In the storied Hudson Valley, there is plenty to see and do. There are modern galleries displaying world-renowned work, innovative culinary enterprises and progressive practices in agriculture and food sourcing. The region is home to many of the country’s most famous historical sites, including the homes of Franklin D. Roosevelt at Hyde Park and Val-Kill, Eleanor Roosevelt’s estate in Cold Spring, the Vanderbilt Mansion in Newport, NY and the Hudson River School’s studios in Newburgh.
The valley is also where a great deal of the nation’s history was shaped during the American Revolution. The area served as a nexus for the conflict, and its residents were at the center of the debate between the colonies’ leaders. The Sons of Liberty penned broadsides, encouraged boycotts, and held rallies while Patriot housewives threw “tea parties.”
Even as industry and railroad lines grew and the high cliffs along the Hudson known as the Palisades were eaten away by quarry mines, people began to fight to preserve the area’s natural beauty and landscape. In the 19th century, the government established the Division of Forestry and created the first national parks. The land owned by E.W. Harriman and others became Bear Mountain-Harriman State Park. In addition to the national parks, local efforts to preserve the region’s heritage continue today, from the preservation and restoration of historic buildings and properties to the creation of community development initiatives designed to revitalize the economy.
But the most fascinating aspect of the hudson valley is how its historic past informs its future. Many of the old towns in this area have redefined themselves for a new generation of visitors. For example, in the mid-Hudson Valley, Hudson is best known for the antique wares that have made it, in recent years, a hot spot for status-obsessed weekenders (and the setting of the popular TV show Billions). However, swaths of the city contain public housing and are home to burgeoning Bangladeshi and Caribbean communities.
Other examples of the hudson valley’s unique history can be found throughout the region, from a former prison in Garrison to the site where the first nuclear weapon was tested. The region is also the birthplace of the nation’s first psychiatric institute and has a number of renowned universities, colleges, and academies.
While the hudson valley is a bit off the beaten path, it is easily accessible by car. Interstate 84 runs through the valley, and the regional airports of White Plains and Stewart International are just a short drive from most of the major cities in the area. The area is also serviced by several bus lines, including the Rockland Coaches in Rockland County and Short Line in Orange and Rockland Counties, and Metro-North’s Hudson and Rhinebeck stations serve Amtrak intercity trains and commuter buses from NYC. In the past few years, new and creative ways of bringing visitors to the region have also been developed, including an art crawl and a wine festival.