The Catskills begin just 90 miles northwest of New York City, close enough that a mountain getaway doesn't require much planning, especially mid-week when the trails are quieter and the slopes are yours. Pine forests open to valley views, waterfalls tumble through shaded ravines, and Hunter Mountain anchors it all with skiing in winter with hiking and festivals in summer. Small villages scattered through the valleys offer farm-to-table dining and the area’s signature slower pace.

Saratoga Springs calls itself the Spa City, and it earns the name. Natural mineral springs have bubbled up here for centuries, and the Roosevelt Baths still offer soaking in the carbonated waters. But Saratoga is equally famous as a racing town. The Saratoga Race Course opened in 1863 and remains America’s oldest sporting venue. For six weeks each summer, the wooden grandstands fill and the whole town vibrates with the energy of thundering hooves.