When the piping hot pavement and overcrowded parks replace a love of Manhattan with the annual summer in the city claustrophobia, don’t duck and cover in the Hamptons. Consider Scotland instead.
There is such a place in the Hudson Valley that’s got everything but the bagpipes. Just 40 minutes north of NYC, Castle Hotel & Spa is that mysterious, medieval-style stone hotel, tucked away in 11 hilltop acres overlooking the Hudson River. You may have seen the clouds tiptoeing over the century-old towers as you crossed the Tappan Zee Bridge into Tarrytown.
In 1910, the second stage of the castle was completed under the direction of General Carroll, the son of a Civil War General. The property with the highest point in Westchester County still has paneling, found in the Oak Room, which was brought back from the General’s house in St. Germain near Paris. Since 1981, the luxury hotel has been designated a historic landmark.
Here you can take in a horseback ride at the nearby Rockefeller family preserve or play a game on the giant outdoor chessboard. With its rich history, peaceful honk-free setting, five-star restaurant, spa, bocce and tennis courts, regal pool area, goose-down comforters, and hiking and mountain biking trails, Castle on the Hudson has enough diversion to make two days feel like a week’s worth of vacation.
And just think about all the fare you’re saving by not flying to Scotland.
How to get there: Take Metro North/Hudson Line to the Tarrytown stop. Assuming you’ve called ahead, a Castle on the Hudson shuttle will be waiting to pick you up. Call 800.616.4487 or 914.631.1980 to make a reservation. To book online, click here. Review their calendar for upcoming events.
(Castle on the Hudson, 400 Benedict Ave., Tarrytown, NY, castleonthehudson.com)
Weekend Getaway to Castle on the Hudson
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The co-founder and editor-at-large at offMetro, Lauren is a sustainable travel specialist and freelance journalist with frequent bylines in National Geographic, Bicycling Magazine and Shape. Follow Lauren’s adventures at @laurenmati.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram