Dear EscapeMakers — No car needed when you head to the cosmopolitan city of Kingston, NY! It's located on the banks of the Hudson River and just 2 hours from NYC!

A short taxi ride from the Amtrak Rhinecliff Station (RHI), Kingston is chock full of trendy shops, historic attractions, award-winning restaurants, boat rides, and more. Make sure to make time for a ride on the historic Catskill Mountain Railroad — especially if you have kids!

Every Saturday and Sunday through September 17th you can ride the beautiful Catskill Flyer. During the one-hour trip, you can sit inside the coach or on open-air flat cars for the ultimate views. Either way, you'll take in the natural beauty of the Catskills while relaxing on your ride. You'll travel through some of the oldest farmland in the country and will cross the Esopus Creek on the restored C9 Bridge before starting to climb Hurley Mountain!

Sundays are extra special — you get the same great ride, plus a delicious ice cream to enjoy. Check out their special "Twilight Rides," with live onboard music by Earl Pardini and the Slide Mountain String Band, as dusk turns into night. Trains leave from the Kingston Plaza, adjacent to Uptown Kingston's historic Stockade District.