New Paltz, NY - 1hr 45 mins from NYC
New Paltz is the most historic town on this list, with intact houses that were around 100 years before this country even became the United States of America, in addition to all the scenic riverbank cliffs and lush woods that make the trip worthwhile.
Specifically, French Huguenots established the town of New Paltz in 1678 through a combination of a governor's patent and a purchase from the indigenous Lenape Esopus tribe. The Huguenots were French religious refugees who came to Germany via Mannheim in the German Palatinate and established there after fleeing religious persecution in France. They founded their own municipal government and moved within what is now the Huguenot Street Historic District in the present-day village of New Paltz.
- Try this: As actors dressed in historical attire lead you through 30 structures on 10 acres, including seven historic homes and a rebuilt 1717 church, you will learn about the lives of the Huguenot settlers in the 17th century. (Want to experience the National Historic Landmark District with a back-to-basics mindset? Don't use the selfie stick.)
- Stay here: Set in the Shawangunk Ridge on Lake Mohonk, Mohonk Mountain House is affluent and sporty, like The Shining settings on the East Coast (without all the killing and stuff). Your nightly charge includes access to a variety of recreational activities including boating and swimming, as well as meals in its dining room, whether you select one of the traditional, wood-paneled rooms and suites or one of its private cottages two miles away.
