LOCAL GUIDEBOOK

One of the best parts of a stay in the Hudson Valley is how well you can eat, and how much there is to explore just minutes from the farmhouse. Here are a few of my favorite local spots. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like more recommendations for your visit.

David

Grocery Stores

Mother Earth’s, Adams, Target, and Aldi are all within a few minutes of each other around the Ulster Avenue area; Hannaford is at Kingston Plaza in Uptown.

• Mother Earth’s Storehouse : organic and natural foods, with a strong gluten-free and specialty-diet selection
• Hannaford Supermarket : a full-service supermarket at Kingston Plaza
• Adams Fairacre Farms : a regional farm market featuring local produce and meats
• Target : everything you forgot to pack, with a surprisingly extensive grocery section, located in the Hudson Valley Mall
• Aldi : a discount grocery for budget-friendly staples, on East Chester Street

Restaurants, Bars, Bakeries & Coffeeshops

• Tortilla Taco Bar : a Mexican casual dining or takeout option that caters to all eating styles
• Restaurant Kinsley : a newer, upscale addition to Uptown Kingston
• Chleo : an intimate natural-wine bar and restaurant with seasonal, European-inspired small plates
• Lola Pizza : wood-fired pizza, house-made pasta, and a big covered patio open year round
• Yum Yum Noodle Bar : Asian noodle bowls and street food in Uptown, with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options
• Rosie General : breakfast and coffee on the Rondout
• Camp Kingston : a coffee-shop-meets-bar and gathering spot, espresso and food by day, cocktails by night
• Rough Draft : coffee beverages and a bookstore
• Kingston Bread + Bar : the best place to get sourdough and a coffee
• Boice Bros Ice Cream : farm-fresh ice cream from a Hudson Valley dairy going strong for over 100 years
• Hudson House : an excellent river-view spot for cocktails, in West Park along Route 9W
• Twin Star Orchards : apple picking, ciders, and wood-fired pizza (in nearby New Paltz)
• Karma Road : vegetarian sandwiches and wraps (in New Paltz)

Hikes & Waterfalls

The Catskills and the Shawangunks are both within an hour, and the waterfalls are some of the best in New York. A few favorites, nearest first. A couple close one part of the year or need a permit, so check the notes before you go.

• Ashokan Rail Trail (about 15 to 20 minutes) : a flat, stroller- and bike-friendly path along the Ashokan Reservoir with wide water and Catskill views. Easy, free, and the best option for all ages.
• Overlook Mountain, Woodstock (about 25 to 30 minutes) : a steady uphill on an old road to the ruins of a mountain hotel and a fire tower you can climb for 360-degree views. Moderate to strenuous, free.
• Awosting Falls at Minnewaska (about 40 minutes) : if you do one waterfall, make it this one. A 60-foot fall reached by an easy half-mile walk on a gentle carriage road. $10 per vehicle.
• Stony Kill Falls (about 45 minutes) : a roughly 90-foot waterfall for a short, mostly easy walk, and it is free. Best after rain.
• Kaaterskill Falls (about 50 minutes) : New York’s tallest waterfall at 260 feet, with a short, accessible viewing platform. Parking: use the Laurel House Road lot. Parking in the Route 23A pull-offs is ticketed and towed from May through October. Safety: the rocks are slick and there have been serious falls, so stay well back from every cliff edge and keep children close.
• Peekamoose Blue Hole (about 50 minutes) : a strikingly clear, very cold swimming hole with Buttermilk Falls nearby. A $10 permit is required per vehicle from May 15 to September 15, and you must buy it online at least 24 hours ahead (no walk-ins). There is no cell service in the valley, so download it before you leave.

Drive times are approximate. Have a wonderful stay, and tell me if you find a new favorite so I can add it.