12 Tranquil Vacation Rentals Near NYC To Inspire Your Wanderlust

These low-key cabins, luxe villas, and lust-worthy (yeah, we said it) lake houses are just a stone’s throw away from Manhattan but teleport you to an entirely different universe.

Vrbo
Vrbo

New York City earns its superlative as best in the world because it’s a city that’s ripe with opportunity. You’ll never compromise or make concessions. Want Cantonese for lunch and carbonara for dinner? Open-air food markets and underground speakeasies? Elegant art galleries and pop-up performances? You got it. Cram it all in one day if you like. It’s that undercurrent of energy buzzing hot and burning bright like neon that makes NYC all at once intoxicating — and exhausting. We get it. Sometimes you don’t want to be in earshot of another human being. You want to hear a bird chirp without the soundtrack of traffic. Next time you're in need of a long-weekend getaway, consider a stay at one of these 12 rental properties — all within a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Manhattan — to help you rest and recharge. 

Vrbo

A private estate suspended 200 feet in the air

Highland, New York; 1.5-hour drive from NYC
8 guests, $1,514 per night; vrbo.com


If it’s space you want, it’s space you get with this sprawling private resort compound. The estate sits on 12 acres and the villa itself is cantilevered 200 feet off the ground, perched on a granite bluff peninsula overlooking the Hudson River.

The Fels, as it’s known, is so secluded the only other visible home is FDR’s estate in Hyde Park — now a national historic site. Play a game of tennis, then cool off with a cocktail on the expansive riverside deck. Float in the heated salt-water infinity pool (pictured above, the dual-vanishing edge gives the illusion of spilling over into the Hudson) or unwind in the hot tub. After, shower off and enjoy the en suite saunas, then gather your guests in the media room to watch a movie on the 10-foot-wide screen. There’s also a game room complete with ping pong and air hockey. Leaving will be the hardest thing you do all week.

Airbnb

A tiny home with big impact

Marlboro, New York; 1.5-hour drive from NYC
2 guests, $285 per night; airbnb.com

For an off-the-grid hideaway, The Glass House delivers. It’s set on 30 acres of wine country in the Hudson Valley, so you can mosey along the vineyards and orchards, or take it all in from the comfort of your glass-enclosed lodging. It’s just 180 square feet — definitely a more intimate space for two — and equipped with a queen-size bed, WiFi, heating/cooling, and an induction cooktop. It’s not uncommon for coyotes, deer, and birds to pay a visit.

If you’re an art buff, make sure to drop into the towns of Beacon to visit Dia: Beacon (roughly 20 minutes away) and New Windsor for Storm King Art Center (about 25 minutes away).

vacationrentalslbi.com

A beach oasis fit for Gatsby

Beach Haven, New Jersey; 2-hour drive from NYC
12 guests, $7,150 per night; vacationrentalslbi.com

If you’re looking to book a blow-out party with friends, Long Beach Island will feel like a five-star Caribbean resort with a stay at Beach Haven House. On the opulent property’s first floor, you’ll find a covered deck with a pool table, but the top floor is the real draw, with an oceanfront deck, hot tub, and swimming pool that seamlessly lines up with the horizon. Walls of glass give you that million-dollar view, but you can also tuck away the bi-fold doors to blow out the indoor/outdoor space and soak in the Atlantic Ocean. As an added bonus, you’ve got private beach access.

Cedar Lakes Estate

A lake retreat like no other

Port Jervis, New York; 2-hour drive from NYC
2 guests, $625 plus $185 per person per night resort fee; cedarlakesestate.com

The Lakeside Cottage is a luxe log home snuggled — as the name implies — beside the lake. Inside, you’ve got a sprawling living room, dining area with a stone fireplace, and king-size bed in the master; outside, you’ve got a blue stone patio and rowboat by the dock to paddle around in spring and summer. The main draw of this rental is you have full access to the grounds.

Cedar Lakes Estate has twin lakes with row boats for fishing and paddling, a 20-person paddle board, and a giant inflatable launch pad called The Blob. There are paths to hike and bike; hard courts for tennis and basketball, and fields for volleyball, kickball, softball, and football; plus lawn games like bocce, horseshoes, cornhole, and ladder toss. Take a yoga class or watch a movie under the stars for something more leisurely. This is summer camp for adults, and it’s glorious.

Airbnb

A storybook castle on the South Shore of Long Island

Brookhaven, New York; 1.5-hour drive from NYC
7 guests, $900 per night; airbnb.com

The Royal Castle is a 5,000-square-foot home that dazzles on nearly 10 acres of land, lending privacy fit for a fairy tale. Amenities include five bedrooms (the master has its own wing), imported tile throughout, and a 15-foot-long custom bar.

Should you want to leave the property, the village of Patchogue is a 15-minute drive to bars and restaurants, plus there’s no shortage of beaches on the South Shore and vineyards on the North Fork.

Airbnb

A treehouse that whisks you away from it all

Willow, New York; 2.5-hour drive from NYC
2 guests, $382; airbnb.com

For a whimsical stay in Woodstock, The Willow Treehouse is your top pick. It’s the perfect respite for lolling about in nature, and offers the kind of solitude needed to write the next great American novel. The treehouse is set back on a 34-acre property that overlooks a swimmable pond.

