Three "One-Tank-Getaway" Vacations from New York City

Everyone loves tradition, and one of our favorites is the summertime family road trip. In fact there are few things as Norman Rockwell as packing the family in the car, tying a cooler and a little extra luggage to the roof and heading off for a well-deserved vacation.

If you live in New York City, that has traditionally meant visiting other cities on the east coast such as Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and in recent years even Baltimore. In this rather worrying economy however, many families are choosing to scale back financially, so even those relatively modest trips can be an issue.

With that in mind, we're highlighting a few fun places that are closer than those traditional destinations, so a getaway will be easier on both the car and the wallet. They are, in short, One-Tank-Getaways from New York City that will either be new to you or will be pleasant reminders of some of the daytrips you may have made years ago.

1: Lake Wallenpaupack, Hawley Pennsylvania. At 109 miles and just a little over two hours drive time from midtown, Lake Wallenpaupack is a destination that offers outdoor and water-oriented family fun. Nestled in the northeast corner of the Pocono Mountains, the lake's natural beauty enhances all there is to do, including swimming, boating and fishing. There's also excellent hiking and golf nearby when you need a change of pace or a break from the water, and there are wildlife sanctuaries and state parks as well. (Winter is just as good a time to visit as there's also skiing in the area.)

The town of Hawley itself offers museums, summer theater, art galleries and historical buildings and landmarks. In short, the local chamber of commerce points out that Hawley puts on "fabulous Forth of July fireworks on the lake, arts and crafts fairs, concerts in Bingham Park, Ice Tee Golf Tournament, Chili Wing Cook off and much, much more."
Weekly and seasonal rentals are plentiful, and can be found at Wallenpaupack .com

2: Lake Compounce, Bristol Connecticut. Almost exactly the same distance and time from midtown as Lake Wallenpaupack, Lake Compounce bills itself as "New England's Family Theme Park and the oldest continuously operating amusement park in North America." While this is true and the area does actually have a long and colorful history as a popular park, your kids won't care as soon as they set eyes on all the outstanding rides and attractions. Plan to spend at least one or two full days here as the park covers 332 acres which are home to four roller coasters, a full-sized water park called Splash Harbor and forty more attractions that run the gamut from standard kiddy fare such as bumpercars to the more exotic ski-lift "Sky Ride" that takes you to the top of Compounce Mountain.

Strollers and wheelchairs may be rented for six and five dollars respectively; lockers are available as well, and of course height restrictions apply on some of the rides, so make sure your little ones are wearing lifts.

3: Spring Lake, New Jersey. As much fun as it can be spending vacation time with the whole family, it's just as important that Mom and Dad get some alone time as well. Spring Lake can be just the spot; just 64 miles and an hour from midtown, it's a quiet, romantic town on the Jersey shore. Unlike its neighbors to the north and south, Spring Lake remains a quiet haven because it has none of the raucous, boardwalk-driven nightlife; instead there are upscale restaurants, beautiful inns (We particularly like The Chateau. It has the ambiance of an old fashioned inn but still has amenities like hot-tubs and bicycle rentals.) and a chance to relax on their long stretch of clean, uncluttered beach.

So while these three destinations may not be as splashy as a trip to Vegas or a week at Disney, they will certainly give you a chance to relax and have a little fun without breaking the bank... or your gas budget.

Sources:
Google Maps
springlake.org
lakecompounce.com
wallenpaupack.com
chateauinn.com