Getting Away

For $3.3M, a Fire Island compound with modernist main home and 1960s beach cottage

All photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

October 5, 2022

For $3.3M, a Fire Island compound with modernist main home and 1960s beach cottage

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In the rugged Fire Island Pines, a mid-century modern home designed by a famed architect is for sale. Asking $2,350,000, the four-bedroom residence was built in 1964 by Horace Gifford, who developed dozens of cedar-and-glass beach homes now synonymous with the area, and underwent a major renovation in 2010. An opportunity to build the ultimate retreat, the property's separate, charming beach cottage is also for sale, listed at $975,000.
Tour both homes
Fire Island modern ‘Pyramid House’ with a creative past asks $6.5M

Photo credit: Genevieve Garruppo Photography

September 16, 2022

Fire Island modern ‘Pyramid House’ with a creative past asks $6.5M

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When the current owner of this distinctive home at 443 Sail Walk in the wild, windswept Fire Island Pines first saw it, the house reminded him of the I.M. Pei-designed pyramid at the Louvre, transported to the Atlantic shore. As the New York Times recently recounted, real estate agent Glenn Rice toured the house while visiting a friend, and subsequently purchased the mid-century wonder in 2018 for $1.6 million. After furnishing it with his personal collection of items from the 1960s and '70s–he's also a mid-mod furniture dealer–and adding $400k in upgrades, Rice is selling the house for $6.5 million.
Find out more about this glass-topped beach retreat
You can rent Sarah Jessica Parker’s seaside beach cottage in the Hamptons this summer

All images courtesy of Booking.com

August 15, 2022

You can rent Sarah Jessica Parker’s seaside beach cottage in the Hamptons this summer

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Booking.com is giving Sarah Jessica Parker fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to stay at the award-winning actresses' Hamptons getaway. Located in Amagansett, Parker's cozy 1940s cottage is steps away from the beach and is stocked with her favorite drinks, snacks, and a pair of SJP signature high-heel shoes. The home can be booked for a two-night stay from August 26 to August 28 for only $19.98, in honor of the year Sex and the City debuted. Those who are interested can book the beach home on August 23 at 12 p.m. on a first-come-first-serve basis.
See more here
Amtrak launches direct service from NYC to Burlington, Vermont

Photo Credit: Amtrak / Hello Burlington

July 29, 2022

Amtrak launches direct service from NYC to Burlington, Vermont

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For New Yorkers looking for an escape from the city without dealing with traffic or chaos at the airport, Amtrak on Friday launched new train service from New York City to the city of Burlington, Vermont. The scenic trip takes around 7.5 hours and travels through the Hudson Valley, Green Mountains, and along Lake Champlain, with new stops in Middlebury and Ferrisburgh-Vergennes before ending in Burlington, a small city with New England charm and vibrant culture. It's the first time since 1953 that Amtrak service will connect New York City and Burlington.
Details this way
If you’re craving country life, this $875K 18th-century Hudson Valley stone farmhouse on 49 acres awaits

Photo credit: Thomas Kates at HomeTourVision

June 28, 2022

If you’re craving country life, this $875K 18th-century Hudson Valley stone farmhouse on 49 acres awaits

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For cottage lovers or anyone who dreams of escaping to a bucolic country life, this circa 1782 stone farmhouse on 49 acres in the Hudson Valley village of Warwick, NY could be a dream come true. Asking $875,000, 297 Bellvale Lakes Road includes a historic 2,887-square-foot farmhouse, a horse barn, a garage and a workshop. The verdant property offers field acreage that abuts Wickham Lake, plus wetlands, marshes, farm fields and creeks.
Explore the farmhouse and 49 acres
Take a break from the city at a private Catskills campsite for $119/night

Photo courtesy of Getaway

June 16, 2022

Take a break from the city at a private Catskills campsite for $119/night

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Health and wellness hospitality company Getaway on Thursday announced a new amenity-packed lodging experience just two hours away from New York City. With Getaway Campgrounds, guests can reserve a private campsite complete with a pitched tent, bed linens, and modern bathrooms and amenities to ensure a relaxing and welcoming respite from the hectic city life. The full experience, complete with the tent and modern amenities, will cost you $119 per night. For those who would rather bring their own tent for a traditional camping experience, it's $79 per night.
See more here
The best beach day trips from NYC

