offManhattan

When the warmer winds of March begin to wind their way around the skyscrapers, you know it’s time to spring forth from Manhattan, traveling in the direction of some small charming town surrounded by lots of green space. Margaretville might come to mind. Located in the Catskill Mountains, it’s an easy-to-reach recreational paradise. In two and a half hours by bus, your work woes will have slipped off your shoulders as you step down into a truly pristine place.

Getting the Lay of the Lodge
Margaretville Lodging owns four properties in the Catskills that offer a wide range of accommodations. Looking for a romantic Bed and Breakfast? The Margaretville Mountain Inn is a Queen Anne Victorian style beauty—and listed on the National Register of Historic Places—so you can expect antiques and period décor at this lovingly restored inn. Carol Molnar is the owner, and her exquisite touches are everywhere, from the gourmet breakfast served on fine china to the plush towels in the bathrooms of the individually decorated rooms and suites. The website offers various discounted specials, like room and breakfast for two for $69 mid-week and $99.50 on weekends with a two-night minimum stay. Single weekend night rack rates start at $115.

While spring is finally rearing its pretty head after a seemingly endless barrage of blustery blizzards, it’s easy to forget that there is still time left for winter activities. For an easily accessible, final snow-fix of the season, head to Windham Mountain for some winter fun that extends well beyond the slopes.

What: Martha’s Vineyard Gourmet Getaway

Where: Harbor View Hotel, Edgartown, MA

When: Monday through Thursday, until April 15

Why: This is a smart, sneaky time of year to visit Martha’s Vineyard. Built in 1891, the Harbor View Hotel is located near an old whaling port and brings a modern sensibility to a classic New England aesthetic–one that you can’t normally enjoy for less than $315 on a peak season night if you’d like a room with breathtaking water views. Going into the shoulder season, Harbor View is offering $109 rates and a welcome basket with spa goodies to boot. And while the Hamptons may still seem closed up, Edgartown is a vibrant, hospitable slice of the vineyard that’s best visited before its narrow streets are swarming with tourists.

Even the most devoted pet owners admit that one of the prices of puppy love is a less spur-of–the-moment lifestyle. Booking kennels and finding dog-sitters can put a damper on last minute getaway plans.

Fortunately, we have found seven weekend destinations that welcome you and your pooch so you can still indulge in that spontaneous trip out of town. Metro North, New Jersey Transit, and LIRR accept small domestic pets on board, but they don’t specify a weight or size limit. Your dog needs to be in a carrier for the journey, so this is an excuse to use that chic, over-priced doggie-bag that you hoped would come in handy.

1. Audrey’s Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast, Wallkill, NY

Human Instincts: This five-room, 1740’s inn feels like your very own country home. Nestled in the foothills of the Shawangunk Mountains, this meticulously-restored bed and breakfast is a great place to cozy up around the fireplace. On-premise owners take care of all of your whims, and room rates include a five-course breakfast. Relax in the outdoor Jacuzzi year-round, and dip in the pool in warmer months. You are welcome to use the spacious communal kitchen to prepare meals and snacks. Just a short stroll from Audrey’s is the Bruynswick Inn, where Brittany-born chef Jean Boulidor will delight you with a memorable dinner. For reservations, call 845.895.1147.

Pooch Package: Charming owners Don and Audrey estimate that 85% of guests bring their dogs, so every package is pet-friendly. There are bound to be other dogs to meet and greet, so make sure that your pet is well socialized. The inn has an off-leash policy, so dogs are encouraged to explore every nook and cranny of the farmhouse and its five acres of woods and lawns. Food and water bowls are provided and bedtime treats are the rule. A two night minimum stay is required.

How to get there: Take Metro North Hudson line to Poughkeepsie, where you will transfer to the Ulster-Poughkeepsie Link bus to New Paltz. Call Don and he will pick you up at the bus station in New Paltz: 845.895.3440.

From the first whiff of fresh mountain air at the train station in Rhinecliff to the old white churches long since converted into homes that dapple the road to your hotel, there is an absolute release of stress that comes with a sojourn in the Hudson Valley. The gravel parking lot at the Peekamoose tap room is packed and the smoky tendrils from the outdoor fire pit follow our shuttle as it zooms by. The Catskill Mountains sandwich both sides of Route 28 and you’ve forgotten all about skyscrapers and a steel-blocked horizon.

Light years away from Manhattan, the Emerson Resort & Spa is a long, intriguing stretch of property that includes 26 opulent suites, five duplex loft rooms, a family-friendly lodge, two restaurants, an eco-friendly spa, country store, the world’s largest kaleidoscope, and 40 some odd copies of Emerson: Poems by the Everyman’s Library Pocket Poets.

It may be a Hallmark holiday, but Valentine’s Day is also a fine excuse to use that get-out-of-town-free-card. Well, maybe not free. But these hotels do feature fabulous packages at a variety of price points that are sure to help cupid shoot his arrow.

Here are five unique and relaxing hotel options for a romantic getaway near New York City that all have one beautiful thing in common—they are accessible without a car. (Your shmoopie will think it’s hot you care about the environment, trust us.)

Boston may best be known for its history, including quite a few historic hotels, but over the past several years it has seen an explosion of chic, New York-style boutique properties. As you might guess, they come complete with chic, New York-style pricing.

But Boston’s high winter vacancy rate means many of these rooms are available this season at about half of what warm-weather travelers will pay this summer. Combine that with free Megabus tickets through March and the upcoming Winter Restaurant Week, and right now is looking like the best time all year to visit Boston. Here’s a look at five of the newest hotels in town.

Hello, my name is Lauren, and I’m a Twitterholic.

In March 2009, I started Tweeting. What began as a harmless online activity that all the cool social media kids were doing has now become an energy-zapping, headache-inducing, and quite frankly, lonely little cyber sport that I can’t seem to tear myself away from.

Just now, in the middle of writing this I had to go on Twitter: check new followers, hotel buzz, travel deals, wedding tips, restaurant openings, iTampons?? Must.make.it.stop.

What: The 6th Annual Northeast Winter Wine Festival

Where: Wentworth by the Sea Hotel, Great Island of New Castle, New Hampshire

When: Festival events begin on January 15th and continue until February 27th, 2010

Why: Your future dinner party guests will thank you for broadening their palates. The festival will feature food prepared by many well-regarded New England chefs, and vintners from prominent local and worldwide wineries will offer pairings and tasting seminars.