offManhattan

Fall is a great time of year to re-energize with a spa weekend. On your next relaxing retreat, stay at one of these five eco-friendly spas—be it in a city, by the sea, by a lake or in a quaint village—without the hassle, expense and environmental hazards of driving. Check out our list of spa getaways near NYC for ideas.

What: 100th Annual Fisherman’s Feast

Where: Boston’s North End

When: August 12-14, 2010; Thursday 7pm-10pm, Friday 8pm-10pm, Saturday 1p.m.-11p.m.

Why: You haven’t been to mass in ages. Held in Boston’s historic North End, the Fisherman’s Feast is an old Sicilian tradition that’s as much about food as it is about the Madonna del Soccorso, or Our Lady of Help. The Madonna makes her way through the streets of Boston’s North End, carried by the descendants of the Sicilian immigrants who brought the tradition to Boston. She sits in a specially made chapel during the feast of pasta, pizza, sausage and calamari. Music ranging from traditional bands to Doo-Wop groups will set the mood for food sampling, and the festival ends with a rapturous surprise.

What: The 6th Annual Provincetown Jazz Festival

Where: 212 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA

When: August 13th-14th

Why: To celebrate and strengthen the presence of jazz music and the New Orleans culture in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Both days feature a stellar lineup of venerated jazz musicians, including saxaphonist Greg Abate, vocalist Dane Vannatter, pianist Janice Friedman, and the Berklee Rising Stars, a talented compilation of students and professors from the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Whether you plan to visit all the shows or just one, a stroll through the artsy, eclectic, and classically beautiful port town is a must. For information on whale watching, boating and fishing, golf, tennis, beaches and places to stay, visit the town’s web site at provincetown.com.

Although we helmet heads are grateful for the 600 miles of designated bike lanes in NYC, let’s face facts: to most New Yorkers, biking in the city conjures up harrowing images of way-too-close encounters with agitated motorists and cabbies.

As an alternative, we recommend these three refreshingly bike-friendly, multi-level rides, which involve free beer, pizza and routes that weave throughout farms, vineyards, and the sea—all near NYC and accessible without, you guessed it, a car.

You can only learn so much watching The Food Network. Put down the remote control and pick up a whisk at one of these culinary destinations near New York City—from the Culinary Institute of America in the Hudson Valley to a quaint bed and breakfast-hosted food and wine pairing in New Jersey. You may just find your inner Julia Child. Even if your soufflés fall and your cookies crumble, a good time (and a new take-home chef’s hat) is all but guaranteed at one of the following six gastronomical getaways–all accessible without a car, of course.

· Where else would you find an egg drop for adults with beer, a bonfire, prizes, and materials to make an “egg ship” than Williamsburg? [Facebook]

· The Massachusetts Tourism Board has launched MA Green, a new website dedicated to tourists, businesses, and natives interested in an eco-friendly getaway, from the green certified hotels to how to get around without a car. [MassVacation]

· Element Hotels are offering guests a free night during Earth Day Weekend when they bring in 10 plastic bottles to recycle. [HotelsMag]

· A 21-film retrospective—including La Grande Illusion and La Marseillaise—of director Jean Renoir is now showing at BAMcinématek. [BAM]

· A peak into the future of sustainable transportation. [PlanetGreen]

· New York City is taking over Governors Island, where 275,000 people ferried to last summer. [NYT]

· Speaking of Governors Island, mark your summer calendars (and get tickets sooner than later) for the 4th Annual Brewfest on June 19—use code THRILL10 for $20 off. [Thrillist]

· On April 27, slurp oysters, drink Brooklyn Beer, and nibble on Saltie‘s sweets at the Evening of Dinner & Lectures about NYC’s Food at the Brooklyn Kitchen; ticket proceeds go to the City Reliquary museum. [BrooklynBased]

If  New York’s long list of spring events are all fine and dandy but you’re looking for a little outer state adventure this season—in anticipation of long obligatory summer weekends in the Hamptons, we know the drill—we’ve got seven spring events near NYC that are sure to reawaken winter-trodden spirits.

From bacon and beer festivals to a recycled art exhibit to a family hike week and an outdoor artisan market that rivals the Brooklyn Flea, you will be anything but bored this season.

When foodies next look to be spoiled outside the five boroughs, they should consider a trip north, where Boston has the historical culinary edge. After all, it was the home of Fannie Farmer, America’s first lady of cooking and author of the “Boston Cooking-School Cook Book.” She pioneered the American food scene decades before Julia Child moved to Cambridge and took over the leading role. This borough of beantown hosts the popular Boston Restaurant Week held for two weeks each March—2010′s edition runs March 14-19th and the following week, March 21-26th—with two-course lunches for $15.10, three-course lunches for $20.10, and three-course dinners for $33.10 at Boston’s top dining establishments.

In addition to the prix-fixe hot spots, when you decide to skedaddle spontaneously this spring, consider putting one of these seven Boston hotel restaurants on your dining out list.