Asbury Park beach, photo via Wikimedia

June 2, 2021

The best beach day trips from NYC

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New York City has some great local beaches, like the Rockaways, Coney Island, and Brighton and Orchard Beaches. But when you need a short break from all the spots you can hit via the subway, it’s worth remembering that there are some great beaches just a quick drive, NJ Transit, or Long Island Railroad ride away. Here are some of our favorite day beach trips from the city, from up-and-comer Asbury Park and Long Branch in NJ to long-time favorites like Fire and Shelter Islands.
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A former brickyard in Kingston is now luxury hotel cabins on the Hudson River

Cabin interiors; Photo courtesy of Hutton Brickyards

March 19, 2021

A former brickyard in Kingston is now luxury hotel cabins on the Hudson River

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For years, New Yorkers have been drawn to the Hudson Valley city of Kingston for its rich history, arts and culture, and proximity to nature, ideal for both a weekend getaway and year-round residence. A new hotel just north of New York City is set to open this spring that will offer 31 individual cabins across 73 acres of lush landscape, providing a coronavirus-safe escape for city dwellers. Located on the site of a former brick factory, Hutton Brickyards has been transformed from a manufacturing property into a laid-back but luxurious riverfront resort with private cabins, a spa, restaurant, and events space.
Details here
The 5 best ski slopes near New York City

Photo of Hunter Mountain by Shinya Suzuki via Flickr cc

January 21, 2021

The 5 best ski slopes near New York City

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Sure, you'll find more snow and more serious skiing if you fly to Colorado or even drive up to Vermont, but there are plenty of ski hills located in New York State, including several located within a one-and-a-half to three-hour drive of Manhattan. To be frank, the main thing these hills have on their side is their proximity to New York City. If you want to reenact a trip to the Alps or Aspen, you’re going to be disappointed, but if you want to plan an affordable day or overnight ski trip, skiing in the Catskills region can be a great option. Gov. Andrew Cuomo last fall gave ski resorts the go-ahead to reopen, seen as a safe outdoor activity during the coronavirus pandemic. However, there are COVID-19 restrictions at each resort, including mask mandates, social distancing and disinfection requirements, and 50 percent capacity limits indoors. Ahead, we break down five of the best ski resorts less than 150 miles from NYC, along with everything you can expect when hitting the slopes this year.
Get the guide here
This Adirondacks treehouse was the year’s most popular Airbnb rental for New Yorkers

All photos courtesy of Airbnb

January 13, 2021

This Adirondacks treehouse was the year’s most popular Airbnb rental for New Yorkers

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To wrap up 2020, Airbnb released the top 50 most wish-listed unique rentals across all 50 states. The properties range from an Alaskan log cabin under the Northern Lights to a pirate-themed cottage in California. Here in New York, those looking to get away were most taken with a luxury treehouse in the Adirondacks, complete with a cable bridge, outdoor fire pit, and waterfall. The property in the town of Remsen rents for $498 a night, but it's booked solid through March 2022!
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7 best hikes near New York City
July 20, 2020

7 best hikes near New York City

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Getting out of the city during the hot summer months has never felt so necessary, with the usual ways of staying cool by exploring an air-conditioned museum or taking a dip at a city pool. For those looking to reconnect with nature (while maintaining social distance), there are a number of escapes just outside of the city offering hikes and treks ranging in levels of difficulty. Some of these are easily accessible by Metro-North; some might require a car, and some happen to be in the city itself, provided you consider Staten Island within its borders. All of them feature great views, exercise, fresh air, and the occasional tree, how novel! Ahead, discover our favorites.
See our favorites here
Airbnb contest seeks world’s most outrageous home designs

All photos courtesy of Airbnb

March 11, 2020

Airbnb contest seeks world’s most outrageous home designs

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Airbnb is searching for the world's most unique and unusual short-term rental home as part of a new contest. Ten people will be awarded $100,000 each to design a groundbreaking home that is both livable and a space for social good, the company announced on Tuesday. Proposals can include renovations to an existing Airbnb property, a project in progress that needs funding, or a totally unbuilt project.
More details here
On the Jersey Shore, you can spend the night inside a 90-ton elephant

Photo by Acroterion via Wikimedia Commons

February 27, 2020

On the Jersey Shore, you can spend the night inside a 90-ton elephant

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In the late 19th century, Atlantic City began its heydey as a booming resort town thanks to a new railroad connection. To attract prospective real estate investors and tourists, inventor James V. Lafferty received a patent to build a giant elephant statue in nearby Margate. Completed in 1881, Lucy the Elephant stood 65 feet tall (six stories) and weighed 90 tons. After a preservation battle in 1969, Lucy was restored in the '70s and has continued to be a spectacle for locals and vacationers alike. The 138-year-old attraction has even caught the attention of Airbnb, who announced that they'll be offering three overnight stays inside Lucy. The lucky Lucy fans will pay $138 (the same number as her age) for a stay on either March 17, 18, or 19.
Get a look inside
Escape the everyday in a retro Catskills cabin by Kate Pierson of the B-52s

Images courtesy of Kate’s Lazy Meadow.

