About an hour north of New York City is one of the cutest little villages in the Hudson Valley, Cold Spring. Located on the Hudson River in Putnam County, Cold Spring is a small town packed with tons of shops, restaurants, and beautiful views. You can see boats sailing on the water and the tree-covered Storm King Mountain from the commercial district on Main Street. The shops and homes have this small-town charm, and I felt drawn into every store.

Cold Spring is also historic, with buildings dating back to the early 1800s. It has many small and eclectic businesses ranging from home good stores to vintage boutiques, and more.

As far as local trips go, this town is high on my list of favorites. Here are some things to see, do, and explore if you’re looking to plan a visit!

When to Go & How To Get There

It’s a perfect weekend or day trip no matter the season. But when my family and I went last Fall it felt like a scene from a picture book or something. All the red-orange trees along the Taconic parkway made for a gorgeous drive. We walked past the charming Victorian and old colonial homes decorated for Halloween while enjoying the crisp Fall air. It was the perfect day for walking around, exploring all the shops with hot coffee in hand, and enjoying some lunch indoors!

If you visit on a sunny Spring or Summer day, there is a park along the water that is perfect for setting up a picnic - just grab some goods from the Cheese shop! You can even take a boat ride, or enjoy some water activities like kayaking.

By train:
Hop on Metro-North from Grand Central & take the Hudson line to Cold Spring Station (70 minutes). The station is right in the heart of Cold Spring’s very walkable village!

By car:
From New York City: 1 hour, about 50 miles north.

Where to Stay

There are plenty of great towns in close proximity, like Beacon, so if you want to spend a weekend in the Hudson Valley then Cold Spring is a good home base! There are two cute inns, and some local Airbnb’s.

Pig Hill Inn is my top recommendation! It was built in 1825 and is located right on Main street. It’s the kind of place that has cozy fireplaces in the rooms and bright traditional decor.
Hudson House River Inn is another option in town, this one closer to the waterfront. It’s a historic building with a beautiful wraparound porch and a great restaurant downstairs.

Things to Do

Cold Spring is a pretty central town, everything is really located on Main street. It boasts over 70 different businesses! I’ve listed some below that are definitely worth wandering into! But first…

Take a Walk Along the Waterfront

In Cold Spring there is a pier where boats pull up to town along the river. Dockside park is a great place to sit and enjoy the views of the Hudson and of Storm King Mountain in the background. There is a really pretty gazebo in the center, and lots of grass if you want to set up a picnic.

Stores & Shops

Poor George - the cutest store!

Country Goose - curated gifts and cool trinkets

Paulette - love this modern concept store with a cute cafe
Barber & Brew - craft beers and haircuts!
Burkleman - so many cool curated home decor

Cold Spring General Store - reminds me of Rose Apothecary from Schitt’s Creek, everything inside is just perfect.

Swing

Cold Spring Apothecary

Cold Spring Antiques Center

Pink Olive - the cutest home goods, gifts, and stationery store

Archipelago at Home - this store is full to the brim with home stuff

Old Souls - so many great brands

Restaurants

Brasserie Le Bouchon
Cold Spring Depot - Lots of outdoor dining at this old train station!
Cathryn's Tuscan Grill
Hudson Hils - I really enjoyed this laidback lunch!
Hudson House - Pick the River Room for a nice meal, and tavern for casual!
Rincon Argentino

Pubs & Bars

Doug’s Pretty Good Pub - the idea of this average place cracks me up, but there was quite a crowd!

Specialty Food Stores

Moo Moo's Creamery
Flowercup Wine - so many good bottles!
Cold Spring Cheese Shop - The goods we got here were INSANE, highly recommend.

Cafe’s

More to do in Hudson Valley

Visit the Culinary Institute of America just north of Poughkeepsie for one of the best meals of your life!
Walk the Gardens at Stonecrop
Explore the museum at Dia Beacon
Walk or Bike around the Storm King Art Center
Hike Breakneck Ridge in the Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve, the 4-hour loop actually ends in Cold Spring
Visit the beautiful grounds at Boscobel in Garrison

There are so many great towns in the Hudson Valley worth exploring, each with its own character, unique features, and charm. Cold Spring is not far at all, but if you need a change of scenery and an escape from the city I definitely recommend checking it out!

The next local spot on my list is the town of Hudson NY! Stay tuned.

Xx Gab