A Guide to Hudson, New York: Upstate’s Downtown
I’ve been wanting to write a guide to Hudson, New York, for ages because it’s one of my favorite small towns. It’s often referred to as “Upstate’s Downtown” because it manages to maintain its charming but still gritty small town atmosphere, while also boasting a number of fantastic restaurants, stylish (and pricey!) shops and design hotels.
Yes, I know it’s a bit of a cliche to be a Brooklynite who loves Hudson. Plenty of former Brooklyn residents have fled to set up shop in Hudson and Brooklynites descend to Hudson en masse for weekends. But, I love visiting Hudson, so here we are.
Read on for my guide to Hudson, New York, with tips on where to eat, sleep, shop and wander. And you can check out my guide to Narrowsburg, NY, which is my other favorite town in New York State.
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Why Hudson?
I’ve been to Hudson a couple of times, most recently in October 2018 to take advantage of the Hudson Valley’s beautiful fall foliage.
Hudson is a perfect weekend escape for any New Yorker who needs a break from the intensity of the city, but who still wants the comforts of home (i.e., brunch, shopping and cocktails). One of the best things about Hudson is that you can reach it in 2 hours by train from NYC, and you can get by without a car during your stay.
A Little History Lesson
Hudson is an old whaling and factory town located on the banks of the Hudson River. From the late 19th century until the mid-20th century, Hudson was a town known for its gambling and prostitution.
It had over 50 bars at the peak of its notoriety! In the 1950s, the town began to clean itself up but went into economic decline for a couple of decades until it began to rebound.
Now, many of Hudson’s beautiful old town homes and factories have been meticulously restored by smart people who anticipated Hudson’s property boom, art galleries and antique stores line Warren Street (Hudson’s main street), and Etsy has opened up an office in town.
Getting There
Hudson is an easy 2-hour trip from NYC on the Amtrak train. The train station is located in a slightly more industrial part of town, and is generally walkable into the main strip on Warren Street or you can arrange for your hotel to pick you up. If you’re planning to stay in the heart of Hudson, you won’t need a car to get around.
If you choose to drive to Hudson, it’s not difficult to find parking in town.
When to Go
Hudson is a year round destination. In the fall, you can take a short drive to see stunning fall foliage and visit local farm stands. In the winter, you can cozy up by a fire with a book. In the spring, you can explore the town and the rest of the Hudson Valley while it’s in bloom. In the summer, you can enjoy the beautiful weather in a cafe’s backyard.
Where to Stay
I stayed at The Wick Hotel (1 Cross St, Hudson, NY). The Wick Hotel is a renovated old candle factory owned by the Marriott hotel group that is a quick walk to the train station. Since the Wick is owned by a larger hotel group, you will get all of the comforts of staying at large hotel chain. However, it doesn’t have as much of a boutique hotel feel as some might be looking for in Hudson. The Wick Hotel offers a shuttle into the heart of Hudson, which we didn’t use since it’s a quick and easy walk to Warren Street.
On my next trip to Hudson, I’m hoping to stay at Rivertown Lodge (731 Warren St, Hudson, NY), which is a 27 room design hotel in the heart of Hudson. Its Scandinavian minimalist interior looks homey enough that you won’t want to leave. I’ve also heard great things about their bar and restaurant. Rivertown Lodge is about a 25 minute walk from the train station.
Wm Farmer & Sons (20 S Front St, Hudson, NY) combines a stylish boarding house with a well-reviewed restaurant and bar. I haven’t had a chance to stay with them yet, but it’s on my list! It’s about a 5 minute walk from the train station.
Hudson also has some extremely stylish AirBnb options, including This Old Hudson, which has been on my AirBnb wishlist for years. You can click here to sign up and get $40 off your first AirBnb trip.
If you’re looking to stay outside of Hudson, Getaway House offers tiny house rentals in an old campsite near Catskill, New York (address provided upon booking). Getaway House is about a 25 minute drive to Hudson. I visited Hudson for the first time during a stay with Getaway House and it was an easy afternoon detour.
Where to Eat and Drink
Many restaurants in Hudson are closed for a day or two mid-week, so if you’re a foodie it’s worth checking ahead to see what’s going to be open during your stay. Here are my local favorites:
Grazin’ Hudson (717 Warren St, Hudson, NY) is an organic grass-fed burger joint set in a refurbished old fashioned diner.
Le Perche (230 Warren St, Hudson, NY) is a staple brunch spot and bakery with a charming backyard.
Swoon Kitchen Bar (340 Warren St, Hudson, NY) is a farm to table restaurant with an ever changing menu. Not only did we have a great dinner here, but the staff was so incredibly friendly.
The Spotty Dog (440 Warren St, Hudson, NY) is a cozy bookstore with a bar that serves a wide variety of craft beers.
Moto Coffee (357 Warren St, Hudson, NY) is a multi-concept space that combines a coffee shop with motorcycles.
Where to Shop
This wouldn’t be a guide to Hudson, New York, if we didn’t cover shopping! Not only is Warren Street home to most of Hudson’s cafes and restaurants, it also has incredible shopping if you’re interested in antiques or other home goods. I didn’t buy anything during my recent stay because, to be honest, many of these shops have hefty price tags.
Valley Variety bills itself as selling “tools for every day living”.
Fluff Alpaca sells alpaca wool clothing, accessories and yarn.
Hawkins New York has a curated collection of home goods and small gifts like jewelery. Hawkins New York also has locations in NYC’s West Village and LA.
Minna sells patterned minimalist home textiles.
Local Sights
Olana (5720 NY-9G, Hudson, NY), a historic house and museum, is about a 10 minute drive from Hudson. It was the home of Frederic Edwin Church, a famous landscape painter. You can take a tour for $9, which you should book online in advance, or you can walk the grounds for free. Olana’s grounds are especially beautiful during the fall.
Fall foliage at Olana 
An art installation at Olana 
The magic hour at Oalan
Farm stands and apple orchards are easy to find outside of Hudson. I visited Golden Harvest Farms (3074 U.S. 9, Valatie, NY) during my last trip.
Apple cider donuts are easy to find in the fall 
Blending in with the pumpkins
Golden Harvest Farms has the cutest sign 
Apples for sale at the farm store
Music and Event Venues
Basilica Hudson (110 S. Front St, Hudson, NY) is a non-profit multidisciplinary arts center in a restored factory near the train station. Throughout the year, Basilica Hudson hosts various performances and flea markets. It’s also a popular wedding venue.
Helsinki is a music venue and restaurant set in a restored factory.
Hudson Hall at the historic Hudson opera house is a performing arts space housing New York State’s oldest surviving theater.
Now that you’ve read my guide to Hudson, New York, I’d love to hear about your favorite small towns for a weekend getaway!
xx
Vicki
Oh wow! I definitely need to add this to my bucket list. I’m so into seeing all of the things I’m the city that I never think about other places.
I am loving the shop fronts! It looks like such a cute little town, and I bet it’s fab in late summer when the evenings are still warm! I’d love to stroll around!
Claudia xo
It’s such a cool little town. Such a great weekend trip to NYC because it has a lot of really adorable places to shop and eat!