24 Hours in Hudson: How to Upstate Properly
Hudson in only 24 hours? Here’s how to Upstate properly when you only have about a day to do so.
An Upstate State of Mind
I love Upstate New York. Spending formative years in the region (and in the Finger Lakes for college) and returning at least once a year ever since, I’ve always found my soul at absolute ease up here - the slower, more grounded pace of life, the boundless expanses of trails and backroads, and the simply awe-striking wonder of somewhere that feels just outside of the everyday.
A recent trip back offered the perfect chance to check out Hudson and the broader Hudson Valley - but not much time to do so. Which is exactly why I’ve put this guide together. It’s meant for anyone passing through Hudson, or trekking up and back from NYC in just a weekend.
For as small as Hudson can look from the outside, it’s a storybook town with far more to see and do than its single main street lets on. There is an “Upstate state of mind,” to be sure - and part of that comes with unpredictable store hours, plus shops, restaurants, etc. changing names and hands in between visits.
Quick note: To that end, I’ve made sure this guide reflects Hudson as it exists in Fall 2026, but do check whether any of these recs have relocated, closed, or switched up their names since. Even in the few short months between visiting and writing this, a good number of my favorite spots had!
While the vast Hudson Valley deserves plenty of time on its own, let’s focus in on the town of Hudson, which, not surprisingly, is beyond picturesque.
Best way I can say this:
Hudson is a deceptively small town you could say you’ve seen in half a day, but would take years to truly know.
Just around 2.5 hours from NYC, it’s an easy and - especially in Autumn - immensely pretty drive.
Not driving? Amtrak gets you there in roughly two hours from Penn Station, and the Hudson station sits right at the river end of Warren Street, so you can walk off the train and straight into town.
Either way, I’d suggest blasting some Babehoven on your way (not to be mistaken for the equally rad Babeheaven or the sonically-very-separate punk metal group Babe Haven).
Babehoven is my latest obsession and, as luck would have it, they’re Hudson-based - so they’re the perfect soundtrack as you make your way Upstate.
Now, without further ado, here’s how to get the most out of Hudson in just 24 short hours…
Where to Stay
Rivertown Lodge, for a boutique, at-home feel
Rivertown Lodge's marquee-style front on Warren Street, Hudson
Rivertown Lodge
Address: 731 Warren St, Hudson, NY 12534
Website: rivertownlodge.com
I downright love the Rivertown Lodge. I stayed here in the Spring and found myself wanting to go back before I’d even finished checking in. Once a movie theater till the late 50s (the marquee-esque front is a lovely reminder of that past) and then, for a few decades, the Warren Inn Motel, before becoming what it is now.
It sits up at the far end of Warren Street (the main stretch of town), which makes it a perfect base: everything in this guide is a walk down the hill.
Expect modest yet refined rooms, an honor bar stocked with local snacks, and a cozy, wood-lined living room with books, wood-burning stoves, and a communal table for co-working - or just hanging out. There are bikes to borrow, too, if you’d rather coast down Warren than walk it. And it’s part of the MICHELIN Guide’s hotel selection, so you’re in good company here - even if just for one cozy eve.
The Maker, for a world-class, upscale stay
The Maker
Address: 302 Warren St, Hudson, NY 12534
Website: themaker.com
Opened in 2020, The Maker is an enchanting addition to Hudson that feels equal parts Americana and French. Its eleven rooms are spread across three historic buildings, and that’s just the start: there’s a gym (with a juice bar) just up the block, a seasonal outdoor pool, a fragrance library for guests and a shop where you can bottle and bring home a bit of Upstate, plus a not-to-be-missed restaurant. (More on that below!)
No surprises here: it holds a MICHELIN Key.
If what you’re after is a truly five-star getaway, The Maker is your place.
