River Towns

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Birdsall House 970 Main Street, Peekskill

The Hop 458 Main Street, Beacon

Located behind an unassuming storefront, this funky urban boite features 20 beers from small production breweries across New York and the Northeast, as well as a curated list of beers from across the country and Europe. The menu is driven by local products and the restaurant purchases their grain, polenta, bread, and crackers from Wild Hive Farm in Clinton Corners, and beef from Hemlock Hill Farm in Cortlandt Manor. Think of it as pub fare with a southern accent. Offerings include a Hudson Valley cheese and charcuterie plate, pulled pork tacos, fontina and peas mac-n-cheese, and blackened shrimp and grits. (914) 930-1880; www.birdsallhouse.net

Brooklyn-on-the-Hudson, beer bar style. Don’t be surpised to find tattooed mommies filling up their strollers with growlers of microbrew at The Hop. The craft beer retailer and tasting room runs six tap lines that change daily and sells 100 bottled brands. The Hop pairs its fine beverages with dishes made by Culinary Institute of America-trained chefs using area-harvested ingredients (charcuterie is a specialty), and boasts a micromarket offering locally made products. including McClure’s pickles, Oliver Kita chocolate, and Wild Hive breads. (845) 440-8676; www.thehopbeacon.com

Brasserie 292 292 Main Street, Poughkeepsie

Bring a friend so you can sample Sapore’s signature dish, a 52-ounce Porterhouse steak for two. Sapore’s steak is prime dry-aged and ranges from a 12 ounce filet mignon to a 24 ounceT-bone and the supersize Porterhouse. For steak lovers looking for something new to try, maybe you’d like to dip your toe into the world of big game: medallions of elk, venison and buffalo steak keep company with baby greens and roasted potatoes. Standard steakhouse fare like creamed spinach, veal chop, and rack of lamb are available, as well as unexpected menu items like paella (pirate style or vegetarian) and papardelle with ox tail. (845) 897-3300; www.saporesteakhouse.com

White-tiled walls, a long red leather banquette fronted by cafe tables, a tin ceiling, Kronenbourg 1664 on tap. The French invade Poughkeepsie at this charming spot on a revitalized Main Street. The raw bar is suitably briny, and a spinach salad with hot bacon vinaigrette and poached egg (adding oozy goodness to the dressing when broken open) sets the tone for refreshingly nonhealth-conscious fare: escargot with green garlic butter; duck confit with crispy gnocchi; mussels swimming in a tasso/leak cream served with an abundant cone of fries and begging for mopping-up bread; steak frites with béarnaise. (845) 473-0292; www.brasserie292.com

Cathryn’s Tuscan Grill 91 Main Street, Cold Spring Follow the garden path from Cold Spring into the heart of Northern Italy at Cathryn’s. Start with a salad, perhaps the Insalata Gloriosa: romaine, asparagus, avocado, corn, hearts of palm, and green olives. Then try some beef carpaccio, or Scampi alla Giudice (shrimp with Gorgonzola cheese, wrapped with prosciutto). For the main event, pasta’s a great choice—Topini con Sugo di Agnello, gnocchi with lanb ragu is a simple and simply delicious preparation—but don’t forget the Tuscans know their meats as well. If you’re feeling adventurous, try the Faraona Farcita con Prosciutto e Foie Gras: Guinea Hen stuffed with prosciutto, Hudson Valley foie gras, and pistachios in a mushroom sauce. (845) 265-5582; www.tuscangrill.com

The Falcon 1348 Route 9W, Marlboro Take in dinner and a show at the Falcon, an honestto-goodness music venue that happens to have a delectable menu and clever cocktails. The antique building, which dates back to 1800, when it was a button factory that ran on water power, now has a wide stage, a part-contemporary, part-rustic bar, and local art on the walls. On a recent evening, “La Vie en Rose” floated up toward the peaked cathedral ceiling as Amy Correia belted out the French verses and wooed everyone in the darkly lit restaurant. Farm-to-table cuisine never sounded so good as it does streamside at the Falcon. (845) 236-7970; www.liveatthefalcom

