In my humble opinion, in New York State, the farther north you go, the more breathtakingly beautiful it gets. The mountains are bigger, the leaves are more colorful, the towns are more quaint. Obviously, it’s a longer drive from the city, but then again, the homes are less expensive!
Athens is one of those very quaint towns located in Greene County. If you’re unfamiliar with Greene County, surely you’ve heard of Hunter Mountain Ski Area. Athens sits between the Hudson River and the foothills of the Catskills. It just just a swim across the water to the overpriced Village of Hudson.
The architecture is varied and droolworthy. Here you’ll find examples of Victorian, Georgian and Federal styles at affordable prices.
The village, like much of upstate New York, is slowly seeing a resurgence. You can see it in a cultural center here and a yoga center there. The Stewart House, a fully restored 1883 landmark, is open for dinners and Sunday brunch. The B&B period rooms are tastefully decorated…even the Meryl Streep, where she “died” in Iron Weed.
It’s worth checking out the nearby towns of Coxackie and Catskill . Between the river and the mountains, you won’t have any trouble finding outdoor activities.
Fun Halloween Trivia fact: Part of the 2005 remake of War of the Worlds was filmed in Athens.
Greene County Tourism
Greene County Chamber of Commerce
Greene County Historical Society
3 Comments
That red building is The Stewart House. It’s gorgeous inside. We were going to have our wedding/reception there but they changed chefs and I’m not as in love with the food anymore. Just over from The Stewart House is a little hometown-style diner called Ursula’s. Ursula’s has the best soups and the prices can’t be beat.
Coxsackie. And there’s a huge antiques center too – coxsackie.com
Hey, you’re jumping ahead! This week: Athens. I have to save something for the Coxsackie post.
So, where are you getting married?
As soon as my hips magically shrink…we’ll probably just elope. I don’t feel like dealing with the drama (and expense) a wedding usually has. So long as he’s there and I have killer dress, it’s all good.