Whether you’re a family gathering to enjoy fun in a favorite spot, a couple looking to reconnect on a romantic retreat or traveling solo for a new adventure, checking in to the right hotel in the Hudson Valley can feel like stepping into a dream. Every whim is catered to, every creature comfort thought of.
With its historic sites and natural beauty, this region of New York offers plenty to do—but also enough room to spread out and relax. There are charming towns, delicious eateries, awe-inspiring outdoor activities and more to make for a great escape.
The region’s rich heritage is woven into the fabric of American culture. Small homesteads first settled by Dutch immigrants, aristocratic palaces on private estates, and industrial-friendly river towns intertwine to create an enduring cultural landscape that continues to shape the national psyche.
From the peaks of the Shawangunk Mountains to the sands of the hamlets along the shore, this area is one that will capture your heart and mind with its beauty and history.
It’s no wonder that this region influenced the burgeoning purely American literary movement of transcendentalism, with writers like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau coming to view nature as a spiritual teacher and a source of elation. Likewise, Hudson Valley landscape artists like Thomas Cole incorporated these ideas into their work, and their enduring images of the region have come to captivate us to this day.
This is a place where the past lives on in old townhouses and churches that have been restored, in shops that stock antique furniture and books, and in restaurants with menus that feature local ingredients. From the classic taverns of this region that once welcomed travelers on their way west to more modern eateries pushing culinary boundaries, you’ll find plenty of food and drink that’s made with love in the Hudson Valley.
Small, family-owned farms and vineyards produce some of the most delicious and fresh ingredients you’ll find anywhere. Gnarled apple trees laden with sweet red apples, winery tasting rooms and micro-breweries are abound here, as well as dairy farms, chicken, beef, and horse farms.
While many of these ingredients will end up at the tables of local taverns, family-friendly cafes and bistros, the best ones are headed straight to your mouth. Kitty’s is a perfect example, a lunchtime cafe across from Hudson’s train station serving up rotisserie plates and a breakfast sandwich that should have its own tourism ads (mild muenster cheese, smoked bacon, and a bun topped with sesame seeds).