Today’s travel guide is a little special because it’s a trip that I recently took with my boyfriend (OMG BOYFRIEND!). He lives in NYC and I’m in Philly, so the goal was to go somewhere within a 3-4 hour driving radius. Realizing that I had never been anywhere in New York except the city, we settled on the Hudson Valley for a fun little weekend getaway.
After a friend recommended the Hasbrouck House in Stone Ridge, I knew we had to stay there! The property is an 18th century Dutch Colonial stone mansion that was made into possibly the world’s most adorable inn. On site they had a pool (the original single pour concrete pool!), game room, hammocks, restaurant, and a more casual eatery/bar where you could grab burgers and milkshakes and sit outside.
At night during the summer, the hotel plays outdoor movies. We caught the end of Top Gun after dinner, then made ourselves some s’mores by the fire. Absolute summer perfection, especially since we used Reese’s cups instead of plain chocolate for our s’mores. If you haven’t tried this yet, move it to the top of your summer bucket list.
During the day we ventured out to a neighboring town, High Falls, which was only about a 5-10 minute drive.
Across from the post office in town, down the hiking path, you’ll also come across a secret swimming spot. There are gates up that you have to walk around, so don’t blame me if you get arrested, I’m not paying bail. When we went, there were plenty of other people and it was totally fun/safe! There are plenty of other hiking spots in the area if you’re not trying to swim or spend your vacation in jail.
And if you’re not so into the whole nature thing, there are some cute shops all next to one another that you can pop in and out of!
Where to shop:
Fred– modern + vintage home goods
Black Barn– rotating pop up shops inside
Green Cottage–cute flowers and cards + the worlds softest store dog
Nectar– gifts and housewares
Where to eat:
Hash— perfect for breakfast! They serve food from local farms in the area.
Cherries— basically a local, adorable Dairy Queen. Split the peanut butter dream!
Kitchenette (in High Falls)– comfort food served in a home style type of diner.
Butterfield— the restaurant at Hasbrouck House. They smoke the meat on site and grill the food outside where you can see. Some of the veggies also come from the property garden!
[Ryan at Kitchenette]
[Dinner from Butterfield]
[Smokehouse on site at Hasbrouck House]
On the way back to NYC, we stopped off at the Dia: Beacon for a fun afternoon of art. This is hands down one of my favorite museums, and an absolute must-see if you’re in the area. If you’re short on time, at least pop in to walk through the Richard Serra pieces and absorb the colors of Dan Flavin.
So that’s the trip! We were only there for a few days, so I’d love to go back and explore more of the Hudson Valley– especially in the fall when the leaves change and you can apple pick. If you’ve ever been, I’d love to hear your reccomendations for next time!
xo
Rachel