My husband and I went on an art tour of the Hudson Valley and were quite impressed with what we saw.
STOP 1: MASS MoCA
A vast multibuilding factory complex converted into a museum of contemporary art, located in North Adams, Massachusetts. Exploring the raw industrial character of these brick buildings with wood floors and big windows is in itself an attraction. I fell in love with the buildings! The art collection focuses on very large-scale contemporary installations. Some of it a little too out there for my taste, but overall really worth a visit.
While not in New York State, MASS MoCA is really close to the border so included it as part of our Hudson Valley tour. Very close to North Adams is Williamstown home to Williams College. We stopped to walk around the college campus and were quite impressed by its beauty. You will not need more than 1-hr to explore it.
STOP 2: Hudson
We spent a couple of nights in the town of Hudson – a good base to explore the area. Hudson’s current renaissance started in the ’80s when antiques dealers and artists rediscovered the area. There are now dozens of antiques or furniture stores and galleries along its main drag - Warren Street. The town retains a small town feel even though it looks more and more like a Brooklyn suburb.
STAY Wm. Farmer and Sons [a very cozy & charming small hotel] Rivertown Lodge [once a movie theater and now a trendy minimalist hotel]
EAT Wm. Farmer and Sons [rustic-chic restaurant with great craft cocktails. It has an amazing vibe and the food was quite good] Fish and Game [tavern-like vibe, housed in a former blacksmith shop. While we did not eat here, the menu looked quite good but beware that the prices are quite high. We did however have a drink at their bar and it had a very cozy and warm atmosphere] Tavern [hidden behind the Rivertown hotel’s lobby; a good spot for a drink and a bite to eat]
DRINK Red Dot [lush & charming garden in the back and a nice spot for a drink. The food though was not good at all] Backbar [great outdoor patio for a drink] Moto Coffee Machine [for coffee!]
TO DO Warren Street [walk the entire stretch of downtown’s main drag – easily 20 blocks long - it is packed with quirky vintage shops, antique & home design stores, and some great historic buildings] OMI International Arts Center [a 20-minute drive from Hudson is sixty acres of rolling farmland, wetlands and wooded areas, filled with large-scale contemporary sculptures. Wear comfortable shoes to explore the area]
STOP 3: Dia: Beacon
Occupying a former Nabisco box printing factory in the town of Beacon, Dia:Beacon is an avant-garde museum with a collection of art primarily from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The building is beautiful with very large skylights illuminating broad spans of open areas showcasing contemporary art, which is a perfect medium for that space.
Art is very much based on personal preferences and even what is considered art can be very subjective. Some of the art at Dia is very minimalist and at times made me wonder if “is that even art”? But when placed into the context of the time it was created, that artists were renouncing convention and trying industrial materials & geometric forms, it’s easier to appreciate pieces that would not have an immediate appeal.
We spent the night in the town of Beacon. While not super impressed by the town itself, we really enjoyed our hotel.
STAY & EAT The Roundhouse [boutique hotel housed in a former textile factory overlooking a beautiful waterfall]
STOP 4: Storm King Art Center
A sculpture park in 500 acres of fields, hills and woodlands. You will see more than 100 sculptures, some very large scale by Mark Di Suvero, David Smith, Andy Goldsworthy and Alexander Calder to name my favorite artists. This place is a MUST-see. Wear comfortable shoes because quite a bit of walking is required. You can also rent a bicycle and that will allow for a faster way to cover so much ground.