One additional option: Camptown, for summers at camp (a very upscale version of camp, that is)
Camptown
Address: 800 Co Rd 23B, Leeds, NY 12451
Website: camptowncatskills.com
Technically not Hudson at all - it’s just over the Rip Van Winkle Bridge in Leeds, but worth the inclusion for a feel all its own. There are 26 log cabins (each one a little different, some with a wood-burning stove) and 24 hotel rooms, a heated saltwater pool, and an overall aesthetic that, to be honest, is very much of the Wes Anderson school of design (in the best way).
Add Casa Susanna, the on-property restaurant from Chef Efrén Hernández, a James Beard semifinalist three years running, and you’ve got the makings of one memorable Upstate stay. This is the pick for anyone who wants to “fly the coop” and lean into the campy side of Upstate that it does so, so well.
Note: The pool runs mid-May through October 1, so a Fall visit means admiring it rather than swimming in it. So it goes.
Day One | Saturday
Pastrami, Books & Beer, Dinner in the Conservatory
Late Morning: Roll Into Town
Like a mirage, Hudson just about suddenly appears. Subtly at first, and then all at once as you hit Warren Street.
Check in to your lodging of choice (or at least drop your bags) and grab your camera - we’ve got some exploring to do, and I’m sure you’re ready for some movement after the drive.
But first, lunch.
Midday: Lunch in an 1871 Factory
Lev & Ida’s Sandwich Counter for the namesake pastrami
Lev & Ida’s Sandwich Counter
Tue-Sat | levandidas.com | 359 Columbia St, Hudson, NY 12534 (inside the Cannonball Factory’s basement floor)
Lev’s Hot Pastrami sandwich at Lev & Ida's Sandwich Counter, Hudson - enjoyed best on the outdoor patio enclosed by ivy covered crumbling brick walls.
Tucked inside the Cannonball Factory - an 1871 industrial building that’s now a food hall, makers market, and event plus co-working space - this counter is the perfect place to grab a quick bite for breakfast or lunch, or, Thursdays through Saturdays, an early dinner.
What to get: Lev’s Hot Pastrami. It is rightfully the namesake (twenty-four hours in the making, on sourdough deli rye with a half-sour pickle riding along) and it will not disappoint.
If the weather is on your side, take it out to the patio on the left side of the building. The ivy-covered brick walls - remnants of previous structures - and picnic benches make for a fine way to enjoy your meal.
Afternoon: Wander the Main Streets
Spend the afternoon leisurely meandering the main and side streets.
The shops here keep their own hours, so don’t feel too down if a place you’re looking forward to is closed when you arrive - it’s very likely you’ll catch them the next day.
(Or just add it to the reasons to come back. I know I have, and my list is quite long now.)
A few favorites to get you going…
John Doe Records and Books for the finds amongst the stacks (and stacks) of records, tapes, books and paper. It’s been in Hudson since 2002, after a few lives up and down the valley.
johndoehudson.com | 434 Warren St, Hudson, NY 12534
Clove & Creek for home goods, wares and clothing in an assortment that feels categorically Upstate, with a heavy lean toward local makers.
cloveandcreek.com | 613 Warren St, Hudson, NY 12534
Cannonball Factory Makers Market for a rotating assortment of pop-ups from local companies in the basement of Cannonball Factory. Great place to pursue while you await your food from Lev & Ida’s.
cannonballfactory.com | 359 Columbia St, Hudson, NY 12534
Local shops and pop-ups at Cannonball Factory’s Maker Market.
Late Afternoon: A Book and a Pint
The Spotty Dog Books & Ale for a firehouse full of books (and beer)
Inside The Spotty Dog Books & Ale, a bookstore and bar in a former firehouse.
The Spotty Dog Books & Ale
Wed-Sat 12pm-8pm, Sun 12pm-6pm, Mon-Tue 12pm-5pm | thespottydog.com | 440 Warren St, Hudson, NY 12534
When you’re ready for a beverage, make a beeline for one of my favorite places on earth. As the name so perfectly portrays, this is a bookstore that just so happens to have an equally impressive list of ales on tap, all inside the C.H. Evans firehouse, finished in 1890 and named for a local brewer (who was also, conveniently, the mayor).
