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North of the city, the Hudson Valley runs up toward the state capital, a long band of riverside villages, forested hills, orchards and Gilded Age mansions. The scenery here inspired the Hudson River School of painters in the nineteenth century, and wealthy families built mansions along the bluffs. The region also has deep Dutch colonial roots and Revolutionary War history.
In the lower valley, Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow carry the legends made famous by Washington Irving, and the Rockefeller estate of Kykuit overlooks the river nearby. Across the water, Storm King Art Center sets monumental sculpture in open fields. Cold Spring is a walkable village with antique shops, and just north the steep Breakneck Ridge trail rewards hikers with broad river views. Dia Beacon fills a former factory with large-scale contemporary art. Farther upriver, the Walkway Over the Hudson crosses a former railroad bridge at Poughkeepsie, and Hyde Park holds the Roosevelt home, library and the Vanderbilt mansion. Rhinebeck, New Paltz with its Shawangunk cliffs, and Kingston round out the picture.
The valley suits weekend escapes and slow drives between small towns, orchards and wineries. Fall foliage season is the peak, so booking ahead helps, and many towns are reachable without a car via the river rail line.
WiserMap travel guideHudson Valley New York Storm King Dia Beacon and FoliageExplore the Hudson Valley: Storm King, Dia Beacon, Walkway Over the Hudson, Hyde Park, Olana and Sleepy Hollow, plus farm food, towns and fall timing.Read the guide
Neighboring river towns made famous by Washington Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Visitors walk the Old Dutch Church and Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, tour Philipsburg Manor and Irving's home Sunnyside. Tip: in October the area hosts popular Halloween events that sell out early.
A charming village with historic buildings, boutiques and restaurants, including the Beekman Arms, said to be one of the oldest inns in America. Nearby, the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome flies vintage airplanes. Tip: the Dutchess County Fair is held here every August.
New York's first state capital, with the historic Stockade District of old stone houses, the Senate House museum and the Rondout waterfront with the Hudson River Maritime Museum. It has a lively food scene. Tip: walk the Stockade District and then head down to the Rondout for dinner.
The hilltop estate of the Rockefeller family above the Hudson in Sleepy Hollow, with a grand house, terraced gardens, a coach barn of carriages and cars, and a collection of modern sculpture. It is seen only on guided tours. Tip: book tours in advance; they run from spring to fall.
Hyde Park holds the home of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the first presidential library, Eleanor Roosevelt's cottage at Val-Kill and the Gilded Age Vanderbilt Mansion with river views. All are run by the National Park Service. Tip: allow a full day to see them.
Olana is the Persian-inspired hilltop home of painter Frederic Church, with views of the river and Catskills he helped make famous. Nearby, the city of Hudson has Warren Street, full of antique shops, galleries and restaurants. Tip: the grounds of Olana are free to walk.
An open-air museum of large-scale sculpture spread over about 500 acres of hills, fields and woods near Cornwall, with works by Calder, Noguchi, Goldsworthy and others. Bikes and a tram help get around. Tip: buy timed tickets online, and go on a weekday for fewer crowds.
A large museum of contemporary art from the 1960s onward, set in a former Nabisco box-printing factory on the riverfront in Beacon. Its huge sunlit galleries hold works by Richard Serra, Andy Warhol and others. Tip: Beacon's Main Street has cafes and shops, and the train station is close.
Cold Spring is a small 19th-century village with antique shops and river views. Just north, Breakneck Ridge is one of the most popular and challenging hikes near New York City, with steep rock scrambles above the river. Tip: the train from Grand Central reaches both.
New Paltz is a college town with Historic Huguenot Street, a row of early stone houses. Above it rises the Shawangunk Ridge, famous for rock climbing, with Minnewaska State Park Preserve and its lakes and carriage roads. Tip: parking at Minnewaska fills early on weekends.
A former railroad bridge turned into one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world, crossing about 212 feet above the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie and Highland. It is popular for walking and biking with wide river views. Tip: an elevator connects it to the Poughkeepsie waterfront.
A large park in the Hudson Highlands with hiking trails, a lake, a zoo of native animals, a merry-go-round and the historic Bear Mountain Inn. Perkins Memorial Drive leads to a tower with views of the river and bridge. Tip: the park is very busy on autumn weekends, so arrive early.
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