5 Day Trips from New York

New York is fascinating, but if you want to complete your trip with a trip to the surrounding area, there are several to choose from. Whichever destination you choose, keep in mind that distances in the United States are not usually short, so an organized round-trip tour will save you from having to deal with public transportation, transfers and unnecessary waiting.

Depending on whether you like nature, art, history or even shopping, you will have several options. So that deciding the one that best suits your trip is not a problem, take note of the most recommended ones.

If you would like to visit Niagara Falls, my recommendation is to try to book a one or two day organized tour (including accommodation). You will be able to take advantage of the trip to visit Watkins Glen State Park and its magical waterfalls, and you will see Niagara Falls at sunset, sunset and sunrise.

The good thing about going to Niagara Falls from New York on an organized tour is that you won't have to worry about how to get there, which can be quite an odyssey. And once you're at the Falls, you'll be sure not to miss a single corner with your professional, Spanish-speaking guide.

You'll be able to do everything from boarding a cruise ship (the Maid of the Mist) to hiking the lush trails surrounding Niagara Falls National Park.

You can see them by day, in all their splendor, or at night, with incredible illumination. This is undoubtedly one of the best tours you can do from New York and here are some tips to visit Niagara Falls from New York and make the most of the experience.

Details of interest

• Why I like it: It's quite comprehensive, and allows you to see Niagara Falls at different times of the day. Most people who visit this amazing place usually do it for a few hours and leave, and in my opinion it's worth enjoying it a bit by taking it slower.
• Recommended if... You are going to be in New York for more than a week and you are a nature lover,.
• Duration: Between 1 and 2 days, depending on the tour you choose.
• More info: I tell you all the options in this article about Niagara Falls Day Trips from New York.

The best way to visit Washington from New York in one day, not miss anything of the city, and learn the history of each monument with the explanation in English of a professional guide is with an organized tour.

You will see the White House, the U.S. Capitol, Arlington National Cemetery, the Pentagon, and the many memorials of the city of Washington to war veterans and presidents of the country. This tour is a full day tour (12-15 hours) with round-trip transportation by air-conditioned bus with WiFi.

It takes about 4 hours to get to Washington from New York, and your group will consist of a maximum of about 50 people. All entrance fees are included in this tour, and you will have free time at lunchtime (which is not included in the activity) to explore at your leisure and eat where you choose.

Details of interest

• Why I like it: In addition to its good value for money, I recommend this activity for including a very complete tour of Washington with which you will get the most out of the tour.
• Recommended if... If you have always wanted to see the White House up close or if you are going to go to New York in spring, since it coincides with the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington.
• Duration: About 15 hours. If you choose the combined option with the visit to Philadelphia, you can choose between the one-day and the two-day tour.
• More info: If you are considering Washington as a destination for your excursion, you have more details in my practical guide on. 3 Best Day Trips to Washington DC from New York.

Considering the vast distances that separate major U.S. cities, Boston is quite close to New York and you're sure to love a trip to Boston. You will visit a city that has been a major player in modern American history and discover a very different atmosphere from the hustle and bustle of New York.

On this full day tour you will see Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Copley Square and Trinity Church, and take a full tour of the Freedom Trail seeing all of the city's landmarks, famous for being key to America's political history.

Details of interest

• Recommended if... If you love American history and don't want to stray too far from New York.
• Duration: Between 11 and 13 hours.
• More info: You can read more here: Boston Day Trips from New York.

In addition to the historical interest of the city, the great advantage of taking one of the Philadelphia tours from New York is that it is an easy and short trip. You can climb the stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art like Rocky, try the famous Philly Steak sandwich, or learn about the Amish way of life.

Many tours to Philadelphia are often combined with a visit to Washington, but in my opinion it is worth visiting the capital of the United States separately to fully explore it. Also, the advantage of taking a tour to Philadelphia| is that you will have time to visit an Amish community and discover how this community lives without the advances of technology, something worthwhile on your trip to the USA.

Details of interest

• Recommended if... If you want to get to know the city of Rocky and discover a typically American city, with some particularities.
• Duration: Between 11 and 13 hours, depending on the tour you choose. The tours that pass through Philadelphia also visit Washington. You can take the 1-day tour to make the most of your trip if you don't have much time or take a 2-day tour to see in more detail all that both cities have to offer.
• More info: Read more in the post Philadelphia tours from New York

Woodbury Common is one of the best outlets in New York that you can get to with an excursion. It is, specifically, an outdoor outlet: like a village, only every house is a store. And there are hundreds of stores, on its avenues, boulevards and squares. It's about an hour or so from New York, and you usually go by bus.

It's best to book a shopping excursion from New York, which will save you having to arrange a round trip and will also give you some discounts to spend the day shopping.

In addition to the 50% and 70% discounts you will find at the outlet in New York, taking a tour gives you a card with additional discounts to use in many luxury brands such as Prada, Saint Laurent, Burberry, Armani, Balenciaga, Dior ... and so on up to 220 stores in total, spread between restaurants and cafes as a mall.

On the tour to Woodbury Common, you will go by bus to the outlet and return to New York at the end of your visit.

Details of interest

• Recommended if... If you love premium clothing brands and you will be in New York for several days.
• Duration: Between 5 and 8 hours.
• More info: The best outlets in New York

• Regardless of which tour from New York you take, my recommendation is to bring your camera, a rain jacket, your passport, loose change and a spare pair of socks. The weather in Washington, Boston or Philadelphia is very similar to New York, but in Niagara Falls it is a bit more extreme between summer and winter.
• Remember to wear comfortable shoes because even though you will be driving between the different points of interest in the cities, you will have to walk a bit and after a few hours you will be grateful not to have sore feet.
• Keep in mind that some of the tours do not include food, so if you are on a tight budget take some food in your backpack from New York or plan ahead where to eat in the place you are visiting.

Alex's Tip

One thing that will help you choose a tour from New York is the length of your trip: I recommend longer tours if you are going to be in the city for more than a week.

If you do not decide to leave the big city because you think you still have a lot to discover, you are probably not wrong: New York is eternal and there is always something new to explore. For this, I recommend you to take a guided tour of the city, which will allow you to cover the most relevant areas without leaving anything behind. I leave you here linked the articles I wrote about my favorite experiences: Contrasts Tours in New York y How to attend to a Gospel Mass in Harlem, New York City.