I absolutely love this place. It’s a Hudson tradition, I’m told, and who am I to question a place that would’ve captured the hearts of the likes of Hemingway and Twain?
After all, as Twain so perfectly put it in his notebook:
“Never refuse to do a kindness unless the act would work great injury to yourself, and never refuse to take a drink - under any circumstances.”
So do yourself the kindness of joining the locals: grab a book, grab a pint, and post up for a bit.
Dinner: French Under a Plant Canopy… or Italian Around the Corner
Now, let’s talk food. Finally, right?
Hudson has enough world-class options to fill this guide twice over (and any empty stomach), so I’ll keep it short - less time agonizing over where to go, less regretting what you missed. On this trip, anyway.
SERRE for the most spectacular dinner and ambience
Photos do not do it justice, but here's one of SERRE anyway.
SERRE at The Maker
Daily 5pm-9pm | themaker.com/serre | 302 Warren St, Hudson, NY 12534
I cannot recommend SERRE enough. Photos simply do not do it justice.
Set inside The Maker in a greenhouse-like glass conservatory, it pairs a French-inspired menu from Chef Jonas Offenbach with impeccable cocktails, and the whole thing - the decor, the food, the light - is lush and simply out of this world. You sit amongst tall ferns and birds of paradise under a verdant canopy with the sky above. It’s worth the drive to Hudson on its own.
What to get: Ask for an Old Fashioned made with Hudson whisky for a local(ish) touch. Start with the Potato Dauphine that’s delicately balanced with Boston Mackerel atop, and choose the Beef Bavette for your main. It’s a truly delicious ensemble, start to finish.
Pro Tip: Book ahead on Resy and book a table for the Conservatory (glass-covered room).
feast & floret for Italian, just around the corner
feast & floret
Dinner nightly 5pm-10pm | feastandfloret.com | 13 S 3rd St, Hudson, NY 12534
Feeling more Italian than French (or did SERRE happen to be booked that eve)? Worry not. Just around the corner from The Maker sits the unassuming but spectacular feast & floret, a regional Italian spot with a Tuscan lean, in the old Fish & Game space (if you know, you know). They run a flower business on the side, too (hence the floret).
Other great options
Banque, in its prime - here’s to hoping for a return!
We’d also rec:
Pez at Rivertown Lodge for coastal Mexican and East Coast seafood (Thursday-Monday), from the same chef as Casa Susanna - plenty of patio seating, covered if the weather turns.
rivertownlodge.com/pez | 731 Warren St, Hudson, NY 12534
Casa Susanna at Camptown for Chef Efrén Hernández’s Jaliscan-leaning Mexican (and the tortillas, all made in-house), worth the trip over the bridge.
camptowncatskills.com/casa-susanna | 800 Co Rd 23B, Leeds, NY 12451
The Hereafter for cocktails and shareable plates, a great spot for a meal or just a drink or two ahead of reservations. Look up: the tin ceiling is painted a deep green, and the wainscoting came out of a church in Harlem.
thehereafterhudson.com | 721 Columbia St, Hudson, NY 12534
Banque for a Parisian café-patisserie in a restored 1920s bank, paused since summer 2026 at the time of writing. Here’s to hoping they reopen soon.
banquenewyork.com | 544 Warren St, Hudson, NY 12534
Late Eve: Keep the Night Going
Want to keep the night going? You’re in luck - Hudson is surprisingly as lively by night as it is by day. You’ll have no trouble finding the spot that calls to you as you walk Warren Street, but here are a few I adore for a good drink and a good conversation.
The Maker Lounge for a nightcap by the fire
The Maker Lounge
Open till 10pm most nights, 11pm Fri-Sat | themaker.com/lounge | 302 Warren St, Hudson, NY 12534
Connected to SERRE, the Lounge is a converted 19th-century carriage house with leather-clad walls, grand ceilings, and candle-lit corners around a hand-carved fireplace. Stop in here after dinner at SERRE and you’re set up well for a great evening.
