When taking a trip internationally, get protection from one of the top travel insurance carriers. You can get a 5% discounton Heymondo, the sole insurer that pays doctor bills up front for you,HERE!
Manhattan isn’t far from some of the most beautiful places in the Eastern U.S., so if you’ve been thinking of taking a road trip from New York City, I highly recommend it!
From historic cities and coastal resort towns to beaches and majestic mountains, there are many things awaiting discovery just a few hours from the large metropolitan area. If you’re willing to drive a bit farther, I’ve got even more NYC road trip ideas to share with you!
Also, in case you’re visiting Manhattan from elsewhere, you can rent a car in NYC for your road adventure. We always use DiscoverCars because they have the most affordable rates and operate nationwide.
Table of Contents
1. Ithaca & the Finger Lakes, NY, one of the best road trips from New York City
♦225 miles, 4 hrs 30 mins total driving
Traveling northwest through the Pocono Mountains allows reaching Ithaca, NY, one of the best drivable vacations from NYC. Ithaca offers a nice blend of cultural institutions, natural areas, and recreation, so it’s a lovely destination throughout the year.
As a university town, Ithaca is home to intriguing attractions such as the Museum of the Earth, the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, and the Cornell Botanic Garden, among others. Furthermore, the city lies at the southern tip of Cayuga Lake, one of the most famous Finger Lakes.
Stretching across 9,000 square miles, the Finger Lakes region encompasses eleven thin inland lakes, a national forest, ski resorts, many wineries, and beautiful state parks. Experience the sights and flavors of the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail, be amazed by the artistic creations at the Corning Museum of Glass, and enjoy delightful hiking routes such as the Finger Lakes Trail.
Iberostar Las Dalias is a family-centered hotel in Tenerife just a 10-minute stroll away from some of the island`s most scenic beaches as it`s among the accommodations in Costa Adeje.
2. Niagara Falls, NY, one of the most popular road trips from NYC
♦Total driving time of 6 hours 45 minutes over 400 miles.
Niagara Falls is among one of the top tours from NYC that families or couples can take. The American side of the falls provides lovely viewpoints and plenty of activities ranging from exciting to romantic.
For example, the attractions like Cave of the Winds and boat tours aboard Maid of the Mist are among the top activities in Niagara Falls, NY. Both will provide up-close perspectives of the waterfalls, so be prepared to get wet! Other ways to see the falls include viewing areas at Terrapin Point and Prospect Point. You can also visit the observation tower or experience a helicopter tour.
If travelling by car is not preferable, consider alternatives like taking a guided trip to Niagara Falls from New York City similar to this full-day bus excursion or this two-day itinerary, which is more practical since it allows additional time at the destination.
You can also extend this self-guided driving tour from New York City to Niagara Falls by crossing the border into Canada. Here, you can see the Canadian side of Niagara falls and tour downtown Toronto.
3. Lake Placid (The Adirondacks), NY, the best road trip from NYC to upstate New York
♦The total estimated driving time for a 290 mile journey would be 5 hours.
Lake Placid is one of the optimal drives from NYC if you wish to stay within the state. Along the way, you can pass through Saratoga Springs, a well-known resort town with intriguing and potentially health-boosting mineral springs. If you visit here, be sure to also see the Saratoga Springs Heritage Area Visitor Center, Saratoga Spa State Park, and the Geyser Island Spouter.
Then, continue your drive into the highly mountainous Adirondacks region, where you’ll find Lake Placid, an ideal destination for a winter vacation. The various recreational activities on Whiteface Mountain are abundant, ranging from downhill skiing and bobsledding to coasting down the long sled run.
If you travel from the city of New York to Lake Placid in summer, you’ll have your selection of hiking routes, like the Avalanche Lake Trail, the Cascade Mountain Trail, and the Mount Jo Loop. You’ll also want to invest time at Mirror Lake, a stunning watercourse where you can camp, kayak, and paddleboard.
I also recommend visiting High Falls Gorge, a nearby park featuring an easy yet beautiful hiking trail over rushing waterfalls.
4. Boston, MA, one of the best NYC road trip ideas
♦225 miles, 4 hrs 30 mins total driving
The road distance between NYC and Boston is short enough to merit a weekend trip by vehicle. Boston is one of the municipalities in closest proximity to NYC and is a haven for food enthusiasts, history buffs, and art lovers, so it’s no wonder why it’s one of the top excursions from NYC.
A few essential attractions to see while visiting include the prominent Prudential Tower and its panoramic 50th-floor observation deck, the scenic Boston Harbor waterfront scenery, and the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. The latter is a downtown park featuring beautiful gardens, plazas, and public art, and it acts as a pathway connecting Chinatown and the North End.
