Vacation for a Day? Go to Cold Spring, NY, Philipstown, New York

When my family asked me what I wanted to do for Mother’s Day, without hesitation I said let’s go to Cold Spring. Perhaps my favorite town in the New York area, Cold Spring exudes Main Street charm, with antique stores and quirky mom and pop shops dotting the center of town one after the next. Located in Putnam County about 50 miles north of Manhattan, it is one of the more stunning towns around: set on the Hudson River, with Storm King mountain looming in the distance, the views in this quaint little town are surprisingly dramatic, making it the perfect day trip place to escape and feel like you’re “on vacation”.

Making our way on windy, leafy Route 9D, we pulled up to Main Street – which continues down a hill to the water – and decided to park at the top and make our way down. I recommend doing this, as parking can be tough the closer you get to the river, and besides, there are too many cute stores and restaurants to dip into, from beginning to end. Note: Metro North goes to Cold Spring (station in the center of town), and the train ride from Manhattan is 1 hour and 10 minutes, if you live in the city and that’s easier than driving. No car necessary! ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).