BackBar for a bit of the eclectic
BackBar
347 Warren St, Hudson, NY 12534
Listen, when it comes to bars in places they don’t usually exist (see: the Spotty Dog), I’ve got a soft spot. BackBar is a bar tucked into an antique store, with a great range of indoor and outdoor areas to post up and people watch, plus Malaysian small plates if you’re peckish. Sometimes lively, sometimes a bit quiet.
The Half Moon for pizza, pints and whoever’s playing
The Half Moon
Open till 12am Mon-Thu, 1am Fri-Sat | thehalfmoonhudson.com | 48 S Front St, Hudson, NY 12534
Want something a bit more local and a lot less pampered? Got you covered. The Half Moon is a pizza shop, bar, and music venue all at once. Simple, unpretentious, with a great patio to boot. Best of all, it’s open late (at least late by Hudson standards).
That’s a wrap on Day One
There’s so much still to be discovered, but you’ll want some sleep for it.
Day Two starts with another thing Hudson does exceptionally well: coffee.
Day Two | Sunday
Coffee Three Ways, a Proper Breakfast, and Exploring the Roads less Traveled
Morning: Pick Your Caffeine Fix
You’ll be starting your day with a tough decision: what’s the vibe for your caffeine fix? Hudson has some of the best coffee in New York, and here are three of my absolute favorites.
goodboybob for coffee in an old garage
goodboybob Coffee Roasters
goodboybob.com | 35 S 3rd St, Hudson, NY 12534
Formerly Wylde, this is the fusion of what you want in a coffee spot: a garage-turned-coffee-shop (with original garage door and all), good pastries, and plenty of seating inside and out. Look for the collection of free-to-a-good-home books across from the counter. Find a new read and hang for a while.
MOTO Coffee/Machine for espresso among the motorcycles
MOTO Coffee/Machine
8am-6pm daily | motocoffeemachine.com | 357 Warren St, Hudson, NY 12534
I mean, come on. A motorcycle shop that’s as good with fixing engines as it is with pulling espresso? Sign me up (and take away my wallet, for my own good, really). Grab a coffee and hang out at the outdoor tables admiring the bikes and enjoying people watching.
Supernatural Coffee for a quick one before the road
Supernatural Coffee
Mon-Sat 8am-4pm, Sun 9am-2pm | supernaturalcoffeehudsonny.square.site | 527 Warren St, Hudson, NY 12534
A local favorite, and it does coffee and baked goods supernaturally well (sorry, had to). It’s a tad spartan with limited seating.
Mid-Morning: A Proper Breakfast
Looking for more than a pastry? Three great choices await.
Nolita's Cafe and Gallery
Nolita’s Cafe and Gallery
8am-4pm daily | nolitascafeandgallery.com | 454 Warren St, Hudson, NY 12534
Nestled next to a towering church, Nolita’s Cafe and Gallery offers a wide array of baked goods, delicious breakfast options, and local artworks galore. Grab a breakfast sandwich, cookie, and coffee then find a table in the beautiful patio outside.
The Maker Cafe for a European coffeehouse on Warren Street
The Maker Cafe
8am-3pm daily | themaker.com/cafe | 302 Warren St, Hudson, NY 12534
Look, credit where it’s due: The Maker makes the list once again. The cafe is its tribute to the great coffeehouses of Europe, with breads and pastries from Bartlett House and French-inspired sandwiches, salads and soups.
Hudson Diner for a counter seat from another decade
Hudson Diner
Sat-Sun from 11am, Wed-Fri from 4pm | hudson-diner.com | 717 Warren St, Hudson, NY 12534
A classic ripped from the pages of Americana diners of yesteryear, set in the old Grazin’ Diner with the original stools and counters kept intact. It’s a cozy homage that mixes breakfast staples with more elevated options, from the folks behind Mel the Bakery and The Meat Hook. Note the hours, though: on a weekend it’s more brunch than breakfast.
