Quick Upstate Getaways — Katie Lee Jacobs

Upstate, New York is the perfect getaway from the City. Within a quick 2 hour drive, you will see lush mountains for hiking, adorable towns for shopping, and a surprisingly great food scene (thanks to all of the Manhattan and Brooklyn chefs who have relocated for a “simpler” life). While there are hundreds of towns to choose from, here are a few of our favorites.

HUDSON, NEW YORK

Touted as the Brooklyn of Upstate New York, there's a lot to see and do in Hudson. We usually start at the River Town Lodge end of Warren Street and walk down towards the Hudson River. We pop into Hudson every few months and there’s always something new to see. Most recently, we stumbled upon a brand new store, The Quiet Botanist, which you can read more about on my post here.

Restaurants/Bars:

The Maker Lounge reminds me of Hotel Costes in Paris. It’s dark, moody, and has an array of alluring cocktails and wines. At La Perche you’ll find a delicious french bakery and bistro, the perfect place for brunch along Warren Street. Swoon Kitchenbar offers farm to table cuisine that is top notch. If you’re looking for a more hearty lunch option, Oak Pizzeria serves up Italian-style pizza & mains in a rustic, relaxed setting. Last, but certainly not least, one of our absolute favorites, Lil Deb’s Oasis. This Pan-Latin menu is so flavorful you won’t want to leave! Our favorite menu items included the Sweet Plantains, Daily Ceviche, Whole Fried Fish, and the Mojo Chicken. Yum!

Where to Stay:

There are so many incredible Airbnb’s in the area. We recently stayed here and could not recommend it more. It was the first time I’ve stayed at an Airbnb and felt like I was just hanging at a friends house. Not to mention there’s a gym, hot tub, pool, pond, kayaks and more! However, Rivertown Lodge and WM Farmer & Sons are great options if you want to be right on Warren Street in downtown Hudson!

Pro-Tip:

If you’re driving up to Hudson to stay at a friends house, Germantown is the perfect pit stop. This adorable main street (15 minutes away from Hudson) is home to Otto’s Market, a specialty foods store and the perfect place to grab some high-quality snacks. Directly across the street you’ll find Athabold Flowers, who coincidently did the flowers for our wedding. She is insanely talented and always has beautiful arrangements pre-made to pick from.

KINGSTON, NEW YORK

Jonathan and I have been going to Kingston for 5+ years and it has dramatically changed in this amount of time. There has been an insane amount of shops, restaurants, and galleries that have opened and we couldn’t be happier (as it’s a quick 10 minute drive from Jonathan’s Dad’s Upstate house!) While Kingston is currently known as an up-and-coming spot — it was the first Capital of New York State (before being burned by the British). A great weekend to visit Kingston is during the biannual Field & Supply show.

Uptown Shops & Restaurants: Hamilton & Adams, Rough Draft, Kingston Bread + Bar, Bluecashew Kitchen Homestead, & Hotel Kinsley

Downtown Shops & Restaurants: Hops Petunia, Brunette Wine Bar, Kingston Wine Co., Jay Teske Leather Co., and Clove & Creek

RHINEBECK, NEW YORK

This historic town nestled in the Northern New York Hudson Valley region reveals majestic views of the Catskill Mountains. The Village boasts tree lined streets that beckon you to meander for hours through very unique shops and restaurants. Additionally, if you're looking for some incredible views, Poets Walk and Fern Cliff Forest offer relatively low key hikes with beautiful views.

Restaurants:

Bread Alone and Market Street are our favorites for brunch, while Amsterdam is THE spot in the Summer. It’s located in an 18th-century townhouse with a backyard full of bocce ball courts and fire pits — perfect for hanging out. And I must mention The Beekman, which is a beautiful historic hotel that has been in continuous operation since 1766!

Shops: Cabin Fever Outfitters, Paper Trail, Hammertown, Sawkille, and Samuels Sweets

*The Prospect Restaurant and Bar, Scribners*

HUNTER, NEW YORK

Hunter is the perfect town to visit in any season. During the Winter you can ski at Hunter Mountain, but my perfect day in Hunter would fall during the Summer months. Start your morning with a delicious breakfast at Scribner’s restaurant, The Prospect. Make sure to grab a table near the windows for incredible views of Hunter Mountain. After carbo-loading, head to Kaaterskill Falls, the highest two-tier waterfall in New York. In the afternoon, you can wander down Main Street in Tannersville, or grab a cocktail at the cozy Deer Mountain Inn.

Restaurants:

We love The Prospect at Scribner's for it’s food, as well as the ambiance. The Deer Mountain Inn is perfection and their Michelin-star Chef Ryan Tate creates thoughtfully curated seasonal menus. While Mama’s Boy Burgers is much more casual, serving up great burgers and 26 flavors of custards in an old roadside ice cream parlor. Lastly, and probably the most surprising is Jessie’s Harvest House. Featuring elevated comfort food, Chef Phil DiFalco trained at the renowned restaurant Blue Hill at Stone Barns and booking a dinner here will not disappoint.

Hikes: Fire Tower at Hunter Mountain, The Mountaintop Arboretum, North South Lake + Escarpment Trail, Kaaterskill Falls, and Dibble's Quarry.

Where to Stay:

We rented out the Deer Mountain Inn for our wedding weekend, so I’m a bit biased here, but I would hands down say this is the best place to stay in and around Hunter Mountain. They have adorable rooms within the Inn, as well as two houses on the property if you want a more secluded lodging experience. There is hiking on the property as well as a bar and restaurant. If the Deer Mountain Inn happens to be sold out, I would suggest staying at Scribner’s Lodge, Mountain Brook, or East Wind.

Opening photo of Deer Mountain Inn by our wedding photographers, Omalley Photography