We decided to spontaneously extend our Upstate NY adventure last minute, and after an hour or so of searching (plus a friend’s encouraging recommendation) we settled on Hudson! We quickly booked a reservation for the Rivertown Lodge, a boutique hotel I’d had on my Upstate wish list, and they luckily had a room available for the night (thankfully they also allowed pets, as we still had our furbaby, Theo, with us from our first destination in the Catskills).
The Lodge was an old theatre turned motel turned beautiful, minimalist (yet functional), retro hotel renovated nearly 5 years ago. When we arrived we were greeted by a charming lobby, equipped with a communal kitchen and numerous seating areas to work, drink, eat, or just chill.
Every aspect of the hotel was thoughtfully designed, and the locally-crafted furniture, fixtures, and decor are proudly exhibited throughout each space.
We stayed in a King room on the 2nd floor, right off an open back porch with a charming lounge area and row of patio tables for guests to use at their leisure. Our room had a beautiful armoire, luxurious bed, and bath toiletries by local apothecary 2 Note. Needless to say, Theo enjoyed himself almost as much as us!
Due to COVID-19 precautions, we weren’t able to experience indoor dining at their onsite Tavern – instead, they set up the cutest patio with a stand outside to order food and drinks. It was perfect for summer!
They also have a row of bikes for guests’ use which makes it super convenient to explore Hudson’s charming downtown!
In case you’re able to visit while their Tavern is open, don’t miss grabbing a drink in this dreamy, moody bar situation:
Speaking of downtown, there are plenty of shops to explore and restaurants to check out. I highlighted a few favorite activities and eateries below that I definitely recommend adding to your to-do list for a short trip into town!
WHERE TO EAT
Since we only had 1 day in Hudson, we didn’t have the opportunity to eat at as many restaurants as I would have liked. However, I wanted to share the places we did go to, as well as a few others we would have loved to try!
- Wm. Farmer & Sons – we leisurely walked the mile through downtown to Wm. Farmer & Sons, both a hotel and restaurant, where we enjoyed a delicious, casual dinner & drinks outside (they also own the property across the street with the cutest backyard courtyard to dine at!). It was also near the waterfront which would make a great spot to watch the sun set!
- The Maker Cafe – we were recommended this European-style cafe by our hotel, and it definitely hit the spot! Always on the look-out for sweets, I was immediately drawn to their extensive display of baked goods (I ended up choosing a sweet potato donut with huckleberry glaze, but was veryy close to grabbing a croissant on the way out!). Tip: if you don’t have an hour to spare to wait for table service, I’d highly recommend getting your coffee & food to-go!
* I would have also loved to visit their lounge for cocktails (although I’m not sure if it was open during this time, as many restaurants had outdoor dining only), but it’s definitely on our list for next time!
- Grazin’ Diner – this place was just a block or so away from our hotel and if we hadn’t eaten right before arriving to town, we definitely would have went here for lunch! This isn’t your average diner either – here they serve farm-to-table organic and/or locally-sourced ingredients, including the animal meat that is humanely raised on their very own farm, Grazin‘ Angus Acres. Read more about their story here!
- Some other great places to check out for coffee or an afternoon snack are Supernatural Coffee, REV Coffee, MOTO Coffee/Machine, Verdigris Tea & Chocolate Bar, and Culture Cream for delicious – and unique – ice cream and sorbet (Kevin ordered the pineapple lemon sorbet and it was soo refreshing).
WHAT TO DO
- Shopping – Hudson’s downtown has over a mile of cute boutiques and is known for being home to many artists and other creative businesses. There were no shortage of antique shops, galleries, and home decor stores!
While walking we also stumbled upon this amazing luxe fragrance store, source adage. The owner described the history and purpose behind each type of scent (based on different geographical regions) and explained how each item was locally made. Also worth mentioning, and not surprising given the owners’ design backgrounds, is the store’s gorgeous aesthetic which boasted the feeling of a premium NYC apothecary while providing a down-to-earth and personalized shopping experience.
- Enjoy the outdoors – We didn’t have a chance to visit this time around, but next time we’re in the area I’d love to check out the Greenport Conservation Area. They have some easy, short hiking trails – my kind of hiking – but it also looks like a great place to just relax or enjoy a picnic!
Also, just over a half hour from downtown, is Kaaterskill Falls – the highest cascading waterfall in New York with absolutely stunning views. Just nearly a 1.5 mile roundtrip hike, it makes the perfect morning or afternoon activity. - Soak in a bit of history – If visiting landmarks and learning history is more up your alley, there’s no shortage of that here. A few must-see places include the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse (pictured below), Olana NY State Historic Site, or the Thomas Cole National Historic Site.
This was just a glimpse of what Hudson has to offer and of course there are many more amazing places to see in Hudson Valley. I just love how many beautiful, charming towns there are in Upstate NY and hope to visit more (and share the journey) soon!
COMMENTS