WHY GO: Celebrities have been hiding out in this corner of Westchester County NY forever, but there are more things to do in Bedford NY and nearby Katonah than just chasing stars.
Yes, even back when our country was first formed, bold-faced names who wanted to sneak away from the Big City, would escape to the wilds of what is now Katonah and Bedford. They still do, though the “wilds” have been tamed a bit.
And even though there’s an outdoor music venue that parallels Tanglewood in every way but size, an open-to-the-public estate of our country’s first Supreme Court Judge, an innovative world class contemporary museum, and two charming villages within 10 minutes drive of each other – not to mention a laid-back 8-room luxury inn owned by a Hollywood star – all this may come as a surprise to most readers.
Full disclosure: Bedford/Katonah is practically in my own back yard. So, yes visit. But please keep word of mouth to a whisper. It’s just that kind of place.
(Need more ideas of where to escape with your honey in New York State? Check out our Best Romantic Getaways in NY post.
Things to do in Bedford NY
VISIT: Around the Bedford Town Green
The Free Library and Post Office are among the 10 buildings managed by the Bedford Historical Society around the original 1681 Town Green, where the spire of the gleaming Presbyterian Church is the highest point around, rendering this quaint village a living museum.
EXPLORE/SHOP: Historic Bedford Village
Things haven’t changed much in Historic Bedford Village, where most buildings date back to the mid 1700’s. There’s still a preponderance of various Real Estate offices that line its main streets like bars in a college town. And the Bedford Playhouse has been showing first-run movies for nearly 80 years. (It opened in 1947).
But times they are a’changing – even in this little village. The old fire-station has been repurposed into something completely different, and several small indie enterprises have made a quiet splash. Our favorites:
oHHo
This “Botanical Wellness” company has taken up space in Bedford’s old firehouse. oHHo aims to dampen the fires of the mind with CBD and hemp-derived THC gummies, chocolates, and creams, which you can buy here along with other food and decorative home goods. But at first, you’ll be drawn in by the wood fired pizza oven and picnic tables that sit outside the front door. From all accounts, the pizza is “really good.”
MAST Market
MAST puts up its own preserves, mustards, salsas and more – which gives you an idea of the organic, down-home aesthetic this market exudes. Produce and other products that line tidy shelves come from the local farms that are listed neatly on a blackboard. In addition, you can grab a coffee and sandwich, made in-house – at the take-out cafe.
Bedford Books
This just-opened, scaled-down bookstore, with its adorable living-room vibe, is destined to become a cherished member of Bedford’s small merchant community. Stop in to pick up your next Book Club choice, or get some ideas from the knowledgeable and friendly staff.
Things to do in Katonah NY
GO TO A CONCERT: Caramoor, Katonah
An electric gate opens onto a long, winding primeval-forest of a driveway that takes you through 100 acres of gardens, greenhouses, performance pavilions and the main house – a Spanish-style stucco villa that encircles an open courtyard – Caramoor.
It took investment banker Walter Rosen and his wife, Lucie ten years (from 1929 – 1939), to build a summer home to house their collection of Renaissance, Rococo, Chinese and English art and furnishings and entertain a diverse group of friends with concerts, recitals and parties.
The museum-like home is cause in and of itself to find your way to this pocket of Westchester, NY but, amazingly, not the numero uno reason people flock here from all over the world. Caramoor is billed as a “Garden of Great Music”: Jazz, Chamber Music, Classical and Roots concerts play to blissed-out audiences in the gardens, courtyard and home throughout the year. It’s like a slice of the Berkshires in a New York City commuter town, and sometimes feels like Westchester County’s little secret. For a special experience, visit Caramoor for a tour of the home and “Afternoon Tea” – tea and scones served on the Rosen’s china. Check website for concerts and programs year round.
TOUR: The John Jay Homestead, Katonah
*In March 2025, the John Jay Homestead was closed for an Historic Renovation with opening TBD. Check website for updates.
John Jay, along with John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, helped broker the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which effectively ended our new nation’s war with England. In turn, President George Washington offered him any post in the newly formed government.
