WHY GO: Most of the things to do in Hudson New York will definitely satisfy you and your cutie pie if you’re both into design, great food, and independently owned shops. In fact, if the website Etsy was an actual place, it would be Hudson NY, an artsy town on the Hudson River that has managed to out-Brooklyn Brooklyn.
Etsy in fact, did open a brick and mortar office here in 2013, following an area resurgence that began over twenty years ago.
(Need more ideas for a New York State weekend? We’ve got you covered in our Best Romantic Getaways in NY post).
In the late 1700’s, Hudson was, inconceivably, a key US whaling port. (Ergo, little whales on street signs). The waterfront stank from whale oil processing while warehouses, wharfs and docks thrummed with activity.
Over time, industries came and went, but mostly went. So, by the 1960’s, Hudson was a sad, neglected place.
Hudson NY, An Antique and Arts Center
In the 1990’s, Manhattan antique dealers and interior designers realized that they could purchase a beautiful turn-of-last-century warehouse in this depressed Hudson River town for a fraction of what it cost in the city. They moved here and set up showrooms for well-heeled clients.
The town gentrified as said clients bought second homes here, earning the nickname NoHo. Now, you’ll find a selection of restaurants helmed by CIA-grads, shops like “Flower Kraut” (she does floral design, he makes the sauerkraut), Olana – the impressive Persian-esque home of Hudson River School of Art celebrity, Frederick Church, and charming boutique hotels and inns.
To sum it up, Hudson is now widely recognized as an antique and arts center, featuring a wide range of clothing, jewelry, and home furnishings. There’s lots of quality packed into a very small area. The following recommendations are just the start. Begin with these.
How To Get To Hudson NY
There is no “best time” to visit this easily accessible town, 130 miles north of Manhattan. The trip to Hudson from New York City takes about two hours (Grand Central to the Hudson Train Station). Or, rent a car and drive about 2.5 hours from NYC.
Things to Do in Hudson NY
TOUR: Olana
Hudson River School landscape artist Frederick Church, a founding member of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY, was the youngest artist inducted into the National Academy of Design at just 19 years of age. (That distinction still stands).
In the late 1860’s, the prominent artist planned to construct a French Chateau atop this hill overlooking the Hudson River, but a trip to the Middle East changed his mind. As a result, Church commissioned Olana – this Persian-style confection – as home and studio, living here with his wife Isabel and their children.
Must this mansion be destroyed?
Daughter-in-law Sally Goode-Church lived in Olana until she died in 1964. When the home and its contents were put up for auction, concerned citizens united to save it from the wrecking ball– an early example of Historic Preservation – with the slogan “Must this mansion be destroyed?”
The preservationists prevailed. In fact, historians consider this as much a preservation story as an art history one. Considered the foundation of America’s growing “View Shed” movement, Olana and its spectacular 250 naturalistically landscaped acres, focuses on conserving fast disappearing scenic views. In this case, of the Hudson River Valley.
Start in the Gift Shop Visitors Center
Begin your tour at the new Visitor’s Center/Gift Shop where you’ll be introduced to the famous painter and his home, Olana, though a 20 minute film. Olana is a quick uphill walk. 
Enter through front door. “Welcome” in Arabic is etched into a sunset-colored stained glass panel. Olana’s interior is a feast for the eyes. Church traveled the world and collected artifacts from all over, displaying pre-Columbian art from Mexico in his studio and framing fireplaces with carved teak from India. The “Court Hall” places you in the central courtyard of a Middle-Eastern home, where sunlight streaming through yellow glass casts the room in a honey-colored glow.
While most of the home features sizable windows affording clear views of the land and riverscape outside, the dining room is the only place in the home where sunlight is kept to a minimum, most likely to preserve the work of Old Masters that line the walls. Church wanted guests to travel back in time 400 years to discuss the art over dimly lit dinners.
Church Saves the Hudson River
Posthumously, Church became one of the most important players in the Hudson River conservation movement. The artist often painted scenes of the river from Olana’s porch studio, and in the 1970’s, one of these paintings was employed in the drive to ban a nuclear power plant within view of here.
Protesters used one of Church’s winter landscapes to show exactly how an industrial facility would mar the perfect scene. The ploy worked and the plant was situated elsewhere. You’ll see this painting and many others on a fascinating one hour tour. Check website for dates open, tour times, and entry fees.
MEANDER/SHOP: Warren Street and Downtown Historic District
Downtown Hudson NY is dense with historic buildings – so much so, the Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
Window shopping is gratifying, but do stop in to the following places:
The Quiet Botanist
The Quiet Botanist is not merely a dried flower shop (though it excels in those types of bouquets). You’ll also find candles and chocolates, books, and soaps, and myriad other thoughtfully handmade objects.
