As a cultural region, the Hudson Valley is both familiar and evocative. Its small homesteads and farms, aristocratic estates, and industry-friendly river towns intermingle to create a diverse landscape with a rich history. Its landscape and culture have been shaped by conflicts between colonial power brokers, the fervor of revolutionaries, and the ambitions of industrialists and artists.
The valley was home to a broad range of people from indigenous communities to modern-day immigrants. Indigenous people cultivated food along the banks of the Hudson River and developed spiritual traditions that honored its natural beauty. These cultures thrived for 10,000 years in the same regions that would be explored and reshaped by European settlers, who used the river to develop trade routes between the United States and Europe.
Over the centuries, the Hudson became an essential trade route and played a key role in winning the Revolutionary War and transforming New York City into one of the largest urban centers in North America. It was a place of commerce and conflict, but it retained a beauty that inspired the work of 19th-century artists, including James Fenimore Cooper and Thomas Cole, who celebrated the river’s wild scenery in paintings that became famous worldwide.
From the 19th century on, the Hudson’s importance grew even more as railroads and canals connected it to the Great Lakes, facilitating the movement of goods that made New York City into the colossal metropolis it is today. As more and more prints and travel writings were published, the sublime scenery of the Hudson Valley travelled the world.
The region’s natural beauty and historic landmarks continue to draw tourists from all over the world. Vineyards and orchards dot the valley, and sustainability-minded eateries like Grazin’ in Kingston serve up ethically sourced burgers and other farm-to-table fare. The Storm King Art Center sculpture park and Dia:Beacon, a museum in a former factory, showcase large-scale works by 20th-century artists.
In the historic town of New Paltz, visit the National Historic Landmark District of Historic Huguenot Street to see seven original stone houses dating from 1705 and a reconstructed 1717 French church. In Kingston, the Stockade District features incredible 17th and 18th-century Dutch Colonial architecture. Or, spend a day at Kykuit, the stunning estate of four generations of Rockefellers.
Located at the confluence of the Hudson and Esopus creeks, Hudson Valley’s landscape is a mix of urban and rural. The capital, Albany, offers an acclaimed arts scene and is home to the University of Albany. In Hudson, tour the home and landscape of Hudson River School painter Frederic Church at Olana and check out a concert at Basilica Hudson, a multi-disciplinary arts center housed in a solar-powered 1880s factory. For more cultural highlights, head to Kingston, the smallest of the mid-Hudson towns, where the Stockade District is filled with incredible 18th and 17th century Dutch colonial architecture. There, you can also tour a reconstructed 1717 Dutch church, or visit a newly renovated 1740s home and explore the Rockefeller family’s extensive collection of 20th century art at Kykuit.