Kicking Back

New York State of Mind

by Meryl S. Pearlstein

Some folks like to get away to the Hudson River Valley, Catskills and Adirondacks

A world of art, antiques, history and magnificent countryside beckons within hours of the hustle and bustle of New York City. Nearly two-thirds of the battles of the Revolutionary War were fought in New York State, and diverse opportunities exist to explore those historic sites. Artists’ colonies thrive in the bucolic Hudson River Valley, where painters such as Frederic Edwin Church and Thomas Cole immortalized on canvas the region’s blue skies, lush valleys and rolling landscape. Museums, festivals, galleries and performing arts venues offer vibrant events year-round. The Catskills appeal to New York City’s more free-spirited citizens, while the Adirondacks attract history and racing buffs, as well as lovers of the great outdoors. All in all, the towns of the Hudson River Valley, the Catskills and the Adirondacks make exceptional getaway destinations from the concrete canyons of the big city.

Closest to Manhattan, the Hudson River Valley towns of Rhinebeck and Cold Spring, New Paltz and Woodstock embody small-town America. In a way, the east side of the river (Rhinebeck and Cold Spring) emulates the east side of Manhattan, with a more sophisticated and polished feel. In contrast, the west side (New Paltz and Woodstock) has an edgier, funkier artiness. Rhinebeck, a center for arts, antiques and New Age experiences thanks to the presence of the Omega Institute, has become a well-established home for artists, writers and cartoonists. Cold Spring, also a haven for antiques lovers but with a strong orientation toward hiking and kayaking, boasts an exemplary small-town Main Street and a gorgeous view of the Hudson River and Palisades Cliffs. Hyde Park, birthplace of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, is also home to the Culinary Institute of America, training ground for some of the country’s most respected chefs.

Farther north along the river, Woodstock’s heritage as the site of the gargantuan concert festival that gave voice to a generation endures to this day. Together with Mount Tremper, Phoenicia and Kingston, this area of the Catskill Mountains is home to well-preserved buildings from the 1700s and 1800s, plus an ever-growing community of artists and musicians.

Saratoga Springs and the Adirondacks

Past the Catskills, the Adirondacks were the scene of noted military skirmishes, including the Battle of Saratoga (recorded in history texts as the turning point of the Revolutionary War), the Battle of Ticonderoga and the Battle of Fort William Henry. Each of these areas offers a glimpse at defining moments in American history. Also nearby, Saratoga Springs is famed for its horse-racing, mineral springs and artistic heritage, while Lake George and Bolton Landing are family-friendly destinations with a focus on water-oriented sports and activities.

Before it officially grew up as America’s first spa resort, Saratoga Springs attracted a very different group of spa-goers, Native Americans. Claiming more than 50 carbonated mineral springs, Saratoga Springs was subsequently discovered by Victorian society, which gravitated toward the restorative waters and spawned a burst of hotel and home development. Today the town offers an alternative to cushy destination spas. Several bathhouses offer soaks in the bubbling hot waters followed by a soothing wrap in a hot sheet. You might recognize the newly restored and reopened Roosevelt Baths from the Robert Redford film The Horse Whisperer.

Home to the oldest thoroughbred racetrack in the country, founded in 1863, Saratoga Springs comes to life each summer — mid-July through Labor Day — when the horse-racing set hits town. A truly special way to start your day is to spend a morning at the Saratoga Race Course. Beginning at 7 a.m., a buffet breakfast is served, followed by an enlightening commentary by race analyst Mary Ryan including hands-on equipment demonstrations, a guided tour of the backstretch and a chance to see the horses up close after their morning workout. The commentary and tour are free. The buffet breakfast costs $13.95 per person.

Can’t land tickets to an art event in Manhattan? The Saratoga Performing Arts Center is the summer home of the New York City Ballet and the Philadelphia Orchestra. It’s also the site of the Saratoga Chamber Music Festival.