In recent years, the Hudson Valley has become a bustling escape hatch for city dwellers and out-of-towners alike, and the area’s cultural offerings have swiftly multiplied to accommodate an influx of visitors.
Luckily, this means a great number of LGBTQ owned restaurants, bars, and shops have popped up, pulling in day visitors or those looking to stay a week and bop around upstate, from the Catskills in the west to the Hudson Valley in the east. While many areas have downtowns just off the Metro North rail line, a car is the easiest way to navigate upstate’s cute hamlets and villages.
Not only is there lots to see, but there is plenty of community to advocate for, in large part thanks to the efforts of the Hudson Valley LGBTQ+ Community Center (lgbtqcenter.org), founded in 2005 when same-sex marriages were being performed in the beloved town of New Paltz.
Community Center Executive Director Richard Heyl de Ortiz, said of the region: “Not only is the area one of the most beautiful in our country, but there is a sense of inclusiveness and respect for LGBTQ+ people that is remarkable — it’s a great place to live and to spend time.” On a recent trip, we spoke to some of the small business owners that operate with pride in upstate New York to help you and map out your own journey of the Empire State.
STAY
New Paltz is a charming college town centrally located less than 90 minutes from the George Washington Bridge. New Paltz is also far enough from the city and its suburbs to feel like a new, more open territory, but close enough to other towns that visiting more than one is feasible for a day trip. And when you get back to New Paltz, stay at the Inn at Kettleboro (kettleboro.com). Ulster County natives Robert and Michael renovated the 19th century home a dozen years ago, and it endures as a proper inn with four guest suites complete with modern amenities. Whether you want a quiet getaway or an intimate wedding, the Inn at Kettleboro is a quaint but refined destination.a stay at the Inn at Kettleboro (kettleboro.com) is compulsory, where Ulster County natives Robert and Michael renovated this 19th century home a dozen years ago. Today, it endures as a proper inn with four guest suites complete with modern amenities. Whether you want a quiet getaway or an intimate wedding, the Inn at Kettleboro is a quaint but refined destination.
Located just a half-hour drive north, the Herwood Inn (theherwoodinn.com) is just as colorful as its town, Woodstock. The boutique, award-winning hotel features splashy but tasteful decor. Plus it’s easy to head into town, where queer bookstores, restaurants, bars, candle shops, and art galleries abound.
DINE AND IMBIBE
Once such spot, the Unicorn Bar (unicornkingston.com) in Kingston, is filling a niche that has long been a key part to the small city’s culture: the LGBTQ+ community. The city, which before Albany was New York’s first capital, is now home to a host of LGBTQ+ owned and friendly businesses.
Unicorn Bar features a range of drinks, from craft cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages, striving to be a watering hole with something for everyone. “I’m really proud of how different generations of our community gather and interact with each other at Unicorn Bar,” founder Francesca Hoffman told Passport. “The Hudson Valley is already a multi-generational community, but to see it flourish specifically within queer community at the bar has been really special.”
A little farther north and across the Hudson, Shaina Lowe Banayan fosters queer inclusivity after hours at Hudson’s famed Cafe Mutton (cafemutton.com), which turns into a makeshift lesbian bar on Monday nights.
The restaurant has hosted events dubbed Spooky Lesbian Bar and Lesbian Bar Cookie Swap. “I wanted to offer something to our queer and our local community. In the Hudson area, a lot of restaurants are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, so those days are when industry people have nowhere to go, so part of the reason to open on Monday is to be a space people can go to if they want to have some fun.”
SHOP
No trip to the Hudson Valley is complete without some antiquing, thrifting, or shopping, and downtown Nyack is abuzz with LGBTQ-owned and inclusive businesses. With a Pride flag in the window, Main Street Beat (mainstreetbeat.com) is a go-to, female owned business and a destination for records, books, clothing, and more. Last year, the business celebrated ten years on Main Street.
Just a few doors down, you’ll find Sniff A Pickle (sniffapickle.com), a niche business Scott & Joe with a briny sense of humor. Pickle flavors include Sweet & Sassy Granny Pickle, One Night Stand Pickles, and the larger varietal, Size Matters. You’ll also find Nyack, Pride, and small business apparel and drinkware.
Need some meat to go with those pickles? Keep shopping in Nyack and visit Scott & Joe (scottandjoe.co), an event space and cheese and charcuterie bistro named for the store’s owners. Shoppers will get to explore custom cheese boards and also participate in wine tastings. Co-owner Scott Young shared with Passport, “We opened Scott & Joe three years ago, and besides getting married it’s the gayest thing we’ve ever done. Our community has entirely embraced who we are and what we are here to do: taste, learn, shop, and most importantly, gather. Being entrepreneurs in the Hudson Valley and getting to curate lives full of indulgence and freedom and decadence, all in our tiny town, this is the dream.” With so many great places for LGBTQ+ visitors to enjoy and experience, it’s easy to understand why the Hudson Valley is a very welcoming destination any time of year.
Discover more about Hudson Valley, New York at passportmagazine.com
