I've long held the belief that the key to living a long and happy life in New York City is to escape often. Whether you are a "Spring/Summer" person or a "Fall/Winter" person, my list of  favorite escapes from the city offers something for everyone. The best part: all are either a subway ride, a lovely drive, or Metro North trip away. 

 

Storm King

Image via Conde Naste.

Storm King Art Center is an incredible place that every New Yorker must visit at least once. It's an open air museum that has arguably one of the best collections of outdoor sculpture in the world. Of particular interest and adoration to me is Andy Goldsworthy's Storm King Wall. 

 

Harriman State Park 

Image via NY / NJ Trail Conference.

Harriman State Park has long been our go-to spot for a day (or weekend) of hiking. With over 200 miles of hiking trails and lots of lakes, it's a great escape. It's a short hour drive away, or you can take Metro North to Tuxedo station and catch the new shuttle.

 

Robert Moses State Park

Image by Anthony22 via Wikipedia.

Hands down my favorite beach in NYC can be found in Robert Moses State Park - miles of shoreline and epic shell-hunting. You can get there via the LIRR Babylon stop, and then a short bus ride to the park entrance. There's even a getaway package through the MTA.

 

Minnewaska State Park 

Image by Julian Colton via Wikipedia.

Do you love waterfalls, amazing hiking trails and fabulous lake swimming? Then Minnewaska State Park is the place for you. It's an hour and a half drive from NYC, and one of my most beloved places in all the world. I've been visiting the Shawangunks every summer for almost 20 years and find endless inspiration in the meadows, wetlands and moss-covered trails. 

  

The Appalachian Trail

Image via The Trust for Public Land.

Before we were married, Adam and I decided to hike part of the Appalachian trail (I hiked just the 88 miles of the New York section, while Adam took on nearly 500 miles). It was a beautiful, challenging, and amazing trip. Best of all, there's a great section of the trail accessible by Metro North that also leads to the Bear Mountain Loop.

  

Hudson Valley

Image by Daniel Case via Wikipedia.

We love the Hudson Valley and have a deep history there. It was only natural that we ended up with a home in the region. After a long search in all of the glorious Hudson Valley river towns we ended up buying our farm outside Newburgh. There is so much to do and see along the Hudson, and a lot of it is accessible via train.