Things To Do
Dia:Beacon
Situated on more than 30 landscaped acres near the banks of the Hudson River, Dia: Beacon houses the Dia Art Foundation’s permanent collection of works dating from the 1960s and 1970s, as well as curating regular special exhibitions and new commissions. Housed in a former Nabisco box printing factory, the industrial building features sprawling open spaces and abundant natural light, making the unique 300,000-square-foot brick, steel, concrete, and glass structure a perfect complement to the museum’s exhibitions.
Mount Beacon TrailHead
If spectacular views and challenging hiking trails are your inclination, consider a trek to the peak of Mount Beacon. The well groomed site is one among a number of Hudson Valley parks managed and maintained by Scenic Hudson, the crusading activist organization credited with launching the modern environmental movement. The journey begins by following the original access road to the now-defunct Mount Beacon Incline Railway, which formerly hauled passengers to the Beaconcrest Hotel and Casino that once sat at the mountain’s crest. The trailhead then continues sharply uphill, first via stairway to the first of numerous observation decks, followed by a steep, switch-backing trail that ultimately joins with the Fishkill Ridge system. Ongoing efforts to restore the ruins of the railway may one day expand access to the mountain’s scenic summit, but for now only the sturdiest hikers are able to indulge Mount Beacon’s breathtaking vistas.