February 21, 2020

Escape the everyday in a retro Catskills cabin by Kate Pierson of the B-52s

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As a member of the rock band The B-52s, Kate Pierson knew a thing or two about hotels and motels; that experience plus a zany sensibility led to the creation of this cozy, rustic collection of cabins with "rocket-your-socks-off" retro decor. Lazy Meadow is located on nine beautiful acres–and one big lazy meadow–in the Catskills, blessed with mountain views and fronted by a private section of the Esopus Creek, famous for tubing and trout fishing. Suites rock retro kitchens with authentic vintage cabinets, fridges, and stoves done in dazzling candy colors, the perfect backdrop for colorful tchotchkes discovered on shopping sprees all over the country.
An eyeful of this unique Catskills retreat, this way
In Westchester, this $3.5M Gothic Revival home has 6 fireplaces, Tiffany windows, and NYC skyline views

Photos courtesy of Houlihan Lawrence.

January 27, 2020

In Westchester, this $3.5M Gothic Revival home has 6 fireplaces, Tiffany windows, and NYC skyline views

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With a 10,442-square-foot interior, 50 Crows Nest Road–known more casually as Crows Nest–in the Westchester County village of Bronxville, NY seems worth its $3.5 million ask (recently reduced from $4.4 million) on that information alone. This 1849 Gothic Revival manor house was built of local stone and sits on 1.3 acres of hilltop land–with the Manhattan skyline visible in the distance. It's a suburban mansion rich with well-preserved dramatic flourishes, with modern infrastructure and design added to make it a 21st-century family home.
Tour this impressive stone mansion
9 tiny upstate houses you can rent this fall

All photos courtesy of Glamping Hub

October 18, 2019

9 tiny upstate houses you can rent this fall

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As the leaves turn and the cool weather creeps back, it's not hard to start daydreaming about a quiet weekend escape in a cozy vacation rental. And what better way to experience nature than in a tiny house? From a wood cabin in the Adirondacks to a modern retreat on a Catskills farm, we've rounded up nine tiny glamping spots that inspire big, lofty plans of how best to lay low and enjoy all the autumn glory upstate.
Check them all out
Mod Montauk retreat with surf-inspired interiors asks $1.95M

Photo credit: Nicole Franzen.

September 27, 2019

Mod Montauk retreat with surf-inspired interiors asks $1.95M

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A mere five minutes from Ditch Plains beach, this surf-inspired Montauk house at 48 South Federal Street was designed by Studio Robert McKinley, known for interiors with laid-back style, including the venerable Surf Lodge. This fetching four-bedroom, 4,000-square-foot getaway on a half-acre hilltop lot has a heated pool outside and lots of light and space indoors. It's the kind of move-in ready summer spot that seems well worth its $1.95 million ask.
Take a tour of this beachy retreat
This spring, you can spend the night in an off-grid Mars habitat upstate

All renderings via AI SpaceFactory, © Plomp

September 4, 2019

This spring, you can spend the night in an off-grid Mars habitat upstate

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If you're intrigued by all the talk of living on Mars but don't actually want to depart planet Earth, you can have a shot at semi-extraterrestrial living this spring. AI SpaceFactory, the architects behind NASA's Mars habitat MARSHA, are bringing a "Mars habitat designed for off-grid living on Earth" to a site an hour-and-a-half north of NYC along the Hudson River (h/t Curbed). For a donation as low as $175, you'll be able to spend the night in the TERA cabin and get "a glimpse into the future of sustainable life on and beyond our planet," according to a press release.
More details and views
For $595/night, you can go glamping in a 300-square-foot cabin on Governors Island

Photos courtesy of Collective Retreats – The Outlook Shelter, Collective Governors Island

August 29, 2019

For $595/night, you can go glamping in a 300-square-foot cabin on Governors Island

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A well-rounded urban camping experience is a new summer option on Governors Island. Campers can choose an activity-packed agenda complete with private boats, dining, kids’ activities and wellness programs, and a chance to sleep under the stars surrounded by New York skyline views and 1,500 thread count sheets, private en-suite bathrooms and decks, electricity, and WiFi within. For modern design lovers, the island's cozy Summit and Journey tents from Collective Retreats will be joined by new Outlook shelters. These modular hotel rooms resemble tiny modern cabins with 225 square feet–plus 75 square feet of deck space–of  indoor architecture that "seamlessly compliments outdoor grandeur with fully sheltered structures." And for this unique experience, prices will start at $595/night.
Find out more
New glamping experience on Governors Island offers boat rides, seafood dinners, yoga and more

Image courtesy of Collective Retreats.

