New York is the perfect launch pad for the north-east. In little more than an hour by Amtrak you can be walking the Revolutionary streets of Philadelphia; a Metro-North train carries you up the scenic Hudson Valley to riverside villages and glorious autumn colour; the Hampton Jitney reaches the beaches and old-money charm of Long Island's East End; and Storm King's monumental sculptures, spooky Sleepy Hollow and mighty Niagara Falls round out the options. Here are the best day trips and short escapes, with travel times, costs and tips on which are worth an overnight.
Philadelphia
Area
Pennsylvania
Distance
1h 15m by train
“Just 1h 15m by Amtrak from Penn Station. See Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, and eat a real Philly cheesesteak.”
The Hamptons
Area
Long Island (East End)
Distance
2h 15m+ by bus/train
“Southampton and East Hampton offer 'America's Best Beach' sands and old-money charm. Best as an overnight; take the Hampton Jitney.”
Hudson Valley (Cold Spring)
Area
Hudson Valley
Distance
1h 30m by train
“Take Metro-North from Grand Central to Cold Spring for riverside hiking, antiques and 19th-century charm — glorious in autumn.”
Storm King Art Center
Area
New Windsor, NY
Distance
1h 15m by car
“A 500-acre open-air sculpture park with monumental modern works. Open April–November; combine it with a Hudson Valley overnight.”
Sleepy Hollow
Area
Hudson Valley, NY
Distance
1h by train
“The village of Washington Irving's 'Headless Horseman', 1 hour by Metro-North. At its best around Halloween.”
Niagara Falls
Area
US–Canada border
Distance
1h flight + drive
“Better as a two-night trip than a day trip. Fly to Buffalo (1h) then drive 30 min. The Canadian side needs your passport.”
New York day trips in detail
1.Philadelphia
Philadelphia is the birthplace of the United States and one of the easiest and most rewarding day trips from New York — just 1 hour 15 minutes by Amtrak from Penn Station (from about $50 one way). Its historic core is compact and walkable: Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 and the Constitution drafted, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Liberty Bell, that great symbol of American independence, sits across the street. Beyond the founding history, the Reading Terminal Market (1893) is the place to eat a genuine Philly cheesesteak among dozens of food stalls, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art crowns the city with the famous 'Rocky' steps and a superb collection. A full day (eight to ten hours including travel) is enough to see the historic highlights and eat well. For visitors who want a dose of Revolutionary-era American history without a long journey, Philadelphia is the standout choice — take an early train, walk the historic district, lunch at Reading Terminal and be back in New York for dinner. Book Amtrak ahead for the best fares, and consider the faster Acela if you want more time in the city itself.
Hours
Sights ~09:00–17:00
Price
Amtrak from ~$50 one way
Getting there
Amtrak from Penn Station to Philadelphia 30th St (~1h 15m)
Insider tip: Just 1h 15m by Amtrak from Penn Station. See Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, and eat a real Philly cheesesteak.
2.The Hamptons
The Hamptons, on the East End of Long Island, is New York's most glamorous seaside escape — a string of villages roughly 2 hours 15 minutes from Manhattan by the Hampton Jitney coach (around $32–35 round trip) or the LIRR train. Southampton, the oldest English settlement in New York State (1640), has Coopers Beach, regularly ranked among 'America's Best Beaches', and an old-money elegance; East Hampton is the most exclusive, a summer home to the likes of Steven Spielberg and Jerry Seinfeld, with the celebrated Main Beach; Bridgehampton is known for its farm-to-table restaurants; and Sag Harbor is a pretty former whaling port. It works best as an overnight or weekend rather than a rushed day trip, given the travel time, letting you combine beach time with village browsing, galleries and excellent (if pricey) restaurants. For visitors who want to see how well-heeled New Yorkers spend their summers — beautiful beaches, chic villages and a relaxed, moneyed atmosphere — the Hamptons is the classic choice. Book the Jitney ahead in summer, pick one or two villages rather than trying to see them all, and stay a night to make the journey worthwhile.
Hours
Always open
Price
Hampton Jitney bus ~$32–35 round trip
Getting there
Hampton Jitney bus or LIRR from Manhattan (~2h 15m+)
Insider tip: Southampton and East Hampton offer 'America's Best Beach' sands and old-money charm. Best as an overnight; take the Hampton Jitney.
