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Characterized by its historical architecture, charming boutique shops and independently owned restaurants, Nyack is a quintessential Hudson Valley river town that makes for a relaxing weekend getaway from New York City. Located just under an hour’s drive north from Manhattan on the west side of the Hudson River, this Rockland County neighborhood has river views and a Main Street full of personality.
Settled by the Dutch in the 1670s, the land was originally inhabited by the Nyack Native Americans. The first major industry in Nyack was the quarrying of red sandstone. Transporting the stone to New York City led to a growing demand for sloops, and a thriving shipbuilding industry arose. With these two industries booming in the late 1800s, Nyack’s population soared and downtown was built up. Nyack became better connected, first by steamboats, then by roads and bridges. Over the ensuing decades more industry, such as shoemaking, and retail came and left the village.
Today, the town of Nyack leans on its past while looking forward to the future. The waterfront village has become a destination for boutique and antique shopping with a diverse food scene and growing arts sphere. Untapped Cities recently spent a few days in Nyack checking out its shops, restaurants, cultural spots, historic sites and natural attractions. Check out our picks for where to eat, shop, and explore on a weekend getaway in Nyack.
The Time Nyack is the perfect blend of cool, historic and conveniently located. Located just off of Interstate 287, the hotel is only a five minute drive into town or around a ten minute walk. The building used to be a four story factory and then a recording studio. After a multi-million dollar renovation and redesign by Glen & Co Architecture, The Time Nyack is now a loft-style boutique hotel with a bold and funky design that incorporates nods to its industrial past such as high 11-foot ceilings in the guest rooms. Our favorite part of the room was the private balcony which had views overlooking the Hudson River and was furnished with plush high backed chairs.
Outside the room, the edgy eclectic style is carried out through the rest of the hotel with large pieces of artwork like a glittery portrait of Mick Jagger in the lobby by artist Russel Young, and colorful decorative accents such as custom designed rugs with hidden skulls weaved into the design. Lining the walls of the hallways and accenting the rooms you will find striking Rorschach test patterned wall paper. There are a host of amenties at the hotel to enjoy such as a relaxing outdoor pool deck, free wi-fi, complimentary continental breakfast, and access to BV’s Grill by Bobby Van’s, an off-shoot of the famed steakhouses of New York City.
Near the end of the shops and bustle of North Broadway, one of the town’s main streets, you’ll find a charming white house with a historical marker. This is the former home the famous realist painter Edward Hopper. Hopper lived in this Hudson Valley home from his birth until the age of 28, when he moved down to New York City. The Queen Anne style home was built in 1858 by Hopper’s maternal grandfather and after Hopper left, his sister, Marion, stayed in the home. The house fell into disrepair after Hopper, his sister, and his wife all died in quick succession in the late 1960s. A group of local citizens banded together to save it and in 1971 the house began to operate as a non-profit art center.
Today, The Edward Hopper House continues to serve as an active exhibition and community gathering space which honors the legacy of the man who created such iconic paintings at Nitehawks. The home hosts a variety of community events throughout the year such as lectures and an evening jazz concert in the backyard which features a stage and outdoor sculptures. One space on the ground floor is dedicated to the exhibition of 20th century through contemporary art. The other ground floor space is dedicated to pieces of Hopper’s early work and memorabilia, including his beloved bicycle which hangs above the fireplace. In display cases, you can see some of his childhood notebooks, wooden boat models he made, and an exchange of letters he shared with a man who sent a message in a bottle down the Hudson!
Upstairs you will see a recreation of Hopper’s bedroom furnished with pieces that belonged to Hopper and his family. The items were arranged based on Hopper’s paintings and drawings of the space. He had a wonderful view of the river out his bedroom window. Along the stairwell you will see family photographs of the Hoppers and comparisons between some of his paintings and photographs of the house and surrounding locations which clearly inspired him. The home successfully serves as a house museum and active arts space.
The town of Nyack boast the only Carnegie Library in Rockland County. Originally organized in 1879, the Nyack Public Library was built in 1903 with $15,000 from Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie agreed to fund construction so long as the town would promise to provide the library’s annual funding. The ivy covered facade of the library, which faces South Broadway, has remained untouched since the early 20th century, though the library has expanded many times throughout the years.
The original building was designed by local architects the Emery Brothers and Mr. J. B. Simonson. Entering from South Broadway you will find yourself inside the Carnegie Room. This grand yet cozy space was the original library. Beyond this space with wood trimmed walls and exposed brick, the library sprawls out into modern additions that were added in 1973, 1993 and 2010. Upstairs, when the surrounding tree are bare, the window lined reading room on the top floor offers stunning views of the Hudson River.
