6 Reasons to Visit Buttermilk Falls

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of getting some R & R that will tremendously rejuvenate me isn’t the beach nor some far Mediterranean seaside. When I close my eyes I want to hear chirping birds, the sound of rustling leaves, and probably the slow hush of a river. This is what I always envisioned as a perfect getaway. Far enough from the city to feel like you’re out in nature, yet close enough not to get exhausted during traveling.

So when I decided to go for a quick getaway from New York City, I found myself in the Hudson Valley area of upstate NY, about an hour and a half north of NYC. If you’re looking for more reasons why you should go to this side of town, here are just a few of them:

Storm King Art Center

On your way upstate (it’s right off the highway 30 minutes before you reach Buttermilk Falls Inn), make sure to stop in at this outdoor wonderland. This gorgeous art center spans over 500 acres of rolling lush hills, rivers, wildlife and beautiful sculptures ranging in size from tall to small – it almost feels extra-terrestrial! Sometimes there are no words to describe the feelings of tranquility while viewing these pieces except for seeing it yourself in person. The absolutely massive sculptures have space and distance to enjoy from all angles. The permanent sculptures of Moore, Calder, Nevelson, Noguchi, are large and yet also somehow small within the context of the vastness of nature.

Visitors to Storm King Arts Center are able to picnic on the grounds or rent bikes to better cover the picturesque layout. The perfect spot for a day date or to bring a group of fun-loving friends! I would certainly recommend coming in the afternoon (the daily 2pm tour introduces various aspects of Storm King’s collection and program), but with enough time to view the park as it closes around 5pm and takes at least 3 hours to view properly. There are fantastic shuttles that take you around to give you a quick overview. You can als experience outdoor yoga among Storm King’s sculptures Saturday mornings from June through September.

Some tips: Don’t go at the end of the day (make sure to leave yourself plenty of time – this place is huge), leave the dog at home (as they’re sadly not allowed on the property – I’m guessing because they scare the ducks and other wildlife), bring your own healthy snacks (there is a cafe, but it’s small and only sells soups, sandwiches, hotdogs, and mac and cheese), and don’t bring your own bike (like a movie theater that makes you buy your snacks on premises, Storm King Art Center makes you rent and use their bikes).

Buttermilk Falls Inn

Oh, the magic of Buttermilk Falls Inn. It starts once you reach their property, when you notice the change of smell. The fresh air and cool breeze definitely relaxes you right away. The staff eagerly awaits you at their desk inside a charming rustic guesthouse.

The whole property boasts of trail tracks (some which lead to the actual Buttermilk falls waterfall), a huge pond, an organic garden, a Llama sanctuary, a couple of farm animals, a bee house, an indoor/outdoor bird aviary and peacock sanctuary, an ancient graveyard, views of the Hudson River, many adorable guest cottages, and a spa with an indoor pool and sauna.

I particularly enjoyed my stay at the North Cottage, with its wood burning fireplace. Add the fact that it was on top of a cliff with amazing views of the Hudson River, and we wanted to stay all month! The North Cottage is great for friends or family as it can house four people in the two bedrooms. It’s right next to the aviary (peacocks have such strange voices — I’ll never forget the sound!).

Because it’s the most removed from pretty much everything else on the property, at the end of the trail, it forces you to either drive or, better yet, walk through the property to get to the spa and restaurant. In the process you pass the llamas and a barn, and walk over a bridge with a gorgeous duck-and-swan-filled pond underneath. This walk made our stay all the more memorable.

Make sure to take some time to relax at the spa, where you’ll have a choice of several treatments that use natural products (some of which are made on the premises). I got the Millstone facial from a fantastic esthetician named Dana Gonnella, who is very knowledgeable in the area of natural and homeopathic skincare. As she says: “My specialty is holistic/natural skin care. I really try to educate clients about true natural skin care products and how it effects us a cellular level. Inside and out. After all, 60% of whatever we put on our skin goes into our bloodstream. I treat the skin as our whole being. It reveals what’s going on inside.”

The Millstone facial uses Babor for cleansing (I’m not sure why they chose this line, but make sure to ask the esthetician not to use Babor products, as it’s a brand full of toxic chemicals), almond/oats/honey exfoliant (which is made on premises), cucumber toner, and an apple honey mask. By the end I was super relaxed and ready for a nap!

This facial is one of a couple of treatments offered that use mostly natural skincare, which is why I’m recommending it. As Dana says: “It’s all about allowing our cells to breathe and keep their integrity. Petrochemicals [which are in almost all non-edible skincare products] mutate our cells. It’s like putting Saran Wrap around our cells and not allowing them to breathe. Essential oils do the opposite. They allow our cells to breathe; they regulate inflammation and strengthen our cells mitochondria so we don’t mutate into disease…” As a rule, if you can’t read (or, better yet, eat) the ingredients, don’t put it on your skin.

One word of advice: it may be difficult for you to just walk-in and have a treatment because they’re frequently fully booked. You don’t want to waste your stay without trying their spa, so make sure to book in advance.

Farm to Table Dining

Farm to Table food is the best thing that you can put inside your stomach these days. I don’t know about you, but I definitely want to know the ingredients in my food are organic and definitely not from a Monsanto GMO/pesticide-laden non-sustainable industrial farm. That said, if you definitely want to eat organic (and you should), always call ahead to confirm what ingredients or dishes are organic that day. Don’t be afraid to ask what farms they use for what ingredients, either. A good farm-to-table restaurant should be able to tell you that so you can verify.

At ‘Henry’s at The Farm’ restaurant in Buttermilk Falls Inn they “make every effort to source as many ingredients as possible from the Hudson Valley and are proud of the fact that during the growing season about 50 percentage of the ingredients used by the kitchen are indeed local; and the majority of those are organic,” — a few may even be from their on-premises garden.

