The great triangle between Albany, Syracuse, and Binghamton NY encompasses some of the most beautiful rolling farm country and broad vistas that you will ever see within driving distance of most of New England. We particularly enjoy driving along Route 20 in NY.

Out here the towns are small and the farms are large, too large to make it worthwhile to focus on artisanal food production. It's not a foodie heaven, but it's worth the trip just for the drive.

If you have kids, you can make the trip more attractive by including the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown or the big caves at Howe Caverns. If you need a more specific destination, aim for the Finger Lakes wineries or the annual Madison-Bouckville Antiques Fair.