5 Beautiful Cities for Cheap Vacations in New York This Winter
Written by
Laura Beck
Edited by
Levi Leidy
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Dreaming of a winter getaway that won’t drain your savings? Here’s where to find New York’s magic without the Manhattan markup.
Lake Placid
Lake Placid’s like that perfect snow globe you had as a kid, minus the tourist prices. In winter, this Olympic village gets real cozy — think hot chocolate by fire pits and trails all to yourself. A family can do a week here for $1,800: $800 gets you a decent hotel (ask for winter rates), food runs about $85 a day if you mix diners with nicer spots and $400 covers fun stuff like touring those Olympic sites. Grab that Olympic Sites Passport — total game-changer for savings.
Saratoga Springs
Saratoga Springs feels like you’re walking through some fancy historical movie in winter, but your wallet won’t know it. The streets are quiet, the mineral springs still bubble and everything’s cheaper than race season. Budget about $1,500 for a week — $700 for a hotel, $500 for food (hit the local spots) and $300 for museums and those famous spas. Here’s a local trick: Book spa treatments Tuesday through Thursday for half off.
Ithaca
Ithaca’s a whole different world when the college kids clear out. Those gorges freeze into something straight out of a fantasy movie, and hotels practically give rooms away. The whole week runs about $1,300. That’s $600 for a nice place to stay, $500 for food (the restaurant scene’s ridiculous for a small town) and $200 left for wandering around Cornell or hitting the state parks.
Kingston
Up in Kingston, you get all that Hudson Valley charm without selling your firstborn. First capital of New York, and it shows — in a good way. Figure $1,300 for the week: $650 for a bed, $450 for food (the historic district’s full of deals) and $200 for poking around all those old buildings that look even better with snow on them.
Skaneateles
Skaneateles might be hard to spell, but it’s easy on the budget come winter. This Finger Lakes spot looks exactly like those Christmas movies you pretend not to watch. A week here runs $1,450; $700 for lodging, $500 for food and $250 for checking out wineries and whatever’s happening on the lake.
Best bet? Go midweek, hunt down those winter festivals (free stuff everywhere) and maybe grab a place where you can cook some meals. Pack extra socks — New York winter’s no joke, but that’s kind of the point, right?
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