postcard from: hudson valley, new york
a place I'd like to travel back to immediately.
I am extremely lucky and have a big group of girl friends that have stuck together since college. Through cross-country moves, career changes, losses, marriages, babies and beyond, we have never faltered on prioritizing our friendships and have never considered letting them slide away. In today’s world this has also meant that we have traveled across the country for bachelorette trips. I’ve heard more than once that these trips seem ridiculous and expensive, especially given the expense we take on for just attending weddings. I can see that lens, but I actually think that we are so lucky to spend this time together. Between the chaos that tends to be our day to day lives at home, these trips are days filled with adventure and laughter and time I’d never dream of taking back with my best friends.
This most recent bachelorette for one of my friends
(who also writes a substack called Musings that you should check out!) took us to the Hudson Valley in New York. She wanted something a bit chiller with an importance on us all simply being together, and boy did this trip deliver. Us Michigan girls had the easiest hour-long flight into Albany, a small and easy airport, where we snagged a rental car and drove around 45 minutes to our destination. Days spent by the pool, evenings spent having the best farm to table meals imaginable, stops at roadside farm stands, and walking around unique downtowns - this area was so worthy of a postcard and I can’t wait to go back.
staying
airbnb’s - We needed a spot that could sleep 10 (which isn’t the case for most) and stayed at an airbnb in Palenville. Having the backyard, pool area and a big kitchen was perfect for our group. Depending on where you are going outside of your airbnb should definitely play an impact on where you stay so that you don’t spend too long in the car (although the drives are beautiful). The airbnb-game is strong in this area!
Hudson, NY options: This secluded retreat or this beautiful farmhouse, they both look perfect (the pools!).
Catskill, NY options: A eco-scandinvian find or a huge, beautiful estate (for 16+, this is bachelorette territory).
Saugerties, NY options: A summer paradise or a super modern beauty.
Pawling, NY options - The farthest from Albany, but this cottage right on Twin Lake would be a great little a getaway for two.
hotels & resorts - There are so many options depending on your vibe and location of choice. Here’s a highlight of the one’s on my list.
Wildflower Farms: This resort was gorgeous and surprisingly seemed extremely family-friendly. Although we only enjoyed dinner here, every inch of the property looked thoughtful and like the perfect place to unwind.
Inness Resort: This one is on my list and looks more like a getaway for couples or friends. Conde Nast called it “a thoughtful marriage of Scandinavian-chic and rustic Americana in the Catskills” and boy does it look beautiful.
The Maker Hotel: Located right in downtown Hudson, this hotel was filled with charm (and a great coffee shop!). Perfect for if you’d rather stay in this quaint, cute city vs. out in the country.
Hotel Lillian: This screams cozy getaway, drink wine and play cards. I can only imagine how stunning this property is in the fall.
food + drink
Callisto Farm: Nestled in the foothills of the Shawangunk Mountains lies Callisto Farm, an 88-acre dream. We were lucky enough to enjoy an amazing private dinner here and it was the highlight of the trip. We spent an evening wandering the property, learning about the farms rehabilitation and enjoying the freshest, fire-cooked dinner. The entire farm is inspiration worthy, especially considering the spaces they are renovating. Follow them on socials as they are often hosting fun pop-up events and dinners that you don’t want to miss.
Wildflower Farms: We had a coursed dinner at Wildflowers restaurant and took in the views of the property as we enjoyed the evening. I’ll be thinking about the focaccia, steak dish and unique cheesecake for a while.
Feast & Floret: If I were to find myself back in Hudson, this would be on my reservation list. I simply walked by and was drawn in, and am now a stalker of their instagram.
Olde Hudson: Part coffee shop, part cafe, part grocery, we found ourselves stocking up as we walked through. If you’re close to town, stop in.
Quinnies, Kitty’s, Talbot and Arding, Wylde, Le Perche, and Black Dot Cafe have all joined the need-to-go list too. So many places, so little time!
shopping
We walked around downtown Hudson on a Sunday morning (which turned out to be a fatal flaw as most storefronts didn’t open until Noon) but we were able to check out a handful of spots that were noteworthy! So much more within the downtown Hudson area that you could check out.
Clic: Filled with colorful home finds, from tablecloths to glass wear to candles to artwork, I could of bought the whole store.
Minna: I loved the colorful textiles and pillows. Not necessarily the easiest purchases to travel home with, but they do have a great online shop too.
Finch: More of a ‘walk through and dream’ kind of store, Finch is filled with gorgeous, antique and unique furniture and home finds.
Clove and Creek: Another store where I could of taken one of everything, it made me want to transform my home into a upstate oasis.
The Quiet Botanist: Filled with candles, flowers, chocolates and more that you can’t find anywhere else, “It draws inspiration from apothecaries of a bygone era, wild-harvested Australian botanicals and overgrown European gardens”.
what to wear
Lioness denim top, Donni silk pants, New Balance CT320 - a comfortable and airy outfit for being outside, walking through trails, and still looking cute for dinner.
Reformation dress, Staud beaded bag, Dolce Vita heels - a colorful, dressier look without going overboard. This dress is the perfect throw on and go look and I love that staud bag.
Rag and Bone jeans, Aritzia linen top, Vehla sunglasses - the cut of this top makes it a bit more elevated than your traditional tube top, while loose denim and sunglasses with a pop of color tie the whole look together.
This area climbed up the ranks of my travel list and I can’t wait to go back and continue exploring. I couldn’t recommend it more if you’re in need of a getaway where you’re forced to slow down and reconnect - no matter if its with 10 of your closest friends or by yourself. I have so many photos from this trip, maybe I’ll try to post more!
Just drove up this way the other day and inspired to plan a fall trip!!
I fully support this post !!! Love you ! 🤍