Discover Columbia: History, Art and Nature

Columbia combines impressive landscapes with an unusually diverse history. Between historic estates, museums, outdoor art, hiking trails and nature-based experiences, you can shape your stay entirely around your interests. When searching for a holiday rental, it is therefore worth first deciding on your preferred travel focus: Should the trip primarily revolve around culture and architecture, trails and landscapes, or special excursion destinations?

Historic Places and Living Culture

Olana State Historic Site is one of the region’s notable cultural destinations. Its grounds cover 250 acres and are freely accessible daily from 8 a.m. until sunset. Tours are offered there from Tuesday to Sunday. Martin Van Buren National Historic Site also has a seasonal focus: the visitor season lasts from late May to the end of October.

In Kinderhook, the Early Heritage Narrative Walk conveys the diverse history of Columbia County. The permanent outdoor exhibition consists of nine information panels. Also in Kinderhook, the CCHS Museum & Library is housed in an early-20th-century Masonic temple. Several exhibition galleries, the Barbara P. Rielly Memorial Library and an archive containing documents from the 17th to the 20th century make the visit particularly interesting for anyone who wants to learn more about the region’s history.

Other historic sites lead through different eras and architectural styles. Clermont State Historic Site was the Livingston family’s country estate and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973. James Vanderpoel House is considered one of the finest examples of Federal architecture in Columbia County. As a house museum, it displays furniture, decorative arts objects and paintings from the Federal period. Luykas Van Alen House, in turn, is considered one of the finest and rarest surviving examples of a historically intact house in the Dutch Colonial style in the Hudson Valley. The seasonal Ichabod Crane Schoolhouse focuses on historic school desks and other objects related to education in one-room schoolhouses in Columbia County.

Combining Art, Trails and Landscapes with Intention

Art Omi presents contemporary art and architecture across 120 acres of fields and woodland. The Sculpture & Architecture Park features more than 60 works of art and architecture; visitors can explore the grounds independently. This offers a different way to experience a day of culture than in a conventional museum. The Dutch Farming Heritage Trail provides another concrete way to combine history and activity: the trail is 1.7 miles long and connects Luykas Van Alen House with Martin Van Buren’s Lindenwald.

For nature experiences, there is Lake Taghkanic State Park on Lake Taghkanic, as well as the gentle hills and lush forests of Columbia County. Greenport offers views of the Hudson River and the Catskills. Forests, open meadows and grassland birds also shape the landscape there. The one-mile Access for All Trail is suitable for strollers, wheelchair users and people with limited mobility. Anyone who wants to pay attention to choosing well-suited trails when planning their trip will find a clearly described reference point here.

Industrial History and Regional Delicacies

Copake Iron Works Historic Site is one of the best-preserved examples of 19th-century industrial iron production in the northeastern United States. The site includes a visitor museum. A special experience is the Pomeroy Family Railroad, which carries passengers in two converted ore cars. The Scenic Sips Craft Beverage Tour in Columbia County offers a different focus. The self-guided tour leads to producers of handcrafted beverages and complements the historical and scenic impressions with a pleasurable dimension of discovery.

Choosing the Right Base

The variety of experiences supports a search for accommodation based on your personal daily plans. Anyone planning to visit several historic destinations can make culture and architecture the central theme. Trips involving trails, forests and landscapes call for other priorities; art lovers can include Art Omi or the museums and historic houses. A holiday apartment or holiday home should primarily suit the activities you want to pursue and the way you wish to plan your trip, without individual places necessarily having to be combined with one another.

For arriving by train, Hudson station provides a specific point of reference: it is served by four different Amtrak trains. When choosing additional places, you can also consider Hudson, Copake, Chatham, Ghent, East Chatham, Hollowville and New Lebanon as further travel destinations. This allows you to connect your search for suitable accommodation with the experiences that are intended to define your trip to Columbia.

For the overarching travel overview: New York.

More Travel Destinations

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Chemung.