Top 12 Things to Do in Beacon, New York (2024)

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Stroll Main Street

A stroll along Beacon's main drag—the roughly mile-long stretch of Main Street—reveals a slate of spots well worth dipping into to eat, drink, shop, and sleep. Refuel at one of Beacon's buzziest eateries like Homespun Foods (for hearty comfort food like vegetarian “meatloaf,” as well as an inviting backyard garden), Kitchen Sink Food & Drink (serving New American farm-to-table fare), Max’s on Main (for pub grub and a lively bar scene), or The Pandorica (a whimsical "Doctor Who"-themed establishment). For quicker grab-and-go bites, try locals’-favorite breakfast haunt Beacon Bagel, lip-smacking gluten-free bakery Ella’s Bellas, or indulgent ice cream joint Beacon Creamery.

Retail therapy awaits at shops like quirky gift and toy store Dream in Plastic, handcrafted body care shop Beacon Bath & Bubble, or vintage clothiers Blackbird Attic or Vintage: Beacon. Opt to stay a while by booking a room at The Roundhouse hotel, touting an industrial-chic aesthetic in a reimagined former textile factory that looks out over the Fishkill Creek, at the foot of Beacon Falls; there’s a restaurant on-site with patio seating overlooking the falls, and a fireplace-anchored lounge, too.

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Take in Art at Dia:Beacon

Beacon’s cultural anchor, Dia: Beacon, marks a massive 300,000-square-foot contemporary art museum perched on the banks of the Hudson River. Set within an old 1920s-era Nabisco box printing factory, cavernous galleries—oozing original industry-style architectural accents like steel, concrete, brick, and skylights to filter through abundant natural light—contain pilgrimage-worthy collections spanning the 1960s to the present day. Look out for large-scale installations by major names like Richard Serra, Louise Bourgeois, and Sol LeWitt, along with complementary public programming, including guided tours, special exhibitions, art lectures, and educational art programs.

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Hike Mount Beacon

Beacon sits within the shadow of Mount Beacon, and ascending its summit is a rite of passage for any visitor to town with a bit of stamina to spare. Rewarding hikers with excellent panoramas over the city, Hudson River, and surrounding mountain ranges, look out for the ruins of an old incline railroad (for which restoration work is currently in talks) and casino en route, too. Open year-round from dawn to dusk, the steep, uphill, winding trailhead in Mount Beacon Park runs for just over a mile one-way: Be prepared for a workout for lungs and legs alike.

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Attend Second Saturday

Run by nonprofit community arts organization BeaconArts, Beacon's lively Second Saturday event shines a spotlight on the citywide arts scene every second Saturday of the month. Time your visit to coincide with the monthly happening, and you’ll see Beacon spill over with gallery show openings, artist receptions, and other hoppin’ Second Saturday goings-on like live music and food tastings. Plus, galleries and many shops stay open late till 9 p.m., with a lot of activity centered on a walkable stretch of Main Street. Bonus: It’s kid-friendly, too, so you can encourage the wee ones to get an appetite for the arts early on.

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Find Local Fare at Beacon Farmers Market

A community gathering place unfolding every Sunday, the Beacon Farmers Market hosts a gaggle of weekly vendors from the surrounding Hudson Valley. You’ll find the requisite produce stands overflowing with farm-fresh fruits and veggies, alongside purveyors of bread and baked goods, meats and seafood, coffee, spices, honey, kombucha, and pickles. Select weekends also feature additional stands for locally produced housewares and body products, like accessories made from alpaca fiber, ceramic serving plates, vases, or soaps infused with essential oils. The outdoor market runs at Veterans Place, next to the Beacon Post Office, off Main Street (from May through November); off-season, a winter market moves indoors at the VFW building on Main Street.

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Sip Spirits at Denning’s Point Distillery

Utilizing grains sourced entirely from local farms, this popular artisanal distillery is open for tastings Fridays through Sundays, with afternoon public tours scheduled on Saturdays. Pop in to sample some of Denning’s Point Distillery’s Beacon Bourbon, Viskill Vodka, Great 9 Gin, etc. Better yet, time your visit to coincide with their “Bourbon n' Blues” open jam session, held during the city’s Second Saturday art event, or come on any Saturday evening to pair your pour with live music.

