This was written by Ryan Embly from the cheap car rental website CarRentalExpress.com. If you’re looking for independent car rentals in New York for your next road trip, visit his website today.
New York City has everything you could possibly want but sometimes it’s nice to get out of the city for a quick road trip.
A break from all the hustle and bustle of the city is good for locals and travelers alike so here are a few ideas for day trips away from New York City.
Bear Mountain State Park
Bear Mountain State Park is a great day trip for the whole family. The park is in a majestic setting and features a large play field, shaded picnic area, biking, fishing, a zoo, hiking, swimming in the summer and even cross-country ski trails in the winter.
This 5,067-acre park is located on the west side of the Hudson River in Orange and Rockland counties of New York.
West Point
It takes about an hour and half to get out to West Point from Manhattan. This tourist attraction is located about 50 miles north of the city, along the west bank of the Hudson and takes up about 16,000 acres.
West Point was established in 1802 by Thomas Jefferson and is now the oldest military academy in the US. The list of famous generals that once walked the grounds of West Point is very large: General Lee, General Grant, General MacArthur, General Eisenhower, and General Patton to name a few.
There is a one-hour tour that visits the Trophy Point, the main Cadet Chapel, the Battle Monument and the Plain. If you’re lucky or you’ve planned for it, you might also see a parade or a review in progress.
Atlantic City
Atlantic City is located in Atlantic County, New Jersey – a fairly short drive from New York City. It is famous for its boardwalk, sandy beaches, casino gambling, shopping, and its view of the Atlantic Ocean.
Atlantic City was also the inspiration for the board game Monopoly. It is considered the “Gambling Capital of the East” and is second to Las Vegas for its number of casinos, revenue, and size. If you like gambling then this is your spot!
According to Google Maps it will take 2.5 hours to drive to Atlantic City from Manhattan.
Six Flags Great Adventure & Wild Safari
If you want to save money you might not go with this day trip but it is still a lot of fun. Six Flags Great Adventure is the largest Six Flags in the country and is located in Jackson Township, New Jersey.
The park contains eleven themed areas and four of those were specifically built for small children. This Six Flags location is popular among both New Yorkers and Philadelphians because of its location between the two cities. It is also very popular for roller coaster enthusiasts due to its vast selection of roller coasters.
Those are just a few road trips from New York City. There are lots of great places to see within a few hours drive of New York so do your research and you’ll find a great little vacation.
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2 replies on “Great Day Trips From New York City”
Really?! I haven’t been there in a minute. Maybe 2007 can’t remember.
I cosign on Atlantic City. It's definitely not the the AC of yesteryear. I visited this weekend, and was in awe of the radical transformation it's made since I last visited in 2000. Not to meantion the shopping and restaurants are good as well.