A Weekend Travel Guide To Upstate New York

 



Getting to upstate New York has been on the top of my bucket list since I moved to New York and finally this weekend, my girlfriends and I made it there for the dreamiest fall weekend! There are so many adorable cities and spots in the Hudson Valley area and was a perfect weekend trip to escape the busy city. Today I’m sharing my mini travel guide for a weekend away with all the must have meals, spots and activities for a fall visit!

HOW TO GET THERE
A car is a must for getting there and around the different cities upstate. It’s about a two and a half hour drive to the Hudson area (we stayed in a small town about 20 minutes away called Valatie) and the ride was so smooth once you got out of the city. I partnered with Toyota for the weekend who let us try out their 2018 Land Cruiser and it was so hard to give this car back! Not only was it so easy to drive, it was the perfect size for four people and suitcases and bags. We also loved the gorgeous leather interior and of course road trip must haves: a sunroof and amazing speaker system to play all our favorite songs during the weekend.

WHERE TO STAY


We stayed in an Airbnb and we’re already dying to go back and stay in this adorable place. We wanted to make sure we had a place that was going to fit all of us comfortably plus have space to relax and cook too and this definitely fit the bill. Staying a little outside Hudson too allowed us to save some money. We also loved we were downtown and were surrounded by other homes and stores, while still feeling quiet. From the porch to drink our coffee on each morning to the modern décor, it was the ideal fall getaway. If you’re looking to stay somewhere with more things to walk to though, I recommend staying right in downtown Hudson so you can easily walk to all of the restaurants and shops.

WHAT TO DO
With so many small towns in the Hudson Valley area, there is so much you can do if you don’t mind driving a bit. With the leaves becoming peak fall colors, we loved driving around and exploring a few different spots. My biggest tip would be to map everything out for your visit as some spots can be a lot farther than you think! 

Storm King Art Center: Storm King Art Center has been on my list for years and we couldn’t have had a more perfect fall day to explore. This 500-acre outdoor museum is located about an hour and half from Hudson and features large-scale sculpture and site-specific commissions under the open sky. We spent about two hours walking the hilly grounds and soaking up the fresh air, fall colors and modern sculptures. We definitely could have spent more time here and saw a lot of people pack picnics as well to enjoy on the grounds.

Antique and vintage shop in downtown Hudson: If you’re in the process of decorating your apartment or home, downtown Hudson is a must to treasure hunt. Right on their main street, Warren Street, the street is filled with so many incredible antique stores. We also stopped in some other local boutiques and coffee shops but overall loved looking through all the incredible vintage and antique décor.

Go on a hike: We ran out of time on Sunday but a must for our visit back is hiking to see some of the gorgeous waterfalls the Hudson Valley has to offer. Two at the top of our list were Kaaterskill Falls (about 40 minutes from Hudson) and High Falls Conversation Area (about 20 minutes from Hudson) and both offer an easy and short hike along with incredible scenery and views of the changing leaves.

Visit a cider mill: Our last stop before heading back to the city was to pick up our favorite fall treats. We visited Golden Harvest Farms in Valatie and they had everything from the most delicious apple cider donuts, fresh apple cider, pumpkins, apples and other favorite fall treats. Along with the marker, they also have a distillery where you could sample different local liquors as well as have a hot toddy to enjoy while walking the orchards.

 WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK

Gracie’s Luncheonette (Leeds): On our way out to Storm King, we stopped at this adorable diner for lunch. The menu has so many options and we all loved our different sandwiches, soups and side dishes. The diner has incredible views of the fall foliage and along with their delicious food, they are known for their incredible bakery too so we couldn’t resist grabbing one of their homemade donuts for the road.

Wm. Farmer and Sons (Hudson): If you’re a fan of sharing a ton of small plates, this gorgeous restaurant is a must. This farm to table restaurant changes their menu seasonally so we shared everything from a fall panzanella salad to their famous ham and biscuit boards, along with great fall cocktails. The restaurant also has a cozy fireplace and long communal table so it was ideal for our big group of friends. Definitely make sure to have a reservation as it was packed on Saturday night!

Red Dot (Hudson): We headed to this bar and restaurant (one of the oldest in Hudson!) after dinner to have a drink and had such a fun time sitting on their open back porch with a cozy bonfire.

Rivertown Lodge Tavern (Hudson): Located inside the adorable Rivertown Lodge in downtown Hudson, we loved our brunch here before an afternoon of shopping. The menu is super fresh and also featured a lot of seasonal dishes as well and was great for a hearty and healthy breakfast.

WHAT I WORE