Arlington, a charming neighborhood of the City of Poughkeepsie, benefits from a bevy of diverse dining options, varied shopping and a charming college campus — all within a short stroll of each other.
Grab hand-crafted coffee and housemade baked goods at The Crafted Kup, a specialty café helmed by a Culinary Institute of America alumn. Try the Cafe Miel, an elegant combination of espresso, honey and cinnamon.
Stroll through the Shakespeare Garden or admire the various architectural styles of Vassar College’s campus buildings, ranging from modernist to gothic. One of the Seven Sisters, Vassar College is known for its renowned arts programs; in fact, the free-to-visit on-campus art gallery, the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, gives visitors an up-close look at works by masters like Georgia O’Keeffe, Francis Bacon and Pablo Picasso — plus a collection of Hudson River School paintings only found here. The Loeb offers free admission and its collection houses 22,000 pieces that span centuries. In summer, stargaze at the Maria Mitchell Observatory, a National Historic Landmark.
For lunch, Tokyo Express and Thai Spice are affordable choices for sushi and Pad Thai. Savona’s Trattoria & Bar serves up classic Italian fare using the freshest local ingredients. Plus, discover Asian, Argentinean and Colombian influenced street-food offerings from dumplings to empanadas at Twisted Soul.
Find chic, comfortable womenswear at Elizabeth Boutique, both custom and estate jewelry at Zimmer Brothers and healing crystals at The Dreaming Goddess.
Summer and fall bring a host of events like the weekly farmers market, Yoga on the Lawn and the Arlington Street Fair.
End the day with a tasty, house-made panouzzo, or pizza sandwich, made in a gorgeous, black-tiled pizza oven from Spettro, a new Italian gastropub. For an upscale occasion. dine at The Salt Line restaurant at The Heartwood. The name refers to the Hudson River's salt line, where brackish water and fresh water mingle. Elegant dishes are brought to life with local, seasonal produce, fish and game. Looking for a lively bar crowd? Juan Murphy's is an Irish pub with Mexican grub.
Stay overnight at The Heartwood at Vassar, which offers 50 guestrooms, technology-forward conference rooms, and menus that highlight the flavors and ingredients of the Hudson Valley. It is a carbon-neutral hotel with many fascinating details to discover from Vassar's past, including "cabinets of curiosities."
