A Day in Beacon
Lunch, modern art, shopping + leaf peeping!
Beacon is one of my favorite places in the Hudson Valley. And, while this isn't necessarily a leaf peeping trip, a visit up there is a great way to check out the leaves with the bonus of a worthy destination. I have been a few times, and always in different seasons. Beacon has some of the hipness of Hudson, but feels much more approachable and accessible. For starters, it's considerably closer to the city and Westchester. It is set against the picturesque Hudson Valley mountains. Like Hudson, Beacon’s Main Street is long and flat, so it's a good place to get in a lot of easy steps.
The shops and restaurants on either side of the tree lined street are places you can actually…afford. I'm not trying to diss Hudson. I love Hudson! But I can’t help comparing the two. I thought of a sweater I had my eye on in Hudson that was sadly $500 – out of my price range! In Beacon, the stores were less fancy. I had to restrain myself. On my last trip, not only did I find an O My Bag wallet and a glass-blown serving bowl, we also found the perfect spot for a vegetarian lunch. Add Dia Beacon to the mix and it’s an absolute perfect day trip.
Personally, I like to start this type of day with art, then lunch, and then spend the afternoon doing a walk/shop combo. Take Route 9 or the Taconic (then the reverse on the way home). If you have a car, it's best to park in the middle of Beacon’s Main street (after driving from Dia). If you don’t, Metro North is a 90-minute train ride and The Beacon Loop is a free bus, making stops at the train station, Dia and Main Street. Because Main Street is about 1.5 miles long, I obviously can’t describe every spot. But you can check out The Beacon Chamber of Chamber of Commerce for its excellent website listing almost every shop and restaurant. Below are are some of my faves:
Dia Beacon
Modern art museum in the renovated Nabisco cookie box printing factory that’s one of the largest exhibition spaces in the country for modern and contemporary art. With over 160,000 square feet, it’s ideal for large scale installations of artists like Richard Serra, Dan Flavin, John Chamberlin, Sol Lewitt and so many others. It's open Friday - Monday. Be sure to check the website for hours before you go.
Little King
Homeware and design store with a cafe that also serves a small selection of food and baked goods all day. It’s got a Marimekko vibe. On once visit we left with a set of Hasami Porcelain bowls, a Maison Louis Marie candle for a friend, and a tube of my favorite, hard-to-find Yu-Be hand cream.
Utensil
A nicely curated selection of high-quality cooking tools and kitchen gadgets. I am still thinking about the Ekobo melamine dishes that would be perfect for a picnic.
Kaight
Eco-friendly hipster-y women’s clothing and accessories. Lots of wide-legged jeans, jumpsuits and earth toned boxy sweaters.
Hudson Beach Glass
Stunning glass art created by local artists. You can (and should!) read all about the super-fun workshop I took, here.
Solstad House
General store with home goods such as artsy tea towels, cute soap dishes, letterpressed notecards, a few picture books, and a swanky supply of mocktail mixers.
Stella’s Fine Market
Gourmet market with carefully chosen pantry items like artisanal pastas, Graza olive oil, tinned fish and a collection of the hottest most beautifully designed cookbooks from Phaidon and Cherry Bombe one of the hottest food magazines.
Beacon Pantry
Cheese and specialty foods store with a great variety of tinned fish in gorgeous packaging that I haven't seen since Italy. (Tin fish, as you may have noticed, is having quite a moment!)
Sybil
Another homegoods store loaded with photogenic candles and giant sofa pillows.
Miss Tea
Beautiful modern tea shop featuring a diverse assortment of high-quality loose leaf teas from all over the world.
Peaceful Provisions and Glazed Over
There must be a high demand for Instagram-worthy donuts in Beacon, because these two spots are on the same block. We tried both, and both are great. You’d never know that Peaceful Provisions is 100% vegan.
Vintage Beacon
I am not really a vintage shopper or a thrifter, but if I were, Vintage Beacon would be right up my alley. The well-curated, upscale clothing on display made me wish I held onto my Robert Clergerie slides and 90’s Prada backpack.
Kitchen and Coffee
Vegan food done just right. I have eaten here every time I’ve come to Beacon, which is why I don’t have more lunch suggestions! I either get the cauliflower bowl with roasted butter beans, dates, and tahini or the Banh Mi bowl, but I am always intrigued by the tempeh reuben and curried chickpea sandwiches. Next time!
Zora Dora’s
Handmade Palatas (aka popsicles!) produced in small batches every day by a Culinary Institute of America graduate. The flavors are constantly rotating, depending on what’s in season. You might find pineapple chile lime with sea salt or what they call “Muddy Hudson Coffee Pop” (coffee, chocolate, cinnamon, and nutmeg).They also do a yellow curry pop with scallions for adventurous types. I like adventure, but was very happy with my lemon mint pop on a 90º day.
If you want to make it a weekend and stay the night, I highly recommend The Round House, a boutique hotel in a renovated textile factory along Fishkill Creek. It's at the bottom of Main Street so it's easily walkable to everything.
What did I forget? Tell me your favorite spots in Beacon in the comments!
This guide is so helpful. I hope to get there soon.