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Sapore Steakhouse 1108 Main Street, Fishkill

300 Kings Mall Ct KINGSTON 336-5541 1955 South Rd POUGHKEEPSIE 296-1069

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NOT ONLY IS THE HUDSON VALLEY KNOWN AS THE CRADLE of European settlement in North America, but it’s also been called the country’s first tourist destination. It’s easy to understand why. The land makes up one of America’s most geographically beautiful and culturally diverse regions. The majestic Hudson River runs through the its heart, Catskill Mountain peaks rise skyward, lush forests and sweeping fields stretch out for hundreds of miles—all dotted by picturesque, historic towns and other attractions. No wonder the Hudson Valley has been drawing delighted sightseers for centuries.

RECREATION

HISTORY

Visitors to the Hudson Valley enjoy hiking, camping, swimming, and mountain biking in its many parks, such as Bear Mountain State Park, Harriman State Park, and Minnewaska State Park Preserve. They revel in sailing, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, and cruising on the Hudson River, skiing at nearby winter resorts, and traversing the Walkway Over the Hudson, a former railroad bridge linking the town of Highland to Poughkeepsie and reopened as a state park for pedestrians and bicyclists. They love discovering the area’s wealth of quaint old towns, where they stay at charming bed and breakfast inns, discover shops offering antiques and unique items, and dine in sumptuous, fivestar restaurants. They tour the area’s museums and historic sites, such as the still-operational lighthouses and many grand estates built by prominent industrial and political figures during America’s Gilded Age. They enjoy quiet, intimate evenings of wine tasting at its awardwinning vineyards—maybe after they’ve spent a full afternoon of family fun at one of its numerous indoor or outdoor activity spots.

Long before the early 17th century, when the Hudson Valley was settled by the Dutch and navigated by English explorer Henry Hudson, the area was home to Native American tribes who fished its waters, hunted in its woods, and farmed in its fields. It was a major hub of action during the American Revolution and the French and Indian War, and a good number of the original stone buildings constructed before and around the times of both conflicts still stand today, many of them open to the public. When the Erie Canal was completed in 1825, the Hudson River became one of the nation’s main arteries of trade, allowing vastly easier commercial access to the West and bringing an era of major economic and industrial expansion to the region.

Cold Spring Area Chamber of Commerce 14 Garden Street, Cold Spring, NY (845) 265-3200 • www.coldspringchamber.com

INFORM

River Towns Visitors Guide is published by Luminary Publishing in association with the Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce. Information in this publication was carefully compiled to ensure maximum accuracy. However, Luminary Publishing cannot guarantee the correctness of all information provided herein. Readers noting inaccurate information should contact Luminary Publishing with corrections and updates. @2012 Luminary Publishing. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission is strictly prohibited. www.luminarypublishing.com. Front Cover: Main photo: Aerial of the Hudson River from Dennings Point/Photo by Patricia Dunne, Courtesy Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries. Inset photos (from left to right): Battle Monument at West Point; Hudson House River Inn, Cold Spring/Photo by David Morris Cunningham; Canterbury Brook Inn, Cornwall.

Your Guide to Art in the Hudson Valley Art Venues, Museums, Venues, 2012-2013 Your GuideMuseums, to Art Galleries, Cultural Events, Beacon Galleries, Cultural Events, in the Hudson Valley and Studio and StudioTours Tours

Garrison/Cold Spring Beacon Kingston Garrison/Cold Spring Greater New Paltz Kingston Newburgh Greater New Paltz Peekskill Newburgh Poughkeepsie Peekskill Rhinebeck/Red Hook Poughkeepsie Saugerties Rhinebeck/Red Hook Woodstock Saugerties ArtAlong Woodstock TheHudson.com

