Weekends Away

The days are long again, you've spent the last year saving up sick days, and you're more than ready for a break from the old routine. Grab the kids and try some of these summer day getaways a short jaunt from home.

The Hamptons
Eastern Long Island
www.hamptons.com

The Hamptons and the areas surrounding the East End of Long Island have long been hailed as a great getaway for people looking to escape the City for a weekend. And although the recent popularity of the area among celebrities has given the Hampton beaches a reputation for luxury and excess, there are still ways to enjoy the Hamptons for a weekend on a more frugal budget.

Make reservations in advance to score special deals at bed & breakfasts and hotels in the area that are located more inland, and then walk or drive to the beach. Or, if you're looking to enjoy incredible views of the ocean at very little cost-try camping out with your family for the weekend. Spaces available to camp at places like the Hither Hills State Park in Montauk and the Cedar Point County Park in East Hampton are clean and comfortable and cost around $30 a night. Hither Hills offers incredible beachfront views while Cedar Point has a woodsier and more rustic appeal.

With a little planning ahead of time, it's easy to spend the days swimming and fishing, and enjoying the local restaurants and nightlife when the sun goes down in the Hamptons-even on a budget.

The Great Lake
Lake George, NY
www.lakegeorge.com

Townhouses are available on the shore of Lake George.

For a family trying to escape the City or a couple looking for a romantic respite, delving into options at Lake George would be a great vacation spot.

The upstate getaway offers so much for vacationers: hotels, houses, condos, bed and breakfasts, jet skiing, white water rafting, rock climbing and so much more. It's as beautiful as it is serene and it's the perfect morale refresher for those working through long hot summer days and nights.

Most townhouses, which are furnished, offer free amenities, including kayaks, canoes, paddle boats. Speedboat and Jet Ski could get pricy, but are enjoyable nonetheless. Fishing is the sport of choice and mornings are the operative time dropping the lines.

Bucks County
Pennsylvania
www.buckscounty.org

Located just a few hours away from the city in Pennsylvania is Bucks County-an ideal place to enjoy a romantic weekend filled with specialty shops and lots to do outdoors. With many bed and breakfasts, intimate restaurants, wineries and theatres, the towns and villages of Bucks Country are a wonderful place for a weekend retreat for two.

One of the main draws to Bucks County is the number of antique dealers in the area. These antiquing opportunities draw couples looking to furnish their homes with unique and historic décor from all over the nation. From architectural antiques to clothing and furniture, Bucks County boasts antique stores which appeal to every aesthetic. For summertime fun, visitors to areas in Bucks Creak such as New Hope, Newtown, Doylestown and Yardley can enjoy kayaking, horseback riding, rock climbing, canoeing, hiking, fishing and even ballooning in the sunshine.

North Fork
Long Island
(631) 298-5757
www.northfork.org

North Fork wineries host wine tastings for those of age.

For a weekend away with your significant other, North Fork is an optimal place to enjoy cultural activities and fine outdoor dining in a quiet, relaxed atmosphere. Home to numerous shops, art galleries and studios, North Fork is a great place to go window shopping-and see some amazing art at the same time.

The award-winning wineries of North Fork alone are worth the trip. To sample some of best local wine and grapes in Long Island, tastings and tours are available throughout the summer in numerous locations. For more information about the various wine tastings offered, check out www.northfork.org/wineries.html.

Seaside Heights
New Jersey Shore
www.seasideheights.net

Treat yourself to a day of sunshine in Seaside Heights.

Seaside Heights in New Jersey has all the ingredients of a summer getaway: a road trip, a beach, restaurants, a mini-amusement park and a boardwalk. Those components scream summer.

From its beautiful beaches and its mile-long boardwalk filled with many attractions to its magnificent sunrises and sunsets and exhilarating ocean air, Seaside Heights is magnetic. A community of 3,100 year-round residents, Seaside Heights expands to more than 30,000 in the summer. It's a compact town: almost a mile long and a third of a mile wide with everything within walking distance.

Hotels and townhouses accommodate family vacations and college and high school students looking for a good time. Jenkinson's Breakwater Beach Water Park is also loads of fun for all ages.There is a vibrant nightlife that suits the 21-and-over crowd.