Getting Away

May 22, 2018

Go off the grid in a Catskills shipping container for $165 per night

Photo via Contanium listing on Airbnb Just think if it as a Vipp Shelter for the rest of us. This woodsy take on the tiny dwelling, "Contanium," available through Airbnb and situated in Saugerties, NY, is actually a shipping container, so you get to experience the trifecta of tiny house, off-the-grid living and inhabiting a shipping container, all at once. Offerings at this particular shipping container cabin sound almost like the amenities menu at a trendy Downtown condo: There's a wood stove, sofa bed, kitchenette, writing desk, record player, patio, fire ring, yoga platform, hot tub and hammock. The off-the-grid part means the power is solar, there's a composting toilet and gravity-feed water.
What you'll find within

May 17, 2018

Live inside a windmill in Montauk for $1.9M

By Michelle Cohen

Property in Montauk–where billionaires live in trailer parks–just isn't like other places. For example, this windmill house was built in 1928 by Arthur W. B. Wood, an architect who was enamored of–you guessed it–windmills. Though the windmill that's part of the six-bedroom home at 162 Fairview Avenue isn't a real, functional windmill, it is the only windmill house in Montauk. And it's currently on the market for $1.9 million.
Get a closer look

April 12, 2018

For just $3M, you can own this entire upstate island

By Michelle Cohen

On a few rare occasions 6sqft has featured amazing private islands, some storied, some small–and generally for sale. Most of us dream of living on their own private island at least occasionally, and these amazing listings give us a room-by-room tour and waterfront view. Somewhere between the tiny and the impossibly grand, Whiskey Island looks an awful lot like the average private island fantasy. You can buy the 3.10 acre dream; or, if you haven't got $2.95 million, you can rent the dream on a weekly basis for family getaways or events.
More dreamy photos this way

March 27, 2018

The best stylish suburban staycations outside NYC

By Michelle Sinclair Colman

A staycation used to be a term people used when they were staying home and trying to make their non-vacation seem less pathetic when everyone else was hopping on a plane to an exciting locale. Now, the definition has broadened to not going far away. Thankfully, there are many staycation options to choose from in the New York City orbit - even if you limit the distance to the surrounding suburbs. Although a suburban staycation may not come to mind when you think “luxurious getaway,” not only are there amazing local options for gorgeous retreats but think of how relaxed you will be without all the headaches of travel. 6sqft found three luxurious suburban retreats less than an hour from Grand Central that can rival any five-star destination abroad. These inns are only “suburban” in their locale. Everything from their level of service to their design-forward decor will transport you far from your daily grind.
Start making your staycation plans

A glamping retreat will open on Governors Island this summer

Photo courtesy of the Trust for Governors Island

February 7, 2018

A glamping retreat will open on Governors Island this summer

By Devin Gannon

Tired of the bitter cold? Already devising warm-weather activities for the summer? Thankfully, the Trust for Governors Island just made planning a lot easier. The Trust announced on Wednesday its plan to open a temporary glamping retreat to the Island from Collective Hotels & Retreats, a group that brings the accommodations of a five-star hotel to the outdoors. As part of a three-year license, the company will transform six acres of the 172-acre island into an "environmentally-friendly overnight lodging retreat with unobstructed views of the Statue of Liberty."
Get the details

December 8, 2017

Escape to this extraordinary mini-castle overlooking Lake George for $395/night

By Michelle Cohen

The Airbnb listing for this unique retreat with the Adirondack Mountains and lakes as a backdrop offers a castle to match your fairy tale. Located in Bolton Landing, New York, Highlands Castle, the larger, grander fairytale venue next door, was featured by 6sqft in 2015 when it was listed for sale for $12.8 million. The entire property is the work of one John Lavender, who built the magical castles a mere 30-some years ago complete with knights, turrets, life-size lion statues and secret passageways to make good on a promise he'd made to his three-year-old son a decade prior that he’d build him a castle. The same #1 dad is offering the mini-castle on the property as an unforgettable mountain-country escape.
Tour the mini-masterpiece

