Hudson Valley villages & views · New York

Beacon & Cold Spring day trip

Beacon & Cold Spring

A driving day from Manhattan up the Hudson Highlands: the riverside lawn at Boscobel, Main Street and the waterfront in Cold Spring, an easy loop and cliff overlook at Little Stony Point, the big daylit galleries of Dia Beacon, and an early dinner on Beacon's Main Street.

Time: 10–11 hour day
Driving: About 3.5 hours of driving in total
Best time: Mid-September to early November
Updated: October 13, 2026 at 8:33 PM Pacific

$4 USD

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The Hudson River running south between steep green mountains, seen from a rocky ledge high on Breakneck Ridge, with Bull Hill rising on the left and a small wooded point jutting into the river below — ScubaBear68 (color correction and crop by Daniel Case) · CC BY 2.0. June 2008 photograph from Breakneck Ridge, which is closed during construction; summer, not fall, color. Resized and displayed with crop.

Suggested times, not bookings

Your day at a glance

8:30 amLeave Midtown Manhattan
9:50 amBoscobel House and Gardens
11:00 amCold Spring Main Street and the riverfront
1:00 pmLittle Stony Point, Hudson Highlands State Park
2:40 pmDia Beacon
4:45 pmBeacon's Main Street
6:15 pmReturn to Midtown Manhattan

Highlights

Worth the trip

Cold Spring's Main Street running downhill to the Hudson
A short loop and cliff overlook at Little Stony Point, facing Storm King
Dia Beacon in a former Nabisco box-printing factory

What’s in the guide

Detailed stop guidance, rules, practical pitfalls, a route map, Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps links and weather alternatives. Read it online any time, or keep it offline in the Greg’s Guides app for iPhone and iPad. See an example guide →

Plan for the conditions

Expected seasonal weather

From mid-September to early November the Hudson Highlands usually bring cool mornings, sometimes with river fog that lifts by mid-morning, and mild, often sunny afternoons. By late October, mornings can be near freezing and a windy front can strip the leaves fast. Passing fronts bring rain every few days. Wet rock on the cliff spur is slippery. Days shorten quickly: sunset falls from about 7 pm in mid-September to before 5 pm after the clocks change in early November. These are seasonal expectations, not a forecast for your travel date; check the NWS forecast the evening before and the morning of your trip.

Admission and parking are separate. Check current conditions before departure.

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