If you don’t have any grand holiday getaway plans but still want to do something special on the fourth, celebrate your independence with one of these four easy escapes from the city. Each activity—from a Shakespeare Festival in the Hudson Valley to a private beach retreat in Montauk—are all accessible without the car from NYC and are sure to be more memorable than the big bada boom.
Pack a picnic and cruise over to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, reopening on July 4th. ($17)
How to get there: Take the Statue Cruises ferry from Battery Park.
Go on a Discover Outdoors adventure, be it a Surprise Lake Hike, a Horseback, Hayride & Cookout, or July 4th Hike, Swim & BBQ. (From $69)
How to get there: Roundtrip transportation is included.
Watch a performance of The Three Musketeers at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival in Garrison. (From $29)
How to get there: Take Metro North to Cold Spring, then a $1 trolley ride to the festival at historic Boscobel House and Gardens. The festival can also arrange for taxi service at a discounted rate of $8 to/from the Cold Spring Station.
Relax in a white bean bag with a cold beverage and stay for sunset at the Navy Beach in Montauk; add on a catamaran sail around Long Island with a group of friends aboard the Heron, which docks at the restaurant. (From $150/guest, includes food and drinks, with a minimum of six guests)
How to get there: Take the LIRR or Hampton Jitney.
Note: If you already have plans for July 4th, the good news is you can enjoy these activities all summer long.
For a weekend getaway idea, read our travel guide to Bristol, RI, home to the oldest Fourth of July celebration in the United States.
Photos: laverrue, Kevin Cafaro, Navy Beach, Statue Cruises
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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. 
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