Day Tripping Adventures in Charming Cold Spring, New York

Updated 2025

Another week, another Hudson Valley day tripping adventure this time to Cold Spring, New York.

As a New York City resident, accessing the Hudson Valley or other picturesque New York State regions without a car can be difficult and while some places are accessible with train travel from NYC, the distance between the train station and downtown can be hard if there are no pedestrian sidewalks, taxis, or ride share apps available in the area.

I love exploring beautiful New York State places for day trips and weekend getaways, and Cold Spring is ideal for fall foliage and interesting Main Street shops.

Read on for interesting things to do in Cold Spring on a day trip from NYC and click on links for activities and hiking essentials.

 

Village of Cold Spring, New York

Cold Spring is in the town of Philipstown, Putnam County, and is a tiny village with a charming Main Street full of independent shoppes, antique stores, inns, and other quirky shops that come with villages…which I love.

After Hudson, Cold Spring is another Hudson Valley location where the walk from station to Main Street is under 10 minutes. The Metro-North train from Grand Central Station takes you to Cold Spring within the hour for time to promenade, dine, and shop, before hopping on a return train to NYC. All in a day’s work!

#Things To Do In Cold Spring: Boscobel Historic House

Boscobel House is closed for renovation but the grounds are open.

Technically in Garrison, another tiny village a stone’s throw from Cold Spring, Boscobel on the Hudson, built between 1804 and 1808 in Neoclassical architectural style, has been preserved since the 1950s and restored to its original glory of art and furniture.

Boscobel House is closed for renovations but its gardens and grounds are open. The grounds are vast with fruit orchards, views of the Hudson River, scenic trails and marshes, and to view these, you pay a small fee. Additionally, take a virtual tour of Boscobel House for its interior.

Tip: Boscobel is accessible by car but there is a weekend trolley in summer to connect communities with museums, main streets and hiking trails. The trolley begins at Cold Spring Bandstand, stops at Boscobel, and runs five different routes throughout the weekend. It even stops in Beacon, another beautiful New York State city, and so many scenic nature trails along the Hudson Valley.

#Farmer’s Market

During my search for things to do in Cold Spring, I stumble upon a farmer's market on the Boscobel grounds. Share on X

Serendipity! Just when I am about to strike Boscobel off my itinerary because the house is closed, the farmer’s market permits entry onto the grounds. This is available on certain weekends throughout the year, so find out availability first.

I absolutely LOVE farmer’s markets for the fresh fruits and pies. There is also fresh mozzarella, scallops, fruit jams, more pies… I leave a happy lass.

#Things To Do In Cold Spring: Putnam History Museum

Putnam History Museum Galleries is closed for the winter and will re-open in spring.

If it isn’t obvious now that I love museums and historic homes, well…here it is.

A tiny bungalow in the midst of green land, Putnam History Museum houses a permanent West Point Foundry exhibition with historic photos, maps, videos and the like. West Point Foundry was one of the major industrial sites to manufacture iron products for the Civil War before it closed in 1911.

An interesting virtual exhibition is a vintage postcard tour of the Hudson Highlands showing current landscapes and scenic views as they originally were in the 1800s and 1900s.

Museum grounds are open with exhibitions of West Point Foundry and Women of Putnam County and is an interesting thing to do while day tripping to Cold Spring.

#Day Tripping To Cold Spring: Fall Foliage

This is one activity where there is no need to call in advance to verify opening.

The Hudson Valley and Upstate New York region are world renowned for their stunning fall foliage colours of reds, oranges, and golds, and only New England rivals them, in my opinion. Nevertheless, if you arrive Cold Spring in October, you will be blessed with the sight of trees turning red and gold as they shed leaves.

Arrive via train and spy some foliage by the station; walk 10 minutes along quiet station back roads lined with trees and spy some. Even the Putnam Museum has trees that turn on their grounds and Main Street and the waterfront have some red and orange surprises before the season ends. Enjoy!

#Dockside Park Waterfront

The best time to experience Cold Spring waterfront is summer through warm fall because the sunlight bouncing off the water, mountains in the near distance, swishing trees, and waterfront activities, make it such a joyous place to be.

I am not partial to winter so being by any water body as the chilly winds freeze my already numb body and soul is a no-no pour moi. Share on X

During fall, it is still warm and sunny enough to enjoy Dockside Park and the area is very family-friendly. It is no Coney Island – thank Heavens – so if you’re into some quiet enjoyment, reading by the Hudson, this is for you. There is also a cannon memorial as a hark to the village’s West Point Foundry iron mongering days.

If you’re keen on water activities, Hudson River Expeditions offers kayak and canoe rental services for all skill types from novice to professional. As with our new normal way of life, call ahead before making any firm activities plans.

Tip: There is an underground tunnel connecting Dockside Park with the other end of Main Street. The tunnel is on Main/Market St. near Rincon Argentino, and you exit on Main Street near public restrooms. This is the shorter route to get to downtown Main Street from the waterfront.

#Day Tripping To Cold Spring: Main Street

Main Street adventures are my fave activity to do in walkable towns and cities! Share on X

Cold Spring Main Street is not as long as Beacon’s mile long Main Street, but it certainly rivals it in the number of antique stores, independent shoppes, cozy inns, restaurants, book and comic stores. I have a field day promenading, chatting with people, taking pictures, and of course, buying whatever catches my fancy, which in all cases is food. Lol.

Here are some Cold Spring Main Street businesses to have on your list for a future Cold Spring visit:

• General Store
• Split Rock Books
• Antique Alley
• Cold Spring Cheese
  
• Cold Spring Apothecary & Wellness
• Pink Olive
• Spice Revolution

#Things To Do In Cold Spring: Nature Trails

The one activity most people from NYC and the Hudson Valley region love doing is hiking, and Cold Spring doesn’t skimp on scenic nature trails. Some popular hiking trails are:

• West Point Foundry Preserve
• Mount Beacon
• Breakneck Ridge
• Little Stony Point
• Cornish Estate Trail Loop

Click below for basic hiking essentials if Cold Spring hiking trails is on your Hudson Valley list:

 

Walking up the Cornish Estate Trail Loop will lead you to Cornish Estate ruins where there are flowing streams and waterfalls cascading down rocks. Beautiful! Share on X

As mentioned above, the Cold Spring trolley connects hiking trails and downtown so you don’t necessarily need a vehicle to access these trails. Start early and return via trolley to catch the train downstate or drive back home.

If you hike here or anywhere, don’t forget to take your trash with you!

Help reduce littering by eschewing single-use plastic for reusable, recycleable, and compostable items on your hike. Share on X

Every hiker needs anti-bug spray with all natural ingredients like Wintergreen and Citronella, such as these below:

 

*Always find out ahead of time if trails are open.

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