Hello November! We had a great Halloween weekend trick-or-treating and enjoying the gorgeous fall weather. Another highlight of the week was a getaway to the Hudson Valley, where we took in the stunning foliage and visited the site of one of America’s earliest ghost stories: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. 

Did you know North Tarrytown only officially changed its name to Sleepy Hollow in 1996, nearly 200 years after Washington Irving’s tale was published? 

From there, we spent a few days in Cold Spring, a charming New York town along the Hudson River. While the Hudson has more mountain vibes than our beachy Navesink, we enjoyed the chance to watch the leaves change along both shores.

~ 2 hours from most of Monmouth County

Why Go: Gorgeous Hudson River views and a Main Street worthy of a Hallmark movie set 

New Yorkers love Cold Spring because it’s just a 90-minute train ride on Metro-North’s Hudson line, where you can literally step off the train and onto a nature trail or into the main thoroughfare of town. But Shore-dwellers need not sleep on this fall foliage enclave either. It’s an easy drive for a weekend getaway with plenty of other Hudson Valley towns to explore along the way. 

History, literary, and paranormal buffs might enjoy a detour to Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown (about 40 mins south) to tour the Old Dutch Church and its historic burying ground, made famous by Washington Irving’s Headless Horseman. 

Cold Spring was incorporated as a village in 1846 due to the influx of workers at the West Point Foundry (more on that below). But its history goes back much further, from the Wappinger and Munsee tribes who inhabited the area to its early days as a shipping and trading post. Local legend has it that the town got its name after George Washington drank from a spring and declared the water refreshingly cold. 

Start with:

Coffee at Cold Spring Coffeehouse. They make an excellent flat white and Earl Grey blueberry muffin. 

Take a Hike:

Get on the West Point Foundry Preserve path at the end of the train platform. The gravel trail is flat and easy to navigate (even with a stroller) and leads to the remains of a 19th-century ironworks that supplied munitions to the Union Army during the Civil War. The best-preserved building is the 1865 Office Building, which was ironically completed just as demand for armaments declined after the war. 

Another option is Little Stony Point, a quick 45-minute loop with multiple spots to stop and take in the river views. It’s a bit too bumpy for a lightweight stroller, but if your kids are fairly deft on their feet, it’s very family-friendly. 

Stop for Lunch:

Cozy Corner Cafe is located in a historic home on the corner of Main and Kemble Avenues. If the weather’s nice, you can dine from their front porch, and cozy blankets are provided if there’s a chill in the air. We ordered the Goddess Salmon Burger and the Steak Sandwich, but the empanadas also looked really good. 

Wander and Browse:

Pose for a Photo Opp: 

Cross the train tracks to the other side of Cold Spring, where you’ll find a riverfront plaza with the Hudson Highlands as an impressive backdrop. There’s also a historic Parrott gun on display, one of the Civil War-era cannons manufactured at the West Point Foundry. 

Kid-Friendly Tip: If you’re traveling with those under five, the Tiny Tots Park right downtown is the perfect spot to stretch those little legs after the drive (or burn off some energy before heading home). 

Looks like we won’t have to say goodbye to those picture-perfect fall temps just yet:

Monday 11/2 - 64°/44° Cloudy

Tuesday 11/3 - 66°/47° Mostly Cloudy

Wednesday 11/4 - 68°/53° Sunny

Thursday 11/5 - 68°/61° Mostly Cloudy

Friday 11/6 - 65°/53° Rain

Saturday 11/7 - 59°/45° Partly Sunny

Sunday 11/8 - 56°/45° Partly Sunny

And for the surfers out there, here are the weekly surf conditions in Belmar courtesy of Surf Captain:

And if there are any markets we should definitely feature this season, let us know!

This week, Jersey Shore Restaurant Week kicks off on November 6, which includes special menus at participating restaurants! Some DTS favorites include Shipwreck Grill (Brielle), Porta (Asbury Park), Atlantic Offshore Fishery (Point Pleasant Beach), Bombay River (Red Bank), Marée (Spring Lake) and the Committed Pig (Manasquan). You can check out all of the participating restaurants here.

