The DL: The quaint town of New Paltz itself is only about 30 miles in total but can offer so much from the thousands of acres to hike, slow paced vibes, good food, and small town things to do. It is in the middle of the Hudson Valley and about a 1.5 hour drive from NYC. It’s the perfect fall get away thanks to the color changing nature, apple orchards, wineries, and pumpkin patches.
How to Get Here
Car is the best option as there is no real public transit or reliable uber service, about a 1.5 hour drive from NYC.
What to Do:
Shopping:
- Water Street Market (my favorite spot here was the antique barn and then local goods from gather)
- New Paltz Open Air Market (church street on Sundays) – local arts and crafts
- Shops on Main Street ( I liked Indigo and Velvet, Cocoon, Rock Candy Vintage)
Apple Picking/Pumpkin Patches:
- Jenkins-Lueken Orchard – over 500 apple trees, also pumpkin patch and other fruits. Around $20 for a bag. Bring cash.
- Dressel Farms – over 300 acres of apple trees, peach trees, strawberry fields, and also pumpkin patches
- Wallkill View Farm Market – pumpkin patch and unique pastel pumpkins, local farm goods, corn maze, fresh baked apple cider donuts and baked goods
Other:
- Robibero Family Vineyards – do the $20 tasting, they have a fire pit, picnic tables, and games to play while hanging out
- DM Weil Gallery – free art museum
- Explore the campus of SUNY
- Day Pass at Mohonk Mountain House Hotel
- Angry Orchard Cidery
- Huguenot Streets – 10 acres of historic homes, do candlelit ghost tours in the fall
- Whitecliff Vineyard – $18 wine tastings
Hiking:
- Minnewaska State Park – 50+ miles of trails, lots of spots to ride bikes, walk, and rock climb
- The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail – 20+ miles
- Monhonk Preserve
- Rock Climbing – the lemon squeeze
Where to Eat:
- Mainstreet Bistro – local diner, open for breakfast and lunch, gf options, they have a $2 breakfast special
- Wallkill View Farm Market – apple cider (not gf)
- Huckleberry
- Garvans
- Lolas cafe – cafe
- Jar’d wine pub – boozy pops
- The Mohonk Preserve – make reservations in advance
- Bacchus – hole in the wall, beer, billiard tables
- PG
- Cud’s
- End Cut
- Culinary School has multiple restaurants
- Hudson Taco (25 min south in Newburgh)
Where to Stay:
- Mohonk Mountain House $$$
- Air BNB
- Not a ton of options
One Day Guide:
- Breakfast/Lunch – Main Street Bistro
- Shop on Main Street
- Shops at Water Street (make sure to check out the antique barn)
- Grab a snack at gather or Garvens
- Then make a stop for some apple cider donuts and pumpkins from Wallkill Farm Market
- Drive 7 minutes to one of the apple picking spots (we went to Jenkins)
- Then head to the Winery for the afternoon or one of the hiking spots all about 10 minutes away
- Dinner – grab it on the way home at Hudson Taco in Newburgh with view of the Hudson
Make a weekend out of it! There are so many great and close trips to see in the fall like Beacon, Cold Springs, and Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown. I have a guide for all (any many are walkable and easily accessible by train).
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