Walking or driving down South Broadway it is hard not to stop every few feet and stare at the gorgeous architecture of the buildings that line the street. As you make your way to Nyck’s various historic sites, restaurants and shops, look around at the historic architecture. One building in particular that stands out is the Rockland County YMCA Headquarters. This corner building was constructed in 1927 by architects M.L. and H.G. Emery, the same architects who designed the Nyack Public Library just down the road.
Iglesia La Mision
Continuing south down South Broadway the area becomes more residential, but the stylish homes are just as ogle-worthy as the downtown buildings. There are also many beautiful churches around the neighborhood, such as the First Reformed Church of Nyack which was rebuilt in 1901 with a looming brick clocktower, and the 19th-century, Romanesque style St. Paul’s United Methodist Church on Division Avenue which is now Iglesia La Mision.
If you are travelling up to the Hudson Valley, you should carve out some time to enjoy the river. The best place to do that in Nyack is Memorial Park. This 11-acre park has a ton of recreational areas, from a skate park and children’s playground to a splash pad and basketball court, as well as places to rest and simply enjoy the surroundings. Down by the waterfront there are picnic tables, benches, a gazebo and a large wooden viewing platform outfitted with telescopes for an up-close view of the nearby Tappan Zee Bridge. There is also a kayak launch for those wanting to get out on the water.
Our favorite part of the park was the blooming waterfront butterfly garden which was created by the Nyack Garden Club in 2001. For a real hidden gem, look for the black metal bench dedicated to Cynthia Hesdra, a 19th century entrepreneur and conductor on the Underground Railroad. The bench was dedicated in 2015 by the late author Toni Morrison. You can find a historical marker on Main Street near the Nyack Brook which explains how the brook and village were an important part of the Underground Railroad. Memorial Park is perfect for an active day with the whole family, or for a quiet moment alone at the edge of the river.
The Palisades Interstate Park spans 100,000 across the western shore of the Hudson River in New York and New Jersey. Established in 1900 to protect the cliffs of the Palisades from being quarried, the park is full of miles of trails, parks and historic sites throughout the two states. Nyack is just a twenty minute drive from one of the most unique sites in the park, on the New Jersey Side.
Tucked alongside one of the many scenic trails in Alpine, New Jersey, overlooking a sweeping view of the Hudson, you’ll find a structure that looks plucked form a fairytale. The stone castle which sits just half a mile from the Forest View Trail trailhead off of 9W is actually a monument. The Women’s Federation Monument was dedicated in 1929 in honor of the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs which played a major role in preserving the Palisades. You can’t get inside the tower, but you can climb up steps to the top of the lower half of the monument. The monument is just one of many historic sites you’ll find along the Palisades’ trails. In New Jersey, the park stretches twelve miles and encompasses 2,500 acres of wild Hudson River shorefront, uplands, and cliffs.
Pickwick Book Shop is heaven for bibliophiles. When you step inside you are walking among mountains of books piled to the ceiling. The relatively small shop packs in an immense selection of new and used books, organized by genre, which you could spend days combing through. The whimsical and welcoming store front beckons you in for a literary treasure hunt.
The store is locally owned and has been in business since 1945. It is currently run by owner Jack Dunnigan who used to shop at the original Pickwick store on Main Street as a child. Dunnigan acquired the store in 1975 at its current South Broadway location. It is purportedly the only local bookstore left in Rockland county.
It’s hard to miss Hickory Dickory Dock. You can see and hear it easily. The yard in front of the store is decked out in colorful swirling ornaments and a walkway lined with wind chimes guides you to the door. Inside, the store is a feast for the eyes. There are sparkly Christmas decorations, seasonal candles, quirky gifts and of course, clocks. Lots and lots of clocks. This shop is one of many specialty stores you will find in the neighborhood. Other businesses selling specified wares include Knitting Nation, Crystals on the Rocks, Sage’s Herbal Apothecary, and The Quilt Tree.
Hickory Dickory Dock was originally founded in 1986 by the Fishkins in a small space that is now The Runcible Spoon bakery. In 1988, the store was purchased by Norma and John Costa, the current owners. Since then the store has moved twice and greatly expanded. The specialty of Hickory Dickory Dock has always been finely crafted German cuckoo clocks, but the Costas added other woodcraft, pewter, paper mache, and ceramic goods from a diverse group of traditional German factories. The craftsmanship you can see on the wall of cuckoo clocks in the back of the store is incredible, and that same artisanal quality applies to the other handcrafted gifts for sale.
