Any recommendations on where to go for 10 day round trip in New York State?

[SpaceTrain]

We're thinking of spending 10 days or so in New York state at the end of the summer, Would prob spend 2 days max in Manhattan, then would like to drive off and see some of the state. DH has some former colleagues who live near the Hudson, so might pop in and see them, but no ideas other than that. Has anyone got any recommendations on where else to go?
We will have DD 3.6 and new baby (4 months by then) with us, so will need to keep them happy.

Did a loop a few years (stops remembers how many - ouch) ago.

Up through the Catskills, across to Niagara (consider the extra drive for a day trip to Toronto at this point) across the top thousand islands, (Montreal anybody), Lake Placid, into the Adirondacks - we then came down through Vermont (Ben and Jerry's original factory including tour where we very nearly threw up through having tooooooo much free chocolate ice cream), and New Hampshire, Mass (boston if you have time) Conneticut coast and so home.

Took us slightly more than 10 days but you could come straight down from Lake Placid through the Adirondacks, via Glen Falls to Albany and back to NYC.

Wherever you go in upstate NY stay off the interstate and you will accidently come across some very pretty places, and you can make frequent stops in beauty sports usually beside a lake or river to let DD have a run around and a paddle.

Don't know much about new york state, but have spent a lot of time in new england and the bits closer to NYC would be easily doable (conn, rhode island, southern vermont and partic mass) and are closer than places like niagara. Boston is a lovely city (i lived there for a while) - aquarium and various other things for your DD, and one of the few US cities where it is pleasant to walk around. Really good Italian area (North End) that has great restaurants and ice cream! Cape Cod is really nice for a holiday - slower pace of life, nice towns, beaches etc.

whatever you do, totally agree with staying off the interstates to really experience what it is like.

NY state is, as I remember it from driving through, chiefly characterised by the enormous tracts of absolutely bugger all between even small towns. DH and I passed (some of the many) hours by speculating about the connection between this fact and the statistics on teenagers going nuts and rampaging with shotguns.

That doesn't help, does it ?

I will concede that Boston is a nice city (apparently even more so since they finished the 'Big Dig' and have buried all the freeways in tunnels), and that listening to the tour of all the places in which they 'beat the British' is amusing.

I second niagara and catskills. If you have friends who live near the Hudson - theres a lovely state park called bear mountain (although last time I went was well over 20 years ago and they use to have bears kept in the most apppalling conditions so I'm assuming it has all changed). Lots of running about room though. You can do cruises up the hudson to west point. When exactly are you thinking? Be warned that New Engalnd gets madly busy in Autumn when everyone drives around looking at the pretty fall leaves.. not so bad in some areas of NY but still. I would actually spend more time in Manhatten itself.. hth

we drove from Manhattan west and headed for the Finger Lakes (NYC wine disctrict) very very pretty then onwards up to niagara then due east through New England to Boston then down the coast back to NY. it was lovely - early autumn so New England was lovely.

"listening to the tour of all the places in which they 'beat the British' is amusing" I heckled at that bit (have quite a crisp English accent) which everyone on the tour bus thought was very funny.

Kew - I stuck to snorting commenting on their definition of 'historic'

Ah yes historic - last year on Cape Cod - this church is really old - 80 years, pointed out that our village church was 800+ years old.

Wow - thanks for all your advice. DH's friends aren't too far from Bear Mountain park I think - they are in a place called Croton-on-Hudson.

I'll look into whether we can get to Cape Cod or Niagara, and will plan to stay off the Interstates - that is good advice.

Unfortunately we have to go end of August/first week in Sept as DH is a teacher so we are restricted to school holidays. I'd definitely prefer to go a bit later when it was cooler and less busy.

Niagra, unless it has improved vastly in the last decade, is depressing, tatty and squalid (except the falls themselves which are spectacular, but spoiled by their surroundings) - the Canadian side was far more bearable (but if you are in a rental car you may well find you are not insured to drive into Canada). DH and I couldn't wait to get out of the place, TBH.

(someone please tell me/the OP that it has improved.....)

no it hasn't improved but c'mon... ITS NIAGARA you can go on a boat and get wet from the spray the kids will love it because of in spite of the tat

The Canadian side was (IIRC) English-seaside type tat, and entirely bearable. The US side was, for want of a better word, squalid

(disclaimer - this was pre-DC - I might look at it differently if there was a hope in hell of getting DH back there ever)

Agreed that once you get more than a 100yds from the falls it is awful - but the falls are spectacular, the maid of the mist boat ride and standing on the Hurrican deck being at the bottom of the bridal veil all make it worthwhile, that and going up the skylon tower, after that you leav and drive to Toronto.

You should be insured to drive in Canada provided that you specify it when you pcik the car up, they just put a tick in the correct box and you should be OK.