I love Tivoli! Much like High Falls, this is a tiny town bursting at the seams with great restaurants and a tremendous cultural scene. How did Tivoli, in northern Dutchess, become so hip?

Well, it’s a college town. Home to Bard College located in the hamlet of Annandale on Hudson, Tivoli caters to both young hipsters and weekenders alike.

Main Street is about 2 blocks long. Within those 2 blocks, there is the friggen awesome vegetarian Luna 61 (closed for winter), 4 star Santa Fe and Osaka Sushi to name a few restaurants.

The Tivoli Artist’s Coop and Kaatsbaan Dance Center rival any NYC establishments. Ok, well, maybe not, like, Lincoln Center, but you get the drift.

Tivoli is close to Rhinebeck, Red Hook and less about 16 miles from Hudson. There are plenty of historic sites, antique shops and hikes in the surrounding area.

Downers:

Amtrak to Rhinecliff will get you close enough, but you need a car or taxi to get to Tivoli.

Because the town is so small, not many homes are for sale and those that are, aren’t as inexpensive as Kingston or Athens.

Tivoli.org
Hearty Roots Farm

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

$ 175k Firehouse Loft

$ 240k: Restored 1700’s 2 BR

$ 194.5k: 5BR Brick

We spent weekends near Ellenville when I was young. My childhood memories of the area are pretty crummy. It’s been run down for so many years, it’s depressing. But then again, I kind of like that. Because when you’ve hit rock bottom, there’s no where to go but up. So, I find Ellenville fascinating and inspiring. And it certainly seems as if it’s on the upswing!Continue reading Weekender: Ellenville, NY

$65k: Gutted Handyman/Woman (ask for Tom)

$124k: 3BR + barn

$179k: 4BR + Carriage House (ask for Tom)

$199k: 2BR near creek

$ 229k: 4BR, ready to go