The best places to unplug in New York

Most people hear New York and think of the city. But most of the state is woods, lakes and small towns, and a lot of it is a long way from a subway. The Adirondacks alone are bigger than some states.

Every place here is rated highly by guests and sits close to trails, water or a good fire. These are the ones we'd send a friend to, sorted by region.

Fishing Fire pit Fireplace Hiking trails Kayak & canoe Board games

See them on the map

The Adirondacks

Adirondack Park covers about six million acres in the north of the state, a mix of public forest, private land and small towns. It has thousands of lakes and ponds and the 46 High Peaks, including Mount Marcy, the highest point in New York.

Lake Placid, Keene Valley and Wilmington are the easiest base for the High Peaks. Farther south, around North Creek and Schroon Lake, it's lower and quieter.

Read our High Peaks guide →

The Catskills

The Catskills are closer to the city, maybe two to three hours depending on traffic, so they get busy on weekends. Still, there's a lot of state forest up there, and once you're off the main roads it gets quiet fast.

Woodstock and Phoenicia are the towns people know. Windham and Hunter are the ski towns. The western side, around Fleischmanns and Roxbury, is farther out and calmer.

Read our Catskills guide →

The Finger Lakes

A row of long, skinny lakes in the middle of the state, with vineyards on the slopes and waterfalls in the gorges. Seneca and Cayuga are the biggest. Keuka is the one shaped like a Y.

Watkins Glen, at the south end of Seneca, has a gorge trail that passes 19 waterfalls. Ithaca, at the bottom of Cayuga, has more gorges than it knows what to do with.

Single Island Shores

★ 4.75

Hector, NY

Hiking trailsHorseback ridingKayak & canoe

From $267/night · Nov 6–8

Separate cottages on the east side of Seneca Lake, each with a balcony over the water. There's a shared deck on the lake and fire pits for sunset. Simple inside, but you're there for the view.

The Thousand Islands

Up on the St. Lawrence River, along the Canadian border, there are more than 1,800 islands. Some have a single cabin on them. Alexandria Bay and Clayton are the main towns, and summer is the season.

Before you go

Cell service is spotty in much of the Adirondacks and parts of the Catskills. Download your maps before you leave.
Fall color usually peaks from late September to mid October, earlier up north. Book early for those weekends.
Black flies are out in the Adirondacks in late spring and early summer. Bring bug spray, or come later.
Stay two nights at least. Most of these places are a long drive from anywhere, and one night goes by fast.