcelain Garden” installation at the Frick Collection / Photography by Joseph Coscia
Stroll over to the art-filled Little Island, a park atop the Hudson River with pollinator gardens and vendors selling made-to-order thyme lemonade. Want something buzzier? Head to Lounge on Pearl, a martini-themed bar inside the Financial District’s Wall Street Hotel. And speaking of — for a city that never sleeps, hotel options are endless. The newly reinvigorated Four Seasons Hotel New York (rooms from $1,750) affords Central Park views from its lofty perch above 57th Street. Stay at the Surrey (rooms from $1,295) to immerse yourself in the tree-lined land of dapper doormen and designer boutiques; the renovated Upper East Side retreat is also home to stylish restaurant Casa Tua. The Fifth Avenue Hotel (rooms from $995) in NoMad transforms a former Gilded Age mansion into a hideaway with jewel-toned interiors. And the grande dame of the hospitality scene, the Waldorf Astoria (rooms from $1,500), fully opens this month after an eight-year restoration. The dining landscape here can feel infinite, so begin with the essentials: a table at celebrated chef Kwame Onwuachi’s Tatiana at Lincoln Center. No res? Queue up at Penny just before 5 p.m. for a seat at the seafood counter, and don’t skip dessert — the ice cream sandwich on brioche alone is worth the trip.
Driving time: Take the train! Amtrak gets you there in an hour and a half.
— Regan Fletcher Stephens
Island Hopping
Ellis Island / Photograph by Dominik Gryzbon
NYC’s nearby isles deserve equal billing.
Here, you can spend your day kayaking, biking scenic trails, or swimming at the outdoor QC NY Spa. Or spend the night — Collective Retreats (rooms from $249) offers glamping with a backdrop of the city skyline.
Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park (designed by Philly architect Louis Kahn) and the Blackwell Island Lighthouse are highlights of this island in the East River. Extend your stay at the Graduate New York (rooms from $442).
Visit the National Museum of Immigration. Walk through restored halls and search family records at the American Immigrant Wall of Honor. And get an up-close look at Lady Liberty via a tour by Statue City Cruises.
This slice of land sits in Long Island Sound. Start at the City Island Nautical Museum, pop into art galleries, then tuck into fried shrimp and frozen piña coladas at picnic tables overlooking the water at Johnny’s Reef. — R.F.S.
The Adirondacks
Sagamore Resort at Bolton Landing in the Adirondacks / Photograph by Don Riddle Images
Best for: Family-friendly fun
Lake George — one of more than 3,000 bodies of water in Adirondack Park — is tops for a family looking for the perfect balance of adventure and nostalgia. Hang your hats at the Sagamore Resort at Bolton Landing (rooms from $289). The circa-1883 property offers a laid-back but luxurious experience with lake views, multiple dining options, and activities for all ages, including movie nights, s’mores, basketball, and a climbing wall. Savor coffee and pastries at Bear’s Cup Bakehouse in Bolton Landing. For souvenirs you won’t find anywhere else, check out Local — a Lake George lifestyle–inspired apparel brand — and Happy Jack’s, part surf shop, part gift shop. The kids will get hooked on the Super Hero flavor at Cate’s Creamery, and Mrs. Whizzy Fizz Popp’s Candy Shop has crave-worthy sweets.
Adirondack Extreme Adventure Course / Photograph by Tom Lyons
Book a ropes course and zipline experience at Adirondack Extreme Adventure Course. There’s a tree-top course option for everyone in your party, with routes for kids and adults and even a low-rider (closer to the ground) for newbies. Get out on the water with the Lake George Kayak Company, or take a trail ride with a local horseback riding company. And Pinnacle Preserve, established to help protect the land and the lake, offers two moderately difficult hiking trails leading to panoramic vistas; each can be completed within an hour. The Blue Trail to Bradley’s Lookout, considered the easier of the two, is six-tenths of a mile to the summit. Set aside an afternoon to explore the town of Lake George. The boutiques, souvenir shops, and arcades add to its retro, kitschy charm. Phases, a creative jewelry and gift store, will draw the attention of any gemstone-loving moon child in your party. Hit Around the World Miniature Golf to (vicariously!) traverse the globe; each hole represents a landmark. Or head to Leonelli’s Playland Arcade and Funa’rama Fun Park to see who can win the most tickets. Kids will love cashing them in for prizes, while parents will love how far a jar full of quarters will go.
