Summer in the Hudson Valley is one of my favorite times because its full of easy day trips and weekend getaways away with gorgeous hikes, farm lunches, outdoor concerts, that barely require a drive (though I could say that about any season :-)).
As you know, I love cobbling together the perfect day trip: a physical activity in the morning like a walk or hike; a lunch destination to anchor the middle of the day, followed by something arty, historic, or even just a stop at a great farm or market. I’ve got a slew of go-to combinations ready to share….
Black Rock Forest + Blooming Hill Farm, Cornwall/Monroe
Black Rock Forest is a privately managed preserve in Cornwall with miles of hiking trails and surprisingly few crowds. We started the morning with the Reservoir Loop – 5.6 miles with just enough elevation to feel like a substantial hike without leaving you exhausted. We passed maybe four people on the trail the entire morning!
From there we made our way to Blooming Hill Farm. You almost always need a reservation, even for lunch, so book well in advance – you’ll be happy you did. I’m all about the salads and vegetable sides, but you can’t go to Blooming Hill and not order a pizza. This time the stand out side was sautéed chard with spicy breadcrumbs which was tangy, fresh, and had just enough crunch.
Afterward we hit their farm market (lunch guests get a discount!). It was overflowing with summer produce, and we managed to knock out our shopping for the week: shishitos, baby eggplant, August corn, Savoy cabbage, several kinds of kale, fresh eggs, and the sweetest beets I’ve ever tasted. Dinner that night came entirely from the farm stand.
Wickers Creek Vintage Market, Lyndhurst Mansion
Vintage markets are having a real moment, and Wickers Creek couldn’t have picked a better setting for this one. With Lyndhurst Mansion as the backdrop, rows of well-curated vendors selling vintage clothing, housewares, jewelry, and textiles filled the lawn. Co-founder Pascale Le Draoulec has been running farmers markets in Westchester for nearly 20 years, including Irvington and Hastings, which probably explains why Wickers Creek feels so well organized. Their shows are usually held at the Dobbs Ferry waterfront, with the next one on Sunday, September 20. If vintage is your thing, definitely put it on your Fall calendar.
The Jazz Forum at Mathiessen Park, Irvington
This year, the Jazz Forum‘s summer concert series has moved from Lyndhurst to Matthiessen Park in Irvington which means I really have no excuse not to go. Every Thursday brings a different concert – it’s free, parking is easy, and the Hudson river view is pretty hard to beat. It’s one of those easy warm weather nights that requires almost no planning.
Bring a blanket or chairs, pack a picnic, meet up with friends, and you’ve got dinner and live music by the river. If Thursdays don’t work, through the end of August, the Jazz Forum also hosts riverfront concerts throughout the Rivertowns, including Dobbs Ferry, Tarrytown, and Sleepy Hollow.
Bull Hill + The Wild Kitchen, Cold Spring/Beacon
We’re heading to Slovenia for a hiking trip (spoiler alert!), which means I’ve recently become much more interested in elevation gain. Bull Hill in Cold Spring is one of the best places around here to get a serious workout without a long drive. The full loop gains about 1,500 feet, much of it in a pretty short distance. There’s a real subculture of long-distance trail runners who train here, and it’s wild watching them race straight up the mountain while you’re working your way up. Let them pass! There are also a few good lookouts with Hudson River views early in the hike.
Near the bottom, you’ll hit the remains of the old Cornish Estate, an abandoned Gilded Age mansion. That’s where the shorter-loop crowds tend to gather, so expect more foot traffic there. Take the long loop and you’ll see far fewer people. Go early because the parking lot fills fast. If I’m hiking for scenery alone, I’d choose Storm King or Black Rock, but if I need elevation close to home, Bull Hill is hard to beat.
Afterwards, we stopped off in Beacon for lunch at The Wild Kitchen, the new spot next door from the team behind Kitchen + Coffee. The menu is gluten-free with Asian-inspired bowls and plenty of non-vegan options. I had the banh mi bowl with salmon and would definitely order it again.
We also wandered into Paul Brady Wine, a wine shop, bar, and tasting room focused entirely on New York State wine and spirits. We left with a bottle from Fjord Vineyards, the same Hudson Valley winery I wrote about after the wine dinner at Blooming Hill earlier this year. It’s a great stop if you’re already wandering Main Street.
Kingston Overnight
Upstate Art Weekend gave me a good excuse to spend a night in Kingston this past June. One of the things I like most about staying over is having the town to myself first thing in the morning. I usually get out early for a run before the town wakes up. By the time the coffee shops open, I’ve gotten my steps in, bookmarked places I want to come back to, and figured out how I want to spend the rest of the day.
We stayed at Hotel Kinsley, a collection of four renovated historic buildings throughout the Stockade District. The main building is a former 19th-century bank, and you actually check in inside the old bank vault. We had dinner at the Kinsley restaurant that night, an easy walk wherever you are staying and a good place to land after a day exploring Kingston.The general manager gave me a tour of the other buildings, which include a 1680s stone house, a former gas fitting factory, and a pre-Revolutionary War cottage. Each is completely different, but the interiors share a slightly mid-century vibe.
Hamilton & Adams is always a stop for me, with a great mix of clothes and gifts that feel distinctly upstate without being cliche. This time I also discovered Kingston Social, a home goods shop I’d somehow never noticed before, and left with a couple of Falcon enamelware serving dishes. I stopped into 68 Prince Street Gallery and CPW for a photography show, then had lunch at Village Coffee. The shiitake grain bowl is my go-to, and it’s still my favorite lunch spot in Kingston.
Upstate Art Weekend may be over, but several exhibitions are still on view, and Kingston itself is reason enough to make the trip. Every time I return, I find another gallery, shop, or reason to spend the night instead of trying to squeeze it all into a day trip.
Pop-Up at Cherry Tavern, East Village
Since my daughter moved to the Lower East Side, I’ve spent more time there in the last year and a half than I have in my entire adult life. I’m definitely too old to live there, but do love having reasons to visit.
Last week was one of them. Our family friend Aden loves to cook, so why not turn his favorite dive bar, Cherry Tavern, into a pop-up restaurant on Wednesdays in August? The menu is Lebanese-inspired and made with seasonal, local ingredients. The tempura-fried zucchini came with labne and togarashi, followed by lamb and beef burgers with sumac slaw, harissa, and baba ganoush.
The best part is that you’re still eating in a real dive bar, pool table and all. Dessert was homemade ice cream cake with Oreos and cherry sauce, a nod to the Cherry Tavern name. There are two Wednesdays left, and they’re selling out quickly so book ASAP.
Slovenia and Italy
I arrived in Slovenia yesterday for a few days of hiking before heading to Italy for a family trip. It is my first time here, so if you have a favorite town, restaurant, shop, hike, or anything else I shouldn’t miss, send it my way. More when I’m back.
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