Cidiot partners with local businesses to help visitors and locals with visitors get the most out of their visit. Each post is a 72-hour weekend guide with where to go for meals, shopping, culture and beauty.
Welcome to Chatham, NY. The Village of Chatham is a quintessential Hudson Valley village, with a proper Main Street, a picturesque clock tower, and a train that runs through the center of the village. The charming historic buildings have striped awnings and it’s a good weekend getaway from the city. Just west of the Taconic State Parkway, it’s conveniently located 20 min north of City of Hudson and adjacent to the Berkshires.
Where to Stay
The recently revived Old Dutch Inn, in neighboring Kinderhook, or a local AirBnbs. See also Cidiot's growing list of places in the Hudson Valley and Berkshires.
What to Do
- Friday afternoon: Shop along the Village of Chatham’s Main Street, stop in the Community Bank on Depot St. to see the lobby, and then catch a movie at the Crandell Theater—a single screen historic theater right in the village, playing first run movies and indie films (They even have a film festival in the fall!). There’s also 1811 Antiques in housed in the old Groat’s Tavern, which was built in 1811 and predates the rest of the village. Word has it that Martin Van Buren used to ride his horse over from Kinderhook to the tavern to knock down a cold one. A few of the must-hit shops include the Chatham Bookstore, Bimi’s Cheese Shop, Boxwood Linen, American Pie, Fahari Bazaar, and The Warm Ewe.
- Dinner and drinks at Bimi’s Canteen & Bar can’t be beat. There’s a speakeasy in the basement, a beautiful bar room. The cocktails are world class. My pick was the White Cosmo. Service is warm and friendly, and the food is comforting and elegant at the same time. Hear all about it in Cidiot Episode 89.
- Saturday morning: Stop into the unassuming Fiesta Café for their incredible breakfast tacos. But ask them for the corn tortillas (they come on flour tortillas) and treat yourself to freshly-squeezed O.J. Sit at an outside table and pet cute dogs on their morning walks.
- Saturday afternoon: On most Saturday evenings in the summer, the Garage at Chatham offers a salon-style, intimate summer arts series in an opera singer’s garage! It’s free and runs through early September. There's also the Columbia Land Conservancy Trails, which Ellen of Bimi's raves about. More shopping "on the other side of the tracks" at Lea's, The Jeweler's Roost, Jackdaw Gallery, Off the Rails.
- Saturday evening: Greenhouse Cidery is a few miles outside of the village and the best place to hang out in the summer. They make their own cider and offer a few cocktails and beer options. Yummy Kitchen has a great set up in the greenhouse, so it’s an excellent option even on a rainy day. And its Asian-fusion menu is top notch. There is a big field with communal picnic tables and fire pits and lots of kids and dogs. You’ll feel the sense of community. Also, more ideas for dinner: Lagonia's Bistro and Chatham Grill.
- Sunday morning: Start with brunch over at Bartlett House, a five-minute drive from the Village of Chatham in nearby Ghent. A former railroad hotel from 1870, they serve up some of the best pastries and breakfast sandwiches in Columbia County. Grab a seat on the picturesque porch and make sure to buy a Pullman loaf or a bag of their English muffins to take home with you.
- Sunday afternoon: Art Omi is about a 10-minute drive from the village in Ghent, and is a great way to spend the afternoon. The beautiful 120-acre outdoor art and sculpture park is very kid and dog-friendly (on leash), and a great way to satisfy the outdoorsy type and art lover.
This Cidiot Weekender Itinerary was created in partnership with Bimi’s Cheese Shop and its new Bimi's Canteen, featured in Episode 89. Photo credit: Melissa Davis of Ruby PR.
Have ideas or feedback for Chatham or other spots? Have requests on where to go and what to see in the Hudson Valley. Write in via the Cidiot contact page and will try to keep this updated. Be sure to join the Cidiot mailing list for when new posts go live.
