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Upstate New York makes for a fantastic weekend escape on any budget. Whether searching for a quick getaway within two hours of New York City or something more exotic, many options won’t break the bank. You have many to choose from, from the Hudson Valley to the Adirondacks.

You can make a week of it and hit most of the spots on a Road Trip from NYC to Toronto.

Here are the best 12 getaways in New York State.

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is one of New York’s most popular tourist sites, yet a trip there won’t break the budget. Many lookouts are free and offer great views. Free summer fireworks shows and scenic hiking routes are also available. You can also purchase discount passes to the major attractions.

The Discovery Pass offers up to a 35% discount on the Observation Tower, Maid of the Mist, Discovery Center, Cave of the Winds, and Aquarium of Niagara. Unlimited rides on the Niagara Scenic Trolley, a three-mile guided state park tour.

Albany

The state capital of New York is home to numerous attractions, one of which is a breathtaking park. On its eighty acres, Washington Park offers visitors peaceful walkways, ponds, wooded glens, monuments, memorials, and statues. As a bonus, the Park Playhouse hosts free professional theatrical shows throughout the summer (plus thousands of gorgeous tulips in May). 

The 42nd story of the Corning Tower offers breathtaking views of the Catskills, the Adirondacks, and the Hudson River Valley. At the same time, tours of the Capitol Building and the walking paths of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve are all popular attractions.

Saratoga Springs

Saratoga Springs, New York, is located in the center of the Hudson Valley and is well-known for its seasonal horse racing and over 20 public thermal springs. Most come directly from the ground, are naturally carbonated, and have distinct flavors. 

Trying them out on your own is a great way to save money without sacrificing enjoyment. Saratoga Spa State Park features beautiful parks and gardens, a farmer’s market where you can buy fresh, locally grown produce at affordable prices, and two public swimming pools.

Check out some other fun things to do in Saratoga Springs.

Hudson

Charming Hudson sits along a beautiful section of the Hudson River in the Hudson Valley. It has a lovely downtown filled with shops showcasing the work of local artisans, antique stores, stores selling homemade furnishings and home decor, and restaurants serving locally sourced fare, such as the James Beard Award-winning Fish & Game. 

There are beautiful hills to climb and trails to stroll, and you can also learn about one of America’s earliest and most influential landscape artists at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site.

Rochester 

Rochester, New York, is a wonderful place to visit for many reasons, including its beautiful landscape, recreational opportunities, and fascinating historical sites. Attend a Major League Baseball game between April and September to see the Rochester Red Wings for cheap at Frontier Field. 

Free parks totaling 12,000 acres offer historical, natural, zoological, horticultural, and geological attractions and a mini-golf course for some friendly competition. Ontario Beach Park, located on the northwest side of Lake Ontario, is a great place to spend a sunny day enjoying the water, sand, sun, and a century-old carousel.

New Paltz

New Paltz is a great weekend escape from New York City if you want to spend some time in nature engaging in one of the various outdoor activities available. The four-hour hike to the end of Lemon Squeeze, one of the best in the state, rewards hikers with breathtaking panoramas of the surrounding valley. 

After that, have a picnic by the lake at Mohonk Preserve with some excellent sandwiches from Main Street Bistro. You can also go apple picking at Dressel Farms or bird viewing at Nyquist-Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary.

Spend the Fall in the Hudson Valley and get in some great leaf-peeping.

 

Phoenicia

Phoenicia, nestled in the Catskill Mountains along Esopus Creek, is home to some of the best fly fishing on the East Coast, thrilling rapids for tubing in the summer, and some of the most beautiful fall foliage in all of New York. 

The 56-foot towering Katskills Kaleidoscope is the largest of its kind in the world, and it is well worth a look. Experiencing a Kaleidoshow, a multimedia presentation doesn’t have to break the bank. Mount Tobias, located just to the southeast of town, welcomes visitors for free scenic hikes and other experiences.

Strolling around the downtown area is entertaining since there are numerous museums, galleries, and small shops selling anything from classic antiques to the latest in contemporary knickknacks.

 

Ithaca 

Located near the southern end of Cayuga Lake in the beautiful Finger Lakes region, which is also home to verdant woodlands and rolling vineyards, is the town of Ithaca. The famed Ithaca Falls may be found in the Ithaca Falls Natural Area, while the Taughannock Falls can be seen in the nearby Taughannock Falls State Park, one of the top state parks in New York. 

There is always a good time to be had at the seasonal weekend market, which features a wide variety of wares, foods, and entertainment, including crafts, fruit, baked products, street food, wine tastings, and live music. 

Tourists can also hop between the moon, the sun, and other celestial bodies as they follow the starry route on the Sagan Planet Walk, an enormous size model of the solar system that children find engaging.

Check out my post on Ithaca in the Fall.

 

Long Beach

One of the cheapest weekend getaways from New York City, you can reach Long Beach in only an hour on the train. You will feel like you’ve traveled to another planet once you arrive. 

Enjoy the local arts and music scene, which includes events like the Arts in the Plaza Festival, as well as the beach, which stretches for five miles. 

On Saturdays between Memorial Day weekend and Halloween, it showcases handmade arts and crafts made by locals, along with live music. 

The boardwalk is a great spot to burn off all those calories while enjoying a stroll down the coast after indulging in some of the beautiful and inexpensive food available at the Shoregasboard Food Truck Market, which features some of the most famous tacos in the country.

Lake George

Lake George is the town’s focal point, with lovely beaches and pure water to swim around in. Rent a lakeside cabin for a weekend getaway. Usher and Shepard’s parks are free. Shepard’s amphitheater hosts free concerts almost every summer night.  

Bring a cooler, blanket, and chairs to spend the day here—Hike Sleeping Beauty Mountain for incredible vistas. In town, window shopping and people-watching along Canada Street are fun. Taqueria Paloma serves affordable food.

Lake George is one of the most popular getaways in New York State in the summer.

Geneva

 

Geneva is bordered by lakes, wineries, woodlands, and farmland in the Finger Lakes region. It is a small town with a rich farming past; many brewers, vineyards, and restaurants grow their products or source them locally. Seneca Lake State Park is the location to enjoy the outdoors. 

Picnic, swim, hike, bike the trails, and let the kids play at the playground. Johnston House and Rose Hill Mansion provide affordable access to history buffs. Several brewers and wineries provide cheap tastings with live music.

Narrowsburg and the Upper Delaware River Valley

Heaven for wildlife such as white-tailed deer, beavers, and black bears, the Upper Delaware River Valley is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. Enjoy some of the best fly fishing in the northeast while keeping an eye out for soaring bald eagles along the Delaware River. Although spring is the best time of year to fish for rainbow and brown trout, you can catch smallmouth bass here all year. 

You can do glamping, whitewater rafting, kayaking, or even canoeing here, and scenic drives offer stunning autumn vistas. Narrowsburg, a village beside the river, is a great place to spend a day because it has something for everyone: restaurants and stores to suit practically any budget, as well as hiking and historical attractions. 

Plan your Next Adventure Now

Getaways in New York State in any season will give you a memorable vacation experience. You can spend your day sightseeing at distilleries and discovering wine trails to go on a hike or skiing. Get the ball rolling on your trip today by selecting a destination close to everything you want to do in upstate New York.

 

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