THINGS TO DO IN COLD SPRING NY: Top 12 Locations in Cold Spring NY

North of New York City, in Cold Spring, New York, you will enjoy historical monuments, charming restaurants and cafés, art galleries, hiking, and other activities. On the banks of Cold Spring, tourists will see impressive mountains, including Mount Taurus and Breakneck Ridge. It is surrounded by the Hudson River and Hudson Highlands State Park. In Cold Spring NY, there are many things you’ll find to do. It is a distinctive regional feature with a variety of tourist destinations. These include botanical gardens, historic buildings, a thriving institution for Italian art, and several open green spaces.

Also, Stonecrop Gardens, The Chapel, and Bannerman Castle are a few additional interesting sites. Kayak enthusiasts can access the Hudson River for a day on the water, while hikers can enjoy a number of paths that flow through the Hudson Highlands State Park.

With this list of the top things to do in Cold Spring, NY, you can organize your trip and learn about the greatest locations.

#1. Ferry to Bannerman Castle

Pollepel Island is a small, historical island located just over the Hudson River from Cold Spring. It is home to Bannerman Castle, one of the most significant landmarks in the Hudson Valley. Originally, built by the Bannerman family in 1901, the castle is reminiscent of a classic Scottish castle. The island house served as the summer home for Frank and his wife, Helen, and is still there today. Furthermore, visitors can take a guided sightseeing tour or a self-guided tour of the island and the castle grounds. Tours can last for a maximum of 20 minutes.

#2. Hike Breakneck Ridge Loop

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One of the toughest hikes in the Hudson Valley. The Breakneck Ridge Loop offers unrivaled views of the Hudson River and beyond. White blazes indicate the route, and Bannerman’s Castle and Storm King Mountain ought to be visible from there. Interestingly, the route splits, with the right fork leading to a challenging elevation and the left fork leading to a shorter, softer journey. The two paths converge up ahead at an amazing vantage point over the river. The numerous perspectives make the difficult hiking required for the last portion of the trek well worth it.

#3. Explore Stonecrop Gardens

This is also one of the top things to do in Cold Spring NY. Stonecrop Gardens, founded by Garden Conservancy founder Frank Cabot and his wife in the 1950s, now spans more than 15 acres. Visitors have had access to hundreds of Hudson Highlands acres since the gardens’ 1992 public opening. There are 12 acres of gardens on display, including perennial beds, Clifford’s rock garden, an English flower garden, and more. Stonecrop’s gardens contain more than 50 plant families, and greenhouses display species from various topographies and climates. The park debuted its Garden Masters Series in 2019. This offers more advanced instruction and activities at the gardens that aren’t usually accessible to the public. Early registration and tickets are available.

#4. Discover West Point Foundry Preserve

This is also one of the top things to do in Cold Spring NY. The West Point Foundry Preserve is home to the core of Cold Spring’s heritage, a 90-acre park divided by Foundry Stream. The foundry was well-known for building steam engines, ships, and artillery throughout the American Industrial Revolution. During the Civil War, it produced Parrott cannons and firearms. The preserve is great for exploring on foot and learning about Cold Spring’s past, but also offers opportunities to see animals. There is also an audiovisual tour available.

#5. Get Wild in Hudson Highlands State Park

The Hudson River is surrounded by 8,000 acres of untamed, beautiful, rolling mountains in the Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve. The hiking trail network includes a variety of different options, from the challenging Breakneck Ridge to less treacherous options that are more sneaker-friendly. In addition to hiking, visitors can rent kayaks and canoes to see the Highlands from the river’s perspective. There are a number of campsites nearby for the daring guests who want to spend the night outside even though camping and burning are not to go inside the park.

#6. Picnic at Foundry Dock Park

The West Point Foundry Preserve, Foundry Dock Park, and Church of Our Lady are all included on the National Register of Historic Places. As a matter of fact, Foundry Cove and the Constitution Marsh Sanctuary of Audubon New York is accessible from the park, and kayakers can explore Foundry Dock Cove by paddling down the Hudson. Also, Hudson River Expeditions offers kayak and canoe rentals for park visitors, and they are excellent for kayaking out to Bannerman Castle or exploring the waters around Cold Spring.

