Fall getaway in the Hudson Valley: Things to do in Beacon

Every year, thousands of locals make the arduous trek north, embarking on a desperate search for the sycamore and hornbeam, sassafras and birch, and red maple, all in hopes of discovering what autumn has done to them in the red, gold and orange department. Indeed, they scout out scenic drives, book steamboat tours and even hot-air balloon rides in hopes of optimistically processing the annual demise of summer. That so many are so often disappointed is a reflection not of poor planning but Mother Nature herself, which, confounding the expectations of amateur forecasters and the I Love NY Fall Foliage guide alike, often decides last-minute where and when she will offer peak and near-peak experiences.

All of which is to say that you might have the leaf experience of your dreams over the next few weekends in the Hudson Valley, and you might not.

Either way, though, you won’t regret the journey. Foliage is just one of many ways the area engages autumnal splendor.

Saturday, 9 a.m.

Leave early to beat the traffic on various bridges and tollways, or take the Long Island Rail Road to Penn Station, transferring to Grand Central and boarding a Metro-North train to Beacon ($17.75 off-peak each way, 90 minutes). In either case, expect to see your first trees aflame around Sloatsburg. These early adopters of fall are few and far between until the final 25 miles to Beacon. Look to the hills where oranges, yellows and reds are often clustered around the ridgeline, and aim to be at your first stop by midmorning, when sleepy Beacon first rouses itself.

10:30 a.m., a Beacon for makers

At first glance, it seems a shadow of its former self — the town was once the center of hat manufacturing in the state — but Beacon remains a beacon for artists and craftspeople, drawing much energy from its bespoke tradition, and it’s a spirit that’s infectious. On milelong Main Street you’ll find artisans only too happy to turn you into a maker as well, from Hudson Beach Glass, where you’re encouraged to blow Christmas ornaments with colors and designs you choose yourself; to Glazed Over Donuts, in which every patron is offered a pen and an extensive checklist of drizzles, toppings and glazes from which to choose, receiving their custom creations in just minutes and hot out of the fryer; to Beacon Bath & Bubble, a home for high-quality, handcrafted soaps that also — for some reason — operates a side hustle selling vintage and unique soda pops, and more to the point, allows you to create an on-premises ice cream float made to your exact specifications.

Indeed, you’ll find unique ideas in almost every jewelry store and gallery on the street and exceptional execution everywhere else. There’s Honorable Ink, where you turn the crank on a gum machine and the prize is the pattern of your eventual tattoo, Hudson Valley Marshmallow Co., which specializes in house-made specimens and all things s’mores and hot chocolate, Butterfull, a convenience store with a side hustle hawking edible candles made from butter (!),  Noble Pies, a shop with some of the finest sweet and savory pies you’ll find in the Hudson Valley or any valley for that matter, and Elixxr, a tea house specializing in matcha adaptogenic lattes — because if there’s anything a town of 14,000 needs, it’s matcha adaptogenic lattes.

Noon, lunch at a movie theater-turned food hall

Not to be outdone, Beacon offers an equally interesting collection of restaurants, several of which can be found under the roof of Hudson Valley Food Hall, yet another thing you’d hardly expect in a town this small. Originally the Roosevelt Theater, the space underwent several modifications and owners over the years before becoming home to several restaurants, an ice cream concern (Three Pennies Creamery) and the swanky Roosevelt Bar.

You’ll find everything from Nicaraguan taquitos and British bangers and mash to chicken samosas and pulled pork barbecue sandwiches at HVFH, and, in the back, an attractive outdoor seating area away from the bustle of Main Street.

3 p.m., hike Mt. Beacon

Now hopefully fortified — hopefully, because you’re going to need it — the time has come to tackle one of the area’s toughest and most rewarding hikes, one that entails a 1,000-foot vertical climb. After parking the car at base camp, trek up a set of stairs onto a beautiful fall-flecked and forested mountain intent on seeing things like the remnants of a funicular, the foundation of an ancient dance hall and a fire tower that could take us 500 feet higher. An hour later, after scaling a seemingly endless series of steep switchbacks, feeling dizzy and cursing the local who’d told us that a 1,000-foot vertical climb was nothing, we gave up. What we missed, allegedly, are unparalleled views at the summit and autumn leaves as far as the eye can see. (If anyone makes it to the top, let us know.)

