Are you staying on campus for October Break and looking for things to do so that you don’t go stir-crazy? Here are some fun activities to do around the Hudson Valley area!
Pumpkin Picking
I recently went pumpkin picking at Dubois Farms, which is around a 20 minute drive from campus. They have a beautiful pumpkin patch with some huge pumpkins! Besides pumpkins, they also have apple picking among an assortment of other fruits and vegetables to pick. Additionally, they have farm animals, a café, and a market, where you can purchase apple cider and apple cider donuts. Vouchers are $5 on the weekdays and $10 on the weekends, but showing your Vassar ID will get you in for free!
Day Trip to Beacon
If you haven’t been to Beacon yet, now is definitely the time to go! Beacon is an adorable walkable town around a 15-20 minute train ride away, or a 30 minute drive. It has tons of cool shops and restaurants. Some that I recommend checking out are MOD, Another Door, Solstad House, and Alps Sweet Shop.
Farmers’ Market
The neighborhood of Arlington hosts a farmers’ market every Thursday from 3:00-7:00 pm near the Alumnae House. The market features many local vendors selling fresh produce and food. This is a great option for people who want to get out and do something fun, but don’t want to spend money on transportation. The last day for the farmer’s market is October 29, so October Break is the perfect time to go!
Hiking
There are so many beautiful places to hike around campus, from a more peaceful walk at the Preserve or over the Hudson, to more challenging hikes off campus. Some hiking trails nearby include Creekside Park, Dutchess County Rail Trail, Hyde Park Trail, and Wappinger Greenway Trail. Right now is the perfect time to go hiking because of all the beautiful fall foliage!
See a Movie
One of my favorite things to do when I’m bored is to go see a movie. The nearest movie theater to campus is the Regal Cinemas located inside of the Poughkeepsie Galleria. Some of the movies showing over October Break that I’d recommend are Sense and Sensibility and Klara and the Sun. The theater is also doing rescreenings of some amazing movies for only one day at $7.99 per ticket, including Scream 2 (October 17), Midsommar (October 23), The Addams Family (October 24), and Us (October 24). All of these movies are perfect for getting into the Halloween spirit!
Day Trip to New York City
As a Northeast native, one of my favorite things to do is to go into the city for a day! Taking the Amtrak from the Poughkeepsie Train Station will get you to Grand Central Station in less than two hours. Tickets are around $25 each, and the train ride is so scenic and beautiful! I would definitely recommend going to see a Broadway show if you can! I’m personally going to see Hadestown over break, but some of my other favorites are The Rocky Horror Show, Chicago (which is currently starring Reece Weaver from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders), Wicked, and The Great Gatsby! For those on a budget, I would recommend going to a museum. Most museums have student discounts, but tickets are pretty cheap in general. If neither of those activities piques your interest, there are so many things to do in the city!