What to do in Hudson, NY

Hudson Valley is only a few hours from Doylestown. When looking at a map and hotels of the Hudson Valley, we decided on Hudson, NY. We went to Hudson with no plans except for our hotel. We decided to stay at The Wick. We asked the hotel staff what to do and where to go. We loved getting advice from locals. The places below were some of their recommendations and things we found on our own. This was a relaxing vacation and highly recommend Hudson!

Bish Bash Falls

I started my hike in Taconic State Park in New York and ended at Bish Bash Falls in Massachusetts. If you have been following my blog you know we do a lot of waterfall chasing with my parents. My dad in particular loves them. The trail for this one was not accessible for them, so I went hiking. I loved that there was only a couple of people on the trail, so it was very peaceful. It was a great workout!

Copake Iron Works

Located near Bish Bash Falls is Copake Iron Works. It is an ironworks facility that was in use from 1848 to 1903. It has been restored and is cool to see for a quick stop. There are picnic tables and a small museum to explore as well.

Sheffield Covered Bridge

We stopped at Hillsdale Diner in Hillsdale, NY and saw a painting of a covered bridge. We did research to see where the closest one was located. There was one in Sheffield, MA. We headed there. It is the oldest covered bridge in Massachusetts. I love vacations when you have little plans and just go where the day takes you.

Appalachian Trail

When traveling, I love finding unexpected places. When we were driving back from the covered bridge to Hudson, we noticed that the Appalachian Trail crossed over our route. While there I also noticed that there was a marker for the last battle of Shay’s Rebellion. You may not know this, but I wanted to be a history teacher, so I love all things history. I had never heard of Shay’s Rebellion, it took place in Western Massachusetts from August 1786 – February 1787.

Kaaterskill Falls

We began our second day in the Catskills with a visit to Kaaterskill Falls. The trail was an well marked and well maintained. There was a little bit of an incline, so my parents weren’t able to explore. Funny story while on the trail, there was a dog on the trail. The dog looked like a bear walking down the trail. I was wondering why everyone was so calm. I laughed my way to the car.

Thomas Cole National Historic Site

I am sure you can tell by the photos below that the apple trees were in bloom and that I loved photographing them. We didn’t tour the buildings, but the grounds were beautiful. Prior to our visit to Hudson Valley, I had never heard of Thomas Cole. He was an artist and an early environmentalist. Also, he founded the first art movement.

Olana

Olana is state historic site and park. It is was the home to American artist Frederic Edwin Church. The views of the Hudson Valley are amazing and can see why it was there were many landscape artists. It has the studios and home all in tact, which is not common. Visiting every season here would be beautiful.

Henry Hudson Riverfront Park

We stayed at The Wick, which is located across the street. It is a great viewpoint looking at the river and watch the sunset. I love the willow tree!

Hudson Clothier

We didn’t do much shopping, but Hudson Clothier had a case of items at our hotel that they sold. Some of the items caught my eye, so we stopped by. I got a few items and all items are made in America.

FASNY Museum of Firefighting

An unexpected highlight of our trip to Hudson for me was the FASNY Museum of Firefighting. It is the largest museum in the country. I could have spent hours taking photos of the details of the items in the museum. My parents enjoyed it and a great way to spend the morning. Because we were there in May, there weren’t any tourists and we had the museum to ourselves.

Greenport Conservation Area

We were recommended to go to Greenport Conservation Area. It was hot and sunny the day we went. It was a beautiful path, but wasn’t prepared for a hike in the hot sun. I didn’t make it to the river, but it was beautiful with what I saw.

Stuyvesant Falls

We were told that Stuyvesant Falls are visible from the road and we headed there. This was the only falls that my parents saw in person on the trip.

Riverbend Mercantile

I noticed this cute store when we were driving down the street. Also, many stores weren’t open during the beginning of the week. This one was open and I went in to explore. They have an amazing collection of antique vents that went above doors to help with air circulation.