Shutterstock/Alexey Smolyanyy
The view from Breakneck Ridge.
Forget the Hamptons – New Yorkers have a new place to vacation, and it’s a lot more rugged.
Some wealthy people are trading their Hamptons beach mansions for rustic homes in the Hudson Valley and the Catskills.
According to recent analyses by vacation rental site HomeAway and location-intelligence company Foursquare, search interest in the Hudson Valley and Catskills has skyrocketed while interest in the Hamptons has remained flat or decreased.
The Hudson Valley is often broadly defined as the area stretching north from New York City along the Hudson River to Albany. Divided into three regions — lower, mid, and upper — the Hudson Valley is known for its charming towns, old-money estates, and proximity to the Catskill Mountains. Metro-North and Amtrak trains provide relatively easy access to these communities, each of which has its own personality.
“The lower Hudson Valley is certainly easier to get to than the Hamptons,” Richard Ellis, owner of Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty in Nyack, New York, told Business Insider in February. “People who buy on our side of the river are not ‘keeping up the Joneses,’ so to speak. They’re looking to impress themselves, not others.”
In the spirit of this, we’ve put together a list of the best places to visit in the Hudson Valley and the Catskills— and where you should eat and stay when you go.
Woodstock — Where to stay:
The 11-bedroom Hotel Dylan is a little outside of the main town, so you’ll need a car to get there. In summer, make use of the pool; in winter, head to the nearby ski resorts at Windham and Belleayre. The property is owned by two friends, Paul Covello and David Mazullo, who work in finance in New York and Connecticut. A standard queen room starts at $239 a night on weekends.
Where to eat:
There are plenty of places to eat in Woodstock. For breakfast, head to Bread Alone Bakery for coffee and pastries. If you’re looking for a relaxed weekend brunch, Shindig is a good option for simple dishes — expect interesting brunch cocktails like sake Bloody Marys. For dinner, Italian restaurant Cucina offers a more formal menu.
What to do:
This town isn’t actually where the infamous Woodstock festival took place, but it does a pretty good job of making you think it did. You’ll find several brightly colored shops selling bohemian dresses and tie-dyed clothing here. Woodstock General Supply, a store selling locally made accessories and clothing, is also worth a visit. The store has sister locations in Hudson and the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan.
Phoenicia — Where to stay:
Phoenicia has a couple of boutique hotels that are worth a stay. The Graham & Co, a 1940s-era refurbished motel with 20 bedrooms, starts at $165 a night on weekends. It’s the hot place to stay in the area, which means it books up quickly. Then there’s Foxfire Mountain House, a small boutique hotel with a restaurant and bar. Nightly rates range from $175 to $350, and larger groups can rent its three-bedroom annex cottage.
Where to eat:
For breakfast, brunch, and lunch head to Phoenicia Diner, an old-school roadside diner that was bought by a New Yorker in 2012 and later spruced up. For dinner, head to The Peekamoose, run by a former Gramercy Tavern chef and known for its excellent food.
What to do:
Phoenicia is just down the road from Woodstock, so if you’re planning a visit up north, it’s worth exploring both towns in one trip. As it’s in a valley in the middle of the Catskill Mountains, there are also plenty of walking trails to explore.
Callicoon/North Branch — Where to stay:
The nearby communities of North Branch and Callicoon are home to two sister hotels run by Catskills native Sims Foster and his wife, Kirsten. The North Branch Inn, located in its namesake village, costs from $199 per night, including a gourmet breakfast. It also has an old-school wooden bowling alley for guests to play on. 9 River Road in Callicoon has a similar vibe, and rooms start at $169 a night.
The Fosters both work in New York City. Kirsten is an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and Sims is a hospitality executive at a hotel management company.
Where to eat:
North Branch Inn has an excellent restaurant in-house, so if you’re a guest there, you don’t need to worry about going anywhere else. It’s also a 10-minute drive from Callicoon, which makes it convenient for guests of 9 River Road, too. During the day, grab a picnic and wine at the Callicoon Wine Merchant and sit on the banks of the Delaware River, which runs around the edge of the town.
What to do:
Callicoon is home to the only movie theater in the area. It was built in 1948 and has retained lots of its original architectural details. Plus, there are plenty of vintage and antique shops to peruse around town.
Livingston Manor — Where to stay:
The Fosters also own hotels in Livingston Manor, a small town north of Callicoon. The Arnold House, located just outside of the town, has a similar feel to its sister hotels: cozy and comfortable. A queen room starts at $209 a night.
On the other side of town, at The DeBruce, its 14-bedroom room sister hotel, rooms start at $349 a night. The price includes breakfast and dinner at the hotel.
