#1. The Catskills. The streams and roadside shoulders, views of barns and farms, fields and more farms are a panacea for what ails one when living with traffic, yelling, honking, sirens and non-stop busy-i-ness. The mountains are rolling and gentle and in some places snow covered. To arrive by bus from the City takes 2 buses and more than 4 hours. Worth it every time.