MORNING OR AFTERNOON

No matter what time you fly into New York – either into JFK or LaGuardia on any number of carriers – there’s going to be plenty to do and see. However, with Vermont on the horizon, you don’t want to overextend your energies before hitting the slopes. Getting this trip started is all about balance. Still, the city offers much to explore, and it’s only natural that you’ll want to dip your toes.

Grab your rental car and head to the Upper West Side, where the bright orange letters of Zabar’s are waiting. Mornings are for some of the best bagels and schmear in the city. Afternoons are for Rachel’s and Rubens, stacked high at the deli counter. Nosh in hand, head four blocks west and find a Central Park bench for lunch. People watching is a New York tradition steeped in history, and there’s no better place to take part.

Fueled for the next adventure, choose one of the many nearby museums and art collections to explore. Just across the park, the world-class Metropolitan Museum of Art is a close, obvious choice. But there are other great options as well, including the Frick Collection, The Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, and the American Museum of Natural History. Take as much time as you need, but ensure that you’re ready and rested for the drive ahead. After all this history, art, and culture, it’s time to drive north into the picturesque and flowing farmscapes of Vermont.

Morning

Start your mountain day at the Sun Bowl Base Lodge, where you’ll find convenient slopeside parking, rentals, and retail shops. Kick things off on one of Stratton’s best-kept secrets, Upper Middlebrook, which features a blend of steep pitches and winding turns. Legs warm and stoke high, stick to the theme and make an effort to check off all of the black diamond ‘Uppers’ on the hill: Upper Kidderbrook, Upper Tamarack, Upper Standard, and Upper Spruce.

AFTERNOON

If you’re still working across the ‘Uppers,’ make sure to head over to Upper Slalom Glade, particularly if it’s been snowing. Take some turns through this steep, off-the-beaten-path, tree-lined run that is infamous for holding deep powder stashes. After conquering this series of steeps and deeps, it’s time for a quick pick-me-up between runs. The Fire Tower Restaurant & Tavern in Stratton Village is a must-visit for one of their famous “Bacon Old-Fashioned” cocktails, complete with bacon-infused Maker’s Mark and Vermont’s Maple Liqueur. With your liquid second wind, it’s time for a leisurely afternoon of cruising laps through The Meadows.

Morning

Wake up early and grab a quick bite from one of Stratton’s many village eateries. Then hit the road for the beautiful trip back to New York City, with plenty of upstate New York charm – Hudson River Valley, the Catskills, and more – to explore along the way.

Afternoon & Evening

Back in New York City, it’s time to dive into its robust multicultural melting pot of experience and adventure. Given the array of food, art, architecture, sights, sounds, and smells, no two trips here are alike. To keep your visit authentic, strive to mix and match tourist activities with local sensibilities.

Find your way to the Highline – an old defunct elevated train trestle turned city park – to kick start some seriously wistful wandering. From this vantage point, the city can feel like it spans out from under you, inviting you eastward into its late afternoon shadows. Accept this invitation and exit the Highline near the cobbled streets of the West Village, where you can poke your head into boutiques, bakeries, and ogle oddities.

When hunger strikes, it’s time to seek the Lower East Side, where the options for dinner are as ranging as they are plentiful. Dine across any number of delicacies before turning your attentions north to the East Village and Death & Co’s famed cocktail list.

As the night begins to take shape, it’s time to seek out one of the many entertainments that make this city unique. From world-class concerts to Broadway shows, from comedy clubs to dive bars, the options here are truly unlimited, and – as when in the mountains – the more adventurous the pursuit, the higher the reward.