Living in a big city, like New York, can be difficult in the age of social distancing. Even as life returns to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic, many people will continue with social distancing, or at least limit exposure to large crowds. Despite this new normal, there are still ways to travel smartly and explore new places. Here is a list of ten interesting places to visit in and around NYC where you can avoid crowds and still have a great time.
Bear Mountain is a New York state park about 37 miles from NYC. This mountain range rises from the nearby Hudson River and spans Rockland and Orange Counties. It’s a beautiful park with a lake, a large walking loop around the lake, row boats and hiking trails. It’s also part of the Appalachian trail, which is pretty cool! Bear Mountain is a great day trip from NYC if you want to spend time outside. Pack a picnic and walking shoes and enjoy nature while social distancing.
Hudson is a town in the Hudson Valley known for its antique stores and up-and-coming trendy scene. It’s been experiencing a renaissance in recent years with new boutique hotels and restaurants popping up. Hudson’s main street is called Warren, and this is where you want to be. Warren Street is lined with unique shops, cozy cafes, rowdy bars and antique stores. Spend an afternoon walking up and down Warren, exploring the stores and grabbing a bite to eat!
The Jersey Shore is a great place to spend a hot summer day, and Asbury Park is one of my favorite towns along the shore. Asbury is the “hippest” of the shore towns. It’s full of trendy shops, restaurants, bars and breweries. It was put on the map by Bruce Springsteen and the famous Stone Pony music venue, where concerts are still held today! Asbury boasts a long boardwalk lined with ice cream shops, eateries and stores. Asbury Park, and the rest of The Jersey Shore, can get crowded in the summer so you’ll have to be diligent to social distance, but it is possible. Lay down a towel on a stretch of sand and bask in the summer sun.
The queen jewel of NYC parks! Central Park is 843-acres of nature right in the middle of Manhattan. The park offers miles of walking trails, densely forested areas, ponds and large fields. This is a great place to spend an afternoon talking a walk or enjoying a picnic.
This is a 172-acre island in New York’s harbor, in between Manhattan and Brooklyn. A free ferry from lower Manhattan takes visitors to the island. Governors Island used to be a military hub and is now a park filled with fields, walking trails, bike rentals and lots to explore. Governors Island has temporarily closed due to COVID-19 and remains closed as of May 28, 2020. As we wait for it to open, the Governors Island website is offering virtual tours to enjoy from home.
Roosevelt Island is a residential island in the East River between Queens and Manhattan. It has many pathways and park area to enjoy while admiring the Manhattan skyline. The island is usually not very crowded and it’s a great spot to get away from crowds. Roosevelt Island is known for its cherry tree walk, a pathway along the water lined with trees that bloom beautifully each spring.
The Bronx Botanical Garden is an iconic living museum and educational institute located in the Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx. It’s set on a 250-acres landscaped with over 1 million living plants. It also features a glass conservatory that houses specialty shows throughout the year. There are many areas to walk throughout the garden, both on paved pathways and in a forest setting. The Bronx Botanical Gardens temporarily closed due to COVID-19 and remains closed as of May 28, 2020. When they open it will be a great spot to enjoy nature in the middle in New York City. (Tip- The famous Arthur Avenue Little Italy of the Bronx is a short walk away! Enjoy some delicious Italian food before or after your visit to the garden).
Domino Park is a privately owned park along the Brooklyn waterfront. It has taken the idea of social distancing to a whole new level… large white circles, basically human “parking spots,” are painted across its grass! Visitors can claim a circle and veg out in socially distanced bliss.
This is a working farm and agriculture learning center about 30 miles north of New York City set on 80-acres of beautiful rolling hills. Stone Barns is home to Blue Hill, a highly acclaimed farm-t0-table restaurant. While many visitors to Stone Barns go for the restaurant, the farm grounds are also open to visitors. Walking trails are available throughout the property and wind through the fields, pens and pastures. Stone Barns also has a cafe on site so if you can’t snag a coveted reservation at Blue Hill you could still get a bite to eat! Stone Barns has temporarily closed to visitors due to COVID-19 but does plan to open as soon as possible. It remains closed as of May 28, 2020.
This is one of my favorite hikes in the greater New York City area. This 260-foot two tier waterfall is located in the Catskill region of New York, about 100 miles from the city. You can do an easy one mile hike up to the falls starting at the road below and ending at the waterfall’s base. There is also a large viewing platform surrounded by hiking trails at the top of the falls.
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