With delicious comfort food-style dishes and great staff (our waiter, Graham, was a sweetheart), you’ll want to come back on the regular. We only wish they had more vegan options! We loved eating outside on the 2nd story deck because we could watch the ducks and swans in the pond below, but the inside has decadent and sexy red walls and leather decor, and would be a perfect date spot. If you’re wondering why the restaurant is named Henry’s, it’s because the real estate investor (Robert Pollock) who last purchased Buttermilk’s son is named Henry.

When you check-in at Buttermilk Falls Inn, breakfast, and afternoon tea will be free of charge. But that’s not the best part. The best part is that it’s serviced on the outdoor patio with sweeping views of the property and the Hudson River. We had a hearty breakfast of blueberry muffins, scrambled eggs with apple sausage and peppered bacon. Not only that, coffee refills were on the house (and it was good coffee!). You also have the option to enjoy your meal in the sunroom, as we call it, which is overlooking the patio, still with views of the lush greenery and the surroundings. And if watching playing cats doesn’t bother you, then feel free to say hello to the three yard cats that sometimes hang out on the patio.

Another culinary delight in this part of the Hudson Valley is the Culinary Institute of America, which is only 10 minutes from Buttermilk Falls Inn. You will be astounded by the amount of attention to detail and comprehensive service that the students and former graduates here will give you. But why not? This school is often coined as the Harvard for chefs or think about it like this – if Juilliard is for the performing arts, then CIA is for cooking.

Here’s a video to give you a feel for the place:

The restaurants on premises are The American Bounty, The Bocuse which serves French cuisine, Caterina de Medici which serves Italian, and Apple Pie Bakery Café. Most of the ingredients used in the school’s restaurants are from the farms in the nearby Hudson Valley area.

These restaurants are the training grounds for the students, so expect some creative cuisine. But lo and behold, they cook well and they serve you well enough to deserve tips. Unfortunately, the school policy and the IRS prohibit them from receiving any tips as they are not paid workers. So just praise their great work to show appreciation because really, the food is spectacular.

The Vanderbilt Mansion

Fancy a trip down the gilded age? Then the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site is the place for you. It’s 20 minutes from Buttermilk Falls Inn, and with the fee of just $10, you will be able to learn the what, where, when, why, and the hows of this era with the help, of course, of a tour guide, on your guided walking tour.

There is a park which doesn’t need an entrance fee, and you can see scenic views of the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains there while being surrounded by Frederick Vanderbilt’s Italian-style terrace garden. The Vanderbilt Estate, despite its obvious opulence, was their smallest country house, or shall I say, weekend house consisting of a paltry 50 rooms. I can just imagine what their multiple non-weekender houses looked like. They were said to have over 200 rooms each!

The architecture, the furnished interiors, and the landscapes give us a sneak peek of what life was like during the gilded age. Or at least what life was like for people like William K. Vanderbilt II who purchased a total of 43 acres of land. I felt like I was being transported back in time as I was surrounded by lavishness and pure works of art.

Imagine, the owner was able to ask the partners who designed the Grand Central Terminal, under the New York architecture firm Warren & Wetmore, to build his summer house. What resulted was a stunning Spanish-Revival style mansion. Not only that, Vanderbilt was able to commission all the iron work to Samuel Yellin, who was one of the greatest iron artisans during that time. Such were the times of the gilded age. And to quote Charles Dickens, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”

Side note: We also visited the FDR / Roosevelt house, which was comparatively unexciting. Admission cost twice as much, the tour was half as long and less than half as interesting, the house half the size and one tenth the glamour.

The Charming Town of Rhinebeck

Not all towns are created equal. And while you might be wondering why you should visit Rhinebeck, well, think of what it has in store for you. A 30 minute drive from Buttermilk Falls Inn (or, from NYC it’s about an hour on the train or a 90 min by car), this town is a more down-to-earth version of the Hamptons. In fact, I’d say it’s very similar to Sag Harbour in that it’s got a lot of mom-and-pop stores, no chains, is beautifully designed, and is centered around a big quaint-but-glamorous hotel called the Beekman Arms in the center of town (where Chelsea Clinton held her wedding rehearsal dinner).

Rhinebeck is home of the Dutchess County Fair, the Northern Dutchess Botanical Garden, and the intimate Center of Performing Arts. Here, you can enjoy an enlightening workshop at the Omega Institute, or peruse the town’s fabulous indie bookstore. In Rhinebeck you can be exhilarated by the sights in the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, and spend two hours wandering around the Wilderstein Historic Site.

Some of our favorite must-see spots in Rhinebeck:

It might be a lot to fathom now that you’re reading it. But when you’re there, a quick walk from one place to another just falls naturally.

Drive-in Movies

Your getaway, which is so far packed with history, tranquility, and healthy meals, won’t be complete without a drive-in movie! Drive-in movies are a classic staple for anyone who would like to get a feel of what it was like when movie theaters were not a part of the vocabulary yet. For $9, you’d be able to stay inside the comforts of your own vehicle, whilst enjoying the latest movie releases.

There are two drive-in movie places located in this area. One is in Hyde Park, which is close to the Vanderbilt Mansion and the Culinary Institute of America, and the other one is in Poughkeepsie. Do check their movie schedules, as most of them start around 8 to 9 pm.

This weekend getaway really got me relaxed and pumped up for a new week of work. If I had it my way I would have planned for a longer stay. Being surrounded by nature and being able to eat farm-to-table food greatly reenergized me. There’s also something magical about walking inside old mansions that house so much history. It’s like walking in the footsteps of others and seeing things through their eyes, if only for a momentary glimpse.

Try to spend some getaway time in this area and you will definitely see what I’m talking about.