My girlfriend and I had the pleasure of visiting Cold Spring NY this past winter. This article will cover a wide range of topics, including the best things to do in Cold Spring, as well as recommendations for restaurants and hikes.
How to get to Cold Spring, NY
Aside from driving, the fastest and cheapest way to get to Cold Spring from Manhattan is to take the Hudson line train. The train is a direct route with no transfers and takes around an hour and a half from Penn station.
The ticket only costs $18. The train station in Cold Spring is conveniently located only 5 minutes away from the center of the town.
Best fun things to do in Cold Spring NY
My favorite attractions in Cold Spring were the Saturday morning farmer’s market, hiking, and the tasty restaurants.
I also totally recommend that you check out all of the antique shops located in the center of town.
Cold Spring Farmer’s Market
The farmer’s market is an absolute must if you are staying in Cold Spring. It occurs every Saturday from around 8am to noon.
The new location of the market is at 1601 NY-9D, Garrison NY. If you have a car, this is only about a 5-minute drive from the center of town. We didn’t have the luxury of a car, so we made the trek by foot. It wasn’t too bad of a walk, maybe about 25 minutes or so. I will say the roads were a bit narrow, so I recommend you take a car if possible.
The farmers market had a wide range of stands. There were herbal medicine tents, fresh baked goods, fresh produce, seafood, and cooked sausage. The warm apple cider is also a must if you go in the winter.
Everyone was so friendly, and many of the tents gave out free samples.
Best hikes in Cold Spring NY
The best hike in Cold Spring is the Washburn and Undercliff trails. These trails connect to each other and take you to the top of the Hudson Highlands State Park.
You can either access the Washburn trail off of Stearn Rd, or you can access the Undercliff trail via Sector St. Depending on your pace, this loop will take anywhere from 2 to 3 hours.
No matter where you start, the beginning of the hike will be uphill. There are beautiful waterfalls and creeks along the way up. There are two great lookout points that are located pretty close to each other. If you do the full loop, you will hit both of them.
One of the outlook points overlooks mostly the river and mountains, while the other outlook gives you a great bird’s eye view of Cold Spring. Both are very photogenic spots, and I’d imagine the views are the best during the fall.
If you go in the winter when there is snow on the ground, I highly suggest that you wear ice cleats on your shoes for traction. We did not have them, and we fell down a lot. Despite the sore bums in the morning, the hike was definitely worth it.
Best restaurants in Cold Spring
The best restaurants for dinner in Cold Spring are the Hudson House River Inn and Cathryn’s. The best brunch spot is Hudson Hil’s Café.
Cathryn’s Cold Spring
We stopped in Cathryn’s on our first night in Cold Spring. The ambiance of the place was fantastic. It was dark lit with a very romantic touch, and there were a bunch of paintings hanging on the wall. We were there in January, and they had a Christmas tree lit up in the corner.
They offer a wide range of Italian dishes, and we both went with seafood pastas. Both were delicious, and the place was very affordable. We had the place to ourselves for the last 30 minutes, and the service was great.
Hudson House River Inn Restaurant
If you are looking for a fancy dinner, this is the spot. It is connected to a hotel, and offers a wide range of meats and seafood. They had a great 3 course meal when we went, which I think cost around $50 per person.
We also tried some of the wine and were definitely satisfied. My favorite part of the meal was the pie ice cream.
Best breakfast in Cold Spring – Hudson Hil’s Café
If you plan on doing brunch in Cold Spring, Hudson Hil’s Café is an absolute must. This spot is popular among both the locals and tourists. We got there around 10 am, and had to wait around 10 minutes to get a table.
Their brunch menu was practically endless and offered just about everything under the sun. We decided to go with an omelet and eggs benedict. This was one of the best eggs benedicts I’ve ever had. The service was great, and it was nice being in such a lively atmosphere.
I can’t remember the exact price, but it was definitely reasonable.
Best quick food spots in Cold Spring
If you are looking for a cheaper or faster food option, you should check out either New Ming Moon Kitchen or Cold Spring Pizza.
New Ming has great Chinese food and has a little seating area inside. Cold Spring Pizza had nice pies and is available for dine in or take out.
Along with being cheap, these options are also open later than most of the other restaurant options in Cold Spring.
Antique shopping
If you have time, I strongly recommend the antique shops in Cold Spring. There is a hub of antique shots located right on the main street in Cold Spring. They are fun to window shop, but also provide pretty good deals if you want to buy something.
Along with antique relics and furniture, there are a couple antique clothing stores. I can’t remember the name of the store, but I bought this cute little turtle. All of the antique store owners are very open and friendly.
Best places to stay in Cold Spring NY
In terms of places to stay in Cold Spring, your best option is to stay in an Airbnb. The town is very small, so any house within the city limits will be convenient and walkable.
We stayed at an Airbnb called Classic Early 20th Century Chic Cold Spring House. It was hosted by a local named John, and he was very friendly and a great resource for things to do in the area. They also have two adorable dogs that were fun to play and snuggle with.
There are a couple hotel options, but they are much more expensive.
