Best Day Trips from New York City 2026 — the Hamptons, Hudson Valley and Philadelphia Near New York

Best Day Trips from New York City 2026

New York City's commuter rail network — Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North, NJ Transit, and Amtrak — radiates in every direction from Penn Station and Grand Central, making the city one of North America's best-connected day trip hubs. The Hamptons are 2.5 hours by LIRR, Philadelphia is 1h10m by Amtrak Acela, and the Hudson Valley's river towns are 1.5-2 hours north on Metro-North. This guide covers the best day trips from New York City in 2026.

Top Day Trip Destinations from New York City

• The Hamptons (175km east on Long Island, 2.5 hours by LIRR from Penn Station): the Hamptons' string of Atlantic beach villages — Southampton, East Hampton, Bridgehampton, Montauk — with ocean beaches, the Montauk Lighthouse, and the exclusive café and restaurant scene; LIRR from Penn Station to Southampton or Montauk; Hudson Valley (100-200km north, 1.5-3 hours by Metro-North): Beacon (Dia:Beacon contemporary art museum), Cold Spring's antique main street on the Hudson River, Rhinebeck's charming village, and Hyde Park (FDR Presidential Library, the Vanderbilt Mansion); Metro-North Hudson Line from Grand Central to Cold Spring 1h40m; Philadelphia (130km southwest, 1h10m by Amtrak Acela from Penn Station): the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall (free), the Barnes Foundation (Renoir and Matisse collection, $30 / AUD 46), Reading Terminal Market, and the Italian Market; Amtrak also from $25 (AUD 38) on Regional; Fire Island National Seashore (80km southeast, 2.5 hours by LIRR to Bay Shore then ferry): 50km of barrier island with no cars, white sand beaches, deer wandering the boardwalks, and the historic Lighthouse; ferry from Bay Shore approximately $14 (AUD 21) return; Catskills (200km north, 2.5 hours by Trailways bus from Port Authority): the mountain resort region with hiking (Kaaterskill Falls), the Woodstock legacy cultural scene, and the charming towns of Woodstock, Saugerties, and Catskill

Day Trip Logistics from New York City

• Penn Station (Midtown Manhattan) serves LIRR (Long Island and Hamptons), NJ Transit, and Amtrak (Philadelphia, Boston); Grand Central Terminal serves Metro-North (Hudson Valley, Connecticut); Port Authority Bus Terminal serves the Catskills, Pocono Mountains, and other regional bus routes; a NYC Ferry pass ($34/day) covers Brooklyn, Queens, and the Rockaways coastal day trips within the harbour

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