[music]

Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC, and here's how we're going to end today and end the week. Since this is the Friday before one of the last real summer weekends, we're opening up the phone lines for a call-in on this very simple question, can you share an end-of-August easy day trip or weekend getaway to help other listeners have a little fun before summer runs away until next year? 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692. Can you share an end-of-August easy day trip or weekend getaway to help other listeners have a little fun before summer runs away until next year? 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692. You can call in with it or you can text it. We're looking for recommendations for your fellow listeners who might be staring down the barrel of a weekend with no plans.

Some people are out there at 11:45 on Friday morning before what's supposed to be a gorgeous weekend weather-wise in our area like, "Hmm, I wonder what to do this weekend. Maybe I can get away for the day, or for the last minute overnight somewhere." So, who has a favorite last-minute late summer getaway to share? It can be a day trip, or it can be an easy weekend trip. 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692, share them with the greater Brian Lehrer Show listening world. One subcategory, any places that are especially kid-friendly for parents trying to squeeze in another family memory, or just a way to pass the time with the kids before the first day of school. Any day trips that are family-friendly for whatever age. 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692. Another subcategory especially helpful for people we were talking about in our last segment, any free or very low-cost ideas. 212-433-WNYC.

A few possible examples/categories are railroads, a great way to make plans happen at the last minute. You can take the Metro north up maybe to Beacon for a day along the Hudson, take it east to New Haven and take stock of maybe some of New York's pizza competition, or take the Long Island Railroad all the way out to Montauk for a big beach day. Any recommendations for day trips along any of the rail lines? Any hidden gems along some of these commuter rail lines that might drop you off to just spend the day, and then you can get on the train and come back. 212-433-9692.

In New Jersey, here's one, Grounds for Sculpture. It's a massive sculpture park near Trenton that I just read about. Or spend a day at the Jersey Shore, obviously, or get way far out and go kayaking in the Pine Barrens. Or go further still and check out the Sterling Hill Mining Museum. Do you know about that one? I read that it's a former zinc mine out in Ogdensburg, to see minerals glow in the dark. New Jersey listeners, where are you off to this weekend? Or where might you suggest that some of our other listeners in New York even, or Connecticut even, might spend the day traveling to and from in New Jersey? 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692.

So, you get the idea. The question is, we are gathering your tips, do you have one for an end-of-August easy day trip or weekend getaway to help other listeners have a little fun before summer runs away until next year, if they are staring down the barrel of a beautiful weather weekend with no plans? 212-433-WNYC. Call or text, and we'll take them right after this.

[MUSIC]

Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Oh, we have so many coming in, so many good ones. We'll get through as many of these as we can as we're inviting you to share an end-of-August easy day trip or weekend getaway for this weekend or next weekend, Labor Day weekend, to help other listeners have a little fun before summer runs away until next year. I'll just start by reading some texts here. "Ride your bike to Fort Tilden Beach, south end of the Rockaways. Great bike path along the Belt Parkway. Beautiful beach when you get there."

Another one for a day trip at the end of summer. "My friends and I love to go on the ferry to Gunnison Beach on Sandy Hook in New Jersey." It says, "It leaves from Wall Street and other ports. It's a nice change." Another one-- oh, they're coming in so fast. "See the wolves in the Wolves Retreat off of Route 80 in the Delaware Water Gap." Another one, "Orchard Beach in the Bronx is great. Hiking on the island along with the beach, and then ice cream or seafood on City Island. 6 Train to a bus," writes Andrew in Yonkers. Tracy on Staten Island, you're on WNYC. Hi, Tracy.

Tracy: Hi. My recommendation is Sea Bright, New Jersey. You just take the Seastreak ferry down to Highlands, hop in an Uber. You can rent a surfboard, take a surf lesson, there are great restaurants, and it's not like Snooki-Situation Jersey Shore. It's very family-friendly, and it's just a beautiful, beautiful place to spend the day.

Brian Lehrer: Nice. Tracy. Thank you very much. Karen in Manhattan, you're on WNYC. Hi, Karen.

Karen: Hi. We have a new puppy, and he has inspired us to figure out new hikes and be out in nature, so we're going to drive up the Palisades Interstate Parkway to Harriman State Park, and hike along Tiorati Lake or Lake Tiorati. We've never been to Harriman, and we're super excited.

Brian Lehrer: Nice. Sounds like fun. Let us know how it goes. Another listener writes, "Metro-North to Rye, about 30 minutes from Grand Central, and bus to Playland, where there's the Edith Read Nature Sanctuary, which is free, and the Children's Museum, and Rye Beach and Pool." Jeff in Oradell, you're on WNYC. Hi, Jeff.

Jeff: Hi, how are you?

Brian Lehrer: Good. What you got?

Jeff: Me and my wife went to Opus 40. It's an environmental sculpture in Saugerties, New York, straight up the New York Thruway. It's about seven acres of a sculpture that you can walk on. It's made of bluestone in an abandoned quarry, and it was made by one man over the course of 37 years. It's fantastic.

Brian Lehrer: Neat. Opus 40 in Saugerties. A listener writes, "The Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival in Pilesgrove, New Jersey, Labor Day weekend. Fabulous music in a beautiful setting. Our third year going," writes that listener. Walter in Kings Park, you're on WNYC. Hi, Walter.

