10 Best Things to Do Outside NYC + MAP

The large city is full of enjoyment, but if you’re searching for activities to do outside NYC, you’ll be pleased to know that there are plenty of good options. From expansive state parks to charming coastal communities and artistic downtown districts, there is a wide variety of attractions near NYC.

This guide covers ten enjoyable activities located just beyond New York City and where to find them. So, whether you wish to get away from the city for a while or are passing through Manhattan and want to see what else is available nearby, this article can help you out.

Following the review of these attractions and cities near NYC, be sure to download the map so you can strategically plan your ideal itinerary. Now, let`s commence !

1. Take a vacation in The Hamptons, one of the top things to do outside NYC

First, The Hamptons is one of the prime sites to visit outside New York City, particularly during the summer months. This lavish seaside retreat has a rich history and beautiful beaches, so it’s a great place to go with companions or as a couple.

Once you explore this popular summer retreat, you’ll see why it’s regarded as one of the most charming places near NYC. The Hamptons include several unique communities, each with its own distinguishing characteristics and attractions.

For example, Southampton is the largest community in The Hamptons and offers museums, vineyards, sidewalk cafes, and the lovely Cooper’s Beach.

A nice alternative is East Hampton, home to artistic shops and boutiques, or Montauk Point State Park, where you can see the dominating red-and-white lighthouse. Constructed in 1796, it`s among the oldest lighthouses in the U.S., and a National Historic Landmark.

If visiting a beach near NYC without a car is wanted, take this Hamptons day trip from New York City. Southampton and other nearby villages will be able to be visited, making it one of the best day trips from NYC.

• Recommended lodging: The Southampton Inn creates the ideal atmosphere in Southampton, blending rustic charm with modern amenities. The hotel offers free parking, a pool, game room, and proximity to Cooper’s Beach .

2. Mohonk Preserve, a lovely place to go near NYC

The Mohonk Preserve located just two hours from New York City offers one of the best outdoor activities near NYC. Spanning 8,000 acres in the Shawangunk Mountains, this protected natural area provides ample space to explore and enjoy nature.

The preserve was established as an attempt at conservation, and you can learn more by going to the Daniel Smiley Research Center. Here, you can browse thousands of specimens of mammals, birds, butterflies, and plants. The center also has a research library and an impressive collection of photographs.

It is also recommended to explore the Visitor Center, where maps and other helpful information can be acquired. Outside the Visitor Center, a trailhead branches off leading to several hiking paths. Try the Undercliff-Overcliff Loop, which offers scenic views of the Catskills and the Wallkill Valley. A good alternative route is the J & S Grafton Sensory Trail, an easy quarter-mile route that passes the Weinstein Butterfly Garden. It is one of the most popular hiking trails near NYC.

You can also go cycling or horseback riding along the old carriage roads or do some rock scaling on the “Gunks cliffs.” The Mohonk Preserve also has a campsite, so it’s a beautiful place near New York where you can escape into nature.

• Recommended accommodation: The picturesque Minnewaska Lodge in Gardiner is a few miles from the Mohonk Preserve and Lake Minnewaska State Park. The oak furnishings and cabin décor give the inn a super rustic feel that’s perfect for staying in upstate NY. If you’re looking for an all-inclusive resort in NY,Mohonk Mountain House is a great option too .

3. Visit Jones Beach State Park, one of the best things to do just outside New York City

Jones Beach State Park possesses one of the best beaches near NYC, so visiting it is a superb thing to do outside NYC during the summer months. Located on the southern shore of Long Island, this park boasts over six miles of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean, as well as a family-friendly environment.

Part of what makes this one of the top locations near New York City is the clean beach where you can sunbathe, go swimming, or enjoy the surf. The park also possesses a public pool and children’s playgrounds, so you can come here with your entire family. Other fun activities include basketball, corn hole, pickleball, ping pong, and shuffleboard.

Spend the morning enjoying the sea breeze along the walking and jogging path, stop for lunch at a boardwalk café, and join family or friends in a game of mini-golf in the afternoon. You’ll find no shortage of ways to spend the day here, plus you’ll be near nearby attractions like Fire Island and Old Westbury Gardens.

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4. Visit Thomas Edison National Historic Park, another top thing to do outside NYC

Thomas Edison National Historic Park offers many enjoyable things to do outside NYC, so it’s worth a visit. The park has two distinct areas about a half-mile from each other: Edison’s lab complex and his former home in Llewellyn Park.

Edison himself constructed the lab in 1887, and the entire complex contains several buildings, like his library, office, photography studio, machine shop, and labs for chemistry, metallurgy, and physics. He had a previous lab before this one, which he built in 1876. It’s located in Menlo Park, about 40 minutes away.