October 23, 2017

J.P. Morgan’s 120-year-old ‘Great Camp Uncas’ in the Adirondacks finally sells

By Emily Nonko

A new owner has claimed the stately Great Camp Uncas compound, nestled among the Adirondack forest and lakefront. The secluded property was built in 1895 by Brooklynite William West Durant, credited with perfecting the style of the Adirondack Great Camps of the Gilded Age. This particular camp—at 1,500 acres—was impressive enough for financier J.P. Morgan to purchase it in 1897. It was used as a vacation home for him and his family the next 50 years. Since then the property has traded hands several times, and a parcel of it last hit the market in 2015 for $3.25 million. An unsuccessful sales run caused a price drop, in 2016, to $2.7 million. According to the brokerage firm Franklin Ruttan, one lucky owner has snapped it up.
Learn more about the camp's history

October 11, 2017

Asking $325/night, this secluded Catskills treehouse may be one of the coolest vacation escapes ever

By Emily Nonko

If you're looking for an escape, it doesn't get much better than this modern treehouse, nestled among the natural surroundings of the Catskills. This is the work of the UK-based designer Antony Gibbons, who believes the angular lines and pronounced geometry of the structure enhance the organic nature of this forested locale, just outside of Woodstock, New York. Despite the modern aesthetic, the facade is made of cedar from the surrounding Catskills Valley and the interior is lined in a reclaimed pine, in so that the modest home "still blends into the surroundings with its timber materials," Gibbons has said. If you're swooning over the space--and wondering what it's like to live among the trees--it's now available as a vacation home through Airbnb, asking $325 per night.
Imagine your upstate vacation

September 19, 2017

The best day trips this fall, from cemetery tours to historic mansions to corn mazes

By Dana Schulz

These pretty-much-perfect months are a great time to escape the city, and with so many fun, scenic, and informative offerings nearby, you can go for the day and not have to worry about spending money on lodging. To help plan your autumn itinerary, 6sqft has put together a list of the best day trips outside of New York. From touring the Rockefeller estate in Tarrytown to a lantern-lit cemetery tour in Sleepy Hollow, we've got you history buffs covered. And for those looking for some more traditional fall fun, there's fall foliage at Bear Mountain's Oktoberfest, apple and pumpkin picking in New Jersey, and artistically carved jack o' lanterns on Long Island.
Click here for 6sqft's full list of fall day trips

Tri-State Trail proposal would connect New York, New Jersey and Connecticut with 1,650 miles of trails

Pochuck Creek, photo via Pixabay

September 15, 2017

Tri-State Trail proposal would connect New York, New Jersey and Connecticut with 1,650 miles of trails

By Devin Gannon

The NY-NJ-CT region features hundreds of parks and landscapes, from the Catskills and Pinelands to the beaches of Jersey and Long Island. Despite all of this open space, these recreational spots are disjointed from each other and from the communities that would use them. To better connect the parks to one another and to residents, the Regional Plan Association (RPA) has released a new proposal that calls for a Tri-State Trail network, linking 1,650 miles of biking, hiking, and walking trails in the greater New York region. The trail network would put over 8 million of the area’s residents within a half-mile of a trail, increasing access by 25 percent. It would put over 80 percent of today’s residents, or roughly 18.6 million, within just two miles of a trail.
Find out more

David Rockefeller’s 75-acre Westchester estate asks $22M

By Michelle Cohen

Some call it the end of an era of understated wealth. David Rockefeller, philanthropist, art collector and former CEO of Chase Manhattan bank–and the last surviving grandson of oil baron John D. Rockefeller–died in March at the age of 101. His properties have been up for sale since then, including his legendary art collection featuring works by Matisse, Cezanne, Gauguin, Seurat, and Picasso that headed for auction at Christie’s, his Upper East Side townhouse with an ask of $33 million and a retreat in Maine asking $19 million. The billionaire’s treasured Westchester estate, Hudson Pines, has just been listed at $22 million. Only 45 minutes from New York City, the property, which was home to the aforementioned art collection as well as the owner's antique carriage collection and his collection of 250,000 beetle specimens–Rockefeller was an avid entomologist–seems a world away from the bustle of daily life.
Find out more about this magical estate

September 11, 2017

Live in an octagon-shaped, Victorian style home in Westchester for $40,000 a month

By Emily Nonko

The listing goes right ahead and calls this "one of the most visually unique homes in the world," and it'd be hard to argue with that. This is known as the Armour–Stiner House, or the Carmer Octagon House, a unique octagon-shaped and domed Victorian style home located in Irvington, a town of Westchester County. It was built in 1860 by financier Paul J. Armour, enlarged between 1872 and 1876, and is now the only known residence constructed in the eight-sided, domed colonnaded shape of a classic Roman Temple. The current owner, Joseph Pell Lombardi, a preservation architect with his own firm, has listed it for rent asking a hefty $40,000 a month.
See the breathtaking interior

