There are many charming small towns near New York City that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a day trip.
New York City is a large city that’s amazing to explore with many iconic sights. But if you’re in NYC, you definitely shouldn’t miss out on the small towns near the city! These towns make for incredible getaways for those who need a break from the city, but they are also incredible if you like exploring new places.
From charming streets to lovely boutique shops to local restaurants with great food, the towns have it all. Below, you can find the 14 most charming small towns near New York City.
Charming Small Towns Near New York City
Princeton, NJ
Princeton, New Jersey, is a great small town that you can find about 1.5 hours from New York City.
Home to the famous Ivy League Princeton University, this town has a lot of charm.
But that’s not all that Princeton has to offer.
You can find a lot of great historic buildings in the town, such as Nassau Hall, which is a building with an impressive architectural style.
Furthermore, the town is home to various interesting museums. For example, you can find the Princeton University Art Museum in the town. This is a museum with a collection of more than 100,00 works of art that cover a large period of time.
Peekskill, NY
You can get to the town of Peekskill by car in about 1 hour and 15 minutes from New York City.
The town was established as a village in the year 1816 and is located on the Hudson River.
The town is surrounded by beautiful nature, and there are a lot of sights that you can check out.
For example, you can go to Hudson Valley MOCA when you are in Peekskill, which is an interesting contemporary art museum. And the Paramount Hudson Valley Theater can be great to check out if you want to enjoy live music and performing arts.
Furthermore, the town is known for the Peekskill riots.
Gettysburg, PA
Want to learn about history? Then, going to Gettysburg can be a great idea. This is a small town near NYC that you can reach in about 3 hours and 45 minutes from the city.
Gettysburg, PA, is a town that is known for the Battle of Gettysburg, which was one of the most important battles of the American Civil War and took place in 1863. During the battle, an attack by General Lee was defeated.
When you visit the town, you can check out the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center to learn about the battle.
Besides that, there’s much more to see in the town. You can explore downtown and see boutique shops, great local restaurants, and beautiful historic architecture.
Beacon, NY
Located about 1 hour and 30 minutes from NYC lies the town of Beacon, NY.
The town of Beacon can be found on the Hudson River and is known for its beautiful nature, including the Fishkill Overlook Falls.
Furthermore, there is a lot of beautiful nature that surrounds the town, and this looks incredible, especially in fall because of amazing fall foliage.
Beacon, NY also has picturesque shops that can be great to explore during a day trip to the town from New York City.
I’m sure that you’ll have a relaxing time when you go to Beacon. It is an incredible place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
Port Jefferson, NY
You can get to the charming small town of Port Jefferson in New York in about 1.5 hours. Port Jefferson is located on Long Island and can be reached by car and train.
Port Jefferson is a lovely place with a small population of about 8,000 people.
The town is home to a lot of fun sights.
For example, you can go to the Long Island Explorium if you go to the small town with your children. This is a children’s museum with lots of interesting exhibits through which children can learn about science in a playful way!
Furthermore, it is possible to take in great waterfront views when you are in Port Jefferson.
Or go see a show at Theatre Three! This is a great non-profit theater with good shows.
Hudson, NY
Hudson, NY, situated along the Hudson River and located opposite the town of Athens, is one of the most charming small towns near New York City.
One of the most special sights that you can find in Hudson is the Hudson Athens Lighthouse, which is a historic lighthouse that is located in the Hudson River.
Furthermore, the FASNY Museum of Firefighting is an interesting museum to visit when you go to the town. This is one of the largest firefighting museums in the world and it houses a lot of interesting objects related to firefighting. For example, you can find rare fire engines at the museum.
Woodstock, NY
Woodstock in Ulster County, New York, is a very wonderful town that you can find very close to NYC. You can reach Woodstock from New York City in about 2.5 hours by car.
This town is well-known for the Woodstock Festival which took place near the town.
Moreover, the town is located in the Catskills Mountains and beautiful nature surrounds it.
Woodstock is also known for its art scene. You can find a lot of art galleries in Woodstock, and the town also has great boutique shops that can be great to explore.
Other interesting places to check out in Woodstock are the Woodstock Playhouse, Opus 40, and the Bearsville Theater.
