It’s been a long winter (understatement of the decade), and you’re in desperate need of a getaway to exorcise those dreary, slushy memories and start spring right. Just 90 minutes outside the city, this quaint college town boasts all the rugged scenery and locally grown charm your heart desires.
Your Next Weekend Escape: New Paltz
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Published Apr 3, 2018
Eat Your Way Through Town
Start off your morning with a hobo frittata skillet (a bacon, tomato and cheddar scramble over home fries) from local institution Main Street Bistro. Veg-heads and meat eaters alike will dig the vegan sandwiches and salads at the always-busy Karma Road, followed by chocolate truffles from Lagusta’s Luscious. For an afternoon pick-me-up, pop in for Earl Grey and honey bee cake at The Village Tearoom & Bake Shop, and for dinner, take your pick of sweet-potato gnocchi at A Tavola Trattoria, sushi at Hokkaido Japanese Restaurant or catfish tacos at Mexicali Blue.
Bar-hop On Main Street
Cozy up with a cocktail by a fire pit at Huckleberry, check out live music at Oasis Cafe or Snug Harbor or sample an array of craft beer at Schatzi’s Pub & Bier Garden of New Paltz. And we have good news for driving-averse New Yorkers: The bars are all within walking distance of one another, on or right off Main Street.
Moondance Ridge
Sleep Surrounded By Greenery
The most coveted rooms in town are at Mohonk Mountain House, and for good reason: The historic Victorian castle-style resort was built in 1869 and is surrounded by 40,000 acres of forest. Want something a bit cozier? Try the tranquil Moondance Ridge Bed & Breakfast, an Arts and Crafts-style inn just a mile from the main village. Rooms are equipped fireplaces and whirlpool tubs, and the grounds feature hammocks and walking trails.
Take A (really Photogenic) Hike
The main drag of New Paltz is a short drive from picturesque mountains replete with beautiful trails and shimmering water. Minnewaska State Park Preserve, in neighboring Kerhonkson, features various trails that lead to three bodies of water, but the view of Lake Minnewaska is a must-see. Need even more Instagram fodder? We got you: Check out Stony Kill Falls or Awosting Falls.
Twin Star Orchards
Try The Local Libations
After trekking all over the Shawangunk Ridge, you deserve a drink. Stop by local winery Robibero Family Vineyards for a glass of dry Riesling or Cabernet Franc, or pop over to Twin Star Orchards (the upstate home of Bushwick’s Brooklyn Cider House), which just reopened for the season with free tastings, a lovely outdoor seating area and wood-fired pizza.
Water Street Market
Shop For Souvenirs
Shop local at the Water Street Market, a European-style shopping village filled with independently owned stores that stock everything from antiques to records to artisanal doughnuts. For the hippie in you, head to the Groovy Blueberry for nonstop tie-dye and incense. And before you head back to the city, make a pit stop at Wallkill View Farm Market and Garden Center for some tasty pies and fresh, locally grown produce to snack on during your drive home.