Spring break staycations that won’t break the bank

Looking forward to finally getting a real spring break after two years, but don’t want to be coming back broke? Here’s some ideas for affordable and memorable trips (mostly) outside the city.

Tristán Queriot Rodríguez Vélez, Contributing Writer
March 10, 2022

After two years, we’ve finally caught an actual spring break from NYU. For many, this means it’s almost time for that long-awaited trip to Cancún or Miami with your friends. For those of us leaning more to the frugal-slash-poor side of the equation, it just means keeping true to the time-honored ritual of sitting around at home doing nothing until classes start back up again. 

However, that’s no longer the case — if you’re in New York City, here are a few spring break getaway ideas that’ll just get you out of the NYU bubble, won’t break the bank, and will most definitely be a worthy contender in post-spring break conversation against your rich friend’s retelling of their trip to Old San Juan.

Beacon

An artificial waterfall in Beacon, New York. The waterfall is about 10 feet tall and 60 feet wide, and the water is dark gray.
A waterfall located at the end of Main Street in Beacon, New York. The town features restaurants, cafes and galleries. (Photo by Tristán Queriot Rodríguez Vélez)

A classic and possibly my personal favorite — mostly because it feels like being in a town in The Sims (but I say that about every small town I’m ever in). A small, relatively walkable town with a bustling Main Street full of all kinds of stores (my favorite is Flora Good Times, highly recommend if you’re a plant lover!), restaurants, cafes and galleries — and even a neat little waterfall at the end. Definitely also check out the Dia Beacon, a contemporary art museum inside a former Nabisco box-printing facility located right next to the train station (but make sure to reserve tickets online in advance; it’s a highly coveted destination for other city folk). You can get here by way of the Metro North from Grand Central; it’s $35 round-trip off-peak and the trip is between one-and-a-half to two hours.

Woodstock

Ashokan Reservoir. There is a long road; to the right there is green pasture and to the left there is a lake that extends until multiple trees together form a small forest at the end.
The pedestrian and bicycle paths along the Ashokan Reservoir in Woodstock, New York, make this town a walkable destination for outdoors enthusiasts. (Photo by Daniel Case, via Wikimedia Commons)

Who hasn’t heard the name Woodstock? Known for lending its name to that one music festival, Woodstock is also renowned for being quite pedestrian-friendly! It’s home to the beautifully strollable Ashokan Reservoir and the world’s largest kaleidoscope. A trip to Woodstock is less than three hours via an Adirondack Trailways bus, and will cost you around $60 round-trip. It’s a bit more on the expensive side compared to other items on this list, but, y’know, it’s Woodstock!

Rockaway Beach, Queens

A picture of a sunset over the beach. At the bottom of the picture there are some wood logs near the shore. City Island, The Bronx: A bridge over a lake with green lamp posts at the top. To the right near the shore, there are multiple gray rocks.
Rockaway Beach can be reached by a quick and affordable $2.75 ferry ride from Manhattan and features beaches, boardwalks, stores and restaurants. (Photo by Tristán Queriot Rodríguez Vélez)

Another favorite of mine because I tend to go here all the time on my own just to sit by the beach and think of home — cue “Big Blue” by Vampire Weekend. I know you might be thinking that it’s still way too cold to go to the beach, and you’d be right, if you weren’t one of the many surfers who routinely ride the frigid waves of the Rockaways during the winter. There’s still plenty to do here besides going for a dip. Even the ferry trip there is a memorable and picturesque — albeit windy — experience! It’s also insanely affordable — you can take a ferry from the Financial District for only $2.75. Once you’re there, you can walk, bike or skate the boardwalk, grab a bite and drink at Rockaway Beach Surf Club, or make it all the way to the last few stretches of beach, where you’ll find plenty of stores, restaurants and places to stockpile snacks. It’s one of the best places to go when you need to get the city off your back.

City Island, the Bronx

A bridge over a lake with green lamp posts at the top. To the right near the shore, there are multiple gray rocks.
The bridge connecting Pelham Bay Park to City Island in the Bronx. The small island features many seafood restaurants and the City Island Nautical Museum. (Image via Wikimedia Commons)

This pseudo-tropical getaway featured as the fictional Eagle’s Island in Wes Anderson’s “The Royal Tenenbaums.” Like the Rockaways, City Island is a beachy and affordable getaway from the tumult of the city. It’s a bit sleepier since it’s not summer right now, which means you’ll have plenty of space to yourself when checking out one of the many seafood restaurants in the neighborhood, exploring the City Island Nautical Museum, or shopping for vintage toys at 239 Play. And like the Rockaways, it’s only $2.75 to reach this quasi-paradise — take the 6 train to Pelham Bay Park, and from there transfer to the Bx29 bus.

New Paltz

Three houses together and a small deli next to a road. The house on the far left is made out of whitewashed bricks, the house next to it is brown, and the third is red. A deli and parked cars border the street in front of the houses and deli.
The quaint yet lively main street in New Paltz, New York. A balance of indoor and outdoor activities make New Paltz a destination with a wide range of options. (Photo by Daniel Case, via Wikimedia Commons)

New Paltz is a great destination for history buffs, or just people who appreciate ruins and old buildings. It’s also surrounded by the Shawangunk Mountains, which makes the scenery of the town quite a sight. A lively Main Street runs through the town, and like Beacon’s, is chock full of restaurants, galleries and restaurants featuring a diverse array of cuisines — I recommend checking out the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at SUNY New Paltz, which hosts exhibits by artists both from the Hudson Valley and around the world. If you’re more the outdoorsy type, you can stroll, bike, hike or even horseback ride around the 8,000 acre Mohonk Preserve. To get to New Paltz, take the Metro North to Poughkeepsie, then from there, take the UPL-WB bus; off-peak, it’s around $40 round-trip.

Contact Tristán Queriot Rodríguez Vélez at [email protected].