Hudson River Valley Part I - Art and Beacon, NY

The Hudson River Valley is a beautiful area located directly north of New York City along the Hudson River. It is easily accessible by public transportation, which makes it the perfect getaway for students looking for a quick escape from urban life. There are many cultural and outdoor activities to partake in along the Hudson River. 

Here are just three ideas and destinations to check out:

Storm King Art Center

Storm King Art Center has a lot to offer its visitors with 500 acres to traverse and over 100 sculptures to see. The estate has been one of the leading sculpture parks in the world for the past fifty years. The permanent collection exhibits works from many of the past century’s most infamous artists, such as Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, and Andy Goldsworthy.  

Visitors are encouraged to explore the park’s 500 acres and seek out the sculptures by bicycle, which can be rented on site. A tram is also available for visitors who do not wish to bike. 

Located only one hour north of New York City, Storm King has become a secret destination for New Yorkers looking for a quick escape from urban life. The park is accessible by public transportation through New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) and Metro North.  Storm King also offers two different round trip bus packages that depart from Port Authority.

2016 season: April 6- October 31

Wednesday-Sunday, 10am - 5:30pm

http://stormking.org/visit/

Dia:Beacon

Dia:Beacon is another great art institution located in the Hudson River Valley- a very easy and quick bus or train ride from New York City. The museum houses its exhibitions in a 300,000 square foot former Nabisco (a cookie company!) boxing factory. The factory itself is architecturally significant, as it is emblematic of early twentieth century industrial architecture.  

 

Dia:Beacon focuses on larger exhibitions dating from the 1960s to the present day. Works on long-term display include those by Gerhard Richter and sculptor Richard Serra.

Travelling to Dia:Beacon by public transportation is very easy. The museum is ACROSS THE STREET from the Beacon train station on the Metro-North.

2016 Season

January-March: Friday-Monday 11am-4pm

April-October: Thursday-Monday 11am-6pm

http://www.diaart.org/sites/main/beacon

 

Beacon, New York

 

Beacon, New York, the small city (or town) adjacent to Dia:Beacon, also has a lot to offer its visitors. The quaint town has many art galleries, quality restaurants, and shops. 

If you are looking for a more adventurous outing, you can go up in a hot air balloon, travel up the river on a large sail boat, or hike Mt. Beacon. 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g47291-Beacon_New_York-Vacations.html

Photo Sources

http://www.travelhudsonvalley.com/wp-content/themes/hudsonvalley/images/map.jpg

http://inhabitat.com/nyc/storm-king-art-center-a-summer-retreat-for-the-artsy-nature-loving-new-yorker/

http://fp-murphy-images-production.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Feature-2.jpg

http://artloft.co.s3.amazonaws.com/static-pages/discover/beacon/IMG_8236.JPG

https://brigitaozolins.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/db-garden.jpg

http://2g4f4j1htlea48tok9iopwpd.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/beacon3.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Sloop_Clearwater3_-_Photo_by_Anthony_Pepitone.jpg