As always, if there’s an upcoming event you’d like us to cover, feel free to pass it along!

Belmar - Line Dancing Mondays at Beach Haus Brewing (6 pm)

Holmdel - Intro to Pickleball Clinic at Bell Works (9:30 am)

Loch Arbour - Trivia Night at Deal Lake Bar + Co (7:30 pm)

Oceanport - Weekly Trivia at Skinny Flowers Brewing (6:30 pm)

Asbury Park - Emo Night with Bingo and Games at Asbury Park Brewing (7 pm - live music)

Belmar - Music Bingo Tuesdays at Beach Haus Brewing (7 pm)

Red Bank - Trivia with Jenn at Jamians (7:30 pm)

Asbury Park - Open Mic Night at Asbury Park Brewing (6 pm - live music)

Point Pleasant Beach - Joe Fernandes at Uncle Vinnies Comedy Club (8 pm - learn more)

Red Bank - Karaoke at Jamians (8 pm)

Tinton Falls - Bingo & Brews at Twin Lights Brewing (6 pm)

Atlantic Highlands - Smodcastle Cinema 5th Annual Film Festival Opening Night (7:30 pm - learn more)

Belmar - Trivia Night Thursdays at Beach Haus Brewing (7 pm)

Fair Haven - Ladies Night hosted by Buki and Roro and Joy Luxury Boutique (5 pm)

Holmdel - Sundown Sessions feat DJ Ian Green at Bar Bella (6 pm - live music)

Red Bank - Conor Quigley at The Molly Pitcher Inn (6 pm - live music)

Tinton Falls - Trivia on Tap at Twin Lights Brewing (7 pm)

Asbury Park - Nick Valen & The Crooks at Asbury Park Brewing (7 pm - live music)

Atlantic Highlands - Smodcastle Cinema 5th Annual Film Festival (6 pm - learn more)

Holmdel - Honey Tree Trio at Fox Hollow Vineyard (6 pm - live music)

Loch Arbour - Brothers Morrisy Trio at Deal Lake Bar + Co (5 pm - live music)

Manasquan - Paul Marino at Harpoon Willy’s (7:30 pm - live music)

Oceanport - Dueling Pianos with Cranston Dean and Ryan Gregg at Skinny Flowers Brewing (6 pm - live music)

Point Pleasant Beach - Jim Florentine at Uncle Vinnies Comedy Club (7 pm - learn more)

Red Bank - James Larsen at The Molly Pitcher Inn (6 pm - live music)

Asbury Park - Rick Barth at Asbury Park Brewing (12 pm - live music)

Atlantic Highlands - Smodcastle Cinema 5th Annual Film Festival (11:30 am - learn more)

Holmdel - New Jersey Wine Expo at Bell Works (12 pm - get tix)

Holmdel - Sundown Sessions at Bar Bella feat. DJ Berbin (5 pm - learn more)

Holmdel - Hang Loose Duo at Fox Hollow Vineyard (2 pm - live music)

Loch Arbour - Ed + Co. at Deal Lake Bar + Co (8 pm - live music)

Manasquan - Frankie Palmer at Harpoon Willy’s (7:30 pm - live music)

Oceanport - Aiden Villa at Skinny Flowers Brewing (6 pm - live music)

Point Pleasant Beach - Rachel Feinstein at Uncle Vinnies Comedy Club (7 pm - learn more)

Red Bank - Red Bank Mac & Cheese Festival (1 pm - learn more)

Red Bank - Moroccan Sheepherders at Jamians (9 pm - live music)

Red Bank - Frank Rainey at The Molly Pitcher Inn (6 pm - live music)

Atlantic Highlands - Smodcastle Cinema 5th Annual Film Festival (12 pm - learn more)

Holmdel - Shayne & Des Duo at Fox Hollow Vineyard (2 pm - live music)

Did we miss an event? Let us know.

Thanks for reading, and if someone forwarded this to you, please subscribe via the link below. See you next week!