If you’re wishing you made plans to get away for spring break, it’s not too late to take a road trip with the kids. We’ve rounded up a few destinations we love along with hotels that are offering spring break promotions.
Lake Placid
A popular winter destination for its renowned skiing (Lake Placid was home to the 1932 and 1980 Olympics) and summer destination for its lake activities, this beautiful village in New York State’s Adirondack Mountains is also a great place to visit in the spring. By many accounts, spring is the most affordable time of year to visit since the weather is ideal for hiking minus large crowds. It’s also a popular spot for late-season skiing.
Early spring also marks the end of maple season. New York is home to the largest resource of tapped maple trees in the country, and most maple syrup production takes place within the Adirondacks. As a result, there are countless syrups, foods, beverages (including maple bourbon imperial stout), candies, cocktails and experiences (like maple-based spa treatments at the Mirror Lake Inn) that showcase local Adirondacks maple. The Maple Wayfinder Trail from the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism in Lake Placid highlights producers around the region and where to find local sweet treats.
Where to Stay: We love High Peaks Resort for its central location in downtown Lake Placid. The resort is running a spring sale which includes a $25 dining credit at Dancing Bears Restaurant.
Vermont
Like Lake Placid, the snow starts to melt and warmer temps make it a great time to hike throughout Vermont in the spring. It’s also still a great time to ski if there’s still enough snow. One of our favorite spots to visit is the historic town of Stowe, which is situated right in mountains. Popular spring activities include mountain biking, hiking, skating, late-season skiing and taking in maple season. Tour sugar houses (such as Nebraska Knoll Sugar Farm), sample various maple products and more. In addition to maple season, it’s a great time for antiquing, too.
Where to Stay: Topnotch Resort in Stowe is ideal for families and is offering a “Sweet Suite Sale” for its suites and resort homes for travel through May 18. You can save 15 percent off suites, and 20 percent off resort homes.
New York City
If you want to stay close to home but feel like you’ve gotten away, a last-minute stay in Manhattan will keep you and your crew busy, whether you’re visiting Central Park, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center or one of the city’s many iconic museums.
Where to Stay: Sonesta Hotels of New York, which include The Benjamin, The Fifty, The Shelburne and The Gardens, are having a spring break sale. Now until April 11, guests can get 20 percent off suite stays for Suite Week using code SUITEW.
Below are just a few NYC bucket list things to do during your stay:
RiseNY: This is a first-of-its-kind attraction combining museum exhibit galleries with a ride where guests experience the feeling of flight as they soar above New York City. Once onboard, guests will be lifted 30 feet into the air and hang suspended as they glide over NYC’s skyline and iconic landmarks while inside the dome featuring aerial footage that creates the sensation of flight.
Rockefeller Center: Walk around the home to NBC Studios and the iconic plaza you’ve seen on TV. Take a tour or ride 70-floors up to the Top of the Rock Observation Deck, which offers beautiful 360-degree views of Manhattan.
Head to the Museum of Illusions for Insta-worthy shots of exhibits that include kaleidoscopes and holograms, plus tilted and reverse rooms.
Visit Central Park: Visit the Central Park Zoo, take a horse and carriage ride, or take a walking tour and see to learn about the park’s most cherished spots.
Grab a bite at Serendipity3: Known for its artistic ambiance and world-famous frozen hot chocolate, Serendipity3 is a favorite for many and has been featured in several major movies.
Visit The Empire State Building: A variety of ticket options allows visitors to take a guided tour up to the top, and see the sunrise on the observation deck.
Explore SUMMIT One Vanderbilt: SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is the tallest skyscraper in Midtown. This unique experience is known for its breathtaking elements of architecture, art and technology.
Tour the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History or one of the countless iconic museums in the city.
Cape May
Cape May is consistently named one of the country’s best beach getaways for families and while summer is prime time there, there’s so much to do and see in spring, with fewer crowds. One of our favorite spots in Cape May is Beach Plum Farm, a 62-acre working farm by the ocean that’s rated one of the country’s top agricultural getaways.
With six cottages to stay in, the farm’s activities include everything from beach clean-ups, scavenger hunts, farm yoga, horseback riding and even participating in farm operations like harvesting. You can go wild bird watching or hiking. Farm guests can tour the farm grounds and shop and dine at The Beach Plum Farm Kitchen & Market. We recently enjoyed Beach Plum’s spring dinner series and it’s a must for anyone who loves farm-to-table dining.
Where Else to Stay: Beyond Beach Plum Farm, Congress Hall is America’s oldest seaside resort and is situated right next to Cape May’s historic district. The hotel’s grand lawn overlooks the beach and is a must for a sunset cocktail. Presidents Ulysses S. Grant, Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan vacationed here.
Cooperstown
The start of spring means the start of baseball and for baseball fans, that means a trip to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The quaint upstate New York village is also home to the Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum and Doubleday Field, site of the annual Hall of Fame Classic and home to the famed “Sandlot Kid” statue.
But the quaint upstate New York village has much more to offer beyond baseball. Situated on the southern tip of picturesque Otsego Lake, Cooperstown is teeming with natural beauty, great restaurants and one-of-a-kind museums. The area has tons of hiking trails. Go to OtsegoOutdoors.org to search trails by difficulty level. You’ll also find great breweries and unique museums including the Fenimore Art Museum and the Farmer’s Museum.
Where to Stay: The Otesaga Resort Hotel is a sprawling historic hotel dating back to 1909. More than a hundred years since its opening, it remains a popular spot for weddings thanks to its pristine lakefront setting. Spacious rooms and bathrooms have a Victorian-era feel and the resort is within walking distance of downtown Cooperstown.
Read More:
20 Great Places to Visit During Spring Break Week
Awesome Spring Break Camps