7:30 p.m., Beacon Pt. 2 and dinner

Having returned to civilization, mercifully, you’ll have time to explore a few more of downtown Beacon’s other highlights, including Peaceful Provisions (Beacon’s other overachieving doughnut shop, this one vegan!) and the Town Crier Cafe (a venerable home to live music and terrific housemade desserts since 2013). Then it’s off to dinner at a local favorite, Cafe Amarcord, which, as the name implies, is an homage to all things Federico Fellini. Pasta dishes like sausage-rich pappardelle and cacio e pepe are only part of the story, however. A terrific veal paillard leads an impressive list of entrées.

Sunday, 9 a.m., exploring Fishkill and beyond

If something seems wrong about making apple pickers reserve a time slot and pay in advance ($58 includes orchard entrance for up to five people and a bag that holds a half-bushel), it’s because you haven’t seen the crowds that a place like Fishkill Farms is capable of generating on fine fall days. The draw here is the unbelievable variety of apples available to pick on any given day — rows and rows of Spartan and Snapdragon trees, Rome and Red Delicious, McIntosh and Mitsu. But they come for the pumpkins too, and also the hayrides and farm store and cider doughnuts (get in line early), live music and, at the Treasury Cider Bar, a quaffable selection of apple brews on tap.

Noon, Valley small towns

OK, back to the foliage and a particularly beautiful drive at this time of year. Head east for about 17 miles to the tiny town of Pawling (pop.: 2,000), where actor James Earl Jones lived for 50 years before his recent death, along with Daryl Hall (of and-Oates fame), whose Daryl’s House, a restaurant with live music most nights, celebrates its 10th anniversary this month. From there, head north on Route 55 toward Poughquag (home to Barton Orchards, another apple-picking hot spot), and enjoy views of rural Hudson Valley at its finest, gorgeous and pristine.

1:30 p.m., onward to Poughkeepsie

Keep to the schedule and you’ll have time for a quick lunch in Poughkeepsie, 30 minutes north, at The Academy, which opened in 2022 as a food hall and has since transitioned to a cafe and event space with one just one place to eat, Sundaze Smash Burgers. Order a classic with caramelized onions and let the messy deliciousness begin, or experience farm-to-table elegance at Crew, helmed by Thomas Kacherski, a graduate of the nearby Culinary Institute of America, your next stop.

2:30 p.m., institutional excellence

"Does everyone have a tray?" asked the tour guide at the front of a packed Culinary Institute of America classroom, a few miles north in Hyde Park. (Reserve a tour in advance, $15, or get on the waitlist for cancellations.) The country’s most celebrated cooking school is worth a trip  of its own — for the tour, beautifully manicured grounds and well-regarded student-run restaurants open to the public (again, reservations). The trays in question included cups of sugar, salt, sriracha and more while accompanying videos walked visitors through such issues as aroma memory, the difference between taste and flavor, and what used to pass for fine dining in America (i.e., "pretend French food"). Post-lecture, you’ll be led down a hallway named for Anthony Bourdain (a CIA alumnus) for a peek into the classrooms and kitchens where students learn everything from the art of pastry-making to restaurant management. (Don’t miss the school’s Craig Claiborne bookshop and its collection of fine food tomes.)

4 p.m., a final foliage romp

Just 2 miles south of the CIA marks the end of your leaf-peeping journey, and a dramatic one at that, at the Walkway Over the Hudson, a breathtaking structure with spectacular views. The 6,768-foot span began as a railroad bridge in 1889, was eventually decommissioned after a fire and then reborn in 2009 as the longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world, at least until 2016 when another in Colorado surpassed it (although the Hudson one is free and allows bicycles). Stroll the entire expanse from Poughkeepsie on the east bank to the west side town of Highland and/or take a 21-story glass elevator ride from Upper Landing Park in Poughkeepsie up to the bridge. Beautiful at any time of day — and any time of year — right now you’ll see autumnal elegance on every hillside (Mother Nature permitting), not to mention gain a new appreciation of the mighty Hudson River 200 feet below.

By Scott Vogel

scott.vogel@newsday.com

Newsday writer and restaurant critic Scott Vogel aims for a refreshing, gimlet-eyed take on the Long Island food scene, often while drinking a refreshing gimlet.