Town of the Week: Highland Falls

  |  October 7, 2013
highland falls ny

Highland Falls Village Hall, via Wikipedia

Just when we thought we had explored all of the cute Hudson River towns, we remembered the village of Highland Falls in the town of Highlands, Orange County. Practically walking distance from West Point on the west side of the river, Highland Falls is an historic village with a walkable downtown area, complete with gorgeous buildings, many restored to their previous old fashioned grandeur, and shops, restaurants, churches, and other amenities. We’ve only approached Highland Falls from the north following Route 9W, an incredible scenic drive that takes you over the Storm King mountains and through some of the best views in the entire county.

Situated within the Bear Mountain State Park, Highland Falls is accessible to nature while remaining fairly convenient for those looking to commute from NYC, since it’s less than an hour away. It’s directly across the river from Garrison and Cold Spring, and Newburgh is just a few miles north of the village. It’s worth coming to Highland Falls to check out the beautiful scenery and then visit the US Military Academy at West Point while you’re at it. Things to see while you’re at West Point: The West Point Museum, Visitors Center, and the Cemetery. Eisenhower Hall is the academy’s performing arts center, and they generally have a production going all the time. If you’ve got the scratch for it, stay at the Thayer Hotel. It’s the place to stay when visiting West Point, and many of the rooms have great views of the Hudson River (it’s also a popular weddings/event space, too).

highland falls ny library

Highland Falls Public Library

Historic town means historic houses for sale, and Highland Falls certainly has them on the market. Victorians and Colonials galore are for sale right now, as well as your basic run of the mill split levels and Ranches. Prices are set in the mostly reasonable mid-range area, with most of the inventory between $200,000 to $300,000. Orange County taxes are notoriously expensive, so it’s good to keep that in mind while house hunting anywhere in the county.

Highland Falls is located about 23 minutes from Newburgh, and approximately 55 minutes away from NYC.

highland falls capture

GMAP

 

 

About Kandy Harris

Kandy is a writer and musician/music teacher living in Saugerties, NY.

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