New York's not just the city. Drive two hours North and you'll find an eclectic mix of natural beauty, modernist homes and designer stores.

A drive away from the urban sprawl of New York City, the Hudson Valley has become a respite for New Yorkers. For years, city dwellers have moved upstate to trade cramped apartments for spacious homes, Central Park for the Catskills. There is abundant space, natural beauty, and a slower pace of life up North. But you’d be missing out if you wrote the region off as a sleepy, suburban district where people come to stroll. The Hudson Valley, a region along the Hudson River from Westchester to Albany, is a beacon of light for art and design that can rival the Big Apple. It’s got kitschy hotels, sprawling art parks and modernist homes carved into the mountains. We’ve put together an itinerary to show that you don’t have to be in the big city to have a good time.
WHERE TO STAY

Stickett Inn is located two hours away from New York. You can rent one of their four rooms, each with different designs and amenities (i.e. a hot tub!), or choose one of several cottages on the property. It’s just a walk away from the main drag of town, so you can leave your car here and explore the antique shops and farmers market on foot.
Photograph by Lawrence Braun.
Photograph by Lawrence Braun.
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