A West Point Weekend Getaway

As the days get longer and colder, I find myself faux-hibernating through the winter. The lack of sunlit tends to suck motivation out of me, to the point where I’m flaky out of things I even wanted to do. I hurry home after work, wrap myself up in a blanket, and settle down for Netflix binge-watching. With about five hours of sunlight and temperatures that go beyond biting, I feel like my life grinds to a halt. Go outside? Why?!

But just beyond the reaches of this never-ending city is the Hudson Valley. And though it might seem like an off-beat choice unless you’re skiing or snowboarding, the cold weather and dark days do not mean that the adventuring has to stop. So last winter, when Boyfriend and I found ourselves free of obligations for two days only, we packed our heaviest sweaters, bundled ourselves up, and hopped in the car to drive up to West Point.

While I’ve never been to a resort, sometimes a vacation is as much about being cozy at your hotel as it is about the exploration. We had been enchanted by pictures of the Thayer Hotel, whose medieval-looking chandeliers, hanging flags, and gigantic fireplace made us feel a bit like we were staying in a castle (well, an American version, at least). We decided pretty quickly we would have a “night in,” though this one would be much classier than the equivalent in Brooklyn. So later that night we found ourselves a spot at General Patton’s Tavern in front of the fireplace, ordered some drinks, and dealt up a couple hands of cards. The lounge was bustling with cadets watching the football game and visiting military parents, the bartender giving the most careful attention to each guest.

Of course, if you do decide to venture out of the warmth of your hotel, the area around West Point offers a lot, no matter the season. Here are some things you can enjoy, balmy summer evening or chilly winter day.

Brotherhood Winery

Started in 1839, Brotherhood Winery is the oldest continually operating winery in the US. During Prohibition, they were allowed to remain in business because they made and sold sacramental wine. The winery has changed hands a couple times over the years and it has an interesting history, including an important role in winery tourism. The location is more of a winery than a vineyard (this isn’t Napa Valley), but $10 will get you an informative tour through the wine cellars, a wine tasting (go easy, drivers), and a souvenir wine glass. We loved our guide — not only was he informative, but he also was genuinely excited about the processes.

The tasting is held in their large and well-stocked store. They have a vast variety of wines, everything from sweet holiday spiced wines and honey meads to more full-bodied cabs. Boyfriend and I enjoyed the wine so much that we bought six bottles to take back to New York. I definitely recommend the honey mead — sweet but oh so delicious!

Sugar Loaf & Cold Spring

These two adorable and very different little towns are within quick driving distance of West Point. Sugar Loaf  is more of an artist community – we stopped in a candle shop, a hand-made jewelry boutique, a soap store, as well as a witch’s store. As we were visiting off-season, it felt a little like a ghost town up there, and by the sixth time of awkwardly being the only customers in a silent store, we were ready to hit the road. I bet during the summer it’s bustling.

I enjoyed Cold Spring’s Main Street a lot more. There are half a dozen antique shops you can wander around, gift shops featuring eclectic and unusual items, and a café that sells peanut butter hot chocolate (among a myriad of other flavors). Cross under the train tracks to sit in the gazebo and take in the pretty view of the Hudson.

The Culinary Institute of America

I spent the 45 minute drive to Hyde Park near salivating at the thought of the Culinary Institute’s macaroni and cheese. However, my dreams were crushed when we pulled into campus and saw the “restaurants closed” sign. As the CIA is a school, it’s closed on weekends and national holidays — and we were visiting on Martin Luther King Day. I had checked the website and didn’t see any notices about the restaurants being closed, so I’d highly recommend calling ahead. Disappointed as I was, I’ll be trying to figure out a way to get up to the CIA soon.

West Point Campus

I don’t know much about military history and Boyfriend is very nearly a pacifist, but we enjoyed a couple hours wandering around the West Point campus. You can do a guided tour of the campus or go in on your own. To get into West Point you need to have a government ID and submit your car to a thorough security check. Once inside, you can get a wonderful view of the Hudson River, as well as take a meander through the West Point chapel and cemetery. It was a frigid gray day when we went, so we didn’t linger, but I can imagine that the campus is just gorgeous in the summer with the steel stone buildings shaded in greenery.

Skeet Shooting

If you’re really itching to get that feeling of being away from the city, my suggestion would be to hike out into the woods and feed the primal urge of firing a weapon. Skeet shooting was high on our list of things to do on our weekend away and there are several options in the area, but the weather was just too cold to enjoy it.

Heading up to West Point was a refreshing reminder that not all vacations require tank tops and sunscreen. There is definitely plenty to do, even in the winter, so don’t let chilly weather keep you from what the Hudson Valley has to offer.

I highly recommend a car for this trip — there are a lot of fun places within driving distance of West Point and you’ll want that flexibility and independence. The drive from New York City to West Point is about an hour and fifteen minutes, and we took a leisurely place, stopping at one of the scenic overlooks on the Hudson River.

Cold Spring is especially nice for a day trip from the city – you can easily get there by Metro-North and there are plenty of hiking options if you’re not into antique-ing.

The Culinary Institute of America has three restaurants and a bakery-cafe open to the public, both for meals and special events. All the restaurants take reservations, which I highly recommend making, but their more casual eatery, the Apple Pie Bakery Cafe, accepts walk-ins.