John Keats wrote that autumn is a "Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness." It's an apt description for the drive north toward the Catskill Mountains from New York along I-87, which splits miles of rolling hillsides transformed by fall into a profusion of gold and brown.

If you don't want to stray too far from the city for the weekend, it's true that the Hamptons are temptingly close. They're also expensive and crowded, even as the season now stretches into Thanksgiving. Spending a weekend upstate is a more relaxing alternative, especially if your goal is to kindle (or rekindle) a romance. Instead of strip malls and bumper-to-bumper traffic, the journey north takes you over the Hudson River and through hay stacked meadows peppered with lopsided barns. The cool forests of Ulster County afford weekend travelers a rare taste of bucolic privacy, where the natural environment dominates and there's little chance of being disturbed by partying socialites.

Woodstock is known as the gateway to the Catskills. Famous as a magnet for bohemians, the sleepy town also boasts a plethora of fine dining options and upscale accommodations. Tom Bullard, owner of the Woodstock Inn on the Millstream (Tannery Brook Road, Woodstock, 845-679-8211, $119 double occupancy), says that Woodstock has retained the warmth and bonhomie of small-town America while maintaining a strong link with New York City. The Inn on the Millstream is a city dweller's pastoral fantasy, perched on the edge of a cascading stream. Guests can picnic and swim in the cool, clear mountain waters beneath a miniature waterfall.

"The stream and the gardens are the amenities here," Mr. Bullard said. "I've tried not to frou-frou things up too much, and although there are four rooms with spa tubs, you won't find mini-fridges and telephones." There's an old telephone booth on the corner of the property for those without cell phones, and Mr. Bullard also offers free Wi-Fi that can be picked up anywhere from the garden to the edge of the stream.

"People from the city come here on Friday evening," Mr. Bullard said, "and they want to do everything. But by Sunday, all they want to do is sit by the stream."

Breakfast is served in a small country-style dining room, which overlooks the water. The meal is an abundant continental buffet with organic selections including granola, lox, bagels, and sometimes even fresh-baked quiche, which many guests take outside to enjoy on the banks of the stream or on Adirondack chairs under a cluster of maple trees.

On a recent morning, guests Terence Martin and Amy Berkson of Westchester relaxed over coffee.

"The room is beautiful," Mr. Martin said. "And it's so relaxing and homey here," Ms. Berkson added.

Although the inn is tucked away in its own natural oasis, it's only a 10-minute walk from the town of Woodstock. Shopping options range from psychedelic candle stores to book shops. Chez Grand'mere, a French general store (24 Tinker St.), sells antiques, soaps, lotions, pottery, and fresh New England chocolate truffles.

Peggy Spratt, who mans the truffle counter, has lived in the area for almost a decade. "You have the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains," she told me. "What more could you ask for?"

Ditching the car for a few days is a viable option, and bicycles can be rented in town at Overlook Mountain Bikes (93 Tinker St., 845-679-2122, $30 a day). Hiking in the Catskills is a must: Just a few miles outside town is the Overlook Mountain Wild Forest, 590 acres that border the 16,800-acre Indian Head Wilderness Area in the 300,000-acre Catskill Forest Preserve.

The Wild Forest is a prominent feature in America's pastoral heritage and was the focus of many famous artists of the Hudson River School of landscape painters. A three-hour round-trip tower trail hike takes climbers to an elevation of about 1,400 feet and the ruins of the old Overlook Mountain Hotel. (The Overlook Mountain Wild Forest Map & Guide advises hikers to steer clear of the mountain house and ruins for safety reasons.) Wildlife is abundant, and while you're more likely to see a porcupine than a black bear, hikers are advised to keep an eye out for rattlesnakes. There are more challenging trails out there, but this five-hour walk is a good introduction to the mountains for non-hikers.

After a day in the woods, the Bear Cafe just outside the town of Woodstock (Rt. 212, Bearsville, 845-679-5555) is one of the most popular restaurants for both locals and tourists. It serves up hearty plates like filet mignon with port garlic sauce and Stilton blue cheese. There's also live music and a popular bar featuring an imaginative selection of wines and cocktails.

If the Catskills are a little too far and you'd prefer somewhere a little closer to New York City where you're not going to have to lift a finger (except to dial room service), try the Mohonk Mountain House (1000 Mountain Rest Road, New Paltz, 800-772-6646, $389 double occupancy). This Victorian castle, with meticulously maintained gardens, has been hosting generations of guests since 1869. Guests staying at Mohonk generally don't leave the grounds for the duration of their stay: Rates include meals by Mohonk's award-winning chefs and lots of activities, including boating, fishing, hiking, tennis, mid-week golf, and evening concerts.

The Mountain House is one of the last great 19th-century resorts, and it's easy to feel like you've stepped back in time as you make your way past old trophy cabinets and oil paintings. The house has 251 guest rooms, five guest cottages, three large dining rooms with magnificent views, 138 working fireplaces, and 238 balconies. It stands at the heart of a 26,000-acre natural area in the Shawangunk Mountains, next to Lake Mohonk, a freshwater lake where guests enjoy rowing and fishing in the fall.

The recently opened spa, complete with indoor swimming pool and yoga room, is a major draw for New Yorkers. Luxury treatments include facials, warm stone massage, maternity massage, and reflexology. Spa treatments are not included in the regular rates; prices are comparable to city costs for similar pampering.

More romantic activities include a horse-drawn carriage ride to the Sky Top Tower, which affords couples a panoramic view of the surrounding hills. There are also guided trail rides out of Mohonk's in-house stables.

If you suffer from cabin fever, you can drive down the mountain into the town of New Paltz, where there's a wide range of restaurants and shopping at craft stores and souvenir boutiques.

Whether you prefer the seclusion of the mountains and the small-town atmosphere of Woodstock or the luxury of Mohonk, a weekend upstate is a slower and more rejuvenating alternative to the Hamptons - at least the until you hit traffic on your way back to the city, which rivals that of the Long Island Expressway on Sunday nights.