Beacon, NY
Beacon, originally an industrial city by the Hudson River, has experienced a substantial transformation. The city became a factory town during the 1800s and was known as "The Hat Making Capital of the US" with nearly 50 hat factories manufacturing at the same time. Due to the economic recession in the 1970s, most of the factories were shut down and, by the late 1990s, almost 80% of the city’s commercial spaces and factories were vacant.
Today, for many people, Beacon is one of the most interesting enclaves in the Hudson Valley. This transformation has to do, to a large degree, with the opening of one of the world's largest contemporary art museums, Dia: Beacon, in 2003.
Six stops and about an hour and a half ride on the MetroNorth from New York City, make Beacon a perfect weekend getaway. With a small town Americana charm and an artsy-industrial-chic aesthetic, Beacon is a picturesque place where many of its attractions are condensed in its one-mile span Main Street. Art galleries, bars, restaurants, shops, and live-music venues line up on both sides of the street, under the watchful eye of Mount Beacon, the highest peak of Hudson Highlands.