May 1, 2019

New glamping experience on Governors Island offers boat rides, seafood dinners, yoga and more

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A new option for summer fun without leaving the city begins today: Urban camping on Governors Island kicks off its summer season, courtesy of Collective Governors Island. The activity-packed retreat experience includes private boats, new menus, kids' activities, wellness programs and more, plus a chance to sleep under the stars with stunning views of the Statue of Liberty and New York skyline while enjoying plush beds with 1,500 thread count sheets, private en-suite bathrooms and decks, electricity and wi-fi.
Find out more
For $18M, own a 95-acre North Fork vineyard with two wineries and a historic cottage

Aerial photo by Dead On Design, courtesy of The Corcoran Group.

April 15, 2019

For $18M, own a 95-acre North Fork vineyard with two wineries and a historic cottage

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Situated in Cutchogue on Long Island's picturesque North Fork, the historic estate vineyard owned by the late film executive Michael Lynne ("Lord of the Rings" trilogy) who was a key figure at New Line Cinema as well as a wine connoisseur is seeking a new owner. Asking $17.9 million, the 95-acre property includes a cottage and five parcels of land. The property is home to Bedell Cellars, a pioneering family-owned winery. Also included in the sale is the Corey Creek Vineyards winery.
Tour the vineyard grounds and historic estate
The ‘Summer White House’ of the Hamptons is back for a reduced $13.5M
February 15, 2019

The ‘Summer White House’ of the Hamptons is back for a reduced $13.5M

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In addition to his Murray Hill townhouse, President Chester A. Arthur also owned this three-story Victorian mansion built in 1796, which he considered his “Summer White House.” The luxurious fully renovated Hamptons property was last on the market in 2016 for $14.2 million, or $480,000 annually for potential renters. Just in time for Presidents Day, the six-bedroom, four-and-a-half bathroom home is back for a reduced $13.5 million. As 6sqft previously noted, the cost to rent this presidential pad between Memorial and Labor Day was estimated to be $390,000.
Take a look inside
This charming upstate barn has enough warmth for a winter weekend at $255 a night
December 17, 2018

This charming upstate barn has enough warmth for a winter weekend at $255 a night

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Tons of artfully created details, a wood-burning stove and modern comforts–from rain shower head to reading nooks–add up to a warm welcome at this upstate barn listed on Airbnb for $255 a night. It looks like a perfect escape from city life without having to rough it–and barns are cooler than cabins anyway. The hosts have been at this for a while, so they've got all the details covered, including wifi and a programmable smart TV so you don’t have to miss your shows. Set on four-and-a-half acres in the quaint-but-cool town of Tivoli, NY, about 100 miles from New York City in the Hudson River Valley near Bard College, the barn offers five beds on three levels, for up to six guests.
Have a look around
This Hudson carriage house, featured on Netflix, could be your upstate getaway for $325 a night
December 10, 2018

This Hudson carriage house, featured on Netflix, could be your upstate getaway for $325 a night

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Hudson, NY, is the place to head these days for a picture-perfect out-of-the-city weekend. Filled with fabulous restaurants, chic shops and darling dive bars, the Columbia County town's mix of sophistication and small-town life hits just the right note. If you've dreamed of moving there and fixing up a quaint townhouse, you can live vicariously for a few nights–at $325 each, via Airbnb–at this charming carriage house. Featured on the Netflix renovation show, "Stay Here," The Hudson River Carriage House is just a half block from the Warren Street main drag, but it's so cute you may just want to stay in.
Have a look
Spend a winter weekend in this boho-chic Hudson Valley cabin for $200/night
November 28, 2018

Spend a winter weekend in this boho-chic Hudson Valley cabin for $200/night

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Located in the quaint-but-cool town of Tivoli, NY, about 100 miles from New York City in the Hudson River Valley near Bard College, this two-bedroom cabin, listed on Airbnb for $200 a night, has a Scandi-modern vibe, decor that reflects the hosts' travels and eclectic past and plenty of creature comforts. The home's friendly hosts call it a "cozy den," which sounds about right–perfect for families, friends or couples.
More cabin coolness, this way
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