24 Hours in Westchester

*Thank you Westchester County Tourism for hosting me on my 24 hour trip

There are a lot of hidden gems in New York and I consider Westchester to be one of them. Ever since the pandemic started, I had to shift my desire for international travel to domestic, particularly focusing on New York state itself. For those of you who are not familiar with Westchester, it is an area in the Hudson Valley, located about an hour north of New York City. I have visited this area once before because one of my best friends live there. However, I wasn’t aware of all that this region had to offer until recently.

Westchester County is a place where caring counts and visitors are greeted like old friends. That’s why we’re committed to the well-being of our region as we move forward together. By taking a simple but powerful pledge to play a part in keeping our community in good health, we can safeguard one another and enable residents and visitors to live, work and play with confidence in our beautiful county—now and into the future.

With COVID still being a reality that we all have to face, I was happy to know that Westchester was doing its part by  introducing a new travel safety initiative (Westchester with Care). The pledge, outlined above and taken by the region and the community, shows a joint effort in making sure everybody feels safe. As a result, I felt comfortable visiting and working with Westchester County Tourism and wanted to encourage you all to visit if you’re in NYC!

I stayed at The Abbey Inn, which is a luxury hotel that opened this year in Peekskill, N.Y. and is Westchester’s hottest addition. It overlooks the Hudson Valley, located on historic Fort Hill (where George Washington’s army set up a key lookout post in the Revolutionary War). The former 1902 convent of the Episcopal Sisters of Saint Mary’s has been beautifully repurposed as a secular retreat for today’s discerning travelers. Upon arrival, I was mesmerized by the entrance stairs that led me to a castle in what seemed like a place straight from a fairytale.

The Abbey Inn features luxurious guest rooms and suites, exquisite indoor and outdoor private event spaces, a full-service spa and Apropos, farm to table restaurant and bar. I can understand why it’s considered a “premier retreat for today’s modern traveler” because once I was there, I definitely felt like I wasn’t even in New York. I stayed in the Superior River View King Room, which had a separate living room and bedroom with a beautiful bathroom! There was also a lovely view of the river and the garden and waking up to that automatically gave me a sense of peace and tranquility I was hoping to get during this getaway trip.

The hotel is also in a perfect location because it is close to many activities and attractions. If you’re like me and coffee is a non negotiable, then you have to visit The Peekskill Coffee House, which is only a four minute drive from the hotel. Often referred to as “Peekskill’s Living Room, the cafe serves up an extensive menu of specialty coffees, crepes and panini sandwiches (with vegan and gluten free options available). Local art graces the walls and people love to use their space to work, meet a friend or enjoy a book.

There was an inviting aurora and charm about the place and I ended up spending an afternoon there. I ordered the Mushroom Melt panini sandwich which came with roasted mushroom, cheddar cheese and tomato along an oat milk latte. The sandwich was made right then and there so it came hot and it was delicious! I felt satisfied after my meal and it was such a relaxing way to start my Westchester exploration.

I also visited Wilkens Farm, which was a 20 minutes drive from The Abbey Inn. Located in Yorktown Heights, N.Y., Wilkens Fruit and Fir Farm dates back to 1916. Today the farm continues mainly as a Pick-Your-Own and Choose-and-Cut farm with peaches, plums, nectarines, pears, over 40 varieties of apples, pumpkins, and Douglas and Fraser Fir Christmas trees available for harvest.

Autumn is my favorite season and I mentioned that I wanted to go pumpkin picking as an October monthly goal, so I was beyond ecstatic to do it during this trip! The farm operates at a reduced capacity, so it was easy to practice social distancing. I enjoyed visiting the farm and my favorite part was trying the apple cider donuts, strudels and fresh baked pies from the bakery because isn’t that just a given for the fall?!

For dinner, I decided to dine at Fin & Brew, which is a New American-style restaurant located on the Hudson River at Charles Point in Peekskill, N.Y., specializing in seafood and American comfort cuisine. It is under the direction of Executive Chef Mike Anastacio, who was so kind to come to our table after to chat. We ordered the blue circle salmon, the brandt steak skirt, brussel sprouts, the crunchy potatoes along with wine and everything was made to perfection. I always like to say that we have another stomach for desserts so please don’t skip on the peanut butter and jelly panna cotta if you’re there! Since we are gearing towards winter and the sunsets so early, it was dark by the time we had dinner but I bet it would’ve been an amazing view during sunset since the restaurant is right in front of the Hudson River. I have no complaints about my dining experience and actually think this is a must do if you find yourself in Westchester!

As I was heading back to the city in the morning, I made sure to stop by Teatown Lake Reservation, which is a 1,000-acre nonprofit nature preserve and environmental education center. Teatown Lake Reservation in Ossining offers 15 miles of hiking trails and a two-acre island refuge for over 230 species of native wildflowers. Trails are open 365 days a year, dawn to dusk. I have actually visited this nature reserve in the summer and enjoyed it. We did the easy 1.5 lakeside loop around the lake and it was very peaceful and a perfect way to end the quick Westchester trip.

Even though I was in Westchester for only 24 hours, that full day gave me a reset that I needed. The best part is that Westchester is so close to the city so you can even visit and make it a day trip. I was able to unwind and decompress and it was beneficial for my mental health. I truly can say that Westchester is an exceptional getaway destination from the city and would highly recommend visiting if you’re itching for a new place to explore or a change of scenery!