Top Picks for a Hudson Valley Getaway
With the change in season, cozy fall dressing, warm drinks, good food, and weekend getaways are becoming more and more appealing. The Hudson Valley, located just an hour or two outside of New York City, makes for the perfect destination. The region’s already burgeoning food, drink, and art scenes are growing stronger all the time with urban artists and artisans setting up shop in towns like Rhinebeck, Hudson, Bloomville, and Tivoli. With a short car or train ride, it’s possible to feel worlds away from the rush of the city.
Below, some of our old and new favorites to make the most of a Hudson Valley getaway this fall.
Explore…
Take a train from Grand Central to the town of Beacon and in a little over an hour you’ll be happily winding your way around Dia: Beacon, a sprawling contemporary art gallery occupying a former Nabisco box-printing factory on the banks of the Hudson River. The architecture of the gallery alone is worth the visit and is made even more impressive by the vast catalog of art dating from the 1960s to the present, showing alongside singular exhibitions, new commissions and more.
3 Beekman Street, Beacon, New York
For those in need of both an art fix and a day outdoors, Storm King has your needs covered. Located in New York’s Hudson Valley, this outdoor sculpture museum is set upon 500 acres of expansive landscape. Pack a picnic, hire a bicycle once there, and get lost in a world where art meets nature. Take the Metro-North from Grand Central to Beacon Station and a Zipcar or taxi the rest of the way. There is also a shuttle service to and from the Beacon Station on weekends and holiday Mondays.
1 Museum Road, New Windsor, NY 12553; T. (845) 534-3115
A hike up Overlook Mountain in Woodstock has much more to offer than a stunning view. Across the street from the trailhead, you’ll find a beautiful and authentic Buddhist temple, seemingly transplanted from the mountains of Tibet. For another dose of history, take a rest at the eerie, beautiful ruins of the Overlook Hotel, built on the mountain in the 1820s and located about halfway through the five-mile hike. Part of the Catskill Mountain Range, a trek up the 3,140-feet summit should take around three hours.
335 Meads Mountain Road, Woodstock, NY
Dine…
Be sure to make a reservation at least a couple of weeks in advance for this popular Hudson restaurant known, loved, and rightfully awarded (in 2016, chef-owner Zak Pelaccio was awarded the Best Chef: Northeast by the James Beard Foundation) for its seasonal menu of farm-to-table New American fare. Set within a renovated 19th-century blacksmith’s shop, Fish & Game offers Upscale, honest food with wine pairings and two open fireplaces to add to the splendor.
13 S 3rd Steet, Hudson, NY 12534: T. (518) 822-1500
There is good reason this destination restaurant is one of New York’s toughest tables to score. Located approximately 45 minutes from the city, and set inside a historic stone barn, the restaurant offers a one-of-a-kind multi-taste experience designed to reconnect guests with the land. Ingredients are sourced from the surrounding fields and pastures of Blue Hill Farm as well as other local farms.
630 Bedford Road, Tarrytown, NY 10591: T. (914) 366-9600
One of the main reasons to visit Rhinebeck, The Amsterdam offers seasonal American cuisine and wine in a restored 18th-century Dutch townhouse with a spacious backyard equipped with a fire pit and built-in bocce court for diners to enjoy. As for the food: try the duck breast with quinoa, pistachios, and peaches or the restaurant’s signature burger.
1432, 6380 Mill Street, Rhinebeck, NY 12572: T. (845) 516-5033
Stay…
Located on the main street of Hudson, close to the action but far enough away to maintain that relaxed holiday glow, Rivertown Lodge is a 27-room boutique hotel housed in a former 1920s movie theatre. The interior style is refined retro meets cozy American living.
731 Warren Street, Hudson, NY 12534; T. (518) 512-0954
Steeped in history with all the modern trimmings, Hasbrouck House is the perfect spot for a weekend away. Accessible in less than two hours by car, the hotel offers luxury suites, an in-house farm-to-table restaurant, a wellness program including yoga and in-room massage, even a Tesla car charger. Enjoy the pool during summer and the wood burning fireplace during the cooler months.
3805 Main St, Stone Ridge, NY 12484; T. (845) 687-0736
Since its recent renovation, Troutbeck Inn has drawn the romantic, the creative, the adventurous, and the curious with its rustic charm, river views, fresh air, wood burning fireplace, and seasonal menu celebrating local farms and purveyors. A two-hour drive or train ride from Grand Central will get you there.
515 Leedsville Rd, Amenia, NY 12501: T. (845) 789-1555
Shop…If well-designed, timeless furniture is your jam, visit Sawkille Co. in Rhinebeck. For quality, accessible home goods, head to Hawkins NY. We also love 13 Floor Modern in Beacon for its exceptional selection of vintage modern furniture. And whatever you do, don’t leave Hudson without checking out Red Chair antique store on Warren Street.
