Crossing the borders, great vacations a gas tank away

Megan Jicha • Hotel Accommodations - $165.00 a day • Food Expenses - $ 150.00 a day • Attraction Fees - $ 40.00 - $120.00 a day • Continuously filling the gas tank for travel - bankruptcy • Only having to fill the gas tank once for travel - priceless With gas prices at some of their highest rates ever, they are sure to put a dent in any vacationer’s pocket. But traveling cross- country is not a necessity for enjoying summer vacations. There are plenty of vacation spots over the state borders that are just a gas tank away. The nature of the Empire Although most think of the city when it comes to the Empire State, the city’s surrounding nature creates various environments suitable for both family vacations and couple’s getaways. • The Adirondacks -With a variety of activities, like camping in the six million acre Adirondack State Park, backpacking across the Northville-Placid Trail, or boating and fishing at Lake George, this mountain range allows for any family or couple to experience all the fun that can be had in nature. Or stay in a lodge or cottage at Lake Luzerne Harbor that still allows for all the outdoor activities, while giving one a bed to sleep in. Lake Luzerne Harbor offers guests the opportunity to go rafting, canoeing, horse back riding, golfing, or to take a hot air balloon ride over the mountain range. The Adirondacks are approximately 200 miles from Milford and Dingmans Ferry. • The Catskills - The Catskills mountain range holds vacation destinations for families and couples to admire nature in many different ways. The Lodge at Emerson place, which overlooks the Esopus Creek, lets vacationers spend the day horse back riding, mountain or road biking, or fly fishing, and then spend the night relaxing at their four-star spa. Hiking enthusiasts should look to stay at the Mohonk Mountain House, a 251-room Victorian castle with forest and winding trails surrounding the entire castle. In nearby Sullivan County, the Bethel Woods Performing Arts Center at the 1969 Woodstock Concert site has quickly become a travel destination. Get into the action a few miles east at Monticello Raceway, which hosts a state lottery-operated casino in addition to trotting racing. The Catskills are 100 miles or less from Milford and Dingmans Ferry. • Finger Lakes - A fun yet educational destination, Finger Lakes region is filled with museums and historical sites, such as, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Farmers Museum Village in Cooperstown, the George Eastman House of Photography in Rochester, the Rockwell Museum of Western in Corning, Mark Twain’s study in Elmira, and the Women’s Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls. Finger Lakes is approximately 255 miles from Milford and Dingman’s Ferry. • Turning Stone Casino Resort - This resort creates a small world for vacationers to spend an entire week in with the more activities than some county’s offer. With a full-service casino, five golf courses, a full-service salon and spa, and ten fine dining restaurants, there is always something to do at Turning Stone. The Turning Stone Casino Resort is approximately 220 miles from Milford and Dingmans Ferry. Touring the Garden If you’re unsure of the environment you want to vacation in, experience them all, rural, city, and beach, by touring through only the northern half of the Garden State. • Vernon - offers a variety of vacation attractions. Use up the families daytime energy at Mountain Creek Water Park, with 7 rides just for kids and 17 for adults; on the scenic trail rides of Legends Riding Stables; hiking the Appalachian Trail; or at the many mountain lakes found throughout the area. After the adventurous days, spend the nights relaxing at Minerals Resort and Elements Spa. On site, vacationers can enjoy golfing, seven nature pools, various sport courts, and a children’s spray grounds. Vernon, N.J. is approximately 40 miles from Milford and Dingmans Ferry. • Jersey City - Residing in New Jersey’s Gateway region, Jersey City is a gateway New York City. Before taking a ferry to the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island however, take in the attraction in Jersey City. The Liberty Science Center is an interactive museum for all ages, where children and adults can play to learn. Jersey City is approximately 75 miles from Milford and Dingman’s Ferry. • Seaside Heights - To spend a vacation by the water and in the sun, Seaside Heights offers an escape at the Jersey shore. Besides lying out on the beach and taking a dip in the ocean, Seaside Heights offers plenty of attractions for every vacationer. Both Casino Pier and Funtown pier offer over 40 rides for both kids and adults, and numerous carnival games. If the waves of the ocean water aren’t exciting enough, take on the water rides at Breakwater Beach with rides for everyone in the family. Catch a free concert on the beach every Monday at 7 p.m., free movies every Thursday at dusk, and free fireworks every Friday night. Seaside Heights, NJ, is approximately 140 miles from Milford and Dingmans Ferry. • Cape May - To experience a calmer, quieter side of the shore, drive down to the historic Cape May, in New Jersey’s Southern Shore Region. Vacationers here can enjoy bicycling, birding (Cape May is home to The World Series of Birding), carriage rides, ghost tours around the historic town, whale and dolphin watching, shopping on Washington Street Mall. Cape May, NJ, is approximately 215 miles from Milford and Dingman’s Ferry. • Trenton - Part of New Jersey’s Delaware River region, Trenton is a fun yet educational destination filled with museums and historical sites, such as the New Jersey State Museum, which features American art of the 19th and 20th centuries, a planetarium, Native American artifacts, and a children’s theater; the Trenton City Museum in the Ellarslie Mansion, which contains collections of art and artifacts related to both Trenton’s past and present; and the New Jersey State House, one of the oldest capitol buildings in America. Nearby also is: Trenton Thunder baseball, the AA affiliate of the New York Yankees; Grounds for Sculpture, a 35-acre sculpture park and museum; Adventure Aquarium, with 12 different exhibits and opportunities to swim with or get up close to numerous aquatic creatures; and Cowtown Rodeo, experience the west with professional barrel racing, bronc riding, bull riding, and steer wrestling. Vacationers can also get access to the Delaware River and go rafting, canoeing, or kayaking. Trenton, NJ, is approximately 110 miles from Milford and Dingmans Ferry. With local getaways across the border just a gas tank away, it only takes some creative planning to arrange a family vacation or a couple’s getaway that is sure to create lasting memories.