Art Venues, Museums, 2012-2013Cultural Events, Galleries, 2012-2013 and Studio Tours Beacon Beacon 2012-2013 Garrison/Cold Spring Garrison/Cold Spring Kingston Beacon Kingston Greater New Paltz Garrison/Cold Newburgh Greater New Spring Paltz Kingston Peekskill Newburgh Greater New Paltz Poughkeepsie Peekskill Newburgh Rhinebeck/Red Hook Poughkeepsie Peekskill Saugerties Rhinebeck/Red Hook Poughkeepsie Woodstock Saugerties Hook Rhinebeck/Red Saugerties Woodstock Woodstock

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motherearthstorehouse.com

Military Maneuvers 418 main street, beacon, ny 12508

418 street, beacon, ny 12508 tel: main 845.765.8502 • ellasbellasbeacon@gmail.com www.ellasbellasbeacon.com tel: (845) 765-8502 ellasbellasbeacon.com

Gourmet Bakery specializing in local, seasonal and gluten free. West Point looking north

Woody’s All Natural Burgers & Fries 30 Quaker Avenue, Cornwall When it comes to meat, it’s impossible to ignore the quintessential hamburger. While you can find them just about everywhere, they don’t all compare to the burgers at Woody’s All Natural in Cornwall. If you’ve grown suspicious of the label “all natural” in the grocery store, this is one time you can surely trust it. The hamburger meat comes from grass-fed beef. The restaurant has its own garden near the trestle on Taylor Road. In the summer, daily harvests of herbs, vegetables, and heirloom tomatoes fill their recipes. They use locally produced Jane’s Ice Cream in the shakes. Pine Island red onions are thinly sliced and flash fried to make light, fluffy Onion Hay. And the consensus is that these burgers don’t leave you with postburger regret. (845) 534-1111; www.woodysallnatural.com

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Torches on the Hudson 120 Front St, Newburgh Eat the view on the Newburgh Waterfront at Torches on the Hudson. The festive atmosphere is aided by floor-to-ceiling windows providing a year-round view of majestic Hudson. (There’s also seasonal patio dining.) Behind the bar: a 6,000 gallon saltwater aquarium that’s home to 30 varieties of fish, and serves as a dramatic backdrop to the mahogany woodwork and handcrafted sea-themed lighting fixtures. The crab cakes are a standout as is the Sunday brunch buffet with omelet, waffle, and carving stations.Get excited (or be warned): Torches is a vibrant nightlife spot after 9pm on weekends. (845) 568-0100; www.torchesonthehudson.com

But it was the advent of the steamboat during this time that really made the Hudson Valley into the prime tourism destination it continues to be. By the mid-19th century there were approximately 150 steam-powered vessels traveling regularly up and down the river, bringing New Yorkers—who believed the Hudson Valley’s fresh air and evergreen forests held special therapeutic powers—to and from the area for day cruises and longer visits (estimates put the amount of Hudson Valley-bound steamboat passengers from 1850 on at over one million). As the railroad, and, eventually, automobiles and buses became the predominant method of transporting visitors Upstate, travel to the area by water largely became a method of the past. Nevertheless, pleasure cruises on the river are still popular, with several lines offering trips from Newburgh and other sites and making scheduled stops in Beacon and other river towns during the summer. Foliage season, when many leaf lovers make their way to the vicinity to take in nature’s dazzling display of vibrant colors, is an especially popular time to visit. Steeped in history since the days before the Europeans settled here, when the Native American tribes were its only inhabitants, the Hudson Valley has hundreds of historic sites that are open to tour. These include the United States Military Academy at West Point, Bannerman’s Island, Constitution Island, Washington’s Headquarters in Newburgh, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Home, Library, and Museum at Hyde Park, Samuel Morse’s Locust Grove in Poughkeepsie, the Boscobel estate in Garrison, and Manitoga, designer Russel Wright’s home in Garrison, to name only a few.