Garden City, NY
Garden City, located on Long Island, is a small town that is located very close to NYC.
This town has a lot of sights, which makes the town great to explore.
For example, you can find the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City. This is a museum where you can learn about the aviation history of Long Island. At the museum, you can find more than 75 air and spacecraft, which is very interesting!
Another great museum in the town is the Long Island Children’s Museum.
Furthermore, if you like to shop, you can check out Roosevelt Field. This is a shopping mall that is located in East Garden City and has numerous shops and fine-dining restaurants.
Clinton, NJ
Clinton, New Jersey, is also one of the most charming towns near NYC. You can get to the town, by car, in a bit more than 1 hour.
Clinton is a charming place where you can find a lot of historic buildings. For example, you can go to Red Mill Museum Village for this. Here, you can find the Red Mill, which is a historic mill that dates back to the year 1810. Moreover, at the museum, you can see other historic buildings as well.
Besides that, Clinton has beautiful parks and is home to many good local restaurants.
Another interesting sight in the town is the Hunterdon Art Museum, a contemporary art museum.
Greenport, NY
A very charming town is the town of Greenport, New York. This is a small town that is located on Long Island.
The town has a wonderful maritime atmosphere and it is home to historic buildings such as old lighthouses.
Also, the town has scenic vineyards.
One of the most interesting and beautiful sights in the town is the Antique Carousel, which was made in the 1920s and that you can find in Mitchell Park.
Furthermore, Greenport has lovely restaurants where you can enjoy dining with a view of the water.
Other fun sights to check out in Greenport include Tick Tock Miniature Golf and the marina of the town.
Westport, CT
You can get to the town of Westport, CT, in about 1.5 hours from New York City. This town has a lot of beauty to explore.
For example, you can find a lot of beautiful waterfront places in Westport from where you can enjoy a view of both the Saugatuck River and the ocean.
Furthermore, the town is home to great performing arts venues, such as the Levitt Pavilion, and there are a lot of great art galleries in Westport.
Also, you can find great museums in the town, such as MoCA Westport. This is a wonderful museum where you can see contemporary art exhibitions and it’s located inside a historic building from the 1920s.
Westfield, NJ
Westfield, NJ, is a lovely town that is located near NYC. From New York City, you can get to the town in about 1 hour, but depending on where you are traveling from in NYC, it can be much closer to the city.
Westfield is a town with a beautiful downtown area where lots of great boutique shops and stunning historic buildings can be found.
In particular, you can find a lot of Victorian and colorful houses in Westfield, NJ.
One of the most interesting places in the town is the Miller-Cory House Museum, where you can learn about American history.
Furthermore, you can find places with art in the town, and there are a lot of places for entertainment. For example, you can find the YESTERcades of Westfield video arcade in the town.
Easton, PA
By car, you can get to this next charming town, Easton, PA, in about 1.5 hours. So it makes for a great day trip from the city.
Easton, PA, is a wonderful town that is packed with beautiful historic buildings and landmarks. For example, you can find the Northampton Street Bridge in Easton, which is a green bridge from the year 1896 that crosses the Delaware River.
Furthermore, a great sight to check out, especially when you visit Easton with children, is Crayola Experience Easton. This is a museum with exhibits related to crayons.
Also, there are lots of interesting museums in Easton, such as the National Canal Museum.
In addition to that, it can be great to see a show at the State Theatre Center for the Arts when you are in Easton.
Newton, NJ
In about 1.5 hours, you can get to the town of Newton in New Jersey.
This town has a lovely downtown area that is packed with historic buildings. The historic district is on the National Register of Historic Places and includes about 50 buildings.
You can also find The Newton Theatre in this part of town. This is a performing arts theater with a capacity of 605 seats that is located in a building from the 1920s.
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Small Towns Near NYC Tips
The small towns towns near NYC on this list make for a great day trip from New York City, because they are very easy to reach by car.
If you decide to do such a day trip, I recommend bringing a battery pack with you. That way, your phone is never out of power!
Also, you should check out which sights you want to visit in the town. Some of the towns have a lot of sights, and you might need more than one day to see everything you want to see!
Best Small Towns Near New York City Map
Thanks for reading my guide to the best small towns near New York City. As you see, there are many great ones you can visit!