Northeast Retreats for Every Type of Vacationer

Need a summer escape? Check out these weekend getaways.

If you’ve gotten halfway through summer and realized you still don’t have a weekend getaway on your calendar, you're in luck. Whether you’re looking to lay by the pool or indulge at one of the most highly-regarded restaurants in the country, this list should have you covered.

For the Activity Junkie

If you want to relive summer camp, The Sagamore on Lake George in Bolton Landing, N.Y., has you covered. Their 18-hole golf course has stunning views of the Adirondacks and has been lauded as one of the Top 100 courses in the world by both Golf Magazine and Golf Week. The property has an on-site rec center, indoor and outdoor pools, private yoga classes and hiking trails. If you're a waterbug, make sure you hire one of the locals who can take you out for water skiing and tubing. The hotel offers boat tours on The Morgan, a 19th century replica touring vessel, aboard which there are evening wine cruises in the summer.

Price: starts at $360 per night

For the Out of Office

Chatham Bars Inn located on Cape Cod is home to one of the most awe-inducing spas in the state of Massachusetts. It includes an adults-only outdoor pool, relaxation room, dry sauna, steam showers, nail boutique and a zen garden where you can get private treatments in one of their cabanas. If you’re feeling like having the spa come to you, book a spa suite complete with oversized hydrotherapy tubs and saunas. If you can tear yourself away from the holistic bliss, make sure to take the short drive to the Inn’s eight-acre farm, which provides the property’s five restaurants with the freshest seasonal produce.

Price: starts at $725 per night

For Ones With Something to Celebrate

As a D.C. native, it was a family tradition to go to The Inn at Little Washington for dinner whenever someone turned 21. (Unsure what happened to my turn, but I guess as the last of four children my parents got tired out…not that I’m still thinking about it.) Trust me, it is a truly spectacular experience. The first and only D.C.-area restaurant to obtain three Michelin stars—the inn is actually located in Washington, Va., about 70 miles outside of the nation’s capital—the kitchen operates like a machine. You can witness this firsthand if you have a party of six or more as you can book one of the two tables nestled directly inside the kitchen. My favorite part is the local cheesemonger (known as the resident Cheese Whiz) who comes around with a selection a la carte and only speaks in cheese puns. Oh, and the hotel isn’t too shabby either. A night booked at the hotel guarantees you a dinner reservation, so make sure to take advantage of the whole experience.

Price: starts at $1,200 per night (if you’re just dining in the restaurant, your meal starts at $328 per person)

For the Animal Lover

If you can’t bear to leave your four-legged friend at home, check out Rhode Island’s Weekapaug Inn. Their “pooch program” sets you up with the perfect dog-friendly room, beach access and a sitter or walker available 24/7. Among the amenities are welcome treats and a toy for your pet with an Annie Selke designer dog bed in your room. The inn sits on the waterfront at the southern tip of Rhode Island and is easy to get to by plane, car or train. Non-canine activities range from wine tastings to boat excursions. So all in all, bring the dog, leave the kids.

Price: starts at $920 per night (plus $195 pet fee)