16 Perfect Escapes From New York That You Can Reach by Car

An inn from the ‘30s, Weekapaug is now home to 31 lovingly restored rooms and suites. In Westerly, the inn has a distinct family-friendly Cape Cod style and Relais & Châteaux-level elegance. Their Carriage House suites are brand new as of fall 2020 and sit right on the water with serene pond and salt marsh views. “Designed to be the ultimate private retreat,” the suite’s gorgeous decks are outfitted with soaking tubs, where you’ll enjoy Champagne in the steaming bath. Book private dining at The Pondhouse, where your three-course brunch or dinner is paired with Louis Roederer Champagnes. And if you’re coming in the warmer weather with the whole brood, spend the days bike riding or boating (with the assistance of expert staff at the Boathouse); the kids will think of it as a luxe sleepaway camp. 

Time from New York City: three hours;25 Spray Rock Rd., Westerly, RI; 401-637-7600

Rhode Island opulence continues beyond Newport into Watch Hill, where Taylor Swift famously owns a home. Ocean House, also a Relais & Châteaux retreat, is an iconic Northeast resort on Bluff Drive along the water. From grabbing a dozen oysters and a bottle of chilled rosé at The Veranda Raw Bar in the summer, to exploring the seasonal Fondue Village (complete with flowing Veuve Clicquot) in the winter, the culinary offerings here are nothing short of extravagant. Over-the-top luxury is the name of the game at the oceanside retreat, and that extends to the 12,000-square-foot Oh! Spa where they offer seasonally inspired treatments, and to the recreation activities, like yachting, golf, tennis, and the most important sport of all, poolside lounging.

Time from New York City: three hours; 1 Bluff Ave, Westerly, RI; 401-584-7000

In Kennebunk, Maine, you’ll find American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts property White Barn Inn, Auberge Resorts Collection. White Barn Inn brings a level of opulence to coastal Maine that the luxury New England traveler seeks out, but it’s also driving distance (albeit, a full five hours) from New York City. White Barn Inn went through a thorough redesign in August 2020, marrying rare accent pieces from Maine-based artists with New York City design flair à la Jenny Wolf Interiors. The result is a design lover’s ideal retreat, from the perfectly rustic teakwood-covered dining room to the gorgeous new French Riviera-esque pool. 

Time from New York City: five hours; 37 Beach Ave, Kennebunk, ME; 207-967-2321

We are advocates of Newport, Rhode Island as an all-season destination. The summer brings lobster rolls on the beach and sandaled feet sinking into the plush sand. But the winter brings something even more enticing: a beach entirely to yourself. Escape the city to Castle Hill Inn, an American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts property, where you’ll reserve a beach cottage and wake up to views of the Atlantic Ocean. Visit the Retreat on Castle Hill for spa treatments that deliberately use all natural products by Farmaesethetics; spring for a therapeutic massage followed by a saltwater soak. And, of course, while staying at the idyllic inn on Ocean Drive, be sure to make dining reservations ahead of time, because waterfront dining on The Lawn, overlooking Narragansett Bay, is not to be missed.

Time from New York City: three hours; 590 Ocean Dr., Newport, RI; 888-466-1355

For a taste of Berkshires luxury, escape to Blantye, an ivy-covered Relais & Châteaux country house that feels like somewhere Gatsby would have escaped when he started to encounter too many familiar faces around the Hamptons. You have three accommodation options when you stay here: a standalone cottage, a room in the Manor House, or a room in the separate Carriage House, closer to the pool and spa. From a romantic getaway around Valentine’s Day, the Riverview Cottage or Master House Manor Suite are both perfect for couples. If you’re at Blantyre before February 2021, popping into Café Boulud is a must for dinner or a weekend brunch, where the widely acclaimed chef Daniel Boulud is bringing a modernized menu of French classics to western Massachusetts.

Time from New York City: three hours; 16 Blantyre Rd., Lenox, MA; 844-881-0104

Choose your own adventure at this 113-acre resort, where 15 architects created one suite and 18 cottages, each inspired by a different theme. Curl up by a roaring fire in rustic Beaver Lodge. Stargaze through the aluminum-and-glass skylights of modern Greenhouse. Climb the 35-foot staircase into throwback Treehouse, a childhood fantasy writ large. Take a dip in the heated swimming pool, or stay in the aircraft-turned-suite, appropriately named Helicopter. Winivan has a working organic farm on-site, tightening the distance between farm-to-table at their award-winning restaurant. The expansive grounds are primed for lawn games such as bocce and croquet, but adventurers may choose to travel farther afield for golf, hot air balloon rides, and horseback riding. Pets welcome.