August 15, 2017

Own two waterfalls, 60 acres of land, and a cabin upstate for $925K

By Emily Nonko

It's safe to say this is a home on a property unlike any other. This cabin is located at the base of the Delphi Falls Waterfalls, outside the upstate town of Cazenovia. The property encompasses 60 total acres, with 65-foot and 52-foot falls as well as one mile of creek frontage. The same family has owned it since 1961, and just listed the whole shebang for $925,000. (The main home, with land easements, is also available for $699,000.) As broker Michael Franklin puts it, buying this would be "like owning your own state park." We agree—this is the property for a New Yorker looking for an escape from just about everything to a completely nature-packed retreat.
You've got to take the tour

August 3, 2017

Crumbling castle in Westchester County with a storied past seeks $3.7M

By Michelle Cohen

Built in 1927 by David T. Abercrombie, Elda Castle, as it was known, was named after the first letter of each of his four children's names (h/t Curbed). Abercrombie was the founder of Abercrombie and Fitch, which was originally a purveyor of high-end hunting and safari gear. The vision of his wife, Lucy Abbott Cate—the project's architect—was the driving force behind the 4,337-square-foot steel-girded estate of granite and local fieldstone at 249 Croton Dam Road that once had 25 rooms, arched doorways, a tower accessed by a winding spiral staircase of cast iron and too many courtyards and patios to count. The fascinating home sits on 49.5 acres in the Westchester County town of New Castle (though it has an Ossining postal address). It's in need of total renovation, and if the internet is to be believed, whoever buys this romantically overgrown estate currently asking $3.69 million may have quite an adventure on their hands.
Find out more about this storied estate

July 27, 2017

Billionaires are clamoring to move into this Montauk trailer park

By Michelle Cohen

Owning a "box of air on the land" at the Montauk Shores trailer park has become the ultimate status symbol for summering rich and famous, reports the New York Post. From "glorified changing room" after a day at the beach to compact escape chamber, denizens of the boho-chic beach town have snapped up so many modular mobile homes at the Montauk trailer park that it now has its own "Billionaires' Corner." The trailer park wasn't always trendy; it began as a pop-up tent campsite in the 1940s and ’50s, eventually becoming a resort of sorts for police and firefighters, teachers and fishermen.
More history of this hip mobile hideaway

July 26, 2017

Mid-century modern home built in 1966 with a Techbuilt core asks $979K in Connecticut

By Emily Nonko

This unique property is located just one hour outside of Manhattan, nestled in the woods of New Canaan, Connecticut. The striking structure was constructed in 1966 as a Techbuilt home, a style pioneered by the architect Carl Koch. Since then, the property received stone expansions to build out a 5,700-square-foot residence with five bedrooms, five bathrooms and a great room with vaulted, beamed ceilings. It's on the market for the first time ever, with an ask of $979,000.
See many more glass, wood and stone details

July 15, 2017

This striking Bridgehampton home was designed with reclaimed wood from an old Brooklyn factory

By Emily Nonko

This Bridgehampton estate combines the rustic rural farmhouse with the grittiness of a Williamsburg loft. The Brooklyn-based studio TA Dumbleton Architect designed the entire property, which includes both a guest home--a project 6sqft profiled here--and this main residence. The guest home, dubbed the WE Guest House, boasts an open 3,000-square-foot layout, double-height windows and insulated stucco walls. The main property, called the WE House, utilized reclaimed wood from a Brooklyn factory, board concrete and casement windows to make a strong design statement.
See the blend between farm and loft

July 13, 2017

10 artsy daycation escapes from NYC to visit this summer

By Lori Zimmer

For some of us, the idea of a summer vacation is a fantastical memory from childhood, now seeming a far cry from demanding jobs and lack of PTO. But the same cultural rejuvenation can be yours—if only for a day. Whether by bus, train or if you want to get fancy and rent a car, an art-filled daycation could be just what you need this summer to get that vacation glow. From Jackson Pollock's Hamptons studio and Dia Beacon's minimalist art collection to the Rockefeller family's historic mansion Kykuit and the Gilded Age ruins of Bannerman Castle, we've rounded up 10 artsy day trips that are just a stone's throw from NYC.
All the best escape here

