Monday, April 22, 2013

Supposedly sweet Hudson Valley high

{ Aerial view of the Hudson River  |  via }
I love the Hudson Valley, I really do. It's pretty and bucolic and I love supporting the farmers and artisans that hark from Hudson, but, after 7 years of living back in New York and a few trips up and down the river (to Millbrook, Millerton, Hudson, Harmon-on-Hudson, and Cold Spring), I have to say—writers like these are either pulling the wool over our eyes or I'm doing something wrong.

Or, maybe it's just that the towns with train stations depositing visitors directly onto Main Street—the only ones we can easily visit via Metro North, given our lack-of-car—are the problem. Maybe if we could meander further and deeper to where the locals are without worrying about train tracks and schedules we'd find the quaint and charming Hudson Valley town of my dreams?

Either way, doesn't change the fact that the towns we have poked around in have been woefully despondent and unwelcoming. Think: closed storefronts, barren streets and buildings with lots and lots of peeling paint. Now combine that with $60 train tickets, and you've got one sullen J.

So, if you've heard of any adorable train/foot accessible towns along the Hudson, please share! We're stuck in the city while we wait to hear back from our applications, so until we can take a proper holiday any and all day trip suggestions welcome! We haven't left New York since the the very beginning of the year and our lack of Vitamin D (yep, still cold and overcast here) and abundance of concrete barriers are making us decidedly un-Springy and peppy.

Serious cases of city fever here, people.

{The Hudson Valley  |  via }
{ Hudson Valley glory  |  via }

7 comments :

  1. oh what a disappointment! I used to also pick a town out of the blue and drag my friends on a 2 hour random drive to visit the allegit quaint paradise only to find like FIVE cute houses in the center and that's it. but some towns were a hit though. have you guys done the wine trail in long island?? another town i found cozy and cute with actual LIFE going on is Nyack. maybe not historical but I liked it. and the drive is pretty pleasant to there. http://nyack-ny.gov/visitors/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A serious disappointment! But, I'm glad I'm not the only one who experienced the same let down. We haven't done the LI wine trail, yet——but we really should (especially with all the specials on Gilt and Bloomspot, etc.).

      And, thank you for the recommendation of Nyack! At this point I'm over historical, I just want cute and lively and WORTH it! Nyack looks like it may fit all of that, and it's good to have the opinion of someone I trust to back it up. Thanks!

      J.

      Delete
  2. OMG you have not gone to LI wine trail yet... gooooooo! you seriously forget you're in any viccinity of nyc what so ever. so quaint and cozy. If you guys really want to rock star it- you can even stay for the weekend and have a limo drive you to winery hop... hope you guys go soon!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Soooo totally not familiar with New York but what about montauk?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've been and it's lovely, but we were hoping to try something new. May have to go back for a quick getaway if nothing else works, though.

      Delete

Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a note—you're about to make my day!

XOXO,
J.