A fun weekend summer option from New York City is found in Niagara Falls, NY.  A 6.5 hour drive from Manhattan or a quick and relatively cheap flight into Buffalo airport makes this a great way to spent 48 hours.  

There is a great wine trail in the region and plenty of historical forts to check out.  But the stars of the show are Niagara Falls and the surrounding Great Lakes and rivers.

A 10 minute drive downriver from the falls is ideal for hiking, picture taking, special whirlpool boat tours and my personal favorite, fishing.  

Head down by the water and you will see species such as steelhead, carp, salmon, bass, pike and muskie all being caught right from the shoreline.