10 Things To Do on a Hudson Valley Getaway
This fall we took a much needed mini vacation, and decided to spend it in the Hudson Valley. We made @thethayerhotel our home base, and between our suite, sunset drinks on the Hudson at Zulu Time and their must-go Sunday Champagne Brunch, we couldn’t have had a more enjoyable stay. We spent the days exploring the insanely beautiful surrounding area (that we as cadets never took advantage of) including visits to the epic and down-right inspiring 500+ acre @stormkingartcenter , @angryorchardwalden (who knew that was so close to West Point!?!?) and the @applewoodwinery where we stocked up on wine, taste tested ciders and took some patriotic portraits. Every time we visit the Thayer we come away with a new experience that reconnects us to West Point. We’re already thinking about our next visit, but for the time being, here are 10 ways to spend a weekend in the Hudson Valley. Picking just 10 from a seemingly endless list is a tough task, but if you have a favorite or two you think it’s criminal to miss, shoot us a note at cadetx@cadetissue.com will your recommendation.
1. Storm King Art Center
500-acre outdoor museum opened since 1960 with large-scale sculptures and site-specific commissions under the endless open sky. Tip: wear walking shoes and pack a picnic for a 1/2 day excursion.
2. Sunset Drinks at Zulu Time Rooftop Bar
Where was a on-post rooftop bar when I was a cadet?! The corps has… but seriously, with spectacular views of the Hudson River, weekly specials, and live music, Zulu Time is our new go-to when we visit the Academy.
https://www.thethayerhotel.com/zulu-time-rooftop-bar-and-lounge.html
3. Visit & Tour Angry Orchard
Who knew that Angry Orchard’s 60 acre orchard was so close by in Walden, NY?! The Hudson Valley has a long cider making tradition and AO’s orchard is no different. It has been a farm since the 1700s, with apple trees since 100 years ago. Pick a beautiful day to visit, enjoy a free cider tasting, take a tour, grab a seat by the fire pits in the Cider Garden or snag a perch at the Tree House for a perfect afternoon.
4. Sunday Champagne Brunch at MacArthur’s Riverside Restaurant
All-you-can-eat brunch and bottomless mimosas and champagne? Now we’re talking. Check out The Thayer Hotel’s new award-winning Sunday Champagne Brunch prepared by their Culinary Institute of America-trained culinary staff (seatings on Sundays at 10:30am, 11:00am, 1:30pm).
https://www.thethayerhotel.com/macarthurs-riverview-restaurant.html
5. Shawangunk Wine Trail
The Eighty-mile-long Shawangunk Wine Trail boasts 15 unique wineries tucked between the Shawangunk Mountains and the Hudson River. Although I visited several of the wineries as a cadet, on our most recent visit we stopped at Applewood Winery located in the lower Hudson Valley next to a beautiful lake. The winery is also home to Naked Flock Hard Cider and Meads and has more than a dozen wines, ciders and meads to sample and enjoy by the bottle, glass or pint.
In the winter, I highly recommend the Trail’s Wreath Fineries at the Wineries. All 15 member wineries participate, and with your ticket you’ll receive a souvenir wine tasting glass, a grapevine wreath, Shawangunk Wine Trail ornament, and a wine tasting at your starting winery. Then spend the day on a self-guided tour to the remaining wineries (highly recommend booking a wine trail party bus or a ready and willing DD) in any order to receive a wine tasting and new ornament at each stop along the way.
https://www.shawangunkwinetrail.com/ | http://www.applewoodwinery.com/)
6. Million Dollar View at Trophy Point
The name “Million Dollar View” says it all. Trophy Point is home to the Battle Monument, one of the largest columns of granite in the world, and gets its name from the capture artillery pieces on display from the Revolutionary War through the Spanish-American War. Stop, enjoy a deep breath, and take it all in.
7. Shopping & Strolling in Cold Spring, NY
Just across the river from West Point at the deepest point of the Hudson sits my favorite Hudson Valley getaway - Cold Spring. The central area of the quirky village is on the National Register of Historic Places thanks to its many well-preserved 19th-century buildings. Start the day with brunch (I recommend either The Foundry Cafe or Hudson Hills), stroll down Main Street popping into the many boutiques and antique shops (we love Old Souls and the Cold Spring General Store), break for an afternoon snack and drink at Cold Spring Depot, cross under the rail station to take in a view of the Academy from the Cold Spring waterfront, then cap your day off with dinner (we love Cathryn’s Tuscan Grill and Le Bouchon). Better yet - book an AirBnB and spend the whole week relaxing and taking in what Cold Spring has to offer, you just may never leave.
8. Lunch at Peekskill Brewery
There’s plenty Peekskill has to offer, but Peekskill Brewery might just be our favorite. The brewery opened when I was a cow at the Academy, and the place has evolved quite a bit since that first opening weekend, but all for the better. Today’s brewpub has two floors, live music, elevated comfort food and a smorgasbord of its own craft brews to enjoy.
9. Tour the West Point Museum
You may think you know all there is to know about USMA, but even the most informed Old Grad will learn a thing or two at the West Point Museum. The museum, which is housed in Olmstead Hall, is open seven days a week, is free to tour, features a History of West Point and Large and Small Weapons exhibit, and boasts a sizable gift shop. Interesting fact: the museum also administers Fort Putnam which it operates seasonally.
https://history.army.mil/museums/IMCOM/westPoint/index.html
10. #BeatNavy
Catch a game or sporting competition, or just embrace the spirit. Every. Darn. Day.
CONNECT + INSPIRE
CADET is a bi-annual magazine about West Point culture.
Highly independent, quite unofficial, aggressively dedicated.
For thee, by thee.