249 Main St SAUGERTIES 246-9614

A Mid-Hudson magazine of events and ideas. Chronogram.com

Serving Lunch & Dinner Daily Cold Spring Area Chamber of Commerce

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Left to right: The Hop, Beacon; Brasserie 292,Poughkeepsie; Torches on the Hudson, Newburgh

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Extensive Italian Wine List “America’s 1,000 top Italian Restaurants” Zagat 91 Main Street, Cold Spring, NY 845.265.5582 www.TuscanGrill.com

FARM-TO-TABLE CUISINE Agriculture continues to play a hugely significant role in the Hudson Valley’s ongoing history, and the area boasts a large number of farms that raise the produce, meat and poultry, and dairy products sold at nearby farmers markets and served in big-city and local restaurants—such as the five acclaimed student-run bistros at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. Additionally, many of these working farms even have pick-your-own orchards for visiting families. Vacationing wine lovers luxuriate as they tipple their way up and down the Shawangunk Wine Trail, which offers tastings at 12 of the region’s prize-winning wineries.

ART The Hudson Valley became known as a center of arts and culture during the mid-19th century heyday of the Hudson River School painters, who found rich inspiration and subject matter in the surrounding natural beauty. The region continues to be the domain of many working artists, who show (and sell) their work at townwide art walk events and in local galleries and museums around the world. And when it comes to fascinating art museums, there’s no shortage in the Hudson Valley. Most prominently, there’s Dia:Beacon, a sprawling, 300,000-square foot former industrial site now devoted to large-scale contemporary art, and Storm King Art Center,

Clockwise from top left: Paramount Center for the Arts, Peekskill; Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park; Boscobel estate, Garrison; Storm King Art Center, Mountainville.

a 500-acre, landscaped outdoor sculpture park in Mountainville with works by Alexander Calder, Isamu Noguchi, and other modern masters. Other recommended art museums include the Hudson Center of Contemporary Art in Peekskill, the Katonah Museum of Art, and the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at Poughkeepsie’s Vassar College.

ENTERTAINMENT The performing arts also thrive locally, with such internationally renowned venues as the Bardavon 1869 Opera House and the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, the Howland Cultural Center in Beacon, and the Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill regularly presenting leading names from the worlds of music, theater, comedy, and dance. In the warmer months, the Hudson Valley is alive with delightful outdoor festivals, county fairs, and events that draw attendees from all over and promise crafts, rides, food, live music and other entertainment, animals, fireworks, sporting events, historical reenactments, and much, much more. But whatever time of year you choose to visit, you’ll be sure to agree: There’s always a something wonderful to do in the Hudson Valley!

WEST POINT is, quite simply, one of the truly essential destinations for Hudson River Valley visitors of all ages. The oldest continuously occupied military post in the country, the site was named during the American Revolution as the most important strategic position in America by George Washington. Located on an expanse of the Hudson Highlands that overlooks an S-shaped bend in the river, the 16,000-acre spot is widely known as the home of the United States Military Academy, established in 1802 by President Thomas Jefferson, and is open to the public for guided tours and features numerous architecturally stunning Neo-Gothic buildings constructed from gray and black granite. One of these is West Point Museum, which houses the oldest, largest, and most diversified public collection of military-related artifacts in the Western Hemisphere. West Point Cemetery is the final resting place of many of America’s most noted military figures. Interned there are the remains of Lt. Gen. Joseph “Vinegar Joe” Stilwell, Lt. Gen. Winfield Scott, Lt. Col. George A. Custer, African-American troops from the Civil War’s famous “Buffalo Soldiers” cavalry units, and many others who served their country with honor. West Point also encompasses Constitution Island, which during the Revolutionary War operated an artillery battery and helped to anchor a massive iron chain stretched across the Hudson as a blockade against British warships. Daily one- or two-hour tours are available through West Point Tours (845-446-4724; www.westpointtours.com). The West Point Visitors Center (845) 938-2638; www.usma.edu/ visiting) is open daily 9 am to 4:45 pm.

Kayaking & Hiking with expert guides

Tours include Bannerman’s Castle, Moodna Marsh Wildlife Tour, Black Rock Forest, Storm King Mountain, Sunsets, Full Moons and Many More! We’ll make sure you and your family or other group have a safe and exciting time. The most exciting and fun way to experience the Hudson River Valley

178 Hudson Street Cornwall-on-Hudson NY P: (845) 534-7800 F: (845) 534-7807 StormKingAdventureTours.com


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