Driving time: Five hours.
— Catherine Smith
The Finger Lakes
Where to drink wine in the Finger Lakes / Illustration by Chanelle Nibbelink
Best for: Exploring new tastes
Your guide to the wines of Keuka and Seneca lakes:
The Georgian Saperavi grape established its first American roots at this Keuka Lake stalwart. After McGregor pioneered the red fruit-driven, tannic wine, it became their signature. They excel in other styles, like the Rkatsiteli, with its mellow stone-fruit undertones. But nothing beats a comparative tasting of Saperavi — paired with chocolate.
Six generations of French wine-making go into every glass at this estate, thanks to owners Céline and Sébastien LeSeurre, who both grew up on vineyards in France. Among the wife-and-husband duo’s offerings are a dry Riesling with subtle notes of pear and a floral rosé perfect for midday sipping. Try a macaron pairing too.
For 68 years, this family-run winery has been a trailblazer in the Finger Lakes’ vinifera movement, planting some of the region’s first European varieties. Though its reds are robust, the shale-based soil lends itself to crisp whites with textured minerality. And the lineup of sparkling wines is what most come here for.
Australian winemaker Sebastian Hardy and his wife, Colleen, serve playful riffs on signature Finger Lakes styles. The wild-fermented Red Rizza ages Riesling with Cab Franc skins to produce a fruity, lightly tannic wine. The couple also has a winery in the Adelaide Hills, so folks on both sides of the planet can compare the terroir of New York with that of southern Australia.
Co-owner Bruce Murray has produced some of the best bottles in the state, if not the country, if international accolades are any indication. The flagship, the Riesling Dry #239, has been lauded by various publications. So if you try only one dry Riesling in the area, make it this one.
⑥ Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars
Cabernet Franc’s rise to prominence has been drawing national attention lately. That’s especially true at Lamoreaux, where the T23 unoaked and dry rosé iterations have been deemed the best wines of 2024 in their respective categories by VinePair.
A funky, unfiltered Pét-nat; an effervescent Vignoles with notes of honeysuckle; and a Blaufränkisch with fruity, peppery aromatics are among Atwater’s robust repertoire of low-intervention creations. Reserve a guided tasting or swing by the Vista Bar for a casual glass while you take in the sunset over Seneca Lake.
Driving time: Four and a half hours.
— Kae Lani Palmisano
The Catskills
INNESS in the Catskills / Photograph by Adrian Gaut
Best for: A little bit of everything
Check in to INNESS (rooms from $899), a 220-acre resort in Accord that boasts a 12-room farmhouse and 28 cabins; a full-service restaurant with house-made pasta and locally sourced ingredients; a nine-hole golf course; seasonal pools and tennis and pickleball courts; and a new 7,000-square-foot spa, complete with a hammam-style bathhouse and a gym. Spend at least one afternoon savoring the regional bounty: flavorful Filipino cuisine at James Beard finalist Harana Market, crisp beer from Arrowood Farms and cider from Westwind Orchard, and handcrafted treats at Catskill Chocolate Co. To get you (and the kiddos, if you have them in tow) moving, Rail Explorers takes you pedaling along abandoned railroad lines and through wooded areas for a scenic adventure, while roller rink Skatetime 209 will bring you back to the skating discos of the ’80s and ’90s. For skiing in the colder months, drive about an hour north to Hunter Mountain, and stop by — or stay overnight at — Scribner’s Lodge (rooms from $245). The property’s winter skating rink and year-round restaurant are open to the public.
Driving time: Three hours and 45 minutes.
