The Hudson Valley is New York's great decompression chamber. Take the Metro-North train north along the river and within ninety minutes the skyscrapers give way to the mountains and light that inspired America's first native art movement, the Hudson River School.
Beacon and Cold Spring
Beacon is the easy first stop — a former factory town reborn around Dia:Beacon, a vast contemporary art museum in a converted printing plant. Across the river, the village of Cold Spring offers antique shops and the trailhead for Breakneck Ridge, one of the most popular and demanding day hikes in the region.
Farms, cider and the table
The valley is farm country, and its restaurants have made it a culinary destination. Book ahead for the legendary tasting menus, or keep it simple with a cider tasting at one of the orchards and a farm-stand lunch. Autumn, when the maples turn and the apples ripen, is the crowning season.
Where to base yourself
Kingston and Hudson both make excellent bases, with restored main streets, design hotels and easy access to the Catskills. Rent a car once you arrive — the best of the valley lies down the back roads.
