There are 1283774849 things to do in New York and, to complete that, the city is located in a strategic area, close to many other amazing places. So, for travelers who enjoy no obvious routes – or for those who already came here several times – it is worth to include a day trip in the script. I particularly love this kind of trip- even if there is public transportation to the place you want to visit. In today’s post, I suggest three places that are great day trips.
Storm King Sculpture Park – It is a major reference in the world in terms of sculptures and outdoor modern facilities. Among the more than 100 artists displayed in the place are Anish Kapoor, Spencer Finch, Anthony Caro, Zhang Huan, Louise Bourgeois and Richard Serra. The sculptures are beautiful and the park area is huge. I’m not the biggest fan of art, but I was amazed by the place. The landscape merging the sculptures with nature is wonderful. If your trip is during the fall, do not think twice: the view is even more wonderful. The Storm King is an hour from Manhattan and is open from April to November. Click here to check the calendar.
How to get there: Coach Usa/ Short Line provides bus tours to Storm King, departing from Porth Authority Bus Terminal (42th St and 8 Av.). The bus leaves at 10 am and returns at 4:45 pm. You should buy a ticket online – print the voucher – and change by a ticket at the company’s booth (second floor of Porth Authority). The bus leaves from the fourth floor and let you inside the park. This package coasts $46 and already includes the entrance to the park.
Click here and check out a post with more information about Storm King Sculpture Park. You can also can watch a video here.
Bear Mountain State Park – it is a park that is about 1 hour and half of Manhattan. The park is on the banks of the Hudson River, with mountains, playing fields, picnic groves in the shade, lake and river fishing access, swimming pool, Museum and Zoo, and offers activities such as walking, hiking, biking and ice skating. The major attraction is Perkins Memorial Tower at the top of Bear Mountain, which offers a spectacular view of the park, the Hudson Highlands and Harriman State Park.
How to get there: Coach Usa/ Short Line offers daily bus tours to Bear Mountain State Park. Bus leaves from Porth Authority (42th St with 8Av) at two times: 8:45 am and 11:15 am. Return time is at 3:19 pm – on weekends, there is an extra bus at 5:19 pm. Trip takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Tickets can be purchased online – just click here – and costs $ 26.70 per person, round trip. Importantly: you must wait for the bus at the place where you got off, on the highway that is opposite the Bear Mountain Inn
Click here to check out a post with more information about Bear Mountain State Park. You can also watch a video here.
Lavender by the Bay – it’s a lavender farm which is located in Long Island, specifically in East Marion in NY State. Is New York’s premier lavender farm and one of the largest in the USA. A family run farm, it has been growing the highest quality lavender on Long Island for over 15 years. The farm has planted twenty varieties of lavender across seventeen acres of farmland, yielding over 50,000 plants for cultivation. The plants come into full, gorgeous bloom during three different times – these are approximations and bloom times are ultimately decided by mother nature. The first English Bloom typically takes place mid to late of June and sometimes into early July. The main French Bloom usually begins in early July and lasts about 2 weeks. This is the best time to visit because this bloom is the most impressive. The second English Bloom typically starts late Summer early Fall. You can check the Fan Page for blooming status.
Como chegar: Lavender by the Bay is approximately two hours from Manhattan by car. The trip is super nice – much of it for the Long Island Expressway. There is no public transportation directly to the farm, but you may take the LIRR to the town of Greenport. Lavender by the Bay is only a 15 minute bike ride from the Greenport train station. You can arrange Dan’s Bike Rental to meet you with bikes at your hotel, train or bus stop. But keep in mind that the average price for one person, round-trip, by train, is $40.
Click here to check out a post with more information about Lavender by the Bay.
Laura Peruchi is a Brazilian blogger, author, and entrepreneur. She has lived in Manhattan with her husband since 2014. Since then, she has shared on her blog varied content about the Big Apple. From travel tips, including unusual things to do, shopping tips, etiquette, restaurants, and a lot more, her blog has become a reference in Portuguese (also available in English) for anyone planning a trip to New York City.
