NEW YORK (Money Magazine) - New York City's Inn at Irving Place may perfectly embody the notion of an intimate urban oasis. Its location in the historic Gramercy Park area, inconspicuously wedged between the commercial intensity of midtown Manhattan and the gritty and hip neighborhoods farther downtown, makes it a sort of enclave within an enclave.

The impression is enhanced by the fact that in the two adjoining 1830s Federal-style town-houses that make up the Inn, you can linger over a Continental breakfast, partake of afternoon high tea and sup at Verbena, one of New York's finest restaurants, on the garden level beneath the Inn. (Verbena is run independently but supplies room service to guests -- as do a local bistro and martini bar.) The 12 luxurious, antique-filled rooms and suites evoke the Gilded Age; modern comforts like CD players, minibars and Net access are all discreetly tucked away. The overall effect is homey, refined, gracious.

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If you do decide to venture out, the Inn is near much of the best that the city has to offer. Among the neighborhood's own highlights are the city's only private (that is, fenced in and locked) park and the gloriously abundant Union Square Greenmarket, both about two blocks away. Stepping back into the 19th century is pricey: Rooms range from $325 to $495. The Elsie de Wolfe suite is the largest; the rooms in back are the quietest.

Why: All things French -- which, for whatever reason, Americans find irresistibly romantic. Plus, a favorable exchange rate, making it easy to indulge in extra luxuries

What you have to do: Dine at Toque -- a lush yet relaxed local favorite where you're encouraged to linger -- the tasting menu, for example, lasts an average of four hours. Then head to Mont-Royal Park. Overlooking the city, it's the perfect place for a twilight ride in a caleche (that's French for carriage).

Where to stay: Tucked away behind heavy iron gates in Old Montreal (which is the best section for a stroll), Hostellerie Pierre du Calvet ($265; 514-282-1725) was built in 1725 and has only nine rooms, each sprawling and furnished with antiques, a fireplace and a heavenly bed.

Getting there: Fly direct or ride the Adirondack, a 10-hour Amtrak train from New York City.

Why: It's your quintessential New England town -- quaint, friendly, and surrounded by lush rolling hills and small farms.

What you have to do: Take advantage of the Woodstock Inn & Resort's Classic Romance package, which includes two nights' accommodations, breakfast and dinner for two, and a bottle of champagne when you arrive.

Where to stay: The Woodstock Inn & Resort ($195 a night, $672 for the package; 800-448-7900)

Getting there: A 2-hour drive from Boston; 5 from New York City

Why: An overnight stay at an 1869 lighthouse on the Hudson River

What you have to do: Walk -- at low tide -- from the lighthouse to the mainland along the trail lined with ash, pussy-willow shrubs and red maple trees. (During some months the trail is underwater at high tide.) And have dinner at Cafe Tamayo, a highly regarded restaurant in Saugerties that is run by James Tamayo, a graduate of the nearby Culinary Institute of America.

Where to stay: Saugerties Lighthouse ($160, $320 for the whole lighthouse; 845-247-0656)

Getting there: At the foot of the Catskills along the Hudson River, Saugerties is a two-hour drive from New York City.

Why: Simple pleasures abound in the small towns of Easton, St. Michael's and Oxford -- like the sound of fishing boats coming and going as you appreciate the merits of a true Chesapeake crab cake.

What you have to do: Find a dead-end street that faces the bay -- just about every village has one -- and take in a sunset. As the color fades to darkness, the water fills with the lights of sailboats.

Where to stay: The Inn at Easton ($200; 410-822-4910) is charming without being frilly. Among other things, it's memorable for the richly painted rooms and extraordinarily luxurious Italian bed linens.

Getting there: One hour by car from both Washington, D.C. and Baltimore