Escape for a day or take flight overnight to any of these cool, creative places, all within a few hours of the city.

Set in the Hudson River town of Beacon, New York, Dia:Beacon is focused on the generation of artists whose work became prominent during the 1960s and 1970s. The organization pioneered the practice of converting industrial buildings for the installation of contemporary art. The permanent home to works by a roster of world-renowned artists including Louise Bourgeois, Sol LeWitt, Bruce Nauman, Richard Serra and many others as well as contemporary site-specific installations and exhibitions on over 240,000 square feet of exhibition space.

An hour north of New York City in the Hudson Valley, Storm King Art Center is among the world’s leading sculpture parks. A 500-acre landscape of hills and woodlands provides the setting for a collection of more over 100 sculptures created by some of the most acclaimed artists of our time, including a number of unforgettable sculptures by Alexander Calder.

Located in New Canaan, CT about 45 minutes outside New York City, the mission of the 47-acre campus of the Philip Johnson Glass House is to be a catalyst for the preservation of modern architecture. A magnet for fans of modernism, the famed landmark home brings visitors from all corners of the world for tours, workshops, discussions, dinners and other events. New Canaan is also home to a rare collection of famous modern homes built by a constellation of 20th century modern architects known as the Harvard Five (Marcel Breuer, Landis Gores, John Johansen, Philip Johnson, Eliot Noyes). Operating as Modern House Man, enterprising architecture buff Jack Trifero conducts driving tours of the modern marvels.

If you’re looking for a quiet place to spend a weekend without heading for the airport, consider the quirky Porches in the Berkshires town of North Adams, MA. A creative neighborhood vibe is perfect for weekend escapees, and it’s on the grounds of Mass MoCA, offering cutting-edge contemporary art.