July 3, 2017

Escape to a Bali retreat that’s no further than the Hudson Valley

By Michelle Cohen

If you're looking to get out of town but you're uninspired by the usual country inns, historic schoolhouses, and rustic log cabins, this unusual Hudson Valley vacation property could be just the tranquil escape for you (and up to nine of your closest friends). The Hudson Valley Bali House Retreat in Rosendale, New York combines a country setting with details that were inspired by vacations in Bali and Thailand. Built using materials imported from Indonesia, this exotic compound makes visitors forget they're only about 90 minutes from Midtown.
More this way

May 29, 2017

$700K modern ‘tree house’ on Fire Island is a minimalist’s dream summer getaway

By Michelle Cohen

A long weekend that heralds the start of summer living is a good time to think about beach house possibilities. This thoughtfully-designed house at 10 First Walk in the in Davis Park area of Fire Island feels like an airy cabin or a more polished tree house–or a little bit of both (h/t Brick Underground). With three bedrooms and a well-appointed kitchen and dining area, and a location that's a block from the ocean, it's got just enough going on to keep things focused on enjoying your summer getaway.
See more of this seaside retreat

May 25, 2017

Here’s your chance to vacation inside a geodesic dome in the woods for just $46/night

By Emily Nonko

Airbnb offers no shortage of unique vacation rentals, but this geodesic dome is really something. The 165-square-foot hut is located on a farm in the woods outside Bethlehem, Connecticut, there's no power, heat or air conditioning, and the kitchen and bathroom are located about 100 feet away inside the property's main house—imagine it as a form of camping. While you may be "roughing it" during your stay, you'll also be surrounded by forest in a mesmerizing dome built of pine sourced right from the property. As the owners put it, it's a "very peaceful space where you can get in touch with nature and yourself." The vacation rental is asking $46 a night.
Take a peek inside the dome

Getting Away

May 24, 2017

Stay in an Adirondack tree house retreat this summer

By Emily Nonko

If you're looking for a unique summer retreat not far from NYC, here's your answer. This cozy treehouse is nestled in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, nine miles from the upstate town of Saratoga Springs. In this quiet, remote locale, a winding staircase takes you from a patio up the tree and into a wood cabin. It's outfitted with everything you'd need, including a bathroom, lofted bed, and built-in storage. And right outside the sleeping quarters is a covered porch perfect for reading or writing. For such a quiet, private retreat, it'll cost $179 a night.
See inside the tree house

Getting Away

May 22, 2017

Three tiny beach cabins are up for rent on NY Harbor this summer

By Michelle Cohen

If smelly subway platforms and sweaty tourist hordes start to loom large this summer, there might be cabin for two on the shores of New York Harbor with your name on it. Gateway National Recreation Area–which includes Fort Tilden, Jacob Riis Park, Floyd Bennett Field, Great Kills Park, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, and Canarsie Pier–and Getaway, a company that provides pop-up camping houses, are placing three tiny cabins along NYC's harbor shore to provide a place to spend a quiet summer night in a national park, reports Gothamist.
Check it out

Getting Away

May 6, 2017

For just $450K, a charming Connecticut cottage with a unique musical history

By Emily Nonko

This Connecticut home, which is beyond quaint and has been dubbed the "Sunset cottage," comes with a musical backstory dating from more than a century ago (h/t CIRCA). In 1900, the former farmhouse served as a summer dormitory and reading room for students at the Greene School of Music. Sixty years after the school shuttered in 1924--and after a full renovation into a home--musician Paul Fenick snatched it up. He often used the space to perform with his bluegrass band, The Still River Ramblers. The school's library was converted to a practice space, and framed album covers, concert posters, and artist photographs were hung on the walls. Now the cozy house, located in the heart of Brookfield’s Historic District, is up for sale asking $449,900.
Tour the house right this way

April 30, 2017

This $1.3M converted barn in Garrison, NY hails from the horse and buggy era with the modern feel of a loft

By Michelle Cohen

Tucked away amid the dirt roads and country atmosphere of Garrison, NY, fifty miles from Manhattan in Putnam county, this 1840s brick carriage house at 65 Indian Brook Road is the kind of home you rarely find in either city or hamlet. The 4,000 square-foot, three-bedroom home (h/t Circa), asking $1.295 million, has open loft-like proportions, hand hewn beams, a cozy wood-burning stove and high ceilings, with modern details like floor-to-ceiling glass, central air and a gunite pool off the back patio.
Take the tour, and check out the pool

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