Where to eat:
Both hotels have their own in-house restaurants, so you don’t need to worry about traveling too far for dinner.
What to do:
For those who want to relax, there’s a spa at each of these hotels in addition to an outdoor swimming pool at The DeBruce. The two hotels are also near some of America’s best trout fishing on the Beaver Kill River. The nearby town Roscoe is known as “Trout Town USA.” Guests of The DeBruce also have access to its private half-mile stretch of river bank, which is great for fly-fishing.
Narrowsburg — Where to stay:
Former Vogue Art Director Anna Bern left New York and headed to Narrowsburg to set up a boutique, which she runs alongside a two-bedroom guesthouse known as the Nest Inn. Rates start at $150 a night.
Where to eat:
The Heron serves up farm-to-table comfort food. Try the buttermilk fried chicken or roasted bone marrow and sit out on the terrace overlooking the river below.
What to do:
This town is right on the Delaware River, which makes it a perfect place for water activities. Landers River Trips offers kayaking, canoeing, rafting, and even tubing trips from $10.
Kingston — Where to stay:
The Forsyth B&B is a small, four-bedroom house that’s run by a trained pastry chef — this means that guests get to enjoy a long list of delicious food that includes a three-course breakfast and “end of night cookies.” Rooms cost between $179 and $259 per night on weekends.
Where to eat:
You’ll have plenty of choices for restaurants in Kingston. For relaxed fare, head to Duo Bistro, which serves traditional American food, or head to Kovo, a casual Greek restaurant. Boitson’s is a good choice for an evening meal, and according to travel blog Escape Brooklyn, it’s the most popular place to eat in town.
What to do:
When in Kingston, hang out, explore, and browse any of the town’s many antique and gift shops, like Exit Nineteen.
Cold Spring — Where to stay:
Cold Spring is just over an hour’s train ride from Grand Central Station in Manhattan, making it an ideal day trip for New Yorkers.
If you do choose to stay the night, the Pig Hill Inn — a cozy B&B in a historic building — is a good option right in the middle of town. Rooms cost between $170 and $250 per night on weekends. That price includes breakfast.
Where to eat:
For a relaxed lunch in Cold Spring, head to Hudson Hil’s Market & Cafe on Main Street. Afterwards, stroll down to the waterfront and grab an ice cream at Moo Moo Creamery, where the ice cream is made fresh every day.
What to do:
Aside from walking around the town and exploring the antique shops, Cold Spring is a good resting spot for those who have dared to take on Breakneck Ridge, a four-hour hike in the surrounding mountains. It offers stunning views over the Hudson Valley.
Hudson — Where to stay:
Rivertown Lodge was once an old movie theater that has been transformed into an ultra-stylish hotel. Rooms start at $199 a night.
Where to eat:
Manhattan chef Zakary Pelaccio moved upstate to Hudson to set up Fish & Game, a farm-to-table restaurant with a menu that changes daily. Pelaccio won last year’s James Beard award for Best Chef in the Northeast, so this place is well worth a visit.
What to do:
Hudson is an antique hunter’s haven. Head to Warren Street, the town’s main hub, for some top-notch shopping.
Beacon — Where to stay:
Beacon is just over an hour’s train ride from New York. But if you do decide to make a weekend of it, a stay at Roundhouse, a converted factory that overlooks a waterfall and creek below, costs $229 a night for a double room.
Where to eat:
The Roundhouse has its own upscale restaurant that’s run by chef Terrance Brennan, who previously worked in restaurants in New York City and Europe. For a more casual dining scene, head into town and try Poppy’s Burgers.
What to do:
It was the modern art museum Dia:Beacon that really put Beacon on the map as a tourist destination. Housed in a former printing plant, this sprawling space right on the banks of the Hudson River is the perfect spot for large-scale installations.
If you’re traveling by train from New York, you can buy a discounted museum ticket as part of your Metro-North ticket. The tickets costs $39.50 for a trip from Grand Central for an adult.
Read more stories on Business Insider, Malaysian edition of the world’s fastest-growing business and technology news website.
✍ Sumber Pautan : ☕ Business InsiderBusiness Insider
Kredit kepada pemilik laman asal dan sekira berminat untuk meneruskan bacaan sila klik link atau copy paste ke web server : http://ift.tt/2slvoQf
(✿◠‿◠)✌ Mukah Pages : Pautan Viral Media Sensasi Tanpa Henti. Memuat-naik beraneka jenis artikel menarik setiap detik tanpa henti dari pelbagai sumber. Selamat membaca dan jangan lupa untuk 👍 Like & 💕 Share di media sosial anda!
Appear first on Sudut Malaysia