Guest post by Hostelbookers.com.
Escape the urban jungle this summer and explore what New York State has to offer thrill seekers on a budget. If you fancy getting out into some fresh air, there are ample opportunities just beyond the city. Here are five quintessential NY adventures that are only a few hours from Manhattan.
1. Surf on Long Island
A relative hop and a skip from the gridlocked metropolis of the city, Long Island is a surfers’ paradise. Long Beach and Ditch Plains in Montauk are most popular, with constantly changing conditions meaning beginners and seasoned pros can find different challenges every day. Go to Air and Speed shop in Montauk for rentals, lessons, wetsuits, and stand up paddle boarding. To rent a surfboard: $40/Day. To rent a beach cruiser bike: $25/Day.
2. Bike or Ski in the Catskills
You can visit Belleayre Mountain in the Catskills for year-round fun. Relax at Pine Hill Lake or Belleayre Beach, explore nature trails, and enjoy mountain biking for free at any of the Upper, Lower and cross-country routes. When snow dusts the slopes in winter, children can go skiing for free, and there are runs for beginners and intermediates, as well as more experienced skiers. The mountain is just two and a half hours from Manhattan, making this friendly, unpretentious and affordable resort a cool option for a weekend getaway.
3. Canoe at Lake Placid
The home of the 1980 Winter Olympics, Lake Placid in the Adirondacks has plenty to offer visitors year-round – including canoeing on the water itself in summer. Great for families, you can chose to canoe, kayak or paddleboard, and there are a wealth of connecting rivers and channels for exploring the region further afield. From Lake Placid you can also easily drive along route 86 to other Adirondack lakes, including Saranac and Oseetah in Ray Brook. A great adventure for water babies. If you’d rather not drive, the Placid Xpress offers a free shuttle service around various hot spots in the area, including Lake Placid Village, Olympic Center, the Lake Placid Train Station/Historical Society Museum, and several hotels. Take out a canoe from Mirror Lake Boat Rental for $25/hour.
4. Ride a Rollercoaster at Greek Peak
It’s a roller coaster… on a mountain! At Greek Peak Resort in the Finger Lakes, you can ride along 4,300ft of track wrapped around verdant mountain peaks and dips, 365 days of the year. Taking the scenic route through forest land and across gorges, the views are spectacular and the ride’s a thrill, with cars traveling at up to 28 miles an hour. The mountain coast leaves from the resort’s Adventure Center, which also has a bungee cord, zip lines, a rope challenge course and tubing lanes. The Mountain Coaster costs $10/ride or $49/day.
5. Hiking and Biking at Hunter
The rugged and steep terrain of Hunter Mountain makes it the perfect challenge for intrepid hikers. Elevations range from 600-4200 feet (making for absolutely stunning views), and there are miles and miles of trails to follow on different routes. If you love camping under the stars, spotting wildlife like porcupines, racoons and even bears, this getaway’s for you. Summer is the best time to hike, when the weather is mild and parties—like the Mountain Jam Fest, German Alps Festival, International Celtic Festival—not so much.
Hostelbookers.com is the web’s premier resource for hostel booking and is an easy, fee-free service to use when planning a budget-conscious getaway. Check out their worldwide listings and articles on everything from Geek Travel Tips to the most unusual hotels.
Photos: dpstyles, gabriel amadeus, dvs, Greek Peak, Bear Mountain Ziplining, Hunter Mountain, New York Kayak Company
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