How to Spend a Day in Rhinebeck

Town of Rhinebeck with people walking in crosswalk. Source: Daniel Case via Wikimedia Photos

Now that the weather is getting warmer and we’re nearing the end of the semester, everyone is itching to get out and about and enjoy the warmth. Look no further than Rhinebeck, which will provide a pleasant day in the Hudson Valley. Just a short 20 minutes up Route 9, Rhinebeck is a quaint little town with lots to do. 

The ideal way to start any morning is with a cup of coffee and a baked good. If you’re headed to Rhinebeck for the day, your first stop should be the Bread Alone Bakery. With everything from coffee, tea and bagels, to classics like egg and cheese sandwiches, breakfast burritos and avocado toast, Bread Alone is a must for all your breakfast needs. 

If you’re looking for something on the sweeter side for breakfast, make a pit-stop at Samuel’s Sweet Shop, the candy store co-owned by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Hilarie Burton and reigning Sexiest Man Alive, Paul Rudd. While Samuel’s does sell anything and everything when it comes to candy, they also have freshly baked goods – from apple turnovers to muffins and other pastries. 

If you’re headed to Rhinebeck on a weekend, make sure to stop at the Rhinebeck Aerodrome, which typically hosts airshows on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. The museum at the aerodrome is open daily. 

For lunch, head over to The Amsterdam, a more upscale restaurant that brings European flavor and offers brunch, lunch and dinner. The Amsterdam boasts their farm-to-table cuisine, so you can be sure that whatever you order comes local. 

While it’s nice to have a set plan, sometimes it’s a treat to just walk around without any destination in mind. Rhinebeck is the perfect place to do so. Lined with boutiques, shops, and quaint bookstores like Oblong Books, you can spend hours getting lost on Market and Mill Streets. 

If you’re headed to Rhinebeck on a nice day, spend the afternoon at Ferncliff Forest and hike your way to the fire tower. It’s not a particularly long hike, only about 1.2 miles up-and-back to the tower, but you can make for a longer trip and hike the entire 2.2 mile loop. For a particularly beautiful view, complete the hike at sunset and overlook the Kingston-Rhinecliff bridge and the surrounding Hudson Valley in all its glory. 

For dinner, you have quite a few spots to choose from. If you’re looking for typical American cuisine, you can head over to Foster’s, which makes excellent sandwiches and burgers. If you’re in the mood for Mexican, be sure to stop at Gaby’s and dine in their vivid and colorful interior. If you’re looking for something a little more traditional and upscale, head to Terrapin, which has the Red Bistro for more casual meals and the main dining room for a fancier occasion. 

Lastly, it wouldn’t be a trip to Rhinebeck without making a stop at Upstate Films, a nonprofit independent cinema showing indie, foreign and classic films. It’s a good spot to see films that typically wouldn’t make it to the big screen in chain movie theaters. 

Regardless of what you decide to do, Rhinebeck has plenty to keep you busy.