McLaurie--We would rent a car. Do you mean that the whole trip would be boring, or just the drive to the Hamptons?

I just meant the drive is boring ;) and looong. It takes at least 2 hrs. I thought breaking it up with a stop or two would be nice.

Does it make any sense to drive through Brooklyn to see some of the interesting parts--on the way to the Hamptons. Or is that too much of a detour?

A couple of other options depending on your likes/dislikes is Mystic Seaport (2hrs east), Atlantic City (2hrs south).

Brooklyn is really out of the way to drive to LI and since most of it is very accessible by subway, I don't know what you would gain by driving there. At that time of year, the art museum is really the best stop. The Brooklyn Promenade in Brooklyn Heights has great views of NYC and the Heights is a lovely neighborhood, but you can't find free parking there so what's the point? If you want to see Brooklyn, do it w/o the car.

What specifically are you interested in seeing in the Hamptons?

We would be in NYC for about a week, so we thought it might be nice to get out of town for a night. Interested in scenic towns, scenic beaches--as you can see--nothing very specific!

I recommend Mohonk Mountain House. It's an 1869 Victorian Castle on a lake in New Paltz, NY which is approx 90 miles north of NYC. Check out their website for more info.

RedETogo: Just remember December's weather can be tricky. If you choose a place to stay over night (i.e. Mohonk Mountain), be sure to know the cancellation policy ahead of time in case of bad weather otherwise you may forfeit your deposit. If you go during peek holiday time, up to 7 days notice may be required. I not discouraging you from taking a jaunt, just want you to be prepared!

P.S. I like your screen name :)

Mohonk Mountatin House is an extremely old-fashoned resort - can;t imagine there would be a lot going on there in the middle of winter. (Usual activities are hiking, bird watching, etc - and I believe thay have a lake.) The rooms are not very luxurious, there are no TVs or modern amenities - and food is reported to often be of the stream table variety. I believe they often do Mystery weekend productions here.

There are a lot of quaint B&Bs (charming, good food, rooms with fireplaces, jacuzzis etc) in the Hudson Valley - this is definitely not one of them.

Mohonk. Hmmm. On the outside, the building is beautiful, and in the Spring the grounds are wonderful. But inside, it's run-down, the rooms aren't that nice, the carpeting is awful . . . which is all just fine and well, but not at this price. ($700 a night for two adults and one child in a not-so-impressive room??)

Monhonk seems out-of-control expensive these days, and while the price includes food, who needs so much food? And it's not such great food, especially dinner, which is so disappointing.

We used to go the Mononk every year and I hoped it would become a family tradition forever. But we've stopped. Too much money for what you get.

There are so many beautiful places in this state where you get your money's worth -- whether you want something elegant and are willling to pay, or something simple and wish to save money -- and Mohonk isn't that place.

HOWEVER, if you do go, you MUST take a hike with a natualist called Anne Guenther. She is a national treasure -- an exceptional naturalist and storyteller in all ways. She is what I will miss most about Mohonk.

I think Mononk needs to reduce its prices by 1/3 or more. That way I won't care about all its "quaint" flaws, because I won't be paying Ritz Carlton prices. This self-consciously quaint, Quakerly place is charging fancy Manhattan prices. This doesn't square with me.