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 Olana in Hudson, Frederic Church’s studio and home in Hudson. Photo by Rolf Müller via Wikimedia Commons

Nary a week goes by that doesn’t include a mention in the press about Hudson, N.Y. Why, earlier this month, Jetsetter.com included Hudson River city in its top 10 Coolest Towns. In Niche’s rankings, Hudson is in the top 23 best towns to raise a family in New York, certainly a far cry from its origins as a rough-and-tumble whaling town and Hudson Valley’s infamous red-light district.

With all the attention paid to its antique stores, galleries, restaurants, sauerkrauteries, and music venues, we sometimes forget that there’s a whole Columbia County outside of Hudson that’s pretty darn spectacular, especially in the summertime.

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High Falls Conservation Area

If you go: Narrowing down stuff to do in Columbia County is no easy task. Luckily, Columbia County, which is located east of the Hudson River approximately 2.5 hours from Brooklyn, is not the biggest county around. You can cover a lot of ground in a short period of time if you’ve got your course planned.

Start off with Olana Historic Site just outside of Hudson city. Tour painter Frederic Church’s impressive Victorian/Middle Eastern-inspired manse, or simply enjoy the grounds (free of charge) with spectacular views of the Hudson Valley. Continue into Hudson proper to visit the farmers market, which takes place every Saturday, for some local produce or a freshly-baked pastry.

Head out of Hudson due east for about 20 minutes to the High Falls Conservation Area for a bit of hiking. High Falls is the tallest waterfall in Columbia County, and the views from the upper trail are spectacular.

The lower trails will take you down to the creek, and if you like a rock scramble across the water, you can get all the way to the bottom of the falls. Swimming, sadly, is not allowed.

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Fields Sculpture Park, Omi International Arts Center

After your hike, travel north on Route 66 to the Omi International Arts Center in Ghent. Omi’s sculpture garden is free and open to the public every day of the year, and a complete tour of the park makes for an hour-plus walk in woods and open fields (spotted with sculpture, of course) across varied terrain. Visitors can even borrow bikes. Bring a picnic lunch.

If you want to add another impressive waterfall to your trip around Columbia County, drive 15 minutes north of Omi to the village of Valatie (pronounced “vuh-LAY-sha”). The Beaver Falls is situated right in the center of town with plenty of vantage points to see it up close and personal. As you’re out and about, make sure you do plenty of rubbernecking at the beautiful farmhouses that dot the landscape.

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Beaver Falls, Valatie

If you stay for the summer: There are no shortage of summer rentals on the market in Columbia County. Check out the Rentals page on Brownstoner Upstate for a selection of seasonal rental properties, or cast your eyes below for two of our favorite picks.

106 oak hill rd hudson ny

106 Oak Hill Road, Hudson: $3,500 a month

This cedar shake beauty is located about seven minutes south of Hudson in the hamlet of Livingston, and it’s available to rent for July and August. The fresh, modern interior includes two bedrooms and two baths in a 1,200-square-foot space. Even though it’s a short term rental, you’ll still need tenant’s insurance for this one. Lot Size: .5 acres. 106 Oak Hill Road, Hudson (Gary DiMauro) GMAP.

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20 swiss farms rd claverack ny

20 Swiss Farms Road, Claverack: $2,000 a month

Speaking of gorgeous interiors, we love this mid-mod in Claverack, situated about a 20 minute walk from the entrance of High Falls Conservation Area. Comes with a big piece of land to enjoy during the warm months, as well as all the interior furnishings. Includes a vegetable garden and detached garage. Beds: 5. Baths: 3. Square Feet: 1680. Lot Size: 5.6 acres. 20 Swiss Farm Road, Claverack (Gary DiMauro) GMAP.

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  1. I recommend the natural beauty, friendly folks, affordable real estate (rentals and sales) et al of Delaware, Schoharie, Greene, and Ulster Counties. Columbia County is very overpriced and overcrowded. Shoo! Go west.