7 Charming Towns in the Hudson Valley With Outdoor Adventures, Incredible Restaurants, and Local Art

"Less than two hours from New York City, the Hudson Valley has long been an easy escape for city dwellers-and you don't even need a car, with Metro-North and Amtrak trains tracing the river north. Across its nearly 150-mile stretch, the region is studded with small towns that mix history, culture, and natural beauty in ways that feel distinctly their own."

"Using the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area's definition (also adopted by I Love NY, the state's official tourism office), the valley runs much farther north than many visitors realize-all the way past Albany. That's where the experience shifts; as travel writer and Hudson Valley local Robin Catalano points out, the Upper Hudson Valley is "definitely overlooked, but it's gorgeous, has much less tourist traffic, and tends to be less expensive than Hudson and points south," making it well worth a visit."

The Hudson Valley is less than two hours from New York City and is accessible by Metro-North and Amtrak trains along the river. The region stretches nearly 150 miles and contains small towns that combine history, culture, and natural beauty. Definitions of the valley vary, but the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area extends the region past Albany, into the Upper Hudson Valley. The Upper Hudson offers gorgeous scenery, fewer tourists, and generally lower prices than southern towns like Hudson. The entire region includes arts hubs, historic river towns, and under-the-radar gems suitable for many types of travelers.

Read at Travel + Leisure