Walter: Hi. We're headed to Coney Island to ride the B&B carousel and grab the Brass Ring. Then we're going to head over to the Cyclone, and end the day in Chinatown.

Brian Lehrer: Thank you very much. From Coney Island to Chinatown. Another listener writes, "Go on the web and look up Bethpage, Polo at the Park in historic Bethpage, New York." That's Long Island, if you don't know, just off the LIRR Bethpage Stop. "It's Pretty Women Day," this listener says, "Come dressed in high fashion and enjoy the horses up-close." Robin in Irvington-on-Hudson in Westchester, you're on WNYC. Hi, Robin.

Robin: Hi. Thank you for having me. Yes, there's so many things to do in the river towns in New York. The train goes directly there, so you can go to Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, Tarrytown, their restaurants, gardens, parks, historic homes, all kinds of things, and it's all a train ride away.

Brian Lehrer: And you can walk the aqueduct, right? If people want to hike--

Robin: Oh, yes.

Brian Lehrer: It goes from south of Irvington to north of Irvington through Tarrytown, and beyond.

Robin: Yes. You can get off the train, take the aqueduct to one town, get off it-- take the aqueduct from Dobbs Ferry to Irvington, then you can walk to Tarrytown. You can stop at Lyndhurst on the way--

Brian Lehrer: There you go.

Robin: There's a lot to do up here.

Brian Lehrer: A lot to do. Another thing that people might do-- I don't know if this is there anymore, I know it used to be a couple of years ago. You can take the Metro north to Tarrytown, and then rent a bike and ride a round trip over the Tappan Zee Bridge. That's another one that I'll add to your neck of the woods.

Robin: Yes, you can do that, too. The bikes, you can't take on the aqueduct, I don't think, the electric bikes. But you can do that on the road, just as long as you wear a helmet.

Brian Lehrer: Yes, and the aqueduct is pretty choppy for biking generally, I would say better for hiking. All right. Betty in Hopatcong in Jersey, you're on WNYC. Hi, Betty.

Betty: Yes. At the New Jersey Fairgrounds in Augusta, New Jersey, in Sussex County, there is Pupstock happening tomorrow from 12:00 to 5:00. It benefits several local shelters in the area, and it's everything dog. There will be all sorts of dog vendors there, but then there's also a peanut butter eating contest, there's bubbles, there's a ball pit, there's a costume contest. So bring your dogs and just-- it's a fun day to celebrate dogs.

Brian Lehrer: Pupstock in Augusta, New Jersey. That's fun.

Betty: Pupstock, yes, at the New Jersey Fairgrounds.

Brian Lehrer: Great, Betty. Thank you very much. I think somebody next is going to promote the New York State Fairgrounds. Larry in Huntington Station, you're on WNYC. Hi, Larry.

Larry: Hi. Good to hear from you. Can you hear me?

Brian Lehrer: Good to hear from you. I can hear you.

Larry: Okay, great. I think going up to the New York State Fair is a great thing. There's things for kids of all ages, there's a huge midway for the teenagers. There's tons and tons of animals, and there's shows all day and evening, and the Mohawk Indians have a whole big presentation. It's just-- it's a great day. And Syracuse is pretty big, they should be able to find someplace to stay around there.

Brian Lehrer: Is that now at the New York State Fair? Is that going on now?

Larry: It started, I think, a day or two ago, and it goes through Labor Day.

Brian Lehrer: Larry, thank you for that. Another thing that is starting this weekend, a listener writes, "Go to Flushing and see the US Open, which is beginning now," and maybe-- don't hold me to this, you got to look it up. Maybe you can even get an affordable ticket, which you often can't for the US Open, because it's so early in the tournament. But that's another thing, a New York thing that's happening now. Lyron in Long Island City, you're on WNYC. Hi, Lyron.

Lyron: Hey, Brian. Good to talk to you again. I recommend Cooper's Beach in Southampton. The sand is totally unlike anything on the East Coast, super smooth like flour. They have a cafe right on the beach, and if you're too brave, you want to drive, it's 3 hours, but if you take the train, it's 2 hours 15 minutes. They have chairs on the beaches, and also umbrellas that you can rent.

Brian Lehrer: Lyron, thanks for that. As a little disclaimer and just a reminder for everybody, most of you probably know, but as one listener writes, "Did you say go to the beach? This is the weekend to stay away from the beach in the New York and New Jersey area." Obviously, there's been the effects of Hurricane Erin. Make sure before you go anywhere near the water that you know how much that has all receded this weekend, but we're also talking about next weekend for these various tips. Thanks for everybody, great tips for people. That's The Brian Lehrer Show for today, produced by Mary Croke, Lisa Allison, Amina Srna, Carl Boisrond, and Esperanza Rosenbaum. Zach Gottehrer-Cohen produces our daily Politics Podcast. Megan Ryan is the head of Live Radio. We had Shayna Sengstock today at the audio controls. Have a great weekend, whatever you do, and stay tuned for All Of It.

Copyright © 2025 New York Public Radio. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use at www.wnyc.org for further information.

New York Public Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline, often by contractors. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of New York Public Radio’s programming is the audio record.