New York City is the largest city in the United States, a dense metropolis of five boroughs at the mouth of the Hudson River. It is home to the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Broadway, world-class museums, the Brooklyn Bridge, and one of the most diverse food scenes on earth. The city runs day and night on an extensive subway system.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Dia Beacon and Beacon, Hudson Valley
A converted Nabisco box-printing factory holds Dia's large-scale minimalist and contemporary art collection, with Beacon's Main Street cafes and galleries a short walk away.
Cold Spring and Hudson Highlands
A walkable Hudson River village with antique shops, riverside views of West Point, and access to Breakneck Ridge, Bull Hill and the Hudson Highlands trail network.
Bear Mountain State Park
A Hudson Highlands state park with Bear Mountain summit views of the Manhattan skyline on clear days, Hessian Lake, a carousel and the Appalachian Trail passing through.
Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow
Washington Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow landscape, with the Old Dutch Church, the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Lyndhurst mansion and the Rockefeller estate Kykuit nearby.
West Point
The U.S. Military Academy campus above the Hudson, with a visitor center, the West Point Museum, Trophy Point views and Cadet Chapel.
Storm King Art Center
A 500-acre outdoor sculpture park in the Hudson Highlands with large works by Richard Serra, Alexander Calder and Andy Goldsworthy set in meadows and hills.
Woodbury Common Premium Outlets
One of the largest outlet centers in the Northeast with more than 200 stores, including designer brands, about an hour by direct bus.
North Fork Wineries
Suffolk County's wine country with dozens of vineyards, farm stands and the seaside town of Greenport, reached by Hampton Jitney or LIRR.
The Hamptons (Southampton and East Hampton)
Long Island's South Fork resort towns known for Coopers Beach, Main Beach in East Hampton, art galleries and farm stands.
Montauk
The eastern tip of Long Island with Montauk Point Lighthouse, Ditch Plains surf beach, Camp Hero State Park and fishing-village seafood shacks.
Fire Island (Ocean Beach and Fire Island Pines)
A car-free barrier island with wide Atlantic beaches, boardwalks in Ocean Beach, Fire Island Lighthouse and the Sunken Forest, reached by train and ferry.
Philadelphia
The birthplace of American independence, with Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Reading Terminal Market, an easy rail day trip.
Coney Island
Brooklyn's historic seaside amusement district with the Cyclone roller coaster, Luna Park, Wonder Wheel, a wide beach and the Boardwalk.
Asbury Park and the Jersey Shore
A revived Jersey Shore town with a beachfront boardwalk, live-music venues like the Stone Pony, murals and the Asbury Lanes music hall.
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Tours
- Guided day tours to the Hudson Valley, Woodbury Common and Philadelphia leave from Midtown for roughly $60-$150 per person; search Viator, GetYourGuide or Gray Line New York (graylinenewyork.com)
- Private
- Licensed black-car service or a private driver runs from about $350-$600 for a full day; book only TLC-licensed companies
- Public
- Metro-North (mta.info/mnr, MTA TrainTime app) serves the Hudson Valley from Grand Central; LIRR (mta.info/lirr) serves Long Island from Penn Station and Grand Central Madison; NJ Transit (njtransit.com) serves New Jersey; Amtrak (amtrak.com) serves Philadelphia; Coach USA Short Line and Hampton Jitney run buses
- Rental
- Car rental from about $70-$130 per day plus tolls and parking; useful for Storm King, Bear Mountain and the North Fork. Zipcar (zipcar.com) has hourly cars in the city
Multi-day tours from New York City
If you have longer than a day, these are organised multi-day trips that start here.
Browse multi-day tours from New York CityWe may earn a commission from bookings made through this link.
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Check the MTA TrainTime or NJ Transit app for the last return train before leaving, since some weekend and off-peak service is hourly or less
Buy Metro-North and LIRR tickets in the TrainTime app before boarding; tickets bought onboard carry a surcharge on peak trains
Avoid driving to the Hamptons or Montauk on summer Friday afternoons and Sunday evenings, when Route 27 and I-495 back up for hours
Book Storm King Art Center and Dia Beacon tickets online in advance, especially for weekends and October foliage season
Bring photo ID for West Point; visitors without a Department of Defense ID enter through the visitor center security check
Wine tasting on the North Fork needs a designated driver, taxi or tour operator; ride-hail availability is thin outside Greenport and Mattituck