When one of your dearest friends and adventure pals (who lives clear across the country) says she’s dreaming of a leaf-peeping Hudson Valley fall vacation for a milestone birthday, you quickly make a plan. I declared the 430 mile distance between my Pittsburgh abode and our Hudson hotel drivable. Then, I loaded up the car and headed east on a soggy October Friday. The journey proved colorful, aesthetically speaking, but otherwise uneventful — fueled by good tunes and the promise of a happy reunion under the vibrant canopies of fall.
Things to Do This Fall in The Hudson Valley
As “Catskills” signs appeared, my GPS pulled me across the Rip Van Winkle Bridge and down the quaint streets of Hudson, NY towards The Wick, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel. This was our pleasant home base inside a former candle factory from the 1860s. Our accommodations, marked by an airy room with high ceilings, were located a stone’s throw from the Amtrak station where Melissa had arrived via two-hour train from New York City.
During our first stroll along the walkable main street of Hudson, often referred to as “Downtown to the Upstate,” we quickly saw the influence of Big Apple folks who’ve made this outpost home. (Pandemic-driven migration brought a huge influx of weekenders-turned-residents to the Hudson Valley.)
Going Out, Hudson Valley Style
We strolled among the antique, minimalist, and modern furniture of FINCH and the ethically handwoven rugs of MINNA. We admired the artisan cheeses and salami of Olde Hudson Market, as well as the enticing lobster rolls by Oyster Party, served out of a chic seafood “shack” in the Backbar courtyard.
Pumpkins and autumnal arrangements adorned leaf-dotted sidewalks, and two fluffy, matching Samoyeds peeped out from their owner’s stoop. Antique shops bustled with stylish couples and girls getaway contenders. The town felt decidedly movie set-ready, each character carrying a potential storyline we felt tempted to crack. While sipping a welcome beer at Return Brewing, we ogled a convention of costumed witches who were clinking glasses across the way at Upper Depot Brewing Co.
A Bit of Hudson Valley History with Dinner
Night one’s dinner was enjoyed in a back dining room of The Maker. This restaurant also happens to be an 11-room hotel spread across three historic buildings. Amid dark wood, floral wallpaper, grand light fixtures, and a private wedding gathering we seemed to be crashing, we savored the heirloom eggplant terrine, local beef tartare, house-smoked carrots, handmade pasta, and sirloin steak.
We ordered a round of celebratory Old Fashioneds and learned about the venue’s cocktail-fragrance pairings. These are inspired by the hotel’s line of signature perfumes. The space dripped with greenery and buzzed with the conversation of young professionals in vacation mode.
Seeing the Hudson Valley Foliage
On Saturday we tugged on our raincoats, ate hipster breakfast sandwiches from neighboring Kitty’s, and set out on a foliage hunt. We immediately struck gold (and orange and yellow) at Olana State Historic Site, where painter Frederic Church’s designed landscape encompasses 250 acres that the public (and their leashed dogs) can explore daily from 8 a.m until sunset. We hiked the loop, stopping often to soak in Hudson Valley and river panoramas, draped in the best hues fall can possibly offer.
Afterward, we popped into a local farm in Ghent for tamales and apple cider donuts. Then, we headed to Art Omi, an expansive sculpture and architecture park where greeters reminded us we had landed on the ancestral homelands of the Mohican people.
We spent far longer than anticipated meandering the tranquil 120 acres of fields and forest, studying and posing with 60-plus large-scale works, including Alexandre Arrechea’s interactive “Orange Functional” that allowed us to shoot hoops into the chandelier-esque sculpture’s cascading arms.
One Last Meal
The final dinner of our Hudson Valley fall vacation at Wm. Farmer and Sons proved a magic-tinged evening that confirms why I travel. Inside a 19th-century Front Street building, we settled into our cozy corner table amid exposed brick, copper accents, and flickering candlelight.
Our immediately affable server, donning mesmerizing vintage jewelry from nearby Woodstock, served us a meal for which I still swoon. It was Long Island oysters, seasonal veggies, outstanding fried chicken and trout mains, plus chilled Syrah to complement it all. Outside our window, the October sky split into shards of pink, and I sunk into the contentment of the moment. I raised a glass to my dear friend and the newly discovered charm of a Hudson Valley fall vacation.
Story by Corinne Whiting / Principal Photography by Melissa Dismuke
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