This Scenic Byway Boasts Some Of The Most Beautiful Views On The East Coast

From the Palisades Scenic Byway, you can see the George Washington Bridge with the skyline of New York City in the background. The road along the Hudson River might just have the most stunning views in the Tri-State area, if not the entire East Coast of the United States.

The Palisades Scenic Byway is a nearly 27-mile road that runs atop the Palisades into the lower Hudson Valley. The Palisades are steep cliffs that rise along the west side of the Hudson River from Jersey City, New Jersey, to Nyack, New York. The byway, also called the Palisades Interstate Parkway, was built in the 1940s and 1950s. It starts at the southern end in Fort Lee Historic Park. This 33-acre park has a visitor center and museum, a reconstructed 18th-century soldier's hut and campsite, and reconstructed gun batteries. It also offers scenic Hudson River & George Washington Bridge views. The byway continues north, eventually ending just south of Fort Montgomery, New York.

To drive the length of the byway, you will need a car. LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is only 12 miles from the western side of the George Washington Bridge, but with traffic and multiple bridges to cross, the trip from Queens can take almost an hour. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) is slightly farther away at 20 miles. Traffic on I-95 North usually moves faster heading toward Fort Lee. The closest airport to the byway's northern entrance is the smaller New York Stewart International Airport (SWF).

As you drive north on the Palisades Scenic Byway, you will find many historic sites and parks along the way. You will also find lookouts, picnic areas, trails, and beaches as part of the Palisades Interstate Park, a 12-mile-long park that runs parallel to the byway. The park contains more than 30 miles of trails. Its two longest ones, the waterfront Palisades Shore Trail and the Long Path, are easily accessible when you stop along the byway.

After leaving Fort Lee Historic Park, Allison Park in Englewood Cliffs should be your first stop. The clifftop park has pretty landscaping, unique plants, and benches facing the busy double-decked suspension bridge. As you drive north, you will climb higher, eventually reaching the Rockefeller and Alpine Lookouts with their panoramic views. The latter has a historic stone picnic pavilion. It is also near the Kearney House, the oldest building in the New Jersey section of the Palisades, as well as the Women's Federation Monument, a miniature castle built to honor the New Jersey State Federation of Women's Clubs that played a large role in preserving the Palisades.

The Women's Federation Monument sits just below the State Line Lookout. The highest point in the Palisades is here. Point Lookout has the State Line Café, a gift shop, and 5 miles of cross-country skiing trails in the winter. The views are incredible, too, of course.

Once the Palisades Scenic Byway crosses into New York, it veers west as it enters the Hudson Valley before curving back east. Though the road doesn't hug the Hudson River, it's a picturesque drive that passes farmland, woodland, and numerous state parks. Tallman Mountain State Park sits just above the New Jersey border, for example. This small, wooded park overlooking the Piermont Marsh has ponds, trails, and a meadow with panoramic valley views.

Farther north, you will drive into Harriman State Park, the second-largest state park in New York covering more than 44,000 acres. It has beaches, camping areas, and 31 lakes and reservoirs. There are also more than 200 miles of hiking trails, some connecting to the Appalachian Trail, the famous, 2,180-mile footpath that stretches from Georgia to Maine. Its views over the Hudson Highlands are stunning during fall foliage.

Harriman State Park borders another popular state park on its northeastern edge. Bear Mountain State Park is famous for the Perkins Memorial Tower, an observation deck with 360-degree views of the river and mountains so you can take in views of the New York City skyline. Though the Palisades Scenic Byway ends at a traffic circle near the Bear Mountain Bridge, you can keep heading north to explore the Hudson Valley, a great spot for a fall family getaway. You couldn't escape the beautiful views on this part of the East Coast even if you wanted to.