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New York (state), United States
Photo: Original uploader was Nonenmac at en.wikipedia, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Between New York City's suburbs and Upstate New York lies a transitional area, a place where many New Yorkers get away from it all to relax. West of the Hudson River lie the Catskills, a largely rural and wild area of mountains and valleys; along the river, on the other hand lie a number of Hudson Valley communities with rolling hills, an area that resembles New England in many respects.
beautiful mountains along with many lakes and lots of good hiking
mostly rural; visit farmstands, wineries, and historic sites
its southern half is rapidly becoming suburban, but the northern portion is still rural; visit farmstands, orchards, and wineries
western side of the county is dominated by the rocky Hudson Highlands, the eastern side by reservoirs of New York City's water supply; a nice getaway from New York City
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Join a group hike sponsored by the trail conference. You could also venture off by yourself with a NYNJTC topographic trail map to the Hudson Palisades trails, Harriman-Bear Mountain trails, or the east and west portions of Hudson Highlands State Park.
Fans of Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow can follow the route of Ichabod Crane from Tarrytown to Sleepy Hollow. But don't expect to find the "Western Woods" or anything else from the 1999 movie Sleepy Hollow. Tim Burton's production is only loosely based on Irving's story, and was filmed largely in Hertfordshire, England.
In Shawagunks (the Gunks), one of the largest and most accessible cliffs on the East Coast. You can buy or rent basic climbing equipment from EMC or Rock and Snow in New Paltz.
By air
By train
As a scenic introduction to the region, the train trip up the east side of the Hudson is worth the ride in itself on a nice day.
By bus
By car
The most commonly used route to the Hudson Valley is the north-south New York State Thruway (Interstate 87).
By ferry
New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority operates two ferry routes across the river in its service area, primarily for the benefit of commuters using Metro-North's Hudson Line; both operate…
Public transportation
The counties in the valley run bus networks of varying extents.
Roads
In addition to the regional through routes mentioned above, there are some roads which connect wide areas within the region:
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Newburgh · Regional · SWF
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A funky, rebuilding riverfront town that has gradually gotten more popular with visitors from the city due to its easy access via Metro-North. Most are headed for the Dia art museum, but they've started spilling over to cafés and shops on nearby Main Street.
Another old industrial river city revitalized by expatriate Brooklynites, it has become one of the most popular destinations for antiquing in the region.
The Ulster County seat and former state capitol has many facets, from its colonial uptown with sheltered sidewalks to its downtown on Rondout Creek, easily accessible by boats from the nearby river.
Famous for its university, this college town is perfect for mountain views, day hikes, small-town shopping, and apple picking come fall
The valley's second-largest city has had to face many challenges in the decades since it lost its industrial base. It has managed nevertheless to rebuild its waterfront and preserve the many stately Victorian-era homes of its East End.
The largest city between New York and Albany, Dutchess County's seat has recovered in many ways, buffered by IBM and Vassar College, two of its main employers.
Easy access from the nearby Rhinecliff train station has made this upscale village as popular a spot with New York City weekenders as it was in the late 19th century.
A ski town at the north end of the mountains with the New England charm of its namesakes in that region.
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