1. Walking on Water
Pick a nice day, put on your SPF, and cross the Hudson on foot (or bike). The Walkway Over the Hudson is a free and fab way to get your steps in between Poughkeepsie and Highland.
2. Climbing a Mountain
Brave, fit souls love tackling the ‘Gunks; some of us prefer a gentler trek up Yorktown’s Turkey Mountain, with its views of the NYC skyline, or the 1,403-foot Stissing Mountain in Pine Plains. Bring water and a snack to enjoy at the summit.
3. 200-Plus Types of Birds
Bring your binoculars when you venture outside, because a couple of hundred species—from eagles to warblers—make their home around our region. If you need help identifying birdsong, download the free Merlin app from CornellLab.
4. Outdoor Yoga
A typical summer day in the Hudson Valley surrounds you with glorious greenery and blue sky. Consider kicking your yoga practice up a notch by heading outside amid that beauty—your backyard or perhaps a class at Opus 40, the sculpture park in Saugerties.
5. Movies Under The Stars
There are a few drive-ins sprinkled across the area, showing summer blockbusters, kiddie films, and the occasional oldie. To visit: Amenia’s Four Brothers Drive-In, Poughkeepsie’s Overlook Drive-in, and Coxsackie’s Hi-Way Theatre.
6. Good Iced Coffee
Once upon a time, the Hudson Valley was a caffeine wasteland, but these days, there’s a deliciously cold, bitter drink waiting pretty much everywhere. Kudos to All That Java, with four mini locations in Dutchess County; Ready Coffee with locations around Newburgh and Wappingers Falls; Bread Alone, with cafés in the region’s favorite towns; and the burgeoning caffeine scene in the Capital Region.
7. County Fairs
The Hudson Valley shows up big-time for this kind of fun, including Dutchess County’s historical and floral displays, Ferris wheel, and local beers and ciders (August 20–25 in Rhinebeck); Columbia County’s (August 28–September 2 in Chatham) livestock shows and demolition derbies, and the Ulster County extravaganza (July 30–August 4 in New Paltz), featuring racing pigs, music, and the best fried dough.
8. Farmers’ Markets
There’s a stunning array of farmers’ markets and CSAs (community supported agriculture shares), offering everything from grass-fed beef to heirloom tomatoes and mass quantities of zucchini as summer unfurls.
9. Getting Your Licks In
Whether you want a catch-it-before-it-drips soft serve or a golf-ball-sized scoop of artisanal gelato, the Hudson Valley is happy to provide. A couple of highlights: Del’s Dairy Creme in Rhinebeck, for a classic twist of soft-serve on a hot day; Fortunes Ice Cream in Tivoli, with their certifiably addictive halva honeycomb; Nancy’s of Woodstock for vegan mint chip; and The Blue Pig in Croton-on-Hudson because you deserve a scoop (or two) of their Fluffernutter.
10. Antiquing
Let your inner picker out this summer. You’ll find a trove of vintage items from homes in the Valley. Our picks: Stormville’s Flea Market on select weekends until November; Woodstock’s summer Mower’s Weekends; and the Sunday High Falls Flea market. Whether you’re on the prowl for extra dining chairs or vintage costume jewelry, happy hunting.
11. Polo Practice
Mashomack Polo in Pine Plains hosts matches, but watching weekend practice sessions is a Hudson Valley hidden gem. You can tailgate while viewing the action and hearing the thundering hooves.
12. Cycling Unlimited
Hop on your cruiser and hit a local rail trail or tackle a section of the Hudson River Valley Greenway, 750 miles of bikeable paths from NYC up to Canada.
13. Some Shakespeare
Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival in Garrison and Catskill Mountain Shakespeare in Hunter reinvigorate the bard’s works and take them outside.
14. Perfect Weather
We’re not saying that it never rains or gets disgustingly hot and humid, but with an average temp of 72 degrees in July and August, you’re in for a treat.
15. The Sound of Music
Our hills are alive with outdoor music. How about Phish at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts (August 9), the Summer Hoot (August 23–25) in Olivebridge, Fruit Bats at Stone Ridge’s Meadowlark Fest (September 14–15), or some jazz or chamber music at Katonah’s Caramoor?
16. The Hudson Valley Wine Trail
Cheers! Choose one or both sides of the river for a tour and tasting. To the west, there’s the Shawangunk Wine Trail, including Brotherhood (America’s oldest winery in Washingtonville) and, to the east, the Dutchess Wine Trail, where Milea Estate Vineyard in Staatsburg (as seen on Amy Schumer’s “Life & Beth”) serves a lightly bubbly, peachy Proceedo rosé.
