Beacon

Lower Main Street

Beacon is a city in Dutchess County, New York.

Get in

By plane

• Stewart International Airport, 1180 First St, New Windsor, +1 845 564-2100. The closest major airport is directly across the river from Beacon. Allegiant Air, American Eagle, and JetBlue operate flights from Florida and Philadelphia (Mar 2021). Interstate 84 crosses the Hudson at Beacon via the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, providing easy access. About a 20-minute drive.
• Westchester County Airport, 240 Airport Road, White Plains, +1 914 995-4860 (airlines). Two counties and a 50-minute drive 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 the 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 Station and New York City's Grand Central Terminal takes about 90 minutes. A one-way ticket to or from Grand Central costs $17.50 off-peak and $23 peak. Local service is also available to other Metro-North commuter stations. Full weekday and weekend schedules are available online. 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, while on trains departing from Beacon Station, sit on the right side. 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, in addition to the beautiful Hudson River Valley.
• Amtrak. Connections to Amtrak's long-distance services are available at New York City's Penn Station and Metro-North's Poughkeepsie station.

See

Dia:Beacon

• 1 Dia:Beacon, 3 Beekman St, ☏ +1 845 440-0100. January–March: F–M 10AM–4PM; April–October: Th-M 11AM–6PM; November–December: Th-M 11AM–4PM. 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. Adults $20, seniors $18, students $12, children 5-11 $5. Free admission for Dia members. (updated Jan 2023)

• 2 Mount Gulian Historical Site, 145 Sterling St, ☏ +1 845 831-8172. May–Oct: W–F Su 1–5PM, last tour 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. Adults $8, seniors $6, children (age 6-18) $4. Free admission for Mount Gulian members. (updated Jul 2019)

Do

Rent a kayak or canoe or take a guided kayak trip on the Hudson River. Hudson Valley Pack & Paddle, 45 Beekman St, ☏ +1 845 831-1300. 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.

Drink

• Max's on Main, 246 Main St, +1 845 838-6297. 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.), ☏ +1 845 831-6346. 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