Jay chose to utilize his law degree – earned at King’s College (now Columbia University) when he was 19 years old – as America’s first Supreme Court Justice. Elected Governor of New York State in 1795 (in absentia) he stepped down as Justice to serve New York until 1802.
Yet with all these bone fides, most people have never heard of the man who was not as outspoken as Adams and Franklin, who preferred to live out his post-public service life in the middle of nowhere – a two day carriage ride from New York – as a “Gentleman Farmer” on 750 acres.
The home stayed in the Jay family through five generations until 1954 when it was turned over to the State as a tourist site – one of the few with most key pieces of furniture original to the home, including a unique portable Barrister’s Bookcase that comes apart for easy transport, a shortened piano forte designed for Jay’s granddaughter, four poster canopy beds (including the one in which John’s wife Sara passed away), and two “Balloon Chairs” made to commemorate the flight of the first hydrogen air balloon in Paris in 1783 – an event witnessed firsthand by Sara Jay and Benjamin Franklin.
Perhaps most thrilling for visitors to see is Jay’s original roll-top desk, imbued with history. One is left to only imagine the important documents that must have graced its surface. The home went through several expansions, including one in 1920 that doubled the size of the house, and is a lot larger than it first appears. Check website for dates, hours, tour times and fees.
VISIT: Katonah Museum of Art
As a “non-collecting” museum, The Katonah Museum of Art curates ten exhibits each year, building programming and family events around works of contemporary art, furniture, found objects, collage and at times strange juxtapositions. Check website for artist installations, dates and hours open, and admission cost.
STROLL/SHOP: Katonah Downtown
This small suburban commuter-rail-stop with a bit of the Brooklyn about it has found footing as a boutique’y day trip. You won’t find any big-box or franchise stores here, but instead, less costly alternatives to shops an hour south in New York City.
Katonah’s main street has been drawing shoppers for generations, with stores that have stood the test of time, steeped in helpful, customer-is-king, ethics. These include Weinstein’s Pharmacy (opened in 1881), Kellogg’s & Lawrence Hardware and Merchantile (since 1887), and Charles Department Store (1924).
Newer shops of note have the same customer-service: Catherine H, purveyor of “timeless” European Fashion; G Willikers Toy Store – a gem for grandparents; Ruby Sue for cool women’s fashions, and several inticing art and craft galleries.
Where to Eat in Bedford and Katonah NY
EAT: Blue Dolphin Diner, Katonah
The most recommended restaurant in town, (“it’s not really a diner”), this little blue Italian eatery has a cute homespun interior and churns out satisfying, very reasonably priced meals you might find in Capri or on the Amalfi Coast. Expect a line around lunch and dinnertime – the Blue Dolphin doesn’t take reservations.
EAT: The Whitlock, Katonah
For fancier fare, The Whitlock is another Katonah favorite, with its warm, cosy ambience and food that wins raves from diners.
EAT: Bedford Post Tavern, Bedford Post Barn @ Bedford Post Inn
The mood has changed at the Bedford Post Inn – from fine dining to a more comfy, unfussy, tavern-like caviar and cheeseburger type spot. The change from Farmhouse to the Bedford Post Tavern, has won over visitors and locals.
Where to Stay in Bedford NY
STAY: Bedford Post Inn
The 8-room Bedford Post Inn, is owned by Richard Gere and his business partner, Russell Hernandez, who took a dilapidated farmhouse and turned it into a Relais & Chateaux hideaway, much to the delight of town officials.
In Bedford, celebrities are a dime a dozen, but a decent luxury inn was hard to find. Until Gere & Co. stepped up, unless you could score a guest room at Ralph Lauren’s, Michael Douglas and Katherine Zeta-Jone’s, Bobby Kennedy, Jr’s, or Martha Stewart’s home in this horsey, whitewashed, historic town about 45 miles from NYC, there was really no place to stay overnight.
Guestrooms are outfitted in the colors of serenity; creams, eggshells and lots of wood. White louvered shutters frame windows. Grey marble baths are massive with showers big enough for a couple to dance in. Rates include afternoon wine and nibbles hour, hearty warm breakfast and complementary classes at the Bedford Post’s Yoga Loft.