Nyack is a mecca for thrift and vintage shopping. Second hand stores like Grace’s Thrift Shop and Antiques Masters are scattered all over Main Street and South Broadway. One of our favorite stores for vintage finds was Hudson River Mercantile.
This specialty store focuses on furniture, vintage pottery and tableware. Most of the store’s stock has a fun mid-century style and sometimes kitschy flair. We found souvenir trays from the 1964 World’s Fair featuring the Unisphere and Port Authority heliport building (which is now Terrace on the Park).
Just outside of Nyack, in the nearby town of Garnerville, you will find a 19th-century industrial complex now dedicated to the arts. Garner Arts Center was founded in 2003 at the site of a historic textile mill. The 14 acres of what is now creative space sit on what was once a plot of 45 acres owned first in the 18th-century by Cornelius Osborn and then by John Glass in the 19th-century. Osborn operated a grist mill at the site and Glass built a textile mill in 1828. After Glass died property was purchased by the Garner Brothers who saw the mill flourish. A town soon sprung up around the factory. Today, the site, which is listed on the State Historic Register of Historic Places as the “Rockland Print Works Historic District,” is comprised of artist studios, exhibition spaces, a brewery, restaurant, sculpture garden, and workshops.
Inside the complex, Industrial Arts Brewery serves up craft brews in a setting filled with art and live music. You can grab dinner in the complex at Hudson’s Mill, a tavern style restaurant that occupies the building of the first textile mill from the 18th-century where uniforms were manufactured for soldiers in the Civil War and World War I. As you walk around the complex and peek down its alleyways, you will discover surprising art installations hidden around every turn. The center frequently hosts art classes and festivals for the public.
If you are looking for entertainment, check out The Elmwood Playhouse. The Playhouse on Park Street is a four building complex which includes an old church that dates back to 1898. The Playhouse, which has had many names over the years, started to produced plays inside the church in 1958 after the congregation moved to a bigger space and the building was sold to the theater company.
In addition to the performance space inside the old church, the complex has three rehearsal studios, dressing rooms, a large scenic shop and storage for props, costumes, lighting and scenery. The intimate performance space seats 99 people. Every season the company puts on six different plays, producing 379 main-stage performances so far.
The Hudson House of Nyack is the place to go for an upscale dining experience after a long day of exploring and shopping. The restaurant is housed inside the former village hall and jailhouse which dates back to the 19th-century. Two jails cells now serve as the wine cellar and the walls and ceiling are sill covered with original pressed tin.
For a less formal meal, head to Brickhouse. This laid-back spot with eclectic seating arrangements has a varied menu of brick oven pizzas and elevated pub fare, plus a pool table and reading nook.
Situated slightly off the main strip on North Franklin is a quaint donut shop worth a stop. Boxer Donut and Espresso Bar brews Stumptown Coffee and bakes handcrafted, fresh donuts and pastries. There are classic flavors like glazed and strawberry frosted along with specialty donuts like s’mores, maple glazed and vegan kiwi chocolate hazelnut. You can wash down your donut with a housemade fresh juice. Inside the cozy shop there is a small seating area with a couch, exposed brick walls, a large community notice board, Edison lights, vintage posters and a picture of Dale Cooper from Twin Peaks quoting his signature line, “Damn fine cup of coffee.”
Another place you can satisfy your sweet tooth is Pie Lady and Son. Located on Main Street, the adorable shop has seating inside and outside where you can enjoy a warm slice of pie with a scoop of ice cream. The business started in the owner’s kitchen where she would bake pies and cookies and deliver them to neighbors and friends. You will find all the classics for sale, from Mom’s apple pie to Dad’s blueberry pie and more.
The quirky, rustic charm and delicious food of Art Cafe on South Broadway make it the perfect place to start your day in Nyack. This is a popular spot, so be prepared to wait. The Art Cafe’s menu is inspired by the food of cafes in Tel Aviv. It features a mix of traditional Israeli recipes and “a few creative flavors.” The cafe is open early for breakfast and stays open late for lunch and dinner.
Looking for more inspiration for your next NYC Getaway? Check out NY Getaway Guide: 15 Must Visit Places in Buffalo and 28 Historic Estates to Visit in New York’s Hudson Valley
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