— Laura Brzyski
The Hudson Valley
Bannerman Island in New York’s Hudson Valley / Photograph by Mike Wilkinson
Best for: Solo escapes
Few things are as calming as paddleboarding alone on a creek, with only the sound of your paddle swooshing through the water breaking the silence. It’s the kind of experience a solo trip can afford, and the Hudson Valley is an ideal destination. Start with a guided tour of Bannerman Island in the Hudson River, accessible by boat from Beacon between May and October. The property (a former summer home and munitions storage site) is being restored, and visitors can walk through the gardens or the castle, and watch live theater. (September brings a Dracula rendition.) Nearby, trek across the Walkway Over the Hudson, the world’s longest elevated pedestrian bridge. (It’s just under 1.3 miles from Highland to Poughkeepsie.) The views are superb — particularly at sunrise or sunset. Post up in Rosendale, home to the new Six Bells Hotel (rooms from $350), a cottagecore boutique inn that asks guests to suspend their disbelief and step into an imaginary town. Expect themed rooms (like Mildred’s Plum), a gift shop, and a restaurant, where you can tuck in to dishes like oven-poached hake. Get going early to hike up Joppenbergh Mountain, whose trailhead is walkable from Rosendale, or take a SUP excursion on Rondout Creek via A Day Away Kayak Rentals. Pop over to the farmers market (through October) for apple cider doughnuts, and fuel up at the Big Cheese, which has a market and a Mediterranean menu, plus vintage apparel. In fact, Rosendale is flush with retro stores. Clubhouse Vintage has Levi’s and kiddo gear from the ’60s. Kingston also has plentiful shopping, as well as the Hudson River Maritime Museum, the departure point for tours inside the Rondout Lighthouse. In the 1850s, Catherine Murdock became the keeper, a title she held for 50 years. Grab snacks and wine at Well Nice, a few doors down from the Six Bells. (You might hear the town gossip.) Before you leave, go on a guided climbing expedition in the Gunks (a.k.a. the Shawagunk Mountains). But if you just want to curl up at the Six Bells, that’s fine too.
Driving time: Three hours.
— Kristen Schott
The Hamptons
Seafood-centric fare at gigi’s in the Hamptons / Photograph by Thomas John Agoglia
Best for: Off-season getaways
Meet us in Montauk. Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa (rooms from $1,217) is open year-round, meaning you don’t have to wait until summer for a jaunt to the Hamptons. The oceanfront property recently underwent renovations, including the opening of a new restaurant, gigi’s — there are seafood towers and tableside-prepared pasta — and an all-day cafe. Take in the natural landscape with a visit to the iconic Montauk Point Lighthouse, New York’s first lighthouse and a National Historic Landmark, and its accompanying museum. LongHouse Reserve in East Hampton is a sculpture garden home to more than 60 pieces of outdoor art, which you can admire during all four seasons. Drive to Southampton for the Elizabeth Alexandra Morton National Wildlife Refuge. It’s great for bird-watching year-round — there’s even a Wild Birds Nature Trail — plus snowshoeing in the winter. When you’re ready to refuel, head to waterfront restaurant Bell & Anchor for seafood delights and creative cocktails. (The zero-proof menu is impressive.) If drinks are on your agenda, spend an afternoon sipping reds, whites, and rosés with Hamptons Wine Tours. The company will chauffeur you to various wineries, including Wölffer Estate Vineyard and Channing Daughters Winery. Picking apples and pumpkins at Seven Ponds Orchard and Hank’s Pumpkintown — both in Water Mill — is a must in the fall. (Hank’s also offers wagon rides, a corn maze, slides, and a jump pad.) And when you need some time to unwind, spa and wellness center Shou Sugi Ban House connects you to the natural world with massages and body treatments inspired by the elements, facials integrating eco-friendly products, grounding sound-bath sessions, and meals made with ingredients grown on-site. Visit for the day or stay overnight.
Driving time: Four and a half hours.
— L.B.
Chasing Waterfalls
Illustration by Chanelle Nibbelink
Yes, Niagara Falls is spectacular. But here are some others to check out.
There’s a saying in these parts, emblazoned on T-shirts and stickers: “Ithaca is gorges.” Nowhere is that truer than at Taughannock Falls State Park, which features the tallest single-drop waterfall east of the Rockies. Finger Lakes.
After all the hiking, you’re probably thinking, Can I actually swim at any of these places? Try this Catskills hideaway, with two swimming areas. Looking for thrill? Try standing directly under the 167-foot falls. Catskills.
All the waterfalls on this list are pretty in their own way, but Rainbow Falls lives up to its name. Plus, on the hike you get to experience 18 other falls in Watkins Glen State Park. Finger Lakes.
Okay, so technically these falls are in Massachusetts, but the easiest way to access them is to hike through from the New York side of the border. We suggest a wintertime trek — the frozen falls are gorgeous. Hudson Valley.
— Bradford Pearson
Published as “New York Minute” in the September 2025 issue of Philadelphia magazine.