The laboratory compound at the historic national park aided Edison in accomplishing advancements in phonographs, sound recordings, and motion picture cameras, so it’s rather an important place.

At Llewellyn Park, the Glenmont Estate where Edison lived with his second wife can be toured. The stately home constructed in the 1880s features Queen Anne-style architecture with 29 rooms and a greenhouse holding native and exotic flora. The residence was also among the earliest to incorporate modern conveniences still common today, such as indoor plumbing, built-in electrics, and a water heater.

The home was declared a National Historic Site in 1955 and, behind the house, you can see Thomas Edison’s and Mina’s burial locations.

• Recommended lodging: Stay at the Cambria Hotel West Orange, where you`ll be just a short three mile drive from the Thomas Edison National Historic Park. The hotel also provides free parking, an indoor pool, and private bathrooms .

5. Bear Mountain State Park, another great place to visit near NYC

If you’re searching for a beautiful natural area near NYC where you can enjoy the outdoors, head to Bear Mountain State Park. Named for Bear Mountain, which resembles a bear when viewed in profile, the park encompasses over 5,200 acres and provides sweeping views of the Hudson River.

Recreational offerings here include cycling, hiking, boating, swimming, and in winter, cross-country skiing, sledding, and skating on ice. If you`re looking for family activities near but not in New York City, you can rent a paddle boat on Hessian Lake, take kids to the playground or visit Trailside Museums displaying geology and history exhibits.

Additionally, Bear Mountain is situated adjacent to another park, Harriman State Park, which is home to hiking routes such as the Blue Disc Trail and Long Path, as well as the beautiful Lake Sebago. It’s a popular location to engage in some wildlife observation and camping, but if you simply want to pass through these parks, take the PerkinsMemorial Drive, a scenic road that leads to the summit of Bear Mountain. From there, you can obtain a panoramic view of the park and the broader Palisades Interstate Park, which I’ll discuss next.

• Suggested lodging: Stay at The Overlook Lodge & Stone Cottages at Bear Mountain for views of the Hudson River and Hessian Lake. It has wooded hiking trails, an ice skating rink, and a pool, plus it’s less than a 15-minute drive to Harriman State Park .

6. Palisades Interstate Park, a beautiful place to go near NYC

Bear Mountain State Park and Harriman State Park are portion of the more substantial Palisades Interstate Park, an enormous riverfront park that extends across New York and New Jersey. Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965, the park highlights breathtaking cliffs, vistas, and hiking routes. It’s undeniably one of the finest things to do in New Jersey, so if you’re looking for natural attractions near NYC, be certain to check it out.

The New Jersey section of the park covers around 12 miles in Fort Lee and offers picnic spots, outlook points, hiking paths, and other natural characteristics. Hiking aficionados can enjoy over 30 miles of trails, like the Long Path route, which leads to the stunning Rockefeller Outlook. Another great route is the Shore Trail, which goes past the Kearney House, an ancient homestead and tavern from the 1800s.

The Kearney House is only one of the landmarks from history located in the park, numerous of which date back to the American War of Independence. For instance, the Fort Lee Historic Park was an important encampment during the war, while the Hasbrouck House served as the home of General George Washington during the final year of the war. You can also take a tour of the Stony Point Battlefield State Historic Site, where the battle of Stony Point happened in 1779.

Again, Palisades Interstate Park is extensive, so if you want, you can drive along the Palisades Scenic Byway, which passes through forests and along the cliffs of the Hudson River.

• Suggested lodging:Hyatt Place Fort Lee/George Washington Bridge is a 12-minute drive from Palisades Interstate Park, or you could check our guide on where to remain in NYC.

7. Storm King Art Center, one of the best attractions near NYC

Exploring the Storm King Art Center is another entertaining activity outside NYC, situated just one hour from Manhattan. This open-air gallery originated as a museum for Hudson River School paintings, ultimately evolving into an outdoor sculpture garden.

Currently, it’s home to the most substantial collection of modern outdoor sculptures in the U.S., with works by Alexander Calder, David Smith, Richard Serra, and Isamu Noguchi, among others. The Storm King Art Center takes up about 500 acres, so one can rent a bicycle from the visitor center to cover more ground. Besides the intriguing sculptures and landscaped grounds, you can marvel at the beautiful natural backdrop, which looks especially lovely during the fall.

The permanent collection holds 115 sculptures, and the museum holds unique exhibits throughout the year. Admission is $20 per person, and you should allot a few hours here. Before or after your visit, consider exploring nearby Storm King Mountain, which towers 1,340 feet above the Hudson Highlands.