17. Picking Your Own
Summer’s bounty is everywhere. You can stroll through your local nature preserve, plucking blackberries, or head to a pick-your-own place, like Red Hook’s Rose Hill Farm or Lawrence Farms Orchards in Newburgh, and grab enough fruit to be making cobblers straight through October.
18. Kiddie Heaven
Go for a spin (or ride the bumper cars) at Rye Playland, with its fab, old-timey boardwalk, right on the beach.
19. The Barbecue
While the South usually bogarts all the BBQ attention, the Hudson Valley is no slouch. You can find great smoky fare on either side of the river, such as John Fazio Farms in Modena and Smoky Rock BBQ in Rhinebeck.
20. Go Fish
Drop a line into a local waterway or a stocked pond, like the one at Thomas Bull Memorial Park in Montgomery, and cook up your catch. Nothing’s biting? Head to Zinnia’s in Craryville for their delish fish ‘n’ chips.
21. Rocking Out
If you haven’t enjoyed a summer’s day at Dover Stone Church Preserve (in Dover), that’s on you. And it’s time to remedy it. A short trail weaves through the 174-acre preserve to the remarkable “church” itself—a jaw-dropping bit of natural beauty. Its fissured rocks, ledges, and waterfalls have drawn city folk for centuries and inspired Hudson River School artists.
22. Fore!
Few can get into the famed Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, but there are public options for spending a day on the green, including a day pass at the Copake Country Club or Lagrangeville’s Links at Union Vale.
23. Getting Wet
The Valley is full of ponds, lakes, creeks, and streams to dive into or just dip your toes. Heck, you can submerge yourself in the Hudson itself at the four public beaches at Croton Point, Beacon, Kingston Point, and Ulster Landing. Do a little research, buddy up to neighbors who are waterfront, and stay cool.
24. Sailing
The mighty Hudson has a long tradition of sailboats weaving up and down; these vessels were, after all, the primary transportation mode from the 1600s to the 1820s. Learn how to steer your own by taking a class at the Hudson River Maritime Museum—or hop on a sunset cruise and enjoy the spectacular scenery.
25. History Lessons
While the weather is welcoming, you can roam around West Point, Washington’s headquarters in Newburgh and various Revolutionary War sites, FDR and Eleanor’s homes, historic Huguenot Street in New Paltz, and Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow (to name a few), and soak up our nation’s story.
26. Seeing Stars
Yes, you might spot Paul Rudd or Daniel Day-Lewis out for a stroll, but those aren’t the stars we mean. Rather, one good reason to love the Valley is the low level of light pollution, which means you can see a star-spangled night sky. Top viewing this summer might be the Perseid meteor shower, peaking around August 12–13.
27. Vintage Cars
When the weather warms up, the antique cars come out to play. You’ll likely spot everything from Model Ts to spiffy Corvettes on the road. (Lovers of vintage trucks will want to head to the annual show at the Ulster County Fairgrounds in New Paltz on August 11.)
28. Flying High
Get a sky-high view from an open-cockpit biplane (book ahead) at Rhinebeck’s Aerodrome. Or schedule a ride at the Labor Day Hudson Valley Hot-Air Balloon Festival in Lagrangeville.
29. House Tours
Odds are, one of the reasons you love this area is the motherlode of architecturally significant houses. You can tour grandes dames along the river, like Lyndhurst, to see how the movers and shakers used to live or check your local historical society. Summer is home and garden tour season so check out neighboring properties.
30. Rainy-Day Attractions
Even on days when the weather doesn’t cooperate, there’s no shortage of indoor attractions, from Dia Beacon to the John R. Kirk Planetarium at SUNY New Paltz and beyond.
31. All Aboard!
In summer, it’s hard to beat a vintage train ride in one of the Catskill Mountain Railroad’s open-air flat cars in Kingston. Enjoy the breeze as you scoot through the countryside.
32. Smelling the Flowers
Starting in May, the Hudson Valley becomes nature’s own perfumery, as lilacs and peonies, then roses, start to bloom. Take a drive with the windows down or spend a few hours at a garden like Kykuit in Sleepy Hollow or Wethersfield Estate and Garden in Amenia.
33. Outdoor Art
Stroll across brilliant green lawns and take in Andy Goldsworthy’s sinuous stone wall at Storm King Art Center in New Windsor or Alex Schweder’s and Ward Shelley’s gravity-defying tilting house at Art Omi in Ghent.
34. Boogie Nights
Big Gay Hudson Valley is hosting their monthly Orchard Disco nights at Highland’s Bad Seed Hard Cider headquarters. A DJ, lights, and a summer night = good times.
35. Take a Seat
Whether you pull up a stool for a street taco or sink into a plush chair for a white-tablecloth meal, there is no more beautiful place than the Hudson Valley to people-watch and eat well. Enjoy your summer!
Related: Here’s Where You Should Propose in the Hudson Valley