Late Morning: Down to the River
Promenade Hill Park for the river (and one very curious house)
Promenade Hill Park
Foot of Warren St at Front St, Hudson, NY 12534
After your coffee and/or breakfast, stroll Warren Street all the way down to the water. Promenade Hill has been a park since 1795 and it offers a ton for a morning stroll: wide views of the Hudson River and the Catskills beyond, benches to sit and take in the fresh air, a statue of St. Winifred keeping watch, and an intriguing miniature house in the water. (See if you can spot it!)
Before You Go: Wander the Back Streets
As you make your way back to pack up and hit the road, pop into any shops and galleries that made your “try again tomorrow” list - and then, my personal favorite move:
Go wander the back streets. Really!
While there’s (too!) much to see on Warren Street, my favorite moments in Hudson were the ones I stumbled into a block or two off of it: ornate houses, beautifully forgotten remnants of buildings long standing empty, and a ton of history waiting to be uncovered.
The Hudson Almshouse on State Street, for instance, is a marvel. Built in 1818, it’s been an almshouse, an asylum, a girls’ academy, a private home, an orphanage, and, for nearly sixty years, the town library.
As of writing, it’s waiting on its next act.
As we wrap up our time in Hudson, allow me to offer one last tip - especially for grabbing great road trip food…
Talbott & Arding, for upscale groceries and incredible sandwiches
Talbott & Arding
talbottandarding.com | 202 Allen St, Hudson, NY 12534
Swing by Talbott & Arding on the way for road snacks. It’s a boutique cheese and provisions shop worth a browse in its own right, and the deli counter makes some rave-worthy sandwiches.
Looking Back (& Forward) at Hudson
Always leave a list behind
For me, that’s a lot of the charm of Hudson: a town so steeped in history, with what feels like an endless supply of places to explore, and no guarantee they’ll be the same on your next visit.
Many spots on my list changed in a few months (Wylde, Banque…), and I’ll admit that stings a little, but that will never be what defines or makes Hudson.
While the names on the doors keep changing, the bones don’t: the same picturesque town nestled on the Hudson River, the same lively community of locals and tourists that liven all the great coffee shops by morning and cocktail lounges by night, and the feeling that Hudson is, in and of itself, an ever-changing reflection of small town charm mixed with worldly delights.
So, as you plan your Hudson trip (or return), use this guide as your start, but deviate often, detour widely, and build your own list of all the reasons (and places) you can’t wait to come back to.
I know I certainly can’t wait.
Hopefully with more than 24 hours next time.
—//—
Safe travels, explorer.
Our Hudson Field Notes
Recap of key recs and beyond for your explorations
Where to Stay: Rivertown Lodge · The Maker · Camptown (Leeds)
What to See & Do: Warren Street shops · John Doe Records and Books · Clove & Creek · Cannonball Factory pop-ups · Promenade Hill Park · the Hudson Almshouse and back streets
Where to Eat: Lev & Ida’s Sandwich Counter (Lunch) · SERRE (Dinner) · feast & floret (Dinner) · Pez (Dinner) · Casa Susanna (Dinner) · The Maker Cafe (Breakfast) · Hudson Diner (Brunch) · Talbott & Arding (Road snacks)
Where to Drink: The Spotty Dog Books & Ale · The Maker Lounge · The Hereafter · BackBar · The Half Moon
Where to Caffeinate: goodboybob · MOTO Coffee/Machine · Supernatural Coffee
What to Look Forward To: Banque reopening (fingers crossed) · Cannonball Factory Holiday Market (late November through December)
What Else to Explore? The rest of the Hudson Valley · Leeds and the Catskills, just over the bridge
Enjoy & Explore Well.
Thanks for Exploring
We hope this guide gives you a great start on what to see, do, and experience in Hudson as you plan your own explorations.
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