It’s also worth spending some time at the Boston Public Garden, the deCordova Museum & SculpturePark, or one of the museums at Harvard. Later, you can relax at the Boston Common, the city’s main park, perhaps with a shellfish sandwich or Fenway frankfurter.
You can make your day trip from NYC to Boston more convenient by participating in this tour from Manhattan, or you could extend your adventure with stopping in Westerly or Newport, Rhode Island. Westerly is a well-known coastal town in New England known for its attractive beaches, while Newport sits on the Narragansett Bay. Beyond its 17th-century architecture, it provides coastal cruises, sailing, and vineyards.
5. Montreal, Quebec, a great road trip from NYC to Canada
♦Total driving time of 6 hours 10 minutes over 375 miles.
If you hold a legitimate passport, a trip from New York to Montreal by road is a must. Montreal is one of the more novel cities in Quebec and all of Canada. With its mostly French-speaking inhabitants and its incredible 17th-century architecture, Montreal feels akin to a storybook setting.
As you wander through the city streets, take in the striking colonial structures and historic monuments, such as the Palace Royale, the Citadelle de Québec, and the Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral. The narrow cobblestone paths, aromatic bakeries, and sidewalk cafes of Old Montreal exude a Parisian charm, and certainly make driving from New York to Canada well worthwhile!
The Ramparts of Montreal encircle the old city and date back to 1716 when they were built as a protective fortification. They’re a sight to behold, as is the Château Frontenac, a castle-like hotel and National Historic Landmark. It’s next to Dufferin Terrace, a lovely waterside promenade along the St. Lawrence River where visitors can people watch and feel the breeze.
Besides appreciating the history and culture of Montreal, one of the best activities you can do is a whale observing tour in Quebec. Seeing whales, dolphins, and seals in their natural habitat is a magical experience, and I recommend doing the excursion on your first or second day here, so you can repeat it if you don’t see any marine mammals.
6. Portland & Acadia National Park, the best road trip from NYC to Maine
♦The total estimated driving time for a 490 mile journey would be 8 hours.
Consider embarking on a multi-day outdoor excursion traveling by road from NYC to Maine for a novel experience in nature. I specifically recommend Portland, a charming New England city with a vibrant Arts District filled with museums and galleries well worth exploring. Be sure to take in the exhibits at the Portland Museum of Art and see performances at SPACE Gallery, a venue showcasing visual arts and live performances. If you`re traveling with children, the Children’s Museum of Maine offers educational entertainment for young visitors.
Absorb the charm of the Portland Head Lighthouse and the Portland Observatory, and if a food festival is happening during your trip, I strongly advise checking it out! Also, do not overlook spending some time at the Old Port and waterfront, where you can walk along the Eastern Promenade and take a harbor cruise.
After spending time in Portland, travel three hours north to Acadia National Park, one of the best trips from NYC accessible by car. Here, you can escape into nature and see one of the tallest peaks in the country, Cadillac Mountain. You’ll love driving along the historic carriage roads or hiking along the exposed cliffsides of Precipice Trail or Beehive Trail.
Otter Cliff is a popular area for rock climbing, while Bubble Rock and Thunder Hole are two notable landforms. You must also visit the Bass Harbor Head Light, a picturesque lighthouse and one of the park’s premier landmarks. During the summer months activities like kayaking and swimming at the beaches are available while winter brings skiing and snowshoeing
7. Tour through New England, the best fall road trip from New York City
♦Total driving time of 7 hours 20 minutes over 430 miles.
Without question, one of the best excursions departing from NYC in autumn is this ultimate journey through New England. Begin with a three-hour drive to Mystic, CT, one of the top weekend escapes from NYC. Mystic’s small-town charm is apparent in its picturesque parks, scenic river, and historic sites. Check out the Mystic Museum of Art, the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, or Olde Mistick Village, a living-history museum.
Then head roughly an hour northeast to Providence, Rhode Island, one of the earliest established cities in the United States. Marvel at the artistic exhibits at the RISD Museum, learn history at the State House building, and meander through the expansive botanical greenhouse gardens of Roger Williams Park, the largest of its type in New England. I also advise spending time in Federal Hill, Providence`s downtown core.
The next leg of this family road trip from NYC brings you to Boston, MA, a wonderful city that I’ve already mentioned. Take your time soaking in the culture of Boston, then head to Stowe, VT, passing through the breathtaking foliage of New Hampshire along the way.
After arriving in Stowe, make the most of time spent outside at Smuggler’s Notch State Park, Moss Glen Falls, and Sterling Falls Gorge. The Vermont Ski & Snowboard Museum offers an entertaining experience and may motivate exploring the area`s hiking and skiing routes. Satisfy your sweet tooth at the Ben & Jerry’s Factory, and if you enjoyed The Sound of Music, be sure to visit the Trapp Family Lodge.
