above: Aerial view of Bear Mountain Bridge at sunrise. – Photograph: mandritoiu – stock.adobe.com
For a quick and easy summer getaway, skip the beach and head north to the bucolic Hudson Valley. Once considered the breadbasket of Colonial America, today the Hudson Vally still has strong ties to its agricultural and farming roots. But in recent years, the area has changed significantly as a new generation of tastemakers, artists and influencers have settled here, bringing with them a youthful, vibrant energy that encompasses everything from food and fashion to home goods, art galleries and more. We’ve gathered a list of some our favorite spots. Once you’ve found your footing, we’re sure you’ll find more.
The historic town of Hudson is frequently referred to as “Brooklyn North” for its seriously hipster vibe. And for good reason. The action centers around the main drag, Warren Street, lined with galleries, boutiques and antiques shops. There’s a ton to choose from, and part of the fun is in the discovery.
Olana estate, Warren Street, Hudson – Photographs by Venera Alexandrova
Among our current favorites is Jamestown, a clothing shop with a low-key vibe and upscale brands, the jeweler Geoffrey Good, whose Hudson atelier features his signature minimalist designs, and—if you’re lucky—a chance to say hello to his two Samoyeds. You don’t have to be in the market for a midcentury console or Eames chair to visit STAIR Galleries, where the public is welcome to come to preview upcoming auctions.
Stop for a coffee at The Maker, an 11-room boutique hotel that opened in 2019. Its owners, the founders of Fresh, connected three antique buildings and created a sumptuous hideway that fuses a mix of designs La Belle Epoque to Art Deco and Mid-Century. The café is styled after a European coffeehouse and features breads and pastries made daily at its Bartlett House bakery in nearby Ghent. Lunch at Feast & Floret, with its sensational pasta dishes. Or head to the outskirts of town for a visit to Klocke Estate, an earth-to-glass brandy distillery, farm and dining destination in Claverack, New York, five miles from Hudson.
Start or end your visit at the Antique Warehouse on Front Street, which spans 40,000 square feet and numbers more than 300 dealers. But leave time for a detour to Olana, the 250-acre riverfront estate of renowned artist Frederic Church, who was a central figure in the Hudson River School. With five miles of carriage roads and stunning riverfront views, it’s a breathtaking spot that is free and open every day from 8 a.m. to sunset.
left: The 14,000-square-foot property including three buildings: an 1800s carriage house, a Georgian mansion and a Greek Revival building; right: Among the custom details in The Artist Room; a hand-carved wood fireplace and a bathroom with antique limestone, Moorish tile and a clawfoot tub – Photographs by Francine Zaslow
An hour south of Hudson, the sleepy village of Millbrook is all about connection to the land. This is horse country and farm country, where newly-tilled fields and lush fenced paddocks are the backdrop to gorgeous estates—most of which are hidden behind high gated walls. The 1,500-acre Hitchcock Estate, where Timothy Leary spent time in the Sixties, is currently listed for a cool $65,000,000.
Millbrook is also home to two exquisite gardens, which are open to the public for a nominal daily fee. Both date back to the early 20th century, and each was the vision of wealthy landowners. But that’s where the similarities end. Set just outside of the village, the 185-acre Innisfree is a quintessential American stroll garden—a blend of Modernist and Romantic ideals with Chinese and Japanese garden design principles. It’s a lovely, tranquil spot where visitors can walk the paths and trails at their leisure or book a curator tour for a wonderful overview on the garden’s history, landscaping and original owners. It’s open from late April through early November.
By contrast, the 250-acre Wethersfield Gardens and Estate is located on a hilltop with a sweeping view of the countryside. The formal grounds are manicured in the Italian Renaissance style with fountains, sculptures and topiaries. There are marked walking trails and a grand brick Georgian house that is open for tours by reservation. In the summer, the gardens are in the full blaze of their perennial glory.
Klocke Estate offers delicious farm-to-table fare and an extensive wine and cocktail list.
As long as you’ve made it this far, you might as well continue into Millbrook, with its small commercial district and side streets lined with beautifully restored Victorian homes. Alicia Adams sells her whisper-soft alpaca scarves, throws and home goods at stores in Aspen and Malibu, but Millbrook is her home. Her flagship shop is downtown, not far from Canoe Hill, a cozy bistro tucked back in a corner spot behind the Millbrook Diner (a local favorite) and is known for its happy hour oysters and prosecco.
Up the street, Antony Todd Home, founded by interior designer Antony Todd, is both aspirational and inspirational with its beautifully-curated selection of bespoke, vintage and midcentury furnishings, sculpture, art and ceramics. A block north is The Millbrook Home, where co-owner Jeremy Wallace—a former designer for Calvin Klein—offers his own Wallace line of sleek capsule pieces as well as cool and quirky home goods and accessories. Babette’s is the place where all of Millbrook seems to go for morning coffee, fresh-baked pastries and light lunches.
Be sure to stop in and say hi to David and Linda at Creel and Gow, the country cousin of the renowned New York store, where you’ll find a fabulous array of vintage and handmade collectibles and home furnishings. Next door—literally, the two buildings are connected—landscape architect Anthony Bellomo’s Orangerie features a dizzying array of pottery, plants and tasteful hostess gifts, plus a full line of plates, dog bowls and lamps by Bellomo’s husband, the ceramicist Christopher Spitzmiller.
For a different kind of immersion into the outdoors, a visit to Orvis Sandanona is in order. Sign up for a round of sporting clays, learn how to cast a fly, venture out on a fly-fishing excursion on the Housatonic, and experience the thrill of falconry at the oldest public shooting club in the country. (See “Get Outside,” greenwich magazine December 2024.) There’s an inviting front porch with Adirondack chairs for lounging, a well-stocked retail shop and a small bistro. The highlight of the summer season is the annual Game Fair, with activities from gundog scurries and demonstrations to a clays competition to browsing the pop-ups of outdoorsy lifestyle brands.
