New York City Getaway to Storm King Art Center

Fall Escape to Storm King Art Center

Over the weekend my husband and I took advantage of the sunny weather and the changing seasons. We headed upstate within the Hudson Valley to a bucket list spot we have been wanting to check out since we’ve lived in NYC: Storm King Art Center!

As an art teacher I couldn’t let another season pass without taking a day to adventure to a new spot, to not only be inspired, but enjoy some good outdoor time this fall. Kevin kept saying what an amazing weekend we chose because all of the leaves are in the midst of changing and the drive upstate was breathtaking. If you’ve never been, Storm King is located just an hour and a half north of NYC and the perfect spot to hike, picnic, and explore as a couple or with a group of friends or take your children to run around and explore. There is an admission fee and lots of free parking. Another cost friendly option if you don’t own a car is to take the Metro North to the Beacon stop. Storm King provides a shuttle service on weekends from from the train station, to the sculpture park, and returning. You can find details for tickets here. October is a busier season so we recommend going earlier on the weekends between 10-12. There’s some fabulous long term and short term pieces on display and it’s easy to have it guided through an app that’s offered. This will give great insight into the artist’s ideas and themes for their work.

We wanted to see some other places while we took our time throughout the day in this area so we also adventured to a family run farm (Jone’s Farm) and the Woodbury Common Outlet Shopping Center. The farm is close to Storm King with a delicious fresh bakery of all the fall sweets on your mind. It’s a quaint lunch spot that offers pumpkin picking on weekends too. After we made a stop to the Woodbury Commons. It’s are a must if you’ve never been for a solid outlet experience. Many high end brands have some great items at low cost. There’s also a bus leaving Manhattan most days/ weekends that will bring you to the premium outlets and return you to midtown. Bus details for this are here. For additional discounts sign up online for their VIP membership and you can access coupons.

Overall, I highly recommend taking a weekend to escape the city and wander through the massive grounds of Storm King. You won’t be disappointed and it’s a great experience to see how art and the natural landscape compliment each other. Getting outdoors in the fall season does so much to boost your mood and overall health and wellbeing , just by walking or hiking in a change of scenery can be just what you need before winter rolls in.

Recommendations: Pack a water bottle, wear comfortable shoes/ sneakers for walking, bring a light blanket, and small cooler to picnic/snacks. There’s also a cafe and food car on site but both were quite busy.

Storm King Art Center

Orange County, New York

Other Hudson Valley Attractions:

Jones Farm (about an 8 minute drive from Storm King) Farm animals, cafe for breakfast/lunch, country shop and bakery (hello apple cider doughnuts). Enjoy hayrides to the pumpkin patch Saturdays & Sundays 11-4.

Brotherhood Winery The oldest consistently run winery in the country! Don’t go home without a bottle of their famous Riesling. We recommend the tour and tasting to learn about how the winery began. Going late? Enjoy dinner at 1839 the on site restaurant if you have time. Make a dinner reso for after your tasting.

Woodbury Commons Premium Outlets 25 minute drive heading back toward NYC. Many shops designer and non with a vast food court. All shops are outdoor accessible so recommended for spring, summer, fall. Round trip bus service available from midtown Manhattan most days/ weekends. Sign up for their VIP Passbook for additional discounts via email on their website.