Dozen Distinctive Destinations
New Paltz, NY
Year Listed: 2004
Mohonk Mountain House on Lake Mohonk in the Mountains of New Paltz, New York.
Credit: Historic Hotels of America
A hip college town with a proud history, New Paltz combines the vibrancy and diversity of a campus environment with the traditions and charm of its French Huguenot past. Settled in 1677 and set amidst pastoral fields and hills, the town is just 90 miles from Manhattan - but urban cares are a world away. Six houses built by the first settlers survive on Huguenot Street, the country's oldest street with its original houses; now open as museums, the houses display period furnishings and European architectural features adapted to the demands of the New World.
The village buzzes with restaurants, eclectic shops and antique stores - all backed by scenic views of Shawangunk Ridge. In the fall, New Paltz comes alive for foliage watchers, apple and pumpkin pickers and wine enthusiasts who tour the area's many vineyards. The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail provides a leafy path for biking, jogging, walking and cross-country skiing, while the Minnewaska State Preserve offers hiking and rock climbing. Nearby, the Mohonk Mountain House, one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Historic Hotels of America, beckons visitors to its lofty perch above a deep blue lake. Boasting thousands of acres of unspoiled forest and winding trails, this grand Victorian castle offers a family-oriented setting for fun, relaxation and renewal.
