One week roadtrip to New York - suggestions?

[zabba]

I'm heading to New York for a week at Easter for a family event, but me and the other half have decided to go out a week earlier, hire a car and road trip around.

So starting and finishing in NYC, I have 6 days. Alternatively I could get an internal flight somewhere to pick up the car and finish in NYC. Where would you suggest?

I want to avoid cities (been to Boston and DC before), and would like to see some interesting scenery/historic sites etc. Possible ideas so far

1) fly to Niagra Falls, start there and work our way back to New York.
2) Drive around New England, Maine/New Hampshire/Vermont - I know this would be amazing in Autumn but also worth visiting in spring?
3) Head south from NYC into Virginia, completely new territory for me, much to see?

Any ideas would be welcome!

[K50 DEL]

Having (broadly) done all 3 of your options, I would vote for option 2

A week from NYC gives you plenty of options, New England is lovely in the spring, so head up through Connecticut, take a stop is Providence RI (the state capitol is lovely) and then head on up the coastline, maybe a quick trip to Cape Cod?
Boston's a lovely place, but if you want to avoid cities then circle around on 95 and head out to Gloucester and Rockport (I based myself here for a week when exploring New England a few years ago) which have a lovely boemian feel to them.

A further trip in the car away lies Ogunquit, a lovely coastal town worth having a coffee stop in and an hours walk on the beach.

continue as far up the coast as you like before circling round and coming back inland to NYC... White mountain national forest is stunning as are any number of the small towns and villages on your route
Upstate New York is incredibly pretty in spring and has a lovely friendly vibe.

Some ideas for you there anyway.... have fun.

[chazola]

you can do a lot of driving in the States and not see much interesting at all unless you go off the main highways, like here really... been a few years since I drove through there but up the East coast between NYC and Boston in CT or RI there's a lot of nice colonial towns, also if you fancy heading West there's some really nice parts of PA not too far from New York, especially around Lancaster where you're into Amish country, or the Poconos mountains area. I'd bypass NJ as it's mainly just boring towns and suburbs. I didn't find much of the East coast that interesting outside the cities, as places tend to look the same, but you do get a bit more of a taste of 'real' America.

The time of year you're going is good, it won't be too hot or busy and you're pretty much guaranteed nice weather.

[zabba]

Many thanks for the suggestions, sounds like it may be a good idea to head North into CT and then up into New England, will have a more detailed look at the area and try and plan a route! Thanks