Tablet Magazine
Absence makes the heart grow fonder — sometimes you have to leave the places you love. And though we love New York from the heart, we could occasionally use a break from the frozen hellscape that is our home this time of year. To preserve mental health, and in recognition of leisure driving’s modest comeback, here are ten weekend ideas within three hours’ drive from midtown Manhattan:
1. CASTLE HOTEL & SPA
Tarrytown, Hudson Valley — In terms of vineyards and medieval monuments, the Hudson certainly doesn’t compare with the Loire, but it’s been immortalized by its fair share of great storytellers. Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, brought to the screen by none other than Tim Burton, was written right here in Tarrytown. Citizen Kane features brilliant aerial shots of Kykuit, John D. Rockefeller’s famed mansion situated on the highest point of nearby Pocantico Hills. And finally, on a hill overlooking the valley, one finds the Castle Hotel & Spa , a Norman-style edifice complete with crenellated towers, arched windows, award-winning cuisine, and extensive spa services. Your court awaits.
2. HOTEL FAUCHÈRE
Milford, Pennsylvania — Pennsylvania’s long stretches of woods and fields recall family outings where bored youths pass the hours on the road by counting cows and license plates. At first glance, the Hotel Fauchère seems just another old-timey roadside attraction: aging porch, rocking chairs in a row, stars and stripes flapping idly in the wind — Americana at its best. Yet inside, the rustic cliché gives way to modern, elegant interiors and the best in contemporary hospitality. Giant portraits of Lennon and Warhol wink from behind the cocktail bar. Sometimes it’s good to revisit the classics.
3. JEDEDIAH HAWKINS INN
Jamesport, Long Island — Country roads, flowering vines, farm-to-table fare — Long Island’s North Fork represents the beachgoing rural ideal far better than occasional weekends at the Hamptons. Here, just minutes from Peconic Bay, the Victorian gem that is the Jedediah Hawkins Inn attracts fans of rest, reading, and eating alike. Happily, the charm doesn’t dim in the winter months — the fireplace at the foot of your bed and the pervasive scent of freshly baked bread will see to that.
Estimated travel: 95 minutes from Midtown via I-495 East.
http://magazine.tablethotels.com/en/2015/02/escape-from-new-york-3dux/