The 5 Best Weeklong Road Trips Around New York City

A road trip offers a great means of escaping the hustle and bustle of New York City. Here are some weeklong road trips from NYC that you can take.

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The Best Weeklong Road Trips Around NYC

Some of the best weeklong road trips that you can take from New York City include NYC to New England, NYC to Montreal, NYC to Philadelphia, a drive along the Appalachian Trail, or a drive to South Carolina. Each of these road trips will offer you a unique, memorable experience.

New York City is a great place to live, whether you are working or studying. It has a vibrant nightlife, diverse cultures, plenty of amazing eateries and lots of places to explore around the city. It has a cosmopolitan environment and is a melting point for different cultures from all over the world.  

But, once in a while, you may need a break from the frenetic pace of the city. 

The good news is that the Big Apple is one of the best spots in the country to use a jumping-off point to get out for week-long road trips.

Whether you are looking to unplug from your devices and unwind or you want to take a special someone on a romantic getaway, there are several week-long road trips from NYC that are perfect for either. 

In this article, we will walk you through the top 5 weeklong road trips from New York City.

NYC to New England

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New England boasts rolling hills, historic colonial towns, acres upon acres of apple orchards and beautiful coast. And, considering the strategic location of NYC, a week-long road trip to and around New England will be the perfect getaway.

You will start your trip in NYC and then cut through Connecticut – home to the Mystic Seaport Museum and Mystic Aquarium. 

You will then hit Rhode Island. Here, you can explore Providence, with its quintessential galleries and restaurants. Also, you can check out Newport, if you are a maritime lover.

You should also make sure you stop at Boston, considered one of the most beautiful cities in the U.S.

In Boston, you can do some light shopping on Newbury Street. And if you are a history buff, then you should check out the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum.

Your next stop should be at the White Mountains National Forest in New Hampshire. You can opt to take a short hike in the forest or simply soak in the majestic views from behind the wheel. Either way, you are in for a treat.

From New Hampshire, you will then drive to Maine and make a brief stopover at Portland. 

You will then end your road trip at the popular Acadia National Park, where you can do some hiking, biking, or swimming in natural waters. You can spend a couple of days in the area, using Bar Harbor as your home base.

NYC to Montreal

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New York City to Montreal is yet another road trip to add to your bucket list if you have a valid passport. 

Key stops on this trip include New Haven, Albany, Catskill, Burlington, Hartford, Springfield and Woodstock. You can also check out High Peaks Wilderness, Lake Champlain or Hump State Park if the time allows.

There are two possible routes that you can follow, depending on what you want to see along the way. The first route will lead you to New Haven, CT, cutting through Vermont and then arriving in Montreal. 

The second route drives through the Catskill, offering great views of Lake Champlain and the majestic High Peaks Wilderness.

While you can complete both trips within seven hours of non-stop driving, there are so many beautiful cities, towns, landmarks and attractions. To this end, it will be advisable to plan to complete the entire journey in around five days or so.

Regardless of the route you take, you will enjoy scenic views of lakes, forests, mountains and other natural features. 

Also, there are plenty of cities and small towns along the way to explore. While it may be somewhat colder in the winter months, you are assured of having a good time, regardless of when you decide to take the trip.

Drive Along the Appalachian Trail

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The Appalachian Trail is a 2190-mile hiking trail, running across 14 states. If you are a seasoned hiker, it will take you approximately five to seven months of continuous hiking to complete it. 

But, if you are short on time or you simply want to explore it without hiking, then you can go on a road trip along it.

Your journey will commence in the Big Apple and then cross over to Pennsylvania – one of the most important industrial centers in the country for steel, railroads and coal.

From there, you will head over to the Poconos mountain range, rising on the western flank of the Delaware River. While you are here, you should visit the Skytop Lodge, spread across more than 5,000 acres of natural forest.

You will then continue with your trip, driving through the towns of Bethlehem and Allentown as well as the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, home to the Amish communities. 

A brief stopover at Gettysburg should also be part of your itinerary – the site where President Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address.

It’s also a site where one of the most ferocious civil war battles took place.

From Gettysburg, the road will take you to Maryland and then to West Virginia.

If you have time to spare, you can spend a day or so in the area, exploring the Shenandoah National Park. You will then land in Asheville, North Carolina, a small town filled with history.

As you continue with your trip, you will soon find yourself deep inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – home to some of the most beautiful forests in the nation. You will then land in Georgia with the last leg of your journey ending in Atlanta.

Here, you can check out some local museums, enjoy local cuisines, buy some souvenirs, and then turn back.

In and Around Philly

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Philly is one of the country’s most historical cities.

If you didn’t know, the signing of the Declaration of Independence happened here on 2nd August 1776. 

Besides being a historic city, Philly together with other surrounding areas have plenty to offer, making the area a great choice for a week-long road trip.

From NYC to Philadelphia, there are several attractions along the way worth making a stopover. They include the Liberty Bell at Independence Hall. 

There’s also the Museum of the American Revolution as well as the birthplace of the American Flag.

After you’ve finished exploring the heart of the city, you should consider taking a detour to the countryside and then driving to Brandywine Valley.

This area is filled with quaint, small towns. As its name suggests, the area also has lots of wineries.

From Brandywine Valley, you should head west to a place known as Hershey – the home of Hershey chocolate. 

In Hershey, you can check out local attractions like Hershey Gardens, Hershey’s Chocolate World and the Hershey Story Museum.

You should also consider stopping in Washington D.C. for a day or so, where you can check out the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the White House and the world-renowned Smithsonian Museum.

Road Trip to South Carolina

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A road trip to South Carolina can also be a great experience for those looking to escape the chaotic city life for a couple of days.

You can make stops at Philly in Pennsylvania, Baltimore in Maryland, Richmond in Virginia, Raleigh in North Carolina and finally Charleston in South Carolina.

Since the trip will be spread out across six or seven days, you will have a day or two at each of these stops to explore the surroundings, capture some videos and photos, relax, and enjoy the scenery, before heading back to the city.

Key Takeaways

  • A road trip from NYC provides an opportunity to relax and unwind
  • There are several week-long road trips that you can take from NYC
  • Each road trip offers a unique experience
  • You don’t need months of planning for any of these road trips