#7. Hike Bull Hill

This is also one of the best things to do in Cold Spring NY. A lesser-known mountain called Bull Hill, commonly referred to as Mount Taurus, is situated less than a mile up the road from Breakneck Ridge. It provides additional lookouts along the route in addition to the same breathtaking vistas at the peak of Breakneck Ridge. The four-mile round-trip climb can take two to three hours, depending on your speed and how often you stop to snap photographs. The Washburn Trail ends at the blue path, which connects to the Breakneck Ridge trails, and there are dog-friendly routes nearby.

#8. Peruse Main Street

This is also one of the best things to do in Cold Spring NY. Cold Spring’s Main Street is home to antique shops, coffee shops, restaurants, and boutiques. It is also known as the city’s historic district and is home to some of the greatest examples of colonial and Victorian-styled townhouses from the 19th century. Bijou Galleries, a Main Street institution known for its vintage collectibles, artwork, home furnishings, and antiques, is a favorite among locals. You can explore the homes, churches, and other structures that were built soon before the Civil War, when the West Point Foundry was at its busiest, in the Historic District.

#9. Stop at Little Stony Point

Although Cold Spring is home to some of the greatest hiking in the Hudson Valley, you don’t need to spend hours in the wilderness to get a sense of nature. Locals like setting up a beach chair and spending a summer afternoon at Little Stony Point, a tiny, forested peninsula sitting on the Hudson River with vistas of adjacent towns and a few beaches.

There is a short, simple walk to get to the point, but if you wanted to get some exercise, there is a one-mile circular route that leads you through an ancient mine shaft hidden in the rock face and along the river’s edge. The trailhead for Bull Mountain is also located across the street. Locals and visitors alike spend time admiring the breathtaking vistas from Little Stony Point on any given warm day, as well as into the fall.

#10. Browse Art and Antiques

The Hudson Valley’s towns and villages are renowned for having artistic and creative clusters. The galleries in Cold Spring serve as evidence that it is no different. Cold Spring and the nearby villages are home to dozens of galleries, making it the ideal location for tourists to explore the works of both regional and international artists.

One of the most well-known businesses in Cold Spring is Magazzino Italian Art. The museum-meets-research facility is devoted to individuals researching and working with contemporary and postwar Italian art. One of the most thorough examinations of the specific movement, which emerged during Italy’s transition in the 1960s, is found in its continuing exhibition, Arte Povera.

#11. Visit the Old Cornish Estate

This is also among the top things to do in Cold Spring NY. Cold Spring’s trees conceal a romantic tale, which is a secret you can learn about and investigate on your own. Edward Joel Cornish and Selina Bliss Carter Cornish relocated to Cold Spring in 1917 from the run-down slums of New York, where they built a beautiful home. However, the couple passed away unexpectedly in 1938, two weeks apart, and the home was allowed to deteriorate. The majority of what was left had been destroyed by fire by the 1950s, with the exception of the brick buildings, which are still standing today.

Furthermore, visitors to Cold Spring can explore the crumbling structures, which are now covered in tangled vines and other plants, making them a melancholy-romantic reminder of the home the couple had created together. To get to the ruins, one must go 1.8 miles inside Hudson Highlands State Park.

#12. Jam at the Chapel Restoration

A stunning Greek Revival church with a rich past is perched on a rock overlooking the Hudson River. Note that, this ancient monument, currently known as ‘The Chapel Restoration’, was constructed in 1833 and is renowned for its cultural activities. The church was first constructed as the Chapel of Our Lady, but it was abandoned and left to ruin in 1906. The church was renovated in the 1970s and turned into a lovely place for contemplation, a venue for events, and a hub for community activities.

In conclusion, the enormous Irish immigrant community that had immigrated to America in the 19th century was the reason the church was erected. Several people who worked at the West Point Foundry also resided in Cold Spring. Also, from the river, the church was clearly visible, and it quickly became a landmark for people heading up and down from New York City.

Is Cold Spring NY Walkable?

As Cold Spring is a tiny town, it is ideal for walking. On Cold Spring’s Main Street, you can find the majority of the eateries, cafés, and stores. When you first get there, walk down Main Street and explore the shops.

Do You Need a Car in Cold Spring NY?

One of Cold Spring’s numerous attractions is that you can explore the city’s attractions without a car. The majority of the village, as well as other parks and trails, are accessible on foot, and the MetroNorth train station is only a 5-minute stroll from the town’s center.

Does it Snow in Cold Spring in New York?

Weather and Climate in Cold Spring, New York, Year-Round in the United States. The seasons in Cold Spring are hot and humid in the summer, cold and snowy in the winter, and partly cloudy most of the time.