NYC 6 Day Itinerary (No Tourist Traps)
Six days keeps the 5-day spine, Philadelphia, the Hudson Valley, the Hamptons and a city breather, and adds Washington DC as a fourth regional trip on day six. It is a long day, not an easy one; if that trade doesn’t appeal, the 5-day version stops one day earlier. For a seventh day that turns this DC trip into an overnight, see the 7-day itinerary .
Book these before you go:
- Check Manhattan hotel rates on Booking.com
- Browse Philadelphia day tours on GetYourGuide
- Search Hudson Valley and Storm King tours on Viator
- Search Hamptons day trips on Viator
- Search Washington DC day tours on GetYourGuide
| Day | Focus | Train time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York City | - |
| 2 | Philadelphia | 1h20-1h30 from Penn Station |
| 3 | Hudson Valley (Beacon) | 1h40 from Grand Central |
| 4 | The Hamptons | 2h15-3h from Penn Station |
| 5 | New York City | - |
| 6 | Washington DC | 2h45-2h55 from Penn Station |
Day 1: New York City
Base near Penn Station; four of your six days start there. This itinerary stays out of in-city sightseeing depth on purpose; see our New York City guide for that trip.
Day 2: Philadelphia
Amtrak’s Northeast Regional or Keystone runs 1h20-1h30 direct for $28-60; the bus is 2-2.5 hours for $19-35. Take an early train. visitphilly.com and Amtrak’s Northeast Regional page have current details.
Day 3: Hudson Valley
Metro-North’s Hudson Line runs about 1h40 from Grand Central to Beacon. Dia:Beacon, an 8-10 minute walk from the station, is the sensible stop without a car; Storm King, 14 miles further, needs a shuttle or taxi, runs April-November only, around $25 for adults (stormking.org ). Metro-North schedules here .
Day 4: The Hamptons
The LIRR takes 2h15-3h regular service; the summer-only Cannonball express (Thursdays and Fridays) runs about 90-96 minutes but sells out fast. Fares are $22-38 one way, plus $35-80 for a taxi at the far end. Outside Memorial Day to Labor Day, swap this day for a second city day instead.
Day 5: New York City
A deliberate breather before the longest travel day of the trip. Use it however you like; nothing about tomorrow’s early Acela departure requires today to be productive.
Day 6: Washington DC
Is Washington DC a real day trip from New York?
Long but doable, not comfortable. Acela runs 2h45-2h55 each way; Northeast Regional is slower at 3h15-3h45 but cheaper, fares from around $22. That’s 5.5 hours minimum of round-trip travel for a partial day of monuments and museums, so treat today as a taste of DC, not the whole thing. Check washington.org for what’s actually open on your date; the GetYourGuide link above is worth booking ahead if you’d rather have the day planned for you.
Book the earliest Acela you can get, not the cheapest; every extra hour on the train is an hour you don’t get at the Smithsonian.