Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown
Do you love spooky, witchy vibes? Are you partial to that cozy fall feeling? If you said yes to either, then two villages that embody those qualities, year round, are Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown. Located about 25 miles north of New York City, these two villages sit along the Hudson River. From small cafes and witch coven stores to independent bookstores and a historic cemetery, you could get lost here for the day - in a good way of course. Over the last four falls, I have been to these villages three times. To get here, you can either take the Metro-North Railroad from Grand Central in NYC or drive! Rather than writing out a detailed itinerary, here is a travel guide for each village to make the most of your time.
Depending on where you are coming in from will depend on your departure time and arrival method. Here is my personal travel guide, with some other tips, that I followed for an early fall girl’s trip with my Mom.
Lyndhurst Mansion Craft Fair
Every September hundreds of artisans gather on the front lawn of the Lyndhurst Mansion for a three-day craft fair (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
Ticket prices range from $6-$16 with free on-site parking
The fair has food and drinks for purchase (plus lots of samples from the vendors)
After spending some time walking around, don't miss out on walking down to the mansion and seeing the trails behind the house!
You can tour the mansion but you need to purchase tickets for that; tickets range from $5.75-$27.25
Tarrytown
What better way to kick off your trip than a stop into the The Bakehouse of Tarrytown
It’s located at the Tarrytown Train Station and is a true staple of this village
Plenty of savory and sweet treats to choose from, I went with a cheddar scallion biscuit and a cinnamon bun then paired my treats with a chai latte- it was delicious!
They also offer sandwiches, wraps, salads and more (be sure to check their website for kitchen hours)
Walk up toward Main Street for some shopping and more treats! We did a lot of window shopping this time around, but here are a few places we stopped into:
Main Street Sweets (homemade ice cream and it’s truly delectable)
Transom Bookshop
The Purple Ostrich (at the top of Main St. on Broadway)
Pretty Funny Vintage (before you get into Tarrytown on Broadway)
Sleepy Hollow Souvenirs (before you get into Tarrytown on Broadway)
Here are some other top-rated shops and boutiques to check out in Tarrytown:
Trilogy Consignment
Boundless Space
Shaylula Jewelry & Gifts
Bella’s Boutique
The Swan’s House
Belkind Bigi
When it comes to food we usually head to our go-to spots: Horsefeathers or the Beekman Ale House in Sleepy Hollow but if you are looking for a spot to eat on Main Street in Tarrytown, pretty much all of the restaurants score 4.3 stars and higher on Google Reviews! And if you want a bagel to kick start the day, Horseman Bagels is your spot.
Sleepy Hollow
These two villages are so close together you could actually walk from one to the other - 0.6 miles along Broadway, so about a 14 minute walk
If you opt to walk, and you happen to be in the area on a Saturday, make sure to check out TaSH Farmer’s Market
The market is held in Patriots Park - right near Sleepy Hollow High School
It runs during the summer season from late-May to late-November
The hours are 8:30am-1:30pm
According to the site, there is plenty of parking at John Paulding School plus street parking!
As you finish up at the Farmer’s Market don’t miss the historic “Welcome to Sleepy Hollow” sign that is right on Broadway and just before you get to Beekman Street
Once in Sleepy Hollow, check out these shops:
Cozy Coven (spooky, witchy shop)
Sleepy Hollow Bookshop (mostly geared toward kids & YA, also offers coffee)
Sleepy Coffee Too (a non-profit coffeehouse that offers training and employment for individuals who have disabilities)
If you come around fall/Halloween they have plenty of specialty lattes
As mentioned earlier, my go-to spot in Sleepy Hollow for food is Beekman Ale House! They have delicious bar pizza and if you time it up right they will have cider mimosas, pumpkin ale and Oktoberfest beers on the menu. Just know this is a popular spot SO it can get busy fast.
Now that you are fueled up, here are a couple of different options to close out your day (in the event you didn’t do these earlier):
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery (Free entry)
Philipsburg Manor ($18 a ticket)
Rockefeller State Park Reserve (open year round, dawn to dusk)
DeCicco & Sons grocery store
Now you might ask: why did I suggest visiting a grocery store? Well, it’s not just ANY grocery store. From mid-September through Halloween weekend, Decicco & Sons Sleepy Hollow host Fall Fest on Saturdays and Sundays where they have fresh apple cider, apple cider donuts, fall decor and little fall goodies.
If you head inside, check out all the great hot and cold food options plus their bakery!
After you pay, head upstairs where you can eat in its elevated cafeteria where they also have a bar, TVs, and an area to order pizzas
Also if you are a movie and TV nerd like I am, then you will geek on a few items up here. Around the upper level, there are display cases showing off a few costumes worn by the actors in both the Sleepy Hollow movie and TV show!
And they always say, save the best for last! Close out your spooky trip with a visit to the Historic Hudson Valley’s The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze - where you will probably leave in awe.
Thousands of pumpkins intricately carved, lit up and organized all over the Historic Van Cortlandt Manor property (Croton-on-Hudson, NY)
Ticket prices and availability vary so be sure to secure them early
There is parking on site plus drinks and snacks available for purchase
Have any questions? Be sure to read the event’s 'Know Before You Go’
If you didn’t get a chance to eat dinner in Sleepy Hollow or Tarrytown, there is a delicious Italian restaurant right down the street from the Blaze: Capriccio