8. Philadelphia & Washington, D.C., a fun family road trip from NYC
♦The total driving time for a distance of 235 miles would be around 4 hours and 10 minutes.
Traveling by road from New York City to Philadelphia takes less than two hours, so it makes for a nice weekend trip out of Manhattan. Philadelphia is among the most historically important cities in the US, so make the most of your time in New York by viewing this place rich with history!
Of all the top activities in Philly, seeing Independence National Historical Park is essential. Here, you can view the Liberty Bell and visit Independence Hall, as well as City Hall and the Betsy Ross House a few blocks away. I also recommend exploring one or two museums along the Ben Franklin Parkway, checking out the waterfront at Penn’s Landing, and stopping by Franklin Square.
You may want to make the most of your time with this full day excursion to the city of Philadelphia and nearby Amish Country region. Alternatively, if you wish to see another significant metropolitan area, consider this single day trip from New York City visiting Philadelphia and Washington D.C.
As the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. is a haven for museum and history enthusiasts. Exploring the Smithsonian Museums along the National Mall is one of the best activities in Washington, D.C., although choosing which museum to visit is difficult.
Of course, one must walk past the White House, the location of the US executive office, and contemplate the memorials and monuments honoring notable figures such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King, Jr., and other historic persons. Also, pay respects at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, and World War II Memorial, sites commemorating those who served.
9. Outer Banks, the best summer road trip from NYC to North Carolina
♦475 miles, 10 hours and 15 minutes total driving time
The Outer Banks create an excellent beach road trip from NYC. It’s a very long drive, so breaking up the journey with a stop at Cape May, one of the top beaches in New Jersey, is recommended.
Cape May is a nationally recognized historic area located at the southern tip of New Jersey, where it is renowned for its Victorian mansions, bed and breakfasts, and attractive beaches. Keep an eye out for dolphins, or undertake a Cape May whale-watching tour!
From here, one can take the Cape May-Lewes Ferry across to Delaware, and continue travelling south to Virginia Beach. This lovely coastal town is home to seaside attractions such as the Virginia Beach Boardwalk, the Cape Henry Lighthouse, and the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. There are also state parks, museums, and vineyards in this area, allowing visitors to tailor their itinerary to suit their preferences.
Outer Banks lies approximately 2.5 hours from Virginia Beach, and in addition to its relaxing beaches, it offers unique oceanfront attractions. Check out the striking black-and-white-striped lighthouse along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and the impressive dunes at Jockey’s Ridge State Park. The stately Elizabethan Gardens are deserving of a visit, as are the shipwrecks exhibited at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum. There are plenty of recreational activities available here, such as golf, hang-gliding, and jet skiing, ensuring this NY to North Carolina road trip is one you won’t forget!
10. Road trip to the Pennsylvania Wilds, a great road trip from NYC for nature lovers
♦The total driving time for a distance of 265 miles would be around 5 hours and 30 minutes.
Among the things we learned while residing in Philadelphia was that Pennsylvania has lots of magnificent natural areas. I couldn’t finish this list of road trip ideas from NYC without bringing up the PA Wilds.
The expansive Pennsylvania Wilds region covers in excess of 2 million acres of woodlands, nature reserves, tracks, streams, and the largest freely roaming elk herd in the northeastern United States. A few of the most scenic portions of the PA Wilds include Cherry Springs State Park and Pine Creek Gorge. The previous is a magnificent spot for viewing the stars after dark, while the latter presents an amazing geological phenomenon delivering spectacular views. Here, visitors can hike along the Pine Creek Rail Trail or Golden Eagle Trail. Explorers will understand why this area earned the moniker the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania!
I propose maximizing this road trip from NYC by visiting two other popular places in Pennsylvania. First, the Poconos is one of my favorite areas in PA. It’s known for its ski resorts, although you can come here in the summer for warm-weather activities like hiking, camping, and white-water rafting. The Pocono Mountains also house Bushkill Falls, which are often called “The Niagara of Pennsylvania,” and amazing state parks like Promised Land, Lehigh Gorge, and Hickory Run.
Another worthy stop is Ricketts Glen, an old-growth forest and National Natural Landmark. This scenic area is full of waterfalls, rock formations, and beautiful flora, and we even run photo tours here.
I hope this guide offered some NYC trip ideas! Here is a map with all of the trips I suggest, so you can plan your itinerary.
If you’d like to tell about your favorite road route from New York City or a trip plan, leave me a comment below. Until then, enjoy your journey!