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Get Down to the River at Long Dock Park

Beacon hugs the Hudson, and making way to the waterfront Long Dock Park is a great way to appreciate the city’s deep-rooted river ties. The artificial peninsula here comes coated with rehabilitated wetlands and meadows on the site of an old 19th-century ferry terminal, which for many years after that served as a center for industry and, subsequently, as little more than an industrial wasteland. Today the park space has been brilliantly reinvented with walking paths, picnic facilities, and Scenic Hudson's River Center, a center for education and programming themed around art, the environment, and folk music.

Make way for the waterfront George Trakas installation atBeacon Point for sunbathing, fishing, or simply soaking up the river views. If you’re longing to get out on the water, you're in luck: The well-designed kayak pavilion here offers rentals and guided outings for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding through Mountain Tops Outfitters.

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Turn Up Treasure at the Beacon Flea Market

The seasonal, open-air Beacon Flea Market runs on Sundays (weather permitting) from April through November, coming chockablock with 50-plus vendors selling antiques, vintage items, collectibles, and handcrafted artisanal products, too. Word to the wise: Come early (the market starts setting up at 6 a.m. and is done for the day by 3 p.m.) for first dibs on pickings. The hidden treasure-packed market unfolds in the Henry Street parking lot, adjacent to the post office on Main Street.

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Get a Photo Op at Bannerman Castle

Set amid the Hudson River just south of Beacon, Pollepel Island (aka Bannerman Island) comes steeped in history and legend, a site brimming with ancient Indian lore, Revolutionary War tales, and the decaying architecture of the towering Bannerman Castle. This fortress oddity is a remnant of the turn-of-the-20th-century business doings of Scotsman Frank Bannerman, who once stored his stock of ammunition and military surplus items in this elaborate 1901 "warehouse," a replica of a Scottish castle (which partially burned down in a fire in the late ‘60s).

Public guided tours of the island are available from May through October; exclusively accessed by water, opt for either a passenger tour boat or kayak excursion. While a handful of other Hudson Valley towns offer island access (in Cold Spring, Newburgh, and Cornwall-on-Hudson), Beacon puts forth the most options as a launch point for both kayak (with Mountain Tops Outfitters) and passenger boat (via the Estuary Steward) excursions. Look out for special Bannerman Island events, like alfresco theater productions, movie screenings, and live musical performances.

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Catch Live Music at the Towne Crier Cafe

Claiming a lengthy history in the Hudson Valley (since 1972), the Towne Crier Cafe has served as a live music mecca on Beacon’s Main Street since relocating there in 2013 from its longtime home in Pawling. The intimate venue welcomes a respectable roster of performers highlighting rock, jazz, blues, and world music most nights of the week (except Mondays and Tuesdays, when it's closed)—past acts have included names like Suzanne Vega, David Byrne, Richie Havens, and Pete Seeger. Tunes pair nicely with a dining menu known for its desserts and pastries; tip: come for Sunday brunch and get a free live music show, to boot.

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Pour a Pint at Hudson Valley Brewery

One of the Hudson Valley’s more popular craft breweries, Hudson Valley Brewery—set just off of Main Street—opens the doors to its public taproom Thursdays through Sundays. Thirsty patrons can sample the brewery’s current rotation of beers on tap, with a specialty focus on IPAs. Bonus: The brewery sells take-home 32-ounce “crowlers” (oversized cans) and features a pop-up kitchen from Barb’s Butchery on Saturdays and Sundays.

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Shop at Hudson Beach Glass

This glassworks gallery and glassblowing studio colorfully fills in a restored former firehouse on Main Street. Come to peruse the vast collection of functional and decorative glass objects on display in the shop, including housewares like bowls, glasses, plates, candlesticks, and more, alongside one-of-a-kind sculptural works. The adjacent studio sets the scene for glassblowing demonstrations and a series of public workshops in which participants can craft their own handblown ornaments, beads, or paperweights.