Do you find the Hamptons too scene-y, yet the Adirondacks too secluded? Here’s a Goldilocks weekend getaway from NYC for you: Hudson Valley, New York.
The Hudson region is known for its plethora of art galleries, quaint antique stores (ask this writer about her Murano glass lamp!), and farm-to-table restaurants. A must-visit town? Kingston, which is home to the boutique Hotel Kinsley. Spread out over four historic buildings—including a 19th-century bank—it flawlessly encompasses both old world and new thanks to its contemporary interiors by Studio Robert McKinley. Meanwhile, in Hudson—another town revered for its cultural scene—is The Maker, a glamorous property by the co-founders of Fresh Beauty.
There’s also Pocketbook Hudson, a new boutique hotel in a renovated factory that has an airy, standalone bathhouse for a nice soak and steam after a day of antique shopping. And go to dinner at Stissing House for a charming candle-lit farm-to-table dinner you won’t soon forget.
For a bit more space, head out to Wildflower Farms in Gardiner. Nestled within 140 acres at the foothills of the Catskills Mountains, it boasts a spa, pool, a cooking school, an on-site farm, hiking trails, as well as a natural playground with plenty of boulders for children to climb and even a zip line. The best amenity of all, however? Their great porch—a sprawling outdoor space overlooking the grounds lined with Adirondack chairs and firepits.
Another fantastic option is Inness, in nearby Accord. The high-design hotel, helmed by Taavo Somer, sits on 225 acres and features a soon-to-open spa, golf course, pool, and restaurant. An added bonus? The grounds were designed by famed landscape artist Miranda Brooks, making it truly an idyllic retreat.
Finally, there’s Troutbeck. The hotel has a rich history: in the 18th and 19th centuries, it was a private estate owned by the wealthy Benton family. They regularly invited the great Transcendentalist thinkers of the time, including Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson, to stay as guests. In the early 1900s, the Bentons sold Troutbeck to Colonel Joel Spingarn and his wife, Amy. They continued its legacy as a cultural retreat: Sinclair Lewis, Teddy Roosevelt, Lewis Mumford, and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall were all visitors. The Spingarns were also avid supporters of the NAACP during its early days, and held conferences attended by W.E.B. Du Bois.
Today, the Dutchess Country property offers 37 guest rooms to anyone seeking rest, relaxation, and respite. Hammocks and fire pits sit along the river, while nestled elsewhere within its 250 acres is a tennis court, pool, full-service spa, and a walled garden.
There’s also The Six Bells, the country inn from Audrey Gelman that is a cottagecore dream.
Driving distance from NYC: just under 2 hours
The Beach Day: Amagansett or Montauk, New York
