Why Beacon, New York, the Gateway of Hudson Highlands State Park, Is Worth a Visit in Its Own Right

Situated right on the Hudson River, Beacon, New York is a classic Hudson Valley town, with a name inspired by its role in the Revolutionary War and a colorful manufacturing history. And while it’s the gateway to the popular Hudson Highlands State Park, the town has also transformed itself into a destination for regional culture and world-class art over the past two decades.

Accessible by car and the Metro-North Railroad, it’s easy to spend a day, or even a weekend taking in everything Beacon has to offer. Here are the sights, bites, and sips I seek out whenever I’m there:

Art

The 2003 establishment of Dia Beacon in a former Nabisco box-printing factory marks the beginning of the town’s resurgence after it fell on hard times in the post-industrial era of the mid-twentieth century. It houses mostly large-scale conceptual work by artists such as Richard Serra and Dan Flavin, and draws more than 100,000 visitors annually.

But Dia isn’t the only outpost for fine art in Beacon—in fact, the town has its very own Art Walk on Main Street, which visitors can take year-round. Off the beaten path on Fishkill Avenue, the KuBe Art Center in the old Beacon High School is also a must-stop for any art-lover.

Shopping

Beacon has some truly adorable shops, and many are housed in charming red brick storefronts along Main Street. For housewares, high-end foodstuffs, and chic personal items, Little King is one of my all-time favorites anywhere—think Japanese flatware, unusual flavors of jam and chocolate, and some of the best skin moisturizers on the market. You might find your next vintage cookbook or set of champagne flutes to obsess over in Stella’s Fine Market, and any serious or aspiring home chef can easily kill half an hour in well-stocked Utensil.

The Last Outpost has good flannels and sunglasses, while Vintage Beacon carries some dreamy high-end finds. More contemporary styles can be found at Kaight, while Hyperbole offers a fun mix of both new and vintage. Book-lovers are also in luck, as Stanza Books and Binnacle Books each carry hundreds of titles and their staff are welcoming and helpful.

For gastronomic delights to take home with you, do not pass by Beacon Cheese Shop, even if you don’t eat cheese (but especially if you eat cheese), or you’ll miss potential new pantry stars like gorgeous tinned seafood and Swedish candy—and yes, their cheeses are lovely. I like to stop into wine shops when traveling for new-to-me bottles, and I always enjoy my finds from Artisan Wine Shop and Dirty Bacchus.

Food and Drink

I find few meals more satisfying than a good diner breakfast or lunch, and Beacon’s Yankee Clipper Diner serves perfect versions of both. About a five-minute walk down Teller Avenue from the diner on the corner of Main is The Beacon Daily, where you can get hearty breakfast burritos and biscuit sandwiches all day, as well as the Hudson Valley’s best friend chicken sandwich. If you’re looking to treat yourself, the dining room of The Roundhouse restaurant, part of the hotel of the same name, has a full view of Fishkill Overlook Falls thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows, and the kitchen serves a seasonal, modern American menu.

At the western tip of Main Street, there’s Bank Square Coffeehouse, which gives you a great opportunity to grab a coffee when you first arrive at downtown Beacon or just before you leave it; I tend to take a mid-afternoon coffee break in Big Mouth Coffee Roasters further down Main. Matcha aficionados should seek out Matcha Thomas, as they’ve amassed a loyal local following and even some international fans. Down toward the eastern end of Main, where the street hooks, lies the multi-level Hudson Valley Brewery that’s the ideal stop at the end of a shopping spree or a hike in the state park.

Hiking

You can simply walk right into Hudson Highlands State Park from the town, which is a mostly undeveloped preserve of more than 8,000 acres and 70-plus miles of trail. Despite its difficulty, the most popular trail choice is probably climbing South Beacon Mountain for the incredible views of the Hudson Valley via Casino Trail in Mount Beacon Park, which is technically encompassed within Hudson Highlands State Park. I also enjoy the moderate 2.5-mile Fishkill Ridge Trail that takes you out-and-back to the Beacon Reservoir; it’s mostly cool woods in the summer, and the fall foliage around the water can be especially colorful. 

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