3.Hudson Valley (Cold Spring)
The Hudson Valley, stretching north along the Hudson River, is New York's great scenic escape, and the village of Cold Spring makes an ideal day trip — around 1 hour 30 minutes by Metro-North from Grand Central (about $20 one way). Cold Spring's Main Street is lined with 19th-century stone buildings, antique shops and art galleries, and it makes a lovely base for a wander, while the surrounding Hudson Highlands State Park offers superb riverside hiking, including the trails up Bull Hill and Breakneck Ridge with sweeping views over the river. The whole region is famous for its autumn 'leaf-peeping' season in September and October, when the maples turn gold and red, and it was the birthplace of the Hudson River School of landscape painting. Nearby Beacon adds the Dia:Beacon contemporary art museum, in a converted Nabisco factory, for an art-and-nature combination. For visitors who want fresh air, riverside scenery and small-town charm within easy reach of the city — especially in autumn — the Hudson Valley is hard to beat. Take a morning train to Cold Spring, hike or browse, and consider an overnight at a country inn to slow down and see more of the valley.
Hours
Always open; shops ~10:00–17:00
Price
Metro-North from ~$20 one way
Getting there
Metro-North from Grand Central to Cold Spring (~1h 30m)
Insider tip: Take Metro-North from Grand Central to Cold Spring for riverside hiking, antiques and 19th-century charm — glorious in autumn.
4.Storm King Art Center
Storm King Art Center is one of the largest open-air sculpture parks in the United States — 500 acres of rolling landscape in New Windsor, about 1 hour 15 minutes north of the city by car (or via Metro-North to Beacon plus a connecting coach). Across its meadows, hills and woodland sit more than 100 monumental sculptures by leading modern artists, including Andy Goldsworthy, Richard Serra, Maya Lin and Mark di Suvero, the works set in dialogue with the surrounding hills and sky. Admission is $25 for adults, free for under-5s, and it is open only from April to November. A visit takes four to five hours, walking or cycling the grounds between the sculptures, and it is a wonderful way to combine art with the outdoors — as much a landscape experience as a gallery. For visitors who want something different from the city's indoor museums, and who enjoy walking in beautiful countryside, Storm King is a memorable trip, especially in the golden light of autumn. It pairs naturally with a Hudson Valley overnight, combining with Cold Spring or the Dia:Beacon museum for an art-and-nature weekend. Check the opening days before you go, and wear comfortable shoes for the walking.
Hours
Open April–November (closed Mon/Tue in parts of the season)
Price
$25 adult; under 5 free
Getting there
~1h 15m by car, or Metro-North to Beacon + connecting coach
Insider tip: A 500-acre open-air sculpture park with monumental modern works. Open April–November; combine it with a Hudson Valley overnight.
5.Sleepy Hollow
Sleepy Hollow is a historic village on the Hudson River, about an hour north of the city by Metro-North from Grand Central (from around $16 one way), forever tied to Washington Irving's 1820 tale 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' and its Headless Horseman. The Sleepy Hollow Cemetery holds graves dating back to the 1600s, including those of Washington Irving himself and Andrew Carnegie, and the Old Dutch Church (1685) stands nearby. The village is at its atmospheric best in the Halloween season through October, when it hosts the Horseman's Hollow night event and other autumn happenings, drawing visitors keen to soak up the spooky history. A visit takes around half a day to a full day including travel. For visitors who love American folklore and history, or who happen to be in New York in autumn, Sleepy Hollow makes an evocative and easy trip — a chance to walk among centuries-old gravestones, see the settings of a classic ghost story and enjoy the Hudson Valley scenery. Take a morning Metro-North train up, explore the cemetery and church, and if you are visiting in October, book any Halloween events well ahead, as they sell out.
Hours
Village always open; sights ~10:00–17:00
Price
Metro-North from ~$16 one way
Getting there
Metro-North from Grand Central to Tarrytown/Philipse Manor (~1h)
Insider tip: The village of Washington Irving's 'Headless Horseman', 1 hour by Metro-North. At its best around Halloween.
6.Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is one of the great natural spectacles of North America, on the border between New York State and Canada — three falls in all: the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls on the US side, and the vast, horseshoe-shaped Horseshoe Falls, the most dramatic, straddling the Canadian border. It is a long way from New York City, so it is far better as a two-night trip than a day trip: driving takes about seven hours each way, while flying to Buffalo (around an hour, from roughly $250 round trip) plus a 30-minute drive is the sensible option. Once there, the classic experience is a boat trip to the foot of the falls — the Maid of the Mist on the US side (around $25) or the Hornblower cruise on the Canadian side. The Canadian side has the better panoramic views, but crossing the border requires your passport (visa-free for many nationalities under the usual schemes — check your own). For visitors with time to spare who want to see one of the world's most famous waterfalls, Niagara rewards the effort. Plan two nights, see both sides of the falls, and don't underestimate the travel time from the city.
Hours
Always open; boat tours seasonal
Price
Maid of the Mist boat ~$25; flights to Buffalo from ~$250 round trip
Getting there
Fly to Buffalo (~1h) then drive ~30 min, or ~7h by car
Insider tip: Better as a two-night trip than a day trip. Fly to Buffalo (1h) then drive 30 min. The Canadian side needs your passport.