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On New York's Shawangunk Wine Trail: From Blue Hill to Sleepy Hollow

June 15, 2012 at 4:13 PM | by | Comment (1)

Within easy driving distance of NYC sits the Shanwangunk Wine Trail, a collection of 11 wineries that regularly offer tours and affordable tastings to the public. We managed to hit three in one day and, this week, will share them with you as summer means primetime for making the same road trip.

Final Stops: Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.

Now that you've likely had your fill of wine at three wineries we profiled, it's time for food and getting some fresh air. These are some other notable spots you'll want to hit on your way to and from the 'Gunks:

· Tappan Zee Bridge: It may not look like much, but this metal structure (over which you'll drive if you're heading up from NYC) has the distinction of being one of the crumblingest structures in the NYC area. So if there's ever an earthquake, don't factor it into your escape plan.

· Blue Hill at Stone Barns: Anyone who knows anything will tell you that Blue Hill at Stone Barns is one of the best restaurants in the NYC area—quite a feat considering the number of great restaurants in Manhattan alone vying for such a reputation. It's actually become a place of pilgrimage for foodies, and its location a taxi ride away from the Metro North railroad means it's not totally in BFE.

If you manage to get reservations—try OpenTable—come with a thick wallet and an empty stomach, plus lots of time and a relaxed attitude. Even the 5-course menu really lasts more like 13 mini-courses and three hours, and it's well.worth.it. We score our reservation the day before, so there is hope!

· Stone Barns Farm and Cafe: Not enough time for the lengthy Blue Hill brunch or dinner? The Stone Barns complex includes an informal cafe, which we recommend hitting before heading downhill to peek in on the organic farming in the greenhouses, and the live animals in their pens (spot the new baby black lamb)!

· Sleepy Hollow Cemetery: Having spent enough money wining and dining around the Hudson Valley, may we recommend something for free? A drive around the tight corners and through the Gothic headstones of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery is a NY must-do, plus being a huge magnet for history buffs. Here lie the graves of Washington Irving (author of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"), Walter Chrysler, the Astors, Andrew Carnegie, the Helmsleys and numerable other notable figures in the early and industrial history of the United States. Bring a picnic if cemeteries don't give you the heebie-jeebies.

[Photos: Jaunted]

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Three sections

The Hudson Valley is comprised of three sections: Lower, Mid, and Upper. (Not very original, we know.) The section covered in this article is the Lower Hudson Valley, very accessible by train or car from New York City. The Mid Hudson Valley is just a bit further north, but offers more of a rural feel and is very easy to get to during a day trip. The Upper Hudson Valley, reaching all the way to Albany, is much further north and not truly accessible in a day's outing. Thanks for sharing some of the treasures of the Hudson Valley!
Hudson Valley Traveler on June 20, 2012 at 3:33 PM #Permalink

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