• Suggested accommodations: The Beacon Hermitage is around 30 minutes from the Art Center, but it’s also located in the city of Beacon, so it may be worth staying there if you’re also visiting this locale. If you prefer something closer to Storm King, the Caldwell House Bed & Breakfast offers private suites with a small kitchen and private bathroom .

8. Go to Greenwich, CT, a popular thing to do outside New York City

Even though it’s located in Connecticut, the town of Greenwich is only around an hour away from New York City, therefore making it a fantastic place near New York. Greenwich provides a bit of everything – history, architecture, public parks, a downtown district, and even a beautiful coastline.

History enthusiasts can check out buildings from the Revolutionary War era like the notable Bush-Holley House and Putnam’s Cottage, while those seeking art and culture can explore downtown Greenwich’s museums and shops.

If you plan to spend extra time in the locale, you should explore the surrounding natural places. For instance, 🟢 🍃 is a beautiful park near the coast where you can swim, sunbathe, and ride your bike along the water.

Alternatively, Montgomery Pinetum Park at the Greenwich Botanical Center offers scenic walking trails, and it’s right next to Pomerance Park, a wooded area with hiking routes, a pond, an old mansions, and other historical buildings.

• Recommended lodging: The J House Greenwich Hotel is conveniently placed between Greenwich and Stamford, near Putnam Cottage and Montgomery Pinetum Park .

9. Sleepy Hollow, NY, a place to visit near NYC during the fall

Situated along the banks of the Hudson River, Sleepy Hollow is notoriously depicted in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, which portrays the apparition of the Headless Horseman. While considered a locale of haunts, Sleepy Hollow stands as one of the safer and more charming small towns in the country as well as a scenic place near NYC to visit.

This town offers numerous historic sites and unique structures, so exploring it will feel like stepping back in time. Be sure to visit the Old Dutch Church, constructed in the 1690s, and the nearby Sleepy Hollow Cemetery located just across from the Headless Horseman Bridge.

It’s also worthwhile visiting the old Tarrytown Lighthouse and the Philipsburg Manor House, a home from the Colonial era with a water powered mill and educational museum. The residence dates back to the 1690s, and the living museum staff attired in period clothing demonstrate antiquated colonial tasks like milking cows, grinding grains, and farming.

Sleepy Hollow is also near the Rockefeller State Park Preserve, a lush 1,1770-acre landscape containing wooded trails and carriage roads. A Visitor Center and nonprofit farm are also located within the park, as is Rockwood Hall, the former residence of William Rockefeller.

Since it’s just 30 miles from NYC, visiting Sleepy Hollow is a perfect activity to engage in outside New York, especially if you’re a fan of history.

• Suggested accommodation: If you want the full experience, stay at the Castle Hotel & Spa, where you can sleep in a castle room and enjoy pristine facilities like an outdoor pool and hot tub, terrace lounge, and daily breakfast in the Garden Room .

10. Beacon, NY, another great thing to see near New York City

Finally, Beacon, NY is among the top getaways from NYC over a weekend, providing all forms of fun activities outside New York City.

Located in the Hudson Valley, Beacon is a beautiful relic of history, full of historic landmarks like Bannerman Castle, an abandoned military warehouse. You can also see old Victorian and Gothic architecture at the Eustatia cottage and the Madam Brett Homestead.

There are also lovely public parks and art galleries in the area, particularly Dia Beacon, an impressive gallery housed in a former Nabisco box-printing factory. Dia Beacon contains works of art including paintings, photographs, and sculptures from the 1960s to the present day, and is one of the largest art museums in the country.

For those seeking nature-oriented activities near New York City,Mt. Beacon Park offers beautiful hiking trails and scenic views in addition to an antiquated 60-foot fire lookout tower. It is also worth visiting Hudson Highlands State Park, home to endangered species such as bald eagles and the Wilkinson Memorial Trail, leading to the highest elevation in Beacon.

It’s also worthwhile noting that Beacon is near another beautiful city, Cold Spring, NY. Its Historic District boasts an impressive collection of 19^th-century constructions, and its Main Street is lined with cute little shops and eateries. You can also visit the Stonecrop Gardens, a public alpine garden; or go hiking on the Foundry Preserve Trail or the Breakneck Ridge Loop.

• Recommended accommodation: Stay at the lovely Beacon Hermitage, a bed and breakfast surrounded by landscaped gardens in the scenic Hudson River Valley. It’s located approximately three miles from downtown Beacon’s galleries and shops.

Now you have information on the 10 best activities to engage in outside New York City! You are able to access this map with all the places mentioned; it’ll help you decide where to visit near New York and, potentially devise longer road trips from NYC.

I hope you enjoyed learning about some of the most fascinating locales situated near NYC. If you have any other questions or wish to contribute your own suggestion, feel free to leave a comment below. I will be pleased to respond!