I love Rosendale. It’s the perfect small town. Located within 2 hours of NYC and about 15 minutes from New Paltz, Rosendale is just too adorable for words. Colorful historic rowhouses line the main street, which is set against a backdrop of mountains, bridges and creeks.
All Pros/No Cons
Adirondack Trailways from NYC stops at the tip of town.
Rosendale Cafe is not only a great vegetarian restaurant, but has live music as well. They have the best Japanese miso salad dressing ever! I buy it by the vat to take home with me.
For something a bit more on the fancy schmancy side, hop over to Bywater Bistro.
The Rosendale Movie Theater was still $6 last time I went. It’s a Main Street cinema run by the same family for decades. They show decent films, too.
The Women’s Studio Workshop rents studio space and has classes on photography, paper making, ceramics, etc.
Hiking trails are plentiful, as is water access for kayaking. There used to be a swimming hole in town a few years ago, but it I’m not sure if it’s still accessible to the public.
Where else can you see a performance in an abandoned dolostone mine?