Hallmark-style summer towns to visit in the Northeast

Looking for a great getaway that's just a car or train ride away? Explore one of these magical, quaint towns that are chock-full of charm, history and fun things to do that may have you feeling like you're in a Hallmark movie.

COLD SPRING, NEW YORK

DRIVING DISTANCE FROM MELVILLE: About 1.5 hours away

ACCESSIBLE BY TRAIN: Take the Long Island Rail Road to Grand Central Terminal, then transfer to Metro-North’s Hudson Line to Cold Spring (mta.info/schedules); MTA offers combo tickets between the LIRR and Metro North. 

Set along the Hudson River in Putnam County, the village of Cold Spring combines small-town charm and magnificent mountains.

Known for its hiking trails within the Hudson Highlands mountains, Cold Spring has a variety of hikes to try including the strenuous Bull Hill (Mount Taurus), the moderately difficult Cornish Estate Trail in Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve and the easy West Point Foundry Preserve and Little Stony Point trail. Parking is free, but spots fill up early.

Staying on flat ground, take a walk along Main Street, where you’ll find shops, like the Cold Spring Antiques Center, featuring 27 dealers in a former 19th century bank, Cold Spring General Store (for Cold Spring branded keepsakes), The Shoppes at Historic Palen’s Drug Store (records, jewelry, art), Burkelman (pillows, rugs, towels and other home decor) and Antipodean Books (for antiquarian books, maps and prints).

Take the seven-stop scavenger hunt through Let’s Roam’s website, (letsroam.com), where you’ll finish at Jewel of the Hudson, where sunsets are said to turn the water golden.

Other sights to visit include the Putnam History Museum, which is located in the former West Point Foundry schoolhouse and features art, artifacts and archives tracing the history of Putnam County; admission is free.

Water sports enthusiasts should check out Hudson River Expeditions for paddleboarding and kayaking (both $30 per hour; $50 for two hours) and tours ($80-$130 for single kayaks).

Indulge in a cone of artisanal pineapple, fig, caramel chocolate chip ice cream at Moo Moo’s Creamery that you can slurp at the Foundry Dock Park where you’ll enjoy views of the Hudson and spy West Point across the water.

WHERE TO STAY

Located right on the river, Hudson House River Inn, is a circa 1827 inn with 13 rooms and a celebrated restaurant. Rooms start at $259 per night.

The circa 1825 Pig Hill Inn is a B&B with nine rooms, most with fireplaces or wood-burning stoves and a gift shop. Prices start at $205 per night.

WOODSTOCK, VERMONT

DRIVING DISTANCE FROM MELVILLE: About 4.5 hours away

History abounds in downtown Woodstock, Vermont — not to be confused with the New York town and site of the famous three-day music festival in 1969 — from the pink sandstone exterior of Norman Williams Public Library, dating to the 1880s to the Billings Farm & Museum: a functioning dairy farm and 1890 farmhouse with exhibits that recreate 19th century farm life (admission: $23; $14 for children).

For history and charm, check out the Taftsville, Lincoln and Middle covered bridges.

In nearby Plymouth, the Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site is the circa 1840 home where Coolidge was raised and later sworn in as the 30th U.S. president ($12; $4 for children).

Located on a scenic road, Sugarbush Farm (free) is a 500-acre farm where you can try free samples of cheese and maple syrup and learn about the tree-tapping process. Bourdon Maple Farm offers tours of the sugarhouse where you can learn how maple syrup is made (adults $20; free for kids under 10).

Surrounded by the Green Mountains, Woodstock is a great destination for hiking on Mount Tom, Mount Peg and King Farm Trail as well as various trails in the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park (free). The town is also acclaimed for its mountain biking and boasts a network of trails with various levels of difficulty.

A few miles from Woodstock, Quechee Gorge is the deepest gorge in Vermont and part of the 612-acre Quechee Gorge State Park, where you can hike, fish along the Ottauquechee River and simply take in the natural beauty.

For something different, visit New England Falconry where you can learn about the exciting world of raptors. Introductory sessions, like the intro to owls, where you can see a spectacled owl fly and land from falconer to falconer ($95 per participant; $30 for nonparticipating observers).

Find unique gifts at Collective the Art of Craft (handcrafted glass, clothing, lamps, jewelry, etc.) and Clover Gift Shop (Vermont-made gifts, unique home decor, body care products) and don’t go home before trying a maple creemee, soft serve made with pure maple syrup — the quintessential Vermont treat — from Woodstock Scoops.

WHERE TO STAY

As its name implies, On the River Inn is a riverfront inn with 45 rooms, including farmhouse suites, starting at $222 per night. The inn has a restaurant, 506 Bistro and Bar, for patrons to grab a bite and drinks.

Another riverside escape, The Shire has 49 rooms, starting at $231 per night. The hotel is a five-minute walk from downtown Woodstock.

LAMBERTVILLE, NEW JERSEY

DRIVING DISTANCE FROM MELVILLE: About 2 hours away

You get two scenic cities in two states with a visit to Lambertville, which sits along the Delaware River, directly across from New Hope, Pennsylvania.

Designated as bicycle friendly by the League of American Cyclists, Lambertville is a spot to ride along the cycling trails adjacent to the Delaware and Raritan Canal, which runs parallel to the Delaware River. Parking is free.

Strollers can’t go wrong ambling along the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park towpath, where you can cross a pedestrian bridge to New Hope. The park is free.

History lovers can take a free, self-guided walking tour through the Lambertville Historical Society, which includes 44 Coryell St., one of the oldest homes in the city that dates to 1797; the circa 1816 home of James Wilson Marshall, who discovered gold in Coloma, California, in 1848, triggering the California Gold Rush; and Lewis Island, the last shad fishery on the Delaware River.

Stroll around downtown with its Victorian and Federal-style architecture and browse or shop at Highlands Art Gallery, Artists’ Gallery, Haas Gallery and A Mano Galleries.

For antiques, try the Antiques Center at the People's Store, A Touch of the Past Antiques and the Golden Nugget Flea Market, a 50-year-instutution and local gold mine for antiques, collectibles and art.

The whole family will love the retro Del-Vue Arcade Club with its Skee-Ball, air hockey and video games, such as Donkey Kong, Pac-Man and Super Bikes II. Admission is free, but players are charged 25 cents to $1.50 for arcades games and $1 to $2 for other games.

Adults can sample wines, tapas and live music at Tomasello Winery Tasting Room and musical theater aficionados will enjoy Music Mountain Theatre, where the 'The Will Rogers Follies" runs from Aug. 7- 30 and families can enjoy "Disney's Aladdin Kids," through Aug. 15 or "Alice in Wonderland," Aug. 21-29.

WHERE TO STAY

A historic inn dating to 1812, Lambertville House has 26 rooms and suites, starting at $235 per night, a restaurant and lounge and a hot tub.

Once a historic 19th century train station, Lambertville Station Restaurant and Inn is now a restaurant and inn with 46 contemporary rooms, starting at $263 per night.