Time from New York City: two hours, 10 minutes; 155 Alain White Rd., Morris, CT; 860-567-9600

Located in the pint-sized village of Bedford in Westchester, New York, the Bedford Post Inn sits on 14 acres of hilly, green countryside, complete with a yoga studio, hiking paths, and horse trails. Choose from two on-site restaurants from chef Michael White’s Altamarea Group, and on Sunday nights, grab a table on the string-lit outside patio, which hosts casual events ranging from a shrimp boil to a pig roast. The active wine cellar can also be used for private dinners of up to 12 people. With not much activity in the sleepy town of Bedford, those without a car will be mostly restricted to the quaint, Dutch Colonial style inn, which only houses eight guestrooms (ask for room two or seven). If you tire of Michael White’s house-made Italian pastas at Campagna, there’s another celebrity chef the next town over—request a table downstairs at the Inn at Pound Ridge (258 Westchester Ave., Pound Ridge, NY; 914-764-1400 ), a charming Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant about 20 minutes away by car.

Time from New York City: one hour, 20 minutes; 954 Old Post Rd., Bedford, NY; 914-234-7800

If you’ve ever dreamed of idling on shimmery Upper Saranac Lake, book a visit to The Point, a Relais & Châteaux property that sprawls out over 75 tranquil acres in the Adirondacks. Originally built as a Gilded Age camp for his family by William Avery Rockefeller, The Point bills itself as a fancy house party in the woods. The property only offers all-inclusive rates, which include accommodations, all meals, free-flowing alcoholic beverages, and a multitude of winter, fall, spring and summer activities, including the use of the resort’s boats. Despite the grandeur of its history, The Point is still a rustic property, and the design behind the 11 bedrooms and lack of Wi-Fi access reflect that. Book the secluded Boathouse for its jaw-dropping views and removed location; though, social doyennes may want to reserve the Mohawk, the Rockefeller’s former master bedroom within stumbling distance from the Great Hall. Note that children are only allowed at specific times throughout the year. 

Time from New York City: five hours; 222 Beaverwood Rd., Saranac Lake, NY; 518-891-5674

Guests come to Wheatleigh, an American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts property, for the lush Lenox Hill views and the calming essence of the Berkshires, but they return for the property’s restaurant, which offers inventive tasting and prix fixe menus from chef Jeffrey Thompson. Situated in a park designed by the grandfather of landscape architecture, Frederick Law Olmsted, the hotel was originally a gift from tycoon Henry H. Cook to his daughter as a reward for marrying a Spanish Count. Typical of many Gilded Age estates, Wheatleigh is a grand exercise in design, but the Florentine-style palazzo also offers a modernity and intimacy usually reserved for boutique hotels. You’ll be pleased with any accommodation in the 19-room property, but we suggest investing in one of their suites to take full advantage of the antique soaking tubs. The grounds also include a pool, tennis, and golf nearby. 

Time from New York City: two hours, 30 minutes; 11 Hawthorne Rd., Lenox, MA; 413-637-0610

Situated in the lower Hudson Valley, in the petite hamlet of Sugar Loaf, Glenmere Mansion is an Italianate villa with aristocratic gardens designed by Edith Wharton’s niece. While the hotel’s opulent décor is reminiscent of bygone eras, there is nothing archaic about the spa, which offers 8,000 square feet of indulgences. Choose from an extensive list of facials and massages, or experience a traditional Turkish Hamman treatment. 

Time from New York City: one hour; 634 Pine Hill Rd., Chester, NY​; 845-469-1900

When you arrive at the Homestead Inn, a refined white farmhouse in Greenwich, Connecticut, its pristine facade may signal a predictable weekend of loose leaf tea and simple New England cuisine. Step inside and everything changes. Distractions abound, beginning with the smell of truffles wafting from celebrated French chef Thomas Henkelmann’s eponymous restaurant. The interior is a cacophony of color, augmented with eclectic touches from interior designer Theresa Henkelmann, Thomas’ wife. No two rooms are the same, but we suggest booking one of the Grand Deluxe Chambers. With the hotel as your home base, skip the shops on Greenwich Avenue in favor of more inventive pastimes, such as chartering a yacht at Greenwich Harbor or visiting The Glass House (199 Elm St., New Canaan, CT; 203-594-9884), Philip Johnson’s ode to modern architecture. Thomas Henkelmann is currently closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays, so plan accordingly.

