I enjoyed all that New York City had to offer for 20-plus years, but eventually we decided we’d had enough of our cramped one-bedroom apartment and decided to move with our then-one year old to Peekskill, a city along the Hudson River about 50 miles north of Manhattan. There’s a lot to enjoy about suburban living — hello having a washer and dryer in the building — but my favorite part, by far, has been exploring all that upstate New York has to offer. There’s so much to see and do, especially in the outdoors and all within a reasonable drive.
From sampling craft beers to antique shopping and kayaking, these are my favorite local activities that make the Hudson Valley worth visiting. For a family-friendly excursion, we sign up with Hudson River Expeditions in Peekskill for their rentals by the hour for kayaks, paddle boards, and canoes. They also have instruction sessions for both beginner and advanced levels, with friendly and knowledgeable staff who’ve always ensured we have a safe and memorable experience.
When we have time to travel a bit farther north, we’ve also signed up for their kayak and paddleboard tours in the towns of Cold Spring and Beacon, some of which go past waterfalls and the historic Bannerman Castle . After a day on the water, we like to swing by craft beer brewery, River Outpost , in Peekskill. The restaurant is located in the Factoria at Charles Point, an entertainment venue that also has an arcade, laser tag, rock climbing, ropes courses, and more — my youngest and I enjoyed the claw machine.
We usually grab a seat on the deck and share the wood-fired mushroom pizza, or I’ll order my favorite, the quinoa salad with grilled chicken, if I’m looking for something light. My husband’s go-to drink is a triple IPA called Captain’s Orders, which is made on location. The brewery also has live music on most Fridays and Saturdays.
Upstate New York is known for its picturesque small towns, and Katonah is one of my favorites. After driving up Edgemont Avenue and drooling over idyllic Victorian houses, we head to Katonah Avenue and peruse the unique small businesses — I love Kelloggs & Lawrence , an old time hardware store that also sells camping equipment, home goods, and unique gifts in addition to what you’d usually find at a local DIY. After shopping, we grab a table at Jay Street Cafe for a casual, diner-style meal.
Muscoot Farm , a 777-acre estate that was a dairy farm in the late 1800s, is home to cows, horses, pigs, chickens, and sheep. The buildings are historic, and my kids love that they can meet animals right in their barns and pens. The farm and its six-plus miles of hiking trails are open daily from 10 a.
m. to 4 p. m.
, and admission is free. We have to reserve a time slot to visit Fishkill Farms for seasonal fruit-picking, but it’s worth planning ahead to meander the bucolic 270 acres of farmland. Crops can be a hit or miss, but when we went in July, the blueberries were big and plentiful — even my kids were impressed.
Besides the expansive orchards, Fishkill also has a cider bar and farm store selling locally-produced items like honey, tea, cheese, and meats. When we’re in need of a beach day, we go to Croton Point Beach , located on the east side of the Hudson River in Croton Point Park. The beach is currently open on Saturdays and Sundays, with a $10 parking fee and an additional swimming fee ($4 for adults, $3 for kids, and free for kids under five).
Besides the sand, sun, and water, we also like to visit the Croton Point Nature Center just a short walk away, which offers hands-on activities like arts and crafts for the kids, as well as information about the history of the island. The Bird and Bottle Inn , an inn and restaurant in the heart of the Hudson Valley, is my favorite choice for an elegant dinner or indulgent brunch. Originally built in 1761, the inn reopened in April 2022 after renovations under new ownership.
On a recent date night, my husband and I started with inventive cocktails in the tavern (I had the pomegrazzle mocktail) before sitting down at the intimate brook-side patio. For our main courses, my husband ordered the burger topped with cheddar from 5 Spoke, a creamery in the upstate village of Goshen. I had scallops accompanied by a sweet corn succotash with locally grown cherry tomatoes on top of an edamame scallion puree.
“Nothing haunts us like the vintage we didn’t buy,” cautions a sandwich sign outside one of the many funky shops in the charming village of Cold Spring , which has less than 2,000 residents. One of my favorite shops, The Cold Spring Antiques Center on Main Street, features 20 dealers selling antique furniture, vintage jewelry, clothing, vinyl records, reasonably priced art, and plenty of odds and ends. To truly feel surrounded by nature, we go to the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture , a nonprofit farm and education center.
The 80-acre facilities are lovely to wander around, and they also offer vegetable tastings, cooking classes, and farming and gardening classes. We never skip stopping by the Blue Hill Cafe and Grain Bar, a farm-centered cafeteria, which serve small plates created by the same folks behind the legendary Blue Hill restaurant, but at a fraction of the price (try a spelt chocolate chip cookie — they’re delicious). At over 200 feet high with a reservoir capacity of 34 billion gallons of water, the New Croton Dam is a sight to behold.
We usually pack a lunch and make an afternoon of it, because in addition to the spectacular waterfall, there’s a picnic area, playground, and plenty of trails. My two toddlers love exploring here — my fearless 4-year-old discovered the path that led us across the aqueduct and over the falls. I love picking up a fresh bouquet at The Parcel Flower Co.
, a sweet flower shop off Route 9 in Cold Springs that sells flowers, various houseplants, and home decor items. The business grows their own organic buds and sources more from local farms, and they also have flower-arranging and houseplant care workshops. Built in the early 1800s, and preserved from demolition and painstakingly restored in the 1950s, the Boscobel House and Gardens is a neoclassical mansion turned museum in the hamlet of Garrison.
In the past we’ve taken a tour of the house and art collection, but also enjoy simply wandering through the manicured gardens and soaking up the spectacular Hudson River views. The property also hosts seasonal special events, like summer movie nights and an apple festival in the fall. .
From: insider
URL: https://www.insider.com/hudson-valley-new-york-upstate-getaway-day-trip-ideas
