Welcome to the fifteenth edition of our HUTS Town Guide series. Today we’re exploring Garrison with recommendations from various locals! Garrison is a highly accessible escape from the NYC hustle and bustle. This historic village is charming and bucolic and just a stone’s throw away from so many other popular Hudson Valley towns it serves as a perfect home base.

Where to eat:

Dolly’s is the place to go if you are looking for superb food with an incredible view. Steps from the Metro North train platform and right on the Hudson River, Dolly’s packs a punch with their tasty, seasonal fare; burgers, duck frites, pork dumplings with many vegan and vegetarian offerings. Hands down, they make the best french fries on the damn planet. Dolly’s has a heated outdoor canopy and features picturesque patio seating, curbside & delivery. Dolly’s also sells curated groceries, artisanal cocktails, beer, wine and anything you might need to stock the pantry.

What to do outside:

Hike and take in the grandeur of the Hudson Highlands. This rugged, dramatic landscape is riddled with trailheads, many of them with historic references to the revolutionary war. Visit Manitoga/The Russel Wright Design Center, a 75-acre woodland garden of American industrial designer Russel Wright who lived from 1904-1976. Manitoga is a National Historic Landmark, an Affiliate Site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and one of the few 20th century modern homes with original landscape open to the public. An embodiment of Wright’s design philosophy and life’s work and a celebration of good design for living in creative harmony with nature through tours, programs, events, and free year-round access to woodland trails.

What to do inside:

Art and artists are abundant in Garrison. The Ice House by JDJ, a former industrial building built in the 1920s, is located amongst a compound of buildings once occupied by the employees that maintained an estate on the Hudson River. JDJ is a contemporary art gallery featuring new exhibitions regularly, head to their website to see make a reservation. The Garrison Art Center is a non-profit right on Garrison’s Landing that holds gallery exhibitions and art classes in person or online for the public. They often have auctions as well as other events in town making art accessible to the public.  From the spring to fall The Depot Theater just across the way, has hosted patio plays to keep the area entertained and enriched during the pandemic. This blackbox theater hosts film screenings and an array of plays and performances. 

Photo by Historic Hudson Highlands Cottage

Where to stay: 

The Historic Hudson Highlands Cottage is the ideal airbnb, an early century cape with old world charm located in the Hudson Highlands. This place is private, and idyllic with fantastic views from the back deck. Sitting on four acres this vacation rental sleeps six with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Offering a great mix of modern and antique decor this cottage will set the stage for a great Catskills weekend. 

Featured Land Listing: 

This peaceful plot of two acres is BOH pre-approved for a 4 bedroom home! Perfectly situated for a full time home or that weekend country home that is both private yet not too secluded. Easy drive to Garrison train station and Bear Mtn Bridge. Garrison is full of history, local lore dating back to the Revolutionary War and just an hour to NYC. Nearby hiking, biking, breweries, antiques and more! Click here for more information on this listing!