Crowds, extreme heat and $2,000 a night for a basic room in popular Mediterranean cities – what’s not to love about Europe in the summer? Shoulder pads are used to provide relief, but the secret is out. Expect crowds during the fall and festive season.
However, it is not necessary to fly transatlantic to enjoy la dolce vita in the second half of the year. Below are six tri-state destinations that are great grand treasures, offering European sophistication without any of the hassle.
Live it up in “Little Poland” at New Britain, Conn.
109 miles from NYC
In New Britain, just outside of Hartford, the “Little Poland” invitation center runs along Main Street at Broad Street.
While you just missed this year’s annual Little Poland Festival in June, it’s almost better to have the shops, restaurants, churches and food to yourself without the 30,000-strong crowd.
Make it your business to visit Polish suppliers like Roly Poly Bakery, Kasia’s Bakery and Polmart. Say “słodkich snów” (sweet dreams) at an Airbnb in the city proper (from just $87 per night), or amidst the federal blues and ivories of the Farmington Inn (from $149 per night) 15 minutes away in Farmington.
Enjoy the sun-kissed coastline Long brancha
55 miles from NYC
Swap an overnight flight for a sub-hour ride on the Seastreak ferry for a Mediterranean-inspired vacation at Wave Resort & Spa (from $540 per night).
There, start your seaside vacation with dinner at Maya, where dishes like charred octopus and Porcini Pappardelle teleport you to Greece and Italy.
Or, raise a jet-lag-defying toast and selfie sticks at the Bar, the property’s new cocktail lounge—or at the pool counter overlooking the Atlantic. Best of all, this Pier Village boardwalk property has just 67 rooms, so you can expect to feel like royalty on the Amalfi Coast as you cruise from, say, pool deck yoga classes to sets of DJs to relax on the shore.
Travel like a smooth Scotsman to Washington, Conn.
70 miles from NYC
For something reminiscent of the British or Scottish countryside, the rolling hills and quiet winding roads of rural Washington, Conn., await. (Plus, with its colorful history dating back to colonial times and steeped in Native American heritage, it stands up to our neighbors across the pond).
When you’re not gallery-hopping or walking by or splashing in Lake Waramaug, set up shop at the Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection (from $1,000 per night).
Set in 58 acres of sprawling gardens and soothing woodland, spend your time like a laid-back guy in the dreamy 20,000-square-foot spa by the Well, complete with an indoor greenhouse-like pool, traditional hammam and a thermal bath. covered by 400 plants. Or, kick it up a notch on miles of hiking trails or a few sets of tennis before crab cakes and caviar with sangria, Sancerre or a drop of tea by the outdoor pool.
Experience the wealth of St. Tropez in Long Island North Shore
100 miles from NYC
Can’t rock the yacht on the French Riviera this summer? Of course, East Hampton has Louis Vuitton and Prada storefronts like St. Tropez, but we’re voting for the North Shore in 2024.
Why, you ask? For one thing, you can feel like the glitterati without sitting in traffic with them. Count sheep at Menhaden (from $409 per night) in Greenport, where you can book a private tour of the surrounding vineyards or pack a picnic for a sunset session at 67 Steps Beach. As you marvel at the sunlight bathing the rocks in its swirling glow, you’ll be mesmerized by this stretch of the Côte d’Azur. Bonus: No passport required to hop on a rental bike for a leisurely oceanside pedal to boutique rides in town or charter a sailboat on Gardiner Bay.
Take an excursion to Sunken Meadow State Park in Smithtown, known for its sandy beaches and calm waters. Or book a tour of OHEKA Castle in a Huntington, where roaring 20s glamor abounds and you’ll be the envy of all your Eurocastle-flying friends (you can even stay overnight at the castle, which is a frequent backdrop for Hollywood movies (from $495 per night).
Sleep like a Swede in the treetops of White Lake, NY
110 miles from NYC
Sometimes, you just want to stay in a tree house. Channel secluded Nordic vibes in the Catskill Mountains in one of three newly opened treehouses (from $1,800 per night) at Chatwal Lodge.
If you’ve always dreamed of stargazing in Sweden, you’ll find the views at Sullivan County’s canopy level absolutely breathtaking (oversized windows make stargazing and rain a dream). The decor—a mix of “found pieces” like hardwood and mango root tables to chic chandeliers to a minimalist fire pit on your private outdoor deck—is beautiful to the max.
As is the comprehensive F&B program, which will wow you with hits like coq au riesling and pan-roasted Beaverkill River trout.
Include Switzerland-like countryside Spartaa
45 miles from NYC
This Sussex County gem is centered around Lake Mohawk and the quaint little town offers plenty of opportunities to indulge in some R&R with a backdrop of rolling hills and fields.
After climbing the Whistling Swan Inn (from $135 a night), less than a 10-minute drive to the lake, a gorgeous bed and breakfast with a screened-in porch you’ll never want to leave. Plus, stop by for sights like the lakefront promenade to White Deer Plaza, filled with shops, Pattycakes Bakery, Alpine Creamery and coffee shops. The architecture in these parts runs the gamut, from Tudor to English Cottage to German Baronial, and will make you feel like there’s not a care in the world. And if you like old buildings, you’ll definitely want to visit the Van Kirk Museum, an 18th-century home for the Van Kirk family, now outfitted with period rooms like the Victorian drawing room and Civil War bedroom .
Before crossing town, marvel at the trailhead at Sparta Glen Park (it’s along a somewhat steep ravine) as if you’re in Switzerland’s bucolic embrace, followed by Sparta’s Ice Cream Shack. With offerings like The Bagel Cream (a bagel filled with ice cream) or a Donutella Milkshake (ice cream mixed with Nutella and topped with a Nutella-covered donut), it’s an all-American experience. But after conversations with your friends who just returned broke and tired from their transatlantic escapades, you’ll be happier than ever that you stayed stateside.
#ways #cheat #trip #Euros #leaving #tristate #area
Image Source : nypost.com