One thing this pandemic has taught me is we don’t have to hop on a plane to travel. Forced to find things to do within New York State, I had the most fun discovering what my city and state had to offer that does not require me to be in close quarters with strangers. I took it as a challenge to find and share places to go and things to see within this great state (or nearby states) and show that you needn’t look too far to travel.

Explore a garden

I saw pics of the beautiful Untermyer Park and Gardens on Instagram and was embarrassed to learn it is in Yonkers, just a 25 minute drive from the Bronx. I had to experience it on my own, so we made reservations, which is required to control the flow of traffic during the pandemic. We sent on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Let’s just say it’s a good thing you have to make reservations. Seems like everyone had the same idea that day. It was Labor Day weekend, so I was not shocked. Still had a blast exploring the gardens and taking in the view of the Hudson.

Stroll through a sunflower field

Okay, granted this a bit late for the east coast, because it’s cold and they’re gone until next year. I’m not a sunflower expert, so I don’t know when they peak in other parts of the country. If you know of any fields nearby I encourage you to take a walk through. This was surprisingly therapeutic. There is something about sunflowers that immediately lifts my spirits.

Castle Hill is a charming farm is in Newtown, CT and only an hour from NYC. We got there on the later end of the summer. It was cool so the flowers were a bit droopy, but as the morning went by they slowly began to wake up. If you live on the North East coast and wish to visit a sunflower field, please do not wait until September. They were still so beautiful and I felt much better after my stroll.

Castle Hill’s corn maze is 8 acres and I had every intention of returning for Halloween but did not make it. Every year their maze takes on a different theme and this year they paid homage to the frontline workers who continue to work diligently to save lives during the pandemic. Check is out!

Visit a sculpture park

If you love art but do not want to go into a museum during the pandemic then a sculpture park is perfect for you. We spent Halloween at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ and were impressed. It is about 1.5 hours from the city and we spent four hours there. There is so much to see. Tickets are $18 for adults. Veteran discounts are available. You have to make a reservation online.

Honestly, these photos don’t do the place justice. Every piece is amazing. It was worth the drive.

I’m always on the lookout for more outdoorsy things to do during the pandemic. If you live in or near NYC, do you have any suggestions? And for everyone else, is there somewhere in your city, state, county or village that you would like to try but never considered before the pandemic?

Let me know in the comments 😊