A day away from New York, where to go?

[Bob]

Day trip to Connecticut. Itinerary:

1. Drive I-95N to Exit 6. At end of exit, turn into the parking lot for City Limits Diner. Have a huge breakfast! Try the french toast with 100% Vermont maple syrup.
2. Get back on I-95N, get off at Exit 24, then travel about a mile east to the cemetery where P.T Barnum and Tom Thumb are buried. See the gravesites and wonder why "there's a sucker born every minute." Also see the tropical monk parakeets who inhabit the cemetery grounds. Ask locals for directions. This way to the egress...
3. Take CT Route 8 northbound to the Merritt Parkway north. See the unique overpasses, designed by George H. Dunkelberger back in the 40s. When you reach Meriden, go west on I-691 and exit at CT Route 322. Turn left at end of exit, then travel east on this road for 2.5 miles to Hubbard Park. Turn left into the park, and ask locals to find the park's access road to Castle Craig...highest point within 25 miles of the shoreline from Maine to Florida. On a clear day, see to Vermont, Massachusetts, and Long Island.
4. When leaving Hubbard Park, go west on CT 322 and pick up I-691 west. Go about 5 miles and the road ends at I-84 west. Go to top of hill, take the exit for CT Route 68 (or is it 70...not sure about this). Turn left at end of exit. Go to top of hill and see Blackie's Restaurant. World's best hot dogs...and homemade relish.
5. Don't eat too many dogs at Blackie's...you have to save room for the world's best ice cream, about 7 miles away at Sweet Claude's. To get there, go back down the hill on Route 68 (70?), turn right onto CT Route 10, then travel for about three miles. Sweet Claude's is on your left. The triple chocolate and caramel cashew flavors are the best.
6. Stay on CT 10 southbound, travel straight into downtown New Haven. Get out of the car and walk around the Yale campus. Free tours on Sundays, if you get there on time. Worth it.
7. Time to head home...back on I-95 south. Get off at Exit 24 or so, and ask locals for directions to Pepe's Pizza in Fairfield. Outstanding pizza...as good as what you would get at the original pizzeria at Wooster Street in New Haven.
8. Hop back on I-95 south, to the big city.

Your day in CT. (if you don't get lost)

[Derek2k3]

Mohonk Mountain House, about 2 hours away.

http://www.mohonk.com/

Yep, so close and beautiful. The entire ride up the Hudson is gorgeous. Just take the local roads by the riverand travel through some of the small towns. So happy most areas north of the city hasn't been ruined by sprawl.

[eddhead]

^^ Wow, gorgeous pictures!