2018 Fall Travel Guide: Your Hudson Valley Escape Awaits

Five towns along the Empire State’s main aquatic artery for a picture-perfect weekend.


fall travel ideas weekend getaways philadelphia

The Hudson River as seen from Bear Mountain. | Photo: iStock

If you still think of New York’s Hudson Valley as a sleepy riverbed best known for landscape paintings, think again — these days, the small towns dotting the banks of the Empire State’s main aquatic artery are booming with big-city-style boutique hotels, ultra-Instagrammable shops and eateries, modern art museums, and so much more. (That’s what happens when a bunch of New Yorkers ditch the concrete jungle for the quiet country life.)

To help you plan the perfect weekend, we Google-mapped our way north to uncover the towns worth visiting right now — all no more than a few hours from Philly.

Destination: Hudson

A bevy of high-end restos and shops makes this former whaling port a perfect maiden voyage upstate — no car required. Read more »
Distance from Philly: 4 hours

Destination: Rhinebeck

Indulge your inner Gwyneth with healthy eating, holistic exerise, and one extremely fancy mansion. Read more »
Distance from Philly: 3.5 hours

Destination: Beacon

Contemporary art, plus 60-mile views just a short hike away? We’re sold. Read more »
Distance from Philly: 3 hours

Destination: Woodstock

Leave the patchouli at home — this hippie village has gone just plain hip. Read more »
Distance from Philly: 4 hours

Destination: Kingston and Saugerties

Two neighboring towns offer the best of old and new in the Valley. Read more »
Distance from Philly: 3.5 hours

Published as “Into the Valley” in the September 2018 issue of Philadelphia magazine.