New Paltz: Huguenot History, Art and the Rail Trail

New Paltz offers a range of themes to consider when planning a stay: Huguenot history, art, the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail and independent shops. If you’re looking for a hotel in New Paltz, you can start by considering which focus you want to shape your stay. The historical themes lead into the story of the settlement and its wider context; the museum offers a distinct focus on art, while the Rail Trail has a different character as a hiking and biking route. Water Street Market rounds out the options with a shopping village.

Historic Huguenot Street and Huguenot History

Historic Huguenot Street is a National Historic Landmark District with seven unique stone houses dating from the early 18th century. On tours of Historic Huguenot Street, visitors explore the multicultural history of a unique American settlement now known as New Paltz, New York. The tours provide an introduction to a specific chapter in the history of the place. The reconstructed French Church of 1717 conveys the multicultural beginnings of the Hudson Valley as well as the history of Huguenot persecution in France. The historical focus thus extends from the settlement now called New Paltz to broader contexts in the Hudson Valley and France.

Art at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art

The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at the State University of New York at New Paltz has more than 9,000 square feet of exhibition space across six galleries. Its permanent collection includes more than 6,000 works of art from around the world and spans a period of more than 4,000 years. The collection thus combines global origins with a timespan of millennia.

The temporary exhibition program includes exhibitions, installations and projects by internationally recognized artists, as well as annual themed exhibitions by artists from the region. The permanent collection and the temporary program offer different perspectives: one focuses on a broad geographical and historical scope, while the other centers on a variety of formats and a recurring annual regional perspective. This gives you two different starting points when considering what kind of art you’re interested in.

Wallkill Valley Rail Trail: A Route North

The section of the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail begins in New Paltz and runs 13 miles north. The trail has a stone-dust surface and is suitable for hikers and cyclists of all ages and abilities. Check the surface conditions before your trip. Its length, direction and surface are practical features to consider when planning. As a hiking and biking route, the trail differs from the town’s historical and artistic attractions.

Water Street Market and Independent Shops

Water Street Market in New Paltz is a European-inspired shopping village with independently operated shops. This shopping destination adds its own focus to the historical and artistic themes. If you distinguish the destinations by their character, independent shops are the focus here, while Historic Huguenot Street and the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art explore history and art, respectively.

Discover more destinations: Kerhonkson, Rosendale, Lake Katrine, Stone Ridge, Boiceville, Saugerties, Oliverea, Hurley

For the broader travel overview: Ulster.