Sleep soundly in the king-size bed in the loft above the main living area. With skylights and floor-to-ceiling windows, you can glimpse the wooded property whether you’re cooking or reading. The pièce de résistance is a Swedish wood-burning hot tub just beyond the back deck, which is exactly where you’ll find us for the next 72 hours.

Joey Ruocco / Red Cottage Inc.

A 1930s manor with modern elegance

Youngsville, New York; 2.5-hour drive from NYC
8 guests, $450 per night; redcottageinc.com

Originally a farmhouse, now an enchanting white country home, Brookside Manor has acres and acres of land to explore (eight, to be exact). Apple and pear trees, blackberry bushes, and a babbling brook round out the property. Splay out and sunbathe on the large slabs of rock that stud the nearby stream, or lounge by the salt-water pool’s sundeck.

Birdwatch as you sip coffee from the breakfast nook each morning, and come nightfall, you can sit around the campfire circle. This is a bucolic dreamscape, and it’ll have you questioning if you should move upstate (for reference, Youngsville is about an hour-and-a-half west of Poughkeepsie).

@Dirtandglass

A cabin with a state park in its backyard

Kerhonkson, New York; 2.5-hour drive from NYC
10 guests, $279 per night; airbnb.com

Casa Minnewaska is aptly named; you can walk off the property right into Minnewaska State Park. Its 22,000 acres are a natural playground all year round with hiking, climbing, fishing (Roundout Creek is just down the driveway), and swimming in warmer months; with skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing come winter. Climbing buffs should take the 20-minute drive to the “Gunks” — aka the Shawangunk Mountains — for one- to three-pitch climbs of all levels of difficulty; you can also hike to multiple waterfalls.

The rustic cabin has two covered decks with a hot tub and swing — perfect for drinking in views of the Catskills. And should you want a proper drink, there are breweries and cideries galore in the neighboring area.

Airbnb

A fashion-forward townhouse in the heart of Hudson

Hudson, New York; 2.5-hour drive from NYC
2 guests, $549 per night; airbnb.com

Chic, rustic, and airy, This Old Hudson is a turn-of-the-century townhouse brimming with charm that reflects Hudson’s rich history. It was a bustling port town that experienced an industry boom in the 19th century, during which wealthy merchants crafted intricate Victorian homes still around to this day.

Plush beds, a Sonos sound system, and sweet provisions left by the hosts — wine and local cookies — bring modern comfort to balance out the more vintage, bare-bones elements (e.g., this isn’t a fully-functioning cook-in kitchen). You’re a quick walk from Warren Street, where you’ll find historic buildings, vintage shops, and quaint restaurants to boot.

Erik Freeland / Red Cottage Inc.

A New York farmhouse with southern charm

Narrowsburg, New York; 2.5-hour drive from NYC
8 guests, $600 per night; redcottageinc.com

A buttercup-yellow facade that has a rocking chair porch begging for you to kick back with some sweet tea, Fern Leaf Farmhouse gives you all the country charm and then some. It’s situated at the end of a private road — just 15 minutes from the main town of Narrowsburg, where you can hike or go antiquing along the Delaware River. The rental has its very own tennis court and heated salt-water pool with accompanying loungers.

True to its roots, there’s a generous farmhouse table, so you can gather friends or loved ones around for a board game or home-cooked meal. Cap off the night by roasting marshmallows by the cauldron-style outdoor fire pit; there’s enough seating for five.

Kelsey Ann Rose / Gather Greene

A glamping getaway that’s truly grounding

Coxsackie, New York; 2-hour drive from NYC
2 guests, $298 per night; gathergreene.com

This sprawling 100-acre property was a former dairy farm — verdant fields and rolling hills aplenty — but the main attraction can be seen along its ridgeline: Gather Greene sits between the Catskills and Massachusetts’ Berkshire Mountains, and the precipice gives you a clear shot of the alpine vista.

The cabins themselves (17 in all) are peppered close together and all boast a grand feature window with a mirror opposite to reflect the light and vegetation —plus air conditioning, heating, showers, and a mini fridge. Tree-lined stone paths guide you through the woods toward the stately pavilion with fire pits begging to be lit for s’mores. Don’t forget to look up: stargazing is as mesmerizing as a Broadway show for us urbanites.

Airbnb

An A-List A-Frame nestled in the Catskills

Hancock, New York; 2.5-hour drive from NYC
6 guests, $429 per night; airbnb.com

There are A-frames and then there’s this mid-century modern architectural marvel. TheCatskill A-Frame was built in 1964, but restored and renovated to maximize views and comfort. A true cabin in the woods, the quarter-acre property backs onto a tranquil vantage point: The two-tiered deck leads to a stream running off Silver Lake.

Go forest bathing or sit in Adirondack chairs with a glass of wine; the greenery of the western Catskill Mountains is as serene as it gets. When you finally retreat indoors, cook in the state-of-the art kitchen (think waterfall island with built-in range and Smeg appliances). The open-concept floor plan gives plenty of sightlines to the spiral staircase, but the real showstopper is the retro orange fireplace in the living room. Gather 'round with your vaccinated friends and get to whiskey-sipping, friends.

Clorox wants to help give you confidence to get back out there. That’s why they’ve partnered with the Cleveland Clinic and CDC Foundation to form the Clorox Safer Today Alliance™,helping brands like United Airlines, Enterprise, and AMC Theaters create healthier public spaces for us all. Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes also come in convenient on-the-go sizes, so you’re covered wherever you go.