Time from New York City: one hour, 10 minutes; 420 Field Point Rd., Greenwich, CT; 203-869-7500

Once a dilapidated textile factory complex, the Roundhouse, a Rockwell-designed hotel, is situated within the Hudson Valley community of Beacon, New York. The inconspicuous hotel, marked by a simple sign at the front door, is in an ideal location to explore the area’s art-filled surroundings, with Dia:Beacon (3 Beekman St., Beacon, NY; 845-440-0100) an outpost of the venerable Dia Art Foundation, only five minutes away and Storm King Art Center (1 Museum Rd., New Windsor, NY; 845-534-3115) a few towns over. The rooms are sparse, in the vein of the upscale minimalist trend that pairs Scandinavian design with luxury amenities, but the public spaces, especially the lounge, have a cozier vibe. Ask for a room on a high floor with a view of the cascading waterfalls below, which are lit at night. 

Time from New York City: one hour, 30 minutes; 2 E. Main St., Beacon, NY; 845-765-8369

Located at the base of the Berkshires in Litchfield County, Connecticut, the Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection, an American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts property, with its manicured grounds and stately terraces, appears plucked from John O’Hara’s imagination—sans the unsightly subtext. Boasting a full décor refresh as of December 2020, the estate is a panoply of New England aristocratic tradition, and a weekend here is to step into a world of meticulous perfection. Channel literary inspiration with a morning stroll through the Shakespeare Gardens and American Poets Maze before spending the day in the pristine, all-white spa, which just debuted a partnership with THE WELL for a more holistic take on wellness. In addition to exploring the property’s 58 acres, take advantage of the tennis courts, five-hole putting green, and expansive health club, which includes an indoor pool and a schedule of complimentary fitness classes. The Mayflower Inn & Spa has two restaurants: the more casual Tap Room, and The Mayflower Garden Room, with chef-in-residence April Bloomfield. If you’re willing to venture off property (and into a neighboring town), we recommend Bantam's cozy Arethusa al Tavolo (828 Bantam Rd., Bantam, CT; 860-567-0043), which utilizes ingredients from its own dairy farm.

Time from New York City: three hours; 118 Woodbury Rd., Washington, CT; 860-868-9466

Rejuvenation awaits at this luxury chalet in the Pocono Mountains. The all-inclusive, adults-only resort is situated on 150 acres of pastoral greenery, with a private lake stretching over 15 acres. A visit here recalls summer camp, albeit gussied up and fine-tuned for adults, with enough activities to fill a week­long stay (you could easily spend a full day in the spa, lounging under a cascading waterfall in an oversized soaking pool or trying out an aqua fitness class, before even entering one of their treatment rooms). Adventure aficionados will appreciate the bevy of trails, water sports, and when weather allows, cross-country ski slopes. Unwind after a long day at Tree Restaurant & Bar with inventive spa cuisine that incorporates fresh produce from local purveyors and its onsite garden.

Time from New York City: two hours, 20 minutes; 109 River Birch Ln., Hawley, PA; 570-685-8500

Located in Barnard, Vermont, Twin Farms may be a hefty four-hour drive from NYC, but the resort is well worth the trek. Here, guests can expect one of the very best all-inclusive experiences on the East Coast. From the design-your-own-menu-style dining to the destination-inspired private cottages, the Japanese bathhouse to the on-site mini ski mountain, Twin Farms is a veritable New England paradise, and ideal for those looking for a truly intimate city escape.

Time from New York City: 5 hours; 452 Royalton Turnpike, Barnard, VT; 802-234-9999

Related: This Five-Star Vermont Resort Doesn’t Have a Dinner Menu–Here's Why That's Amazing

Widely considered as Cape Cod's most beautiful address, Chatham Bars Inn, an American Express Fine hotels & Resorts property, is truly a quintessential seaside retreat. Elegantly appointed interiors combined with bountiful historic charm yield a timeless experience for those craving a luxurious saltwater getaway. Guests can anticipate plush bedrooms with ocean views, fresh seafood from the Atlantic, and activities ranging from tennis and golf to boating and fishing.

Related: The Best Beach Towns in the U.S. to Visit in the Off-Season

Time from New York City: 5 hours; 297 Shore Rd, Chatham, MA; 508 945-0096