EN
Left picture: Minnewaska State Park; Top right picture: beach at Sebago Cabin Camp; bottom right picture: Sebago Lake.
Still no plans for Labor Day? Let’s face it: D-1 before America’s most anticipated long weekend, it’s probably too late! You won’t find the beach house of your dreams in the Hamptons or the charming lakefront cottage in the Catskills. But don’t worry, we’re not going to leave you stranded in NYC. We’re launching a special weekend rescue operation! Did you know that within two hours of Manhattan there are many hidden lakes, reservoirs, streams and swimming holes? Let us take you to the beach for a day trip!
Heading upstate. Harriman State Park is just a 50-minute ride from Manhattan. There are several hikes around Bear Mountain. Our favorite: the loop that climbs from Hessian Lake and follows the Appalachian trail. At the top, imperial views of the Hudson River and the Bear Mountain bridge. A great reward after the effort is to enjoy a quick swim and dive in one of the park’s lakes. There are several swimming areas supervised by lifeguards (LakeTiorati or Welch Beach) but come closer, we’ll share a secret: the best hidden beach (not really authorized) is the one at Lake Sebago at the Cabin Camp. Castaway (but shhh… you didn’t get it from us). Good to know: you can also rent canoes and kayaks a bit further from the lake at Baker Camp.
For the more adventurous ones, further north, about 2 hours from NYC, is Minnewaska State Park with its beautiful lake and multiple waterfalls. A little piece of paradise. It’s of course possible to swim at the official beach but, here again, we’ll advise you to continue a little further: on the other side of the lake (at the opposite end of the diagonal) you’ll find a hidden swimming area in the middle of the rocks – less well-known and, above all, less visited!
So this weekend, forget about the Hamptons or staying at home with your AC running at the max level and escape upstate! We promise you a complete change of scenery with this immersive experience in New York’s wilderness.
For hiking, visit NY/NJ Trail Conference website, you’ll find all the different trails
Harriman State Park
To swim: the beach at Sebago Cabin Camp
To rent a Kayak, Canoe or Rowboat: Baker Camp (7 Lakes Drive, Sloatsburg / 845-351-4609)
Minnewaska State Park
To swim: a hidden swimming area on the other side of the lake’s official beach (at the opposite end of the diagonal)