Where New York Creatives Go To Rest & Unplug

When it comes to city escapes, New Yorkers are experts. The surrounding concrete, while fabulous most of the time, can also create an insatiable need for grassy pastures and blossoming trees. That's why so many city dwellers keep nature-filled destinations in their back pockets—each easy enough to access when in need of fresh air. Many of their go-to spots are just a few hours away from Manhattan and easily accessible via the Long Island Rail Road, Amtrak, or Metro-North.

If you're looking for a destination to unwind as the temperatures rise in the city, we've tapped some of the most stylish New Yorkers for their most beloved destinations (no gatekeeping here).

Alexis Badiyi is a New York City based stylist, consultant, and contributing editor. For Badiyi, Peconic Bay in Long Island create the perfect juxtaposition to city life—calm, quiet, and water clean enough to dip your toes into.

"Being in nature is one of the ways I regulate my nervous system, dream, and create. Living in New York, it feels important to seek out pockets of stillness wherever I can. One of my favorite places to drop into nature is Peconic Bay on Long Island. To me, it is one of the most serene places in New York."

Jalil Johnson is the author of beloved Substack newsletter, Consider Yourself Cultured, where he offers unexpected styling combinations and inspiration for making everyday outfits better. Johnson escapes the city by heading to Cape Cod, where he spends his time savoring the little things.

"My favorite place to go during the summer is Cape Cod. I've been going there for the past six summers, and it's always the highlight of the season. What I love about the Cape is there's an understated luxuriousness to the area; there isn't necessarily the same pomp and circumstance that follows some other summertime locales. All you really need to have a good time is a lobster roll and a visit to the Chuffy Emporium."

Actor and producer Francesca Keller spends her summers escaping the noise of the city on the North Fork. It's serene bays and quiet towns make the destination a dream for creativity. "I love going to the north fork. It’s closer than the Hamptons and a lot less snobby. We don’t have the ocean but we do have the bay! There are farmers markets, sweet local shops, and quiet beaches. When it’s low tide you can walk miles out into the water. It’s magical. While you’re there don’t forget to stop at Aldo’s Coffee for a mocha and a scone."

New York City's acne whisperer Sofie Pavitt spends most of her days in her studio in lower Manhattan. When the long week is done, she heads to Rhode Island with her family, where she unwinds by the pool and layers up on sunscreen. "Firstly, I'm obsessed with hydrangeas and the New England hydrangeas are the best I've ever encountered," she says. "I also grew up on a cold beach and so I'm perfectly happy in the winter on a beach as well as the summer—it stops me from working 7 days a week and we have escaped here as much as possible since 2020."

Celebrity hair colorist and founder of Jenna Perry Hair, Jenna Perry escapes the hustle and bustle of Manhattan by heading to upstate New York—specifically Ulster County along the Hudson River. "By traveling a few hours upstate, the noise disappears. Ulster County is filled with fresh air, quiet mornings, clear starry night skies," she says. "Every time I'm there, I remember how good it feels to slow down."

Professional ballet dancer Violetta Komyshan finds a way to touch grass even in Manhattan. She'll spend afternoons at Washington Square Park, with her pup Julietta. "I love to walk my dog to Washington Square Park and make it a goal of mine to walk in the grassy area whenever I am there," she says. "It makes me feel more connected to Earth in a city where that feeling can be easily lost."

For photographer Quil Lemons, there's no better destination to unwind from busy city life than Hudson, New York—specifically the Pocketbook Hotel. "My current favorite place to escape New York City and reconnect with nature is Pocketbook Hudson," he says. "I recently spent part of my honeymoon there with my husband, and it was the perfect retreat: peaceful, restorative, and just far enough from the city to truly unwind while still being easily accessible."