The Top 5 Reasons to Visit Hudson, New York Now
WRITTEN BY 5 REASONS TO VISIT® EDITORIAL STAFF
PUBLISHED AUGUST 2022 • 4 min read
New York’s Hudson Valley is as popular as ever with New Yorkers and Bostonians. If you’re looking for that Brooklyn vibe with even more to offer—Hudson, New York does not disappoint. Located on the banks of the Hudson River, you’ll wander Warren Street to discover stunning historic architecture, ample high-end antique stores, quaint cafés and award-winning restaurants.
Historic Warren Street in Hudson, New York
1. THE SHOPPING
Home to the best antiques browsing in the Northeast, there are a surprising number of antique dealers and antique shops in Hudson, New York. You can find everything from 18th century and 19th century treasures to mid-century modern furniture, and everything in between.
Along Warren Street you will find more than 40 antique stores, design stores and art galleries. There are many clothing boutiques in town, though antique and design stores far outnumber them. Marine Penvern, a French designer, makes modern, cutting edge clothes. UNRACKED is a small boutique full of clothing from up-and-coming designers and Nina Z offers a mix of crisp vintage mixed in with new clothing, hats, shoes and accessories.
2. THE ART
Alongside antiquing, Hudson, New York is a mecca for gallery-goers—little wonder, given its history as an arts center dating back some two centuries when it attracted painters from the famed Hudson River School like Thomas Cole and Frederic Edwin Church. You’ll find some three dozen art galleries gathered mostly along Warren Street today, a continuing testament to Hudson’s appreciation for the arts.
Carrie Haddad Gallery in Hudson, New York
Some galleries to seek out include the Carrie Haddad Gallery, highlighting regional artists (it’s Hudson oldest existing gallery space, dating to 1991); Limner Gallery, featuring the works of contemporary, international mid-career and emerging artists; and Stair Galleries, known for its live auctions of some of the world’s most unique works of art.
3. THE COCKTAILS & CUISINE
Overlooking sunset views of the Catskill Mountains, Iron & Grass is a Hudson Valley chophouse that celebrates the bounty of regional farming while honoring classic steak house traditions. Their curated cocktail menu and wine list is designed around regional farm distilleries, vineyards and breweries. For your artisanal cocktail fix, we recommend trying the I&G Mojito—concocted with mixed local berries, house-blueberry simple syrup and Plantation 3-star rum.
Iron & Grass in Hudson, New York
The entire menu is inspired by the seasons and is deeply tied to the restaurant’s sense of place using cast iron, which spotlights the distinctive local character of the meat and the specificity of each unique cut. Crafted with sustainable, local and ethically-sourced ingredients with an array of dynamic flavors, favorite dishes at Iron & Grass include Sea Scallops with porcini mushrooms, kohlrabi "noodles" and orange-pickled shallots, Charred Octopus with lemon confit and olive oil cured olives, Spatchcock Chicken with Meyer lemon pan jus, Beef Shank Osso Bucco with trumpet royale mushrooms, as well as Bison Tomahawk with pepper cress chimichurri.
Take the time to indulge your sweet tooth and enjoy one of many decadent desserts such as house-made Chocolate Pots de Creme with dark chocolate and whipped cream or Sticky Toffee Pudding with whipped cream and toffee caramel sauce.
4. THE GARDENS
Just a short drive from downtown Hudson, New York—Montgomery Place Gardens is a 380-acre estate adjacent to the main Bard College campus, overlooking the Hudson River and set amid rolling lawns, woodlands, and gardens, against the spectacular backdrop of the Catskill Mountains. Renowned architects, landscape designers, and horticulturists worked to create an elegant and inspiring country estate. Blithewood Garden is the best known and is a classic example of a walled Italianate garden. It was designed circa 1903 by Francis L. V. Hoppin and is situated on a steeply sloping bluff approximately 130 feet above the Hudson River.
Montgomery Place Gardens near Hudson, New York
Montgomery Place Gardens also includes Woodland Garden, Chinese Garden, Native Garden, Elizabethan Knot Garden, Meditation Garden, Xeriscape Garden, Grass Garden, Shade Garden, and the Community Garden. Self-guided tours are available.
5. THE ARCHITECTURE
Built in 1870, Olana was the estate to Frederic Edwin Church, one of the major figures in the Hudson River School (a mid-19th century American art movement) of landscape painting. The centerpiece of Olana is the eclectic villa which overlooks natural parkland and a working farm designed by the artist. A prime example of Orientalist architecture, it is one of the few intact artists' home, studio and estate-complexes in the United States. The stone, brick, and polychrome-stenciled villa is a mixture of Victorian, Persian and Moorish styles.
The house is intricately stenciled inside and out; Church designed the stencils based on his travels in the Middle East. Olana has a wide view of the Hudson River Valley, the Catskill Mountains and the Taconic Range. The interior remains much as it was during Church's lifetime, exotically furnished and decorated with objects from his global travels, and with some 40 paintings by Church and his friends. The grounds are open to the public and interior tours are offered during the week with a ticket.
WHERE TO STAY IN HUDSON, NEW YORK
The spirit of the Hudson starts at The Wick, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel. As a historic, former candle factory, the hotel preserves history while maintaining regional flair and modern amenities such as state-of-the-art fitness center and electric car plugs. An array of luxurious guest rooms and suites are distinguished by historic elements like high ceilings and original wood floors, and include interactive TVs, mini-refrigerators and makeup mirrors.
