This Luxurious Resort Is The Best In New York With Gorgeous Hudson Valley Views

If you miss spending your summers at camp like you did each year when you were a kid, then a getaway to Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection might be just what you need this year. The resort is spread across 140 acres that are filled with orchards, woodlands, and, of course, fields of wildflowers. Freestanding cabins and cottages have both indoor and outdoor living spaces, as does the communal Great Porch, which everyone drifts in and out of for coffee, snacks, and cocktails throughout the