Vacation spot near NYC

[jgenie]

I'm looking for ideas for a summer trip not too far of a driving distance from NYC. Ds1 will be 3.5 and Ds2 will be 18 months. Thinking of something relaxing rather than lots of sightseeing. Most likely will be late summer or early fall. With ds2 are we better off staying at a hotel instead of a B&B? Any ideas? TIA!!

[Reina]

Sussex County, NJ is pretty cool. Also 2 miles from Sussex, Warwick, NY. Both are 1 hour drive from Midtown, but you feel like you are in a different planet. Houses, farms, barns, impeccably clean air, farm stands, fresh fruit and vegetable picking, lakes, golf courses (like 50 of them or so it seems) mountains, rivers, good stuff...

In Sussex, Vernon has a couple decent hotels (not b&b). We stayed at Crystal Springs hotel last summer, which was nice. They have a fantastic spa ! Reflections spa I think.

[LD92599]

Woodloch or Skytop in PA? Great Wolf Lodge, also in PA, though maybe not all that relaxing!

[lizzywednesday]

Sussex County, NJ is pretty cool. Also 2 miles from Sussex, Warwick, NY. Both are 1 hour drive from Midtown, but you feel like you are in a different planet. Houses, farms, barns, impeccably clean air, farm stands, fresh fruit and vegetable picking, lakes, golf courses (like 50 of them or so it seems) mountains, rivers, good stuff...

In Sussex, Vernon has a couple decent hotels (not b&b). We stayed at Crystal Springs hotel last summer, which was nice. They have a fantastic spa ! Reflections spa I think.

If you go in August/September the NY Renaissance Faire will be open. It's spendy, but kids love it. My sister took my nephew last year and we've got tentative plans to take all 3 kids (who will be 21, 17 and 10 months when the Faire starts) this year. There's tons of stuff to see and a lot of kid-friendly shows. It would be a weekend day-trip, though, not a destination.

Additionally, you could consider Ringwood, which is in Passaic County. There are private and public lakes (private lakes are Skyline, Erskine and Cupsaw; public is Shepard's Lake), two state parks (Skylands Manor and Ringwood Manor - both have picnic areas; Ringwood Manor also has a small playground) and options for hiking and other "outdoorsy" activities. As for hotels, well ... there's a Holiday Inn Express in Haskell, but not much else.

[pinkmomagain]

September is a beautiful time to be in the hamptons! Very relaxing and all the crowds are gone.

[jgenie]

Thanks for the ideas! Anyone know of a hotel that would have beach access within a few hours of NYC?

[candaceb]

I haven't stayed at any of these places but here are a few near me:
Ocean House in Watch Hill RI:
http://www.oceanhouseri.com/

Saybrook Point Inn
Old Saybrook CT
http://www.saybrook.com/index.cfm

Water's Edge Resort
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g33977-d83792-Reviews-Water_s_Edge_Resort_Spa-Westbrook_Connecticut.html

[magnoliaparadise]

Hi,
Never been there, but heard nice things about Dutch Country in PA (and Dutch Kingdom, which is an amusement park for kids, but I think towards the toddler age - not positive).
Some of the farms in/near NYC are great. Queens Country Museum (it's a farm) is super (technically it's in Long Island).
Berkshires is in MA - farther than you suggested, but beautiful.

[magnoliaparadise]

One last thought - Fire Island off of New York is amazing - but pricey. There is one section that is very kid-oriented/family oriented. We were there and everyone hung out, young and old - seriously, my then 7 year old nephew had full freedom to come and go all day (no cars). And my mom visiting left her purse out in the playground/park area for a full day and when we went to find it, it was right there in the open, not even touched. Oh, and the local shop doesn't take money, just a signature (even from my 7 year old nephew) for each family, which then is collected each month or at the end of the summer. Really an amazing place. But expensive to rent.

[uff15]

One last thought - Fire Island off of New York is amazing - but pricey. There is one section that is very kid-oriented/family oriented. .

I've been looking into a Fire Island vacation. Do you know the name of the family oriented section?

[magnoliaparadise]

oops - sorry - never went back to this thread.
Yes, family section is 'Saltaire' or something like that - has the word Salt in it.