Crowds, extreme heat and $2,000 per night for a basic room in popular Mediterranean towns — what’s not to love about Europe in the summer? The shoulder season used to provide relief, but the secret is out. Expect throngs through the fall and into the festive season.
Still, you don’t have to fly transatlantic to get a taste of la dolce vita in the second half of the year. Below are six tri-state destinations that are treasures très magnifique, offering oodles of the European sophistication without any of the hassle.
Live it up in “Little Poland” in New Britain, Conn.
109 miles from NYC
In New Britain, just outside of Hartford, the inviting nabe of “Little Poland” runs along Main Street into Broad Street.
While you just missed this year’s annual Little Poland Festival in June, it’s almost better to have the shops, restaurants, churches and delis to yourself sans the 30,000-plus person crowd.
Make it your business to visit Polish purveyors like Roly Poly Bakery, Kasia’s Bakery and Polmart. Say “słodkich snów” (sweet dreams) at an Airbnb in the city proper (from just $87 per night), or amidst the Federal blues and ivories of the Farmington Inn (from $149 per night) 15 minutes away in Farmington.
Savor the sun-kissed coastline in Long Branch, NJ
55 miles from NYC
Swap an overnight flight for a sub-hour jaunt on the Seastreak ferry for a Mediterranean-inspired holiday at Wave Resort & Spa (from $540 per night).
There, kick off your seaside retreat with dinner at Maya where dishes like charred octopus and Porcini Papardelle teleport you to Greece and Italy.
Or, raise a toast to sparing yourself jet lag and selfie sticks at the Bar, the property’s new cocktail lounge — or at the swim-up pool counter overlooking the Atlantic. Best of all, this boardwalk property in Pier Village has only 67 rooms so you can expect to feel like Amalfi Coast royalty as you float from, say, pool deck yoga class to DJ sets to s’mores on the shore.
Travel like a serene Scotsman to Washington, Conn.
70 miles from NYC
For something reminiscent of British or Scottish countryside, the rolling hills and quiet winding country roads of Washington, Conn., await. (Plus, with its colorful history dating back to colonial times and infused with Native American heritage, it holds its own with our neighbors across the pond).
When you’re not gallery-hopping or hiking by or splashing in Lake Waramaug, set up shop at the Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection (from $1,000 per night).
Nestled on 58 acres of expansive gardens and soul-soothing woodlands, spend your time like a laid-back lad at the dreamy 20,000-square-foot spa by the Well, complete with a greenhouse-esque enclosed pool, traditional hammam and a thermal bath enshrouded by 400 plants. Or, amp it up a bit on the miles of hiking trails or with a few sets of tennis before crab cakes and caviar with sangria, Sancerre or a spot of tea by the outdoor pool.
Experience the opulence of St. Tropez on Long Island’s North Shore
100 miles from NYC
Can’t swing the yacht on the French Riviera this summer? Sure, East Hampton has Louis Vuitton and Prada storefronts like St. Tropez, but we’re voting for the North Shore in 2024.
Why, you ask? For one thing, you can feel like the glitterati without sitting in traffic with them. Count sheep at the Menhaden (from $409 a night) in Greenport, where you can book a private tour to the surrounding vineyards or have a picnic packed for a sunset session at 67 Steps Beach. As you marvel at the sun’s rays bathing the cliffs in its swirly glow, you’ll be amazed by this Côte d’Azur dupe. Bonus: No passport is required to hop on a bike rental for a leisurely oceanfront pedal to boutique-hopping in town or to charter a sailboat on Gardiner’s Bay.
Take an excursion to Sunken Meadow State Park in Smithtown, known for its sandy beaches and calm waters. Or book a tour of OHEKA Castle in a Huntington, where roaring ‘20s glamour abounds, and you’ll make all your Euro-castle hopping friends jealous (you can also stay overnight at the castle, which is a frequent backdrop for Hollywood movies (from $495 a night).
Sleep like a Swede in the treetops in White Lake, NY
110 miles from NYC
Sometimes, you just want to stay in a treehouse. Channel secluded Nordic vibes in the Catskill mountains at one of three newly unveiled treehouses (from $1,800 per night) at the Chatwal Lodge.
If you’ve always dreamed of stargazing in Sweden, you’ll find the canopy-level views of Sullivan County absolutely breathtaking (the oversized windows make constellation-spotting and rain-watching a dream). The decor — a mix of “found pieces” like petrified wood and mango root tables to chic chandeliers to a minimalist fire pit on your private outdoor deck — is hygge at its finest.
As is the all-inclusive F&B program, which will wow you with hits like coq au riesling and Beaverkill River trout baked en papillote.
Scope out the Swiss-like hamlet of Sparta, NJ
45 miles from NYC
This Sussex County jewel is centered around Lake Mohawk and the winsome small town provides ample opportunities to indulge in some R&R with a backdrop of hills and hinterlands.
Post up at the Whistling Swan Inn (from $135 a night), less than a 10-minute drive to the lake, a delightful bed and breakfast with a pillared porch you’ll never want to leave. Except, leave you will — to check out sights like the lake’s boardwalk to White Deer Plaza, studded with shops, Pattycakes bakery, Alpine Creamery and cafés. Architecture in these parts runs the gamut, from Tudor to English Cottage to German Baronial, and will make you feel like there are no worries in the world. And if you love old buildings, you’ll definitely want to tour the Van Kirk Museum, an 18th-century homestead for the Van Kirk family, now outfitted with period rooms such as the Victorian parlor and Civil War bedroom.
Before you skip town, marvel at the trail summit at Sparta Glen Park (it’s along a somewhat steep ravine) as if you’re in Switzerland’s bucolic embrace followed by Sparta’s Shack Ice Cream. With offerings like The Bagel Cream (a bagel filled with ice cream) or a Donutella Milkshake (ice cream blended with Nutella and topped with a Nutella-covered doughnut), it’s a distinctly American experience. But after chit-chatting with your pals who just got back broke and tired from their transatlantic escapades, you’ll be happier than ever you stayed stateside.
