12 Unforgettable New York Day Trips, One For Each Month Of The Year

As the oldest place inside of New York, the city of Albany should already be on your radar but in case it somehow isn't, let us explain why it should be! As our state's capital, you can enjoy free tours of the Capitol or go and dine in historic spots like the Olde English Pub or the Albany Pump Station that will leave you feeling full and fascinated.

A great day trip to take by train, Beacon is one of our favorite places to visit in the Hudson Valley. When it comes to finding a place to eat, you'll find an array of mouthwatering options. For starters, you can head to The Pandorica - a Doctor Who-themed restaurant in town, or you can head on over to the Roundhouse Restaurant to enjoy dining with the view of scenic waterfalls! With plenty to keep you busy on Main Street and DIA:Beacon ready to keep you busy with art all day long, there's plenty of ways to spend the day enjoying the charming city of Beacon.

Any one of the towns or villages within New York's Adirondack Park makes for an unforgettable day trip, but we certainly have quite the sweet spot for Wilmington! Situated at the base of Whiteface Mountain, those who visit the village of Wilmington will find amazing attractions like our very own North Pole and amazing natural wonders inside of private parks like High Falls Gorge. If you're looking for a scenic day trip to take, this is for you!

Most people will make their way out to Cooperstown at one point or another to discover the National Baseball Hall of Fame, but if you're wondering what else there is to keep you busy with in this town - let us tell you! In town, you'll find mouthwatering eats like the Cooperstown Diner that has some of the best and biggest burgers around Central New York. Those who are looking to exploring hidden gems of the Empire State can seek out Cooperstown's very own Glimmerglass Queen Boat Tours to enjoy sights of a little-known castle or even visit Glimmerglass State Park to go for a stroll across the oldest covered bridge in New York State!

Feeling ready to explore more of Western New York? Then start your explorations off in the city of Rochester! Families and anyone looking to have some fun can head on over to the Strong Museum that has more games and activities than you'll know what to do with. Plus, the museum even has its own Butterfly Garden. For those who are ready to spend some time outdoors while in Rochester, you can go for a walk out on the water with Turning Point Park's endless boardwalks.

Up along New York's Thousand Islands, you can find some of the most charming lighthouses that you'll ever lay your eyes on. Set up along the St. Lawrence River, during the month of July each year you can find the local French Festival taking place in Cape Vincent that brings out an exciting side of New York. If you happen to be visiting during another time of year, you can also experience things like the award-winning Cape Winery, the historic Tibbetts Point Lighthouse, and plenty of other waterfront attractions that will sweep you off of your feet.

Out in New York's Finger Lakes region, you can find all sorts of lakefront towns that will have you longing to take a day trip! One of our most beautiful towns, the village of Watkins Glen has more to offer than just its famous state park. In the breathtaking town along Seneca Lake is home to noteworthy attractions like one of our state's only harbor hotels, the Watkins Glen International racetrack, and even a fantastic yarn shop that's great to check out.

One of the most beautiful towns that you can check out along New York's coast, Montauk is quite the destination for a day trip. Taking you all the way out onto Long Island, you can keep yourself busy for the day by visiting amazing places like Gurney's Resort that has its own set of heated igloos or even the country's oldest working ranch at Deep Hollow Ranch.

Considered to be one of the coolest small towns in the country, Phoenicia is one of our favorite places to visit when we're craving some time in the Catskill Mountains. For a true mountain adventure, explorers can extend their day trip into an entire overnight outing by booking a stay at Kate's Lazy Meadow, while others may a plan a trip here during the summer to enjoy Town Tinker Tube Rental's whitewater tubing adventure. How neat?

Whether you know Ithaca as being one of the most hippie towns in all of New York or you know it as our City of Waterfalls, Ithaca is a small-town city that has everything you could possibly long for. Make a day trip out to Ithaca and take the time to shop through spots like Found In Ithaca, go for a walk across the Fall Creek Suspension Bridge, or go for a dip in a natural pool at Robert H. Treman State Park to get a taste of all that Ithaca has to offer. Sounds incredible, right?

An underrated area of New York State, our Southern Tier is full of all sorts of exciting places to visit like the city of Binghamton. On State Street, you can look for secret doors that lead to amazing speakeasies like 205 Dry, while if you make your way over to East Front Street you can enjoy one of New York State's most iconic sandwiches at Spiedie & Rib Pit for a seriously unforgettable day out in the Empire State.

Last but not least, it's time to spend a day exploring all that's inside of New York's Big Apple. If you were searching for a reason to make your way down to this area of our state, how about the fact that Manhattan is now home to the Museum of Ice Cream permanently? After taking a stroll through Central Park, visitors can make their way over to the museum to dive into pools full of sprinkles and to of course, purchase some tasty ice cream.