Things To Do
New York Times Article - 36 Hours in the Hudson Valley
On April 10, 2025 the New York Times published an article that highlights the towns of Kingston, Hudson, and Beacon in the Hudson Valley. Beacon is relatively close to the wedding venue and is a worth a visit!
Storm King Art Center
We got engaged at Storm King Art Center in November 2023! Storm King is a 500-acre outdoor museum, where visitors experience large-scale sculpture and site-specific commissions under open sky. Since 1960, Storm King has been dedicated to stewarding the hills, meadows, and forests of its site and surrounding landscape. Storm King is a 15-minute drive from the Thayer Hotel.
Beacon, NY
Beacon has many fun and unique shops and attractions that make it one of the many great towns in the Hudson Valley. There is also a worthwhile hike of Mt. Beacon that starts from a trailhead at the end of town. Beacon is about 35 minutes away, across and to the east of the Hudson River.
Nearby Hiking and Trails
Options include Bear Mountain State Park, Harriman State Park, Sterling Forest State Park, Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve, and the Glenclyffe Loop Trail. Families may be interested in the Trailside Museums and Zoo right by the Bear Mountain Bridge.
Poughkeepsie, NY
The county seat of Dutchess County is home to both of our alma maters. Also of note is the "Walkway over the Hudson," the world's longest elevated pedestrian bridge, spanning 1.28 miles over the Hudson River!
Tour West Point and The West Point Museum
The USMA at West Point is directly past the Thayer Hotel. To visit the USMA, first obtain a pass from the Visitor Control Center, located at 2107 New South Post Road, West Point, NY 10996. Visitors must provide photo ID and undergo a short background check. The process is relatively simple and took us about 10-15 minutes. The West Point Museum is near the Visitor Control Center and has free admission.
Hudson Valley Apple Picking
There are dozens of orchards where you can pick your own apples (and sometimes other fruit) in the Hudson Valley! Some orchards have other attractions like a cider mill, a country store, apple cider donuts, hay rides, live music, and more!
Angry Orchard Cider House
60-acre orchard that makes and serves their own cider, plus guided tours and bites from an in-house kitchen.