If the Hudson Valley conjures a bygone era in American History of important Revolutionary War battles, an important transit hub of steamboats and rail between New England, New York City, Montreal, and the Great Lakes in the 19th century, and a beleaguered recent past beset by demographic and economic challenges in the late 20th century you wouldn’t be mistaken. But as the saying “Everything Old is New Again” goes, the Hudson Valley is having a rebirth bolstered by a variety of cultural moments and economic realities. With creative artists and NYC families increasingly priced out of the Big Apple, adventurous chefs seeking to be closer to the source of the farm-to-table revolution, and a growing emphasis among urban millennials and families seeking to unplug and find occasional refuge in pastoral pursuits, the broader Hudson Valley (which encompasses the region north of New York City to the state Capital of Albany) has experienced a renaissance as of late.
As a personal update, we had our daughter (first child) in December of 2019. We were fortunate that both Baby and Mom were both doing well. By early February 2020, our travel itch resurfaced and needed to be scratched. Thanks to the support of loving grandparents who were excited to take care of Baby for one night without us, we were ready for a quick parents getaway. With the invaluable advice of countless friends, we decided to do a quick trip away from Baby for a night; however, one that was within reasonable driving distance of home (that way we could quickly come back, if needed). We chose Beacon, NY given its location along the southern Hudson Valley (shorter driving distance from the greater NYC metropolitan area) as well as its plethora of activities for a 24 hour jaunt even in the heart of winter. We really enjoyed our introduction to the Hudson Valley at Beacon and would definitely come back in the warmer months to pursue more outdoor activities and explore further north.
On hindsight, we were very fortunate to have even taken this trek as within a few weeks of this trip, COVID-19 began its relentless advance into the NY/NJ/CT area and America as a whole. While the world is continuing to be and has indelibly been changed by COVID-19, one day we hope we will all feel secure enough to travel again. When that time comes, we will all tread lightly. And if your road leads you to Beacon, NY, we hope these recommendations make that excursion a little better. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the families who have lost loved ones as well as all the health care workers, first responders, and supply chain workers who work tirelessly to keep us healthy, safe, and nourished.
The Berkshires are not an exact location that you can simply enter into your GPS. They encompass the totality of rural western Massachusetts as New England mingles with the Hudson Valley of New York. They also represent a feeling of escape. A century ago, they were a popular spot for the gilded urbanites of Boston and New York to decamp; a pastoral Newport if you will. Nowadays, the Berkshires offer a different freedom. A chance for those same urban denizens of the northeast corridor to temporarily give up their ersatz connections to constant connectivity and hyperproductivity and seek out a bucolic and verdant holiday to recharge with friends and family and let the mind meander. A fuel for introspection and creativity, the area has been a residence to famed authors Herman Melville and Elizabeth Kolbert, artists such as Norman Rockwell, and even tempting Hollywood glitterati such as composer John Williams and Meryl Streep to buying vacation homes. While peak season in the Berkshires is the summer, we went with some friends in late March as a spring getaway from New York post-vaccination. Read below for our recommendations.
As New York was able to keep new COVID infection rates at arm’s length by late summer with assiduous use of PPE and social distancing protocols, we felt it was time to shake off the travel cobwebs albeit in soft-shoe manner. Our last trip in a world before COVID was Beacon (New York). To keep the trip as safe as possible, we decided to again explore a destination within driving distance. We chose to explore a town north of Beacon further along the Hudson River, following the route of Henry Hudson along his eponymous river. While we weren’t seeking the Northwest Passage like the famed Englishman, we were looking for a getaway from the grind with some family members. We placed our pushpin on Hudson (New York), a former manufacturing town that has been revived as a quaint tourist destination for architecture, arts, antiquing, food, and celebrating diversity. Given that we had two infants in our group, we mostly stuck to exploring the food scene, admiring the gorgeous Victorian architecture on Warren St. (and elsewhere), and relaxing. In a post-pandemic world (and without the encumbrance of infants), we would have likely pursued some local hikes and done more antiquing/art galleries. But no matter what brings you to Hudson, we hope you find some of our food recommendations helpful. So for those looking for a quick escape from the Big Apple, definitely check out Hudson as it is only 120 miles away. We list some of our favorite bites to eat below.
