Beacon

Beacon is a city in Dutchess County, New York.

Get in

By plane

• Stewart International Airport, 1180 First St, New Windsor, [phone]. The closest major airport is directly across the river from Beacon, but at present offers few direct flights to major destinations. Interstate 84 crosses the Hudson at Beacon, providing easy access.
• Westchester County Airport, 240 Airport Road, White Plains, [phone] (airlines). Two counties away, but an alternative to the congestion of the 3 major international airports around New York City. Rental cars available.
• Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark, New Jersey, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and LaGuardia Airport: Livery cars offer service to and from 3 major international airports. It is possible in a convoluted sort of way to get to and from JFK via Metro-North Railroad and New York City Transit.

By car

Interstate 84 runs through Beacon providing east-west connections to Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Route 9D is the main north to south road through the city.

By train

• Metro-North Railroad - Hudson line. Express service between Beacon and New York City's Grand Central Terminal is about 75 minutes, local service considerably longer. Local service is also available to other Metro-North commuter stations. On-board train fares are subject to a stiff surcharge, so buy your tickets at the vending machines located on the platform. On trains departing from Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan, get a seat on the left side of the train. Opposite Yonkers and Hastings-on-Hudson you will be treated to great views of the sheer cliffs of the Palisades and between Cold Spring and Beacon you will get a glimpse of Bannerman Castle on an island offshore.
• Amtrak, . Connection to Amtrak's long-distance service is available at New York City's Penn Station and Metro-North's Poughkeepsie station.

Get around

See

Dia:Beacon, 3 Beekman St, [phone], . Museum for the Dia Art Foundation's collection of modern art, including works by Andy Warhol. Located in a 300,000 square foot historic factory on 31 acres of riverfront. Summer hours Th-M 11AM-6PM (closed Tu-W). Winter hours (mid-October to mid-April) 11AM-4PM F-M (closed Tu,W,Th). Adults $10, students and seniors $7, children under 12 free. Free admission for Dia members.

• Mount Gulian Historical Site, 145 Sterling Street, ☎ [phone]. Hours: April–October 31, W-F,Su 1PM-5PM. last tour given at 4PM. Mount Gulian Historic Site, open for the purposes of a guided tour, special event, school or group program,weddings, or simply something to do on a lovely afternoon. The site is about the Verplanck family which contains an assortment of stories about husbands and wives, army generals, and an escaped slave. $5 for adults, $3 for children and free for members. 

Do

Rent a kayak or canoe or take a guided kayak trip on the Hudson River. Hudson Valley Pack & Paddle, 45 Beekman St, [phone]. From New York City to Albany the Hudson is a tidal estuary, so be aware of tides and currents as well as ships and barges. There is a public launch to the west of the Beacon railroad station.

Buy

Eat

Drink

• Max's on Main, 246 Main St, [phone], . Newcomer in downtown is open 7 days. Lunch and dinner from 11:30AM. Su-Th to 10PM and F-Sa to 11PM. Karaoke on Th, Live Music Friday and Saturday nights.

Sleep

• Swann Inn of Beacon (Neil Caplan and Darlene Swann), 120 Howland Ave. (9D to Howland Ave.), ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Relaxed Victorian B&B at the foot of Mt. Beacon. $137.50-$187.50. 

Go next

Routes through Beacon

Scranton ← Newburgh ←	W  E	→ Fishkill → Danbury
END ← Poughkeepsie ←	N  S	→ Cold Spring → Croton-on-Hudson