FRG Objects and Design
Rick Gillette “re-visions” mid-century modern furniture in his home good showroom.
Lili and Loo
Prices are not too outrageous at this furniture/gift/home accessories wonderland.
Hudson Clothier
Comfy designs, hand knit hats, and great sales.
GO: Hudson Riverfront Park
Make sure you get to Riverfront Park at least once. You can’t visit a town named for a great river and not experience its namesake. There’s a canoe and kayak launch, as well as a gazebo perfect for a picnic.
SEE: Parade Hill at Promenade Park
One of the first parks established in the USA for the viewing of scenic vistas, take the stairs at the foot of Warren St. up to the park overlooking the Hudson River. It’s a stunning vantage point from which to see the 1874 Hudson-Athens Lighthouse with the Catskill Mountains beyond.
DRIVE: ART OMI, Ghent
Drive 12 miles and allot a morning or afternoon to the Storm-King-like 120-acre Fields Sculpture Park at Art OMI – a leg stretcher with a great pay off.
The LEED-Certified Visitor’s Center, built in 2008, is a work of contemporary art in itself, with mushroom-wood paneling and polished concrete floors. Use foot power to see close to 60 sculptures. Open dawn to dusk, free. Check website for café hours.
DRIVE: Just Drive
I’ve never seen so many beautiful barns in various states of decay. Pull over and snap away.
Best Restaurants in Hudson NY
There are a few dozen restaurants in Hudson, and not a small number of CIA trained chefs. Everyone in town seems to have their own personal favorites. These are mine – for a start:
READ/DRINK: Spotty Dog Books & Ale
Like to have a cold one while browsing for books? Stop into the Spotty Dog Books & Ale – a microbrewery pub and bookshop rolled into one. Catch up on that novel you’ve been meaning to read while downing a craft beer from the tap. Or, be social and join in the conversation.
EAT: Locals Recommend
Feast and Floret for Italian. Baba Louie’s for artisanal pizza. Le Perche for excellent French cuisine. Wm Farmer and Son for cocktails. Wunderbar Bistro for burgers. Red Dot Restaurant for fish and chips. L’il Deb’s Oasis for Latin American food.
Hotels In Hudson NY
STAY: Best Hotels in Hudson NY
Most accomodations in Hudson NY are of the small, B&B kind. And, there are no high-rise hotels in town at all. The Wick – a Tribute Portfolio Hotel – is the town’s largest lodging, with 55 modern-luxe rooms and well-stocked fitness room. Wm Farmer and Sons Boarding and Barroom offers a total of 15 beautifully decorated rooms throughout three buildings, as well as a popular restaurant.
STAY: Thyme in the Country Cottages
Thyme In The Country is six miles outside of Hudson, but perfect for “Green” back-to-nature, hypoallergenic folk. The array of solar panels provide 66% of the energy used in two newly decorated (and private) cottages on site. This special lodging is so green, every piece of bedding is natural and hypoallergenic, and cottage amenities are organic.
Swim in the salt-filtered pool. Take a long hike from the backyard. Then head into little Philmont – a mile away – for local food in a repurposed garage – Local 111.
Weekend Getaways in Upstate New York:
- 35 Surprisingly Romantic Getaways In NY
- Troy NY: Considerably Hip
- Schenectady NY: It’s Electric
- Cold Spring NY: Charming Village on Scenic Hudson Valley Train Ride
- Beacon NY: A Former Mill Town Built for Romance
Pair this Getaway with one just across the Hudson in Catskill NY – home of the Father of the Hudson River School of Art, Thomas Cole.
One more recommendation: Do check out art exhibits and performances at Hudson Opera House.
Also, you can visit some of those picturesque barns on what’s been labeled as “one of the 5 great drinking trails,” the Hudson Berkshire Experience.
two other restaurants in Hudson that are excellent are Earth Foods and Baba Louie. While not as “highbrow” as some of the other restaurants in town both have excellent food. At Earth Foods the Rossini is my favorite sandwich. It’s thinly sliced mozzarella and roasted red peppers on home made bread. The menu features locally sourced and organic ingredients. Baba Louie has some of the best sourdough crust pizza you will ever taste. The menu features many pizza creations and all the ingredients are fresh and delicious!
Hi George- Thanks so much for reading and for the bread advice! I’ve been to Baba Louie’s in Great Barrington MA a few times and I do love it.
Malerie
Thanks so much for stopping by last week and mentioning our B&B in your article.
Hi Mary – my pleasure. It’s an adorable place. Malerie