Fall is a beautiful time of year to be in New York City, but city-dwellers often find themselves craving the wide-open spaces of the countryside around this time of year. Fortunately, there are lots of places just a short drive away where you can see the colorful fall foliage, visit festive farms, and slow down the pace of life. These are some of the best weekend getaway destinations to drive to from New York City this fall.
New Paltz, New York
New Paltz is a picturesque town perfect for a fall weekend getaway. It’s a favorite spot among rock climbers because Shawangunk Ridge is one of the top climbing spots on the East Coast. You can also visit Minnewaska State Park and the Mohonk Preserve to see the fall foliage when you’re here. Other top things to do here include the Robibero Family Vineyards, the DM Weil Gallery, the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, and Dressel Farms for farm-fresh apples. Jenkins-Lueken Orchards and Apple Hill Farm are other great destinations in New Paltz for fall fun. The Mohonk Mountain House is a Victorian castle resort you can stay at when visiting New Paltz this fall.
Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown makes a great weekend getaway spot from New York City, especially if you enjoy baseball and beer. It’s about a four-hour drive to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, a must-see for anyone who loves America’s favorite pastime. When you’re in town, visit Brewery Ommegang, which specializes in Belgian-style beers and has a beautiful outdoor space to relax. If cider is more your style, visit the Fly Creek Cider Mill and Orchard, which is perfect for visiting during the fall for the apple harvest. It’s open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. A luxurious place to stay when you visit Cooperstown is the Otesaga Resort Hotel, where you can access canoes and rowboats to take out onto the lake.
Berkshires, Massachusetts
The Berkshires is another popular place for New Yorkers to get away for a weekend during the fall, and you can see some of the most colorful fall foliage in the region here. Considered one of the best places in America to visit in the fall, one great spot to admire the trees is between Sheffield and Williamstown along Route 7. Ramblewild is an adventure park with fun rope courses, zip lines, obstacle courses, and other fun activities to get you in an outdoorsy mood for fall.
North Fork, New York
Farms and vineyards are about an hour and a half away when you set your sights on the North Fork. A few great places to take winery tours at local vineyards are One Woman Wines and Vineyards, Coffee Pot Cellars, and Sparkling Pointe – a great fall getaway option if you only have one day to get out of the city. Another excellent spot to visit is Sang Lee Farms, an organic farm specializing in Asian and heirloom produce. The farm stand here is open throughout the fall, and the farm also offers workshops about herbs, gardening, plant medicine, and yoga on the farm.
Newport, Rhode Island
To get a different type of culture fix than you may be used to in New York City this fall, head to Newport, Rhode Island. Here you’ll find impressive mansions that look stunning with the fall foliage and make you feel like you’ve taken a step back to the colonial era. Fun fall events in Newport include the Newport Mansion Food & Wine Festival and the Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival.
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs is a favorite retreat destination of New Yorkers, and its popularity dates back hundreds of years to when the area’s natural mineral springs drew in tourists. This is a fun area to find corn mazes, apple picking, fall farmer’s markets, and fall foliage hikes. Of course, you can also visit Saratoga National Historical Park to learn a little something about history during your visit. The Saratoga Fall Festival takes place in downtown Saratoga Springs, and nearby apple orchards are Bowman Orchards, Saratoga Apple, and Kovarovic Orchard. Sunnyside Gardens is your Saratoga Springs destination for pumpkins in the fall.
Bridgehampton, New York
There’s also plenty of fall fun taking place in the Hamptons this fall. For example, there’s Harbes Orchard’s Annual Apple Harvest in Riverhead, where visitors can pick apples, listen to live music, and make their way through a corn maze. When you head to Bridgehampton, make sure to check out Fairview Farm. The farm has a fresh produce stand as well as homemade pies. There’s also a fun corn maze open between Labor Day and the first weekend in November with eight acres of corn that’s ten feet tall!
Warwick, New York
The best reason to travel to Warwick in the fall is to spend a day out in the country and in the orchards. This drive will only take you about an hour and a half, and a prime fall attraction is Masker Orchards. Here you can pick your own apples by driving right to the trees with all your picnic gear. Families with kids will also enjoy the barnyard baby animals, wagon rides, a family-friendly haunted house, and pony rides. Apple season runs from early September to early November, and admission and parking are free. You can also eat all the apples you like for free while visiting the orchard! At the snack barn, you can pick up freshly baked apple pie, farm-fresh cider, and delicious apple cider doughnuts.
Stone Ridge, New York
Stone Ridge is a great starting point to explore the Catskills region, which is packed with charming small towns just a couple of hours outside the city. Minnewaska State Park is a lovely place to go for a fall hike, and the Millbrook Mountain Trail that climbs along the cliffs is a popular route. One of the best places to stay in the Catskills is the Hasbrouck House, which is an 18th-century Dutch Colonial stone mansion with trail access to the Stone Ridge Orchard, a wellness center with yoga and massage, and seasonal nightly bonfires. When you stay in Stone Ridge, you can also check out the nearby towns of Rosendale, Kingston, and Phoenicia.
