Girls weekend - wineries within 5 hours of NYC?
 

We're looking to celebrate our friend's 25th birthday the last weekend in March.

There will be 5-7 women. We're all on sort of a budget, so we'd like to not exceed $200 a night per room.

We don't want gambling or cities. We'd like something more lowkey...close to wineries, lots of bars (they don't have to be nice), good food, scenic, etc.

So far our ideas are (please comment):
Montauk, NY
Lake George, NY (Catskills area?)
Provincetown, MA (Cape Cod area?)
Newport, RI
Vermont (no idea where though?)

Well in March a lot of places in Montauk are closed. Many open for the weekends in May sometime.

And Lake George is going to be very chily and either snowy or muddy. Don;t know how much is open off season.

You've picked a kind of odd time - late winter/earliest spring for these areas - and could run into bad weather that would ruin a weekend.

Is there any reason not to head south for warmer weather instead?

The Finger Lakes Wine Region is perfect for your group. Lots of wineries (80 plus) interesting local bars and restaurants, and a good outlet mall. About 5 hour drive from the city. Check out
keukawinetrail.com or
senecalakewine.com
Let me know if you need specific suggestions.

The North Fork of Long Island is where you want to go with your group.

It's beautiful, close to NYC, and it offers excellent options.

http://www.liwines.com/

http://www.northfork.org/wineries.html

P.S. There are no wineries in or even close to Montauk. The Hamptons (south fork) wineries are west of East Hampton, about 20-30 miles west of Montauk. My favorite in that area is Wolffer.

gekko...your a fodorite after my own heart. wolffer and lenz, in peconic are my favorite. :)>-

Yep, Lenz is one of my favorites as well. Vintage in SoHo offers great tastings of LI wines; I'm sure you've been.

If you must go in March, then of the choices I would pick Newport, but I know nothing about Lake George -
or Vermont (although you could hit a lot of snow, etc)

Newport for: a few nearby wineries -low key but fun; and lots to do regardless of the weather: The mansions
www.newportmansions.org; the International Tennis Hall of Fame, shopping on Bellevue Ave - the 10 mile drive
www.oceandrivenewport.com - great views, bundle up you can walk a few beaches/shorelines.
shopping all along the wharfs and Thames St, side streets, etc. -
great restaurants, food, bars -
Castle Hill for drinks -
look for rooms and/or also look into the Newport Bay Club and Hotel - don't know their rates for March, but might be nice to have kitchenette, eating areas, etc - they have 2 br/2 bath / smaller and larger - so that might be an option for you also.

www.gonewport.com

I love mid vermont area - Burlington / Rte 7/ Middlebury and also Woodstock - but that could be cold and snowy in March - and int he mountains that is different than in Newport.

hmmm, i haven't been to vintage. i'm from long island, about half way out. so i love going out east. but lenz has some top notch champagne as well. delicious.

The Vintage location in SoHo is my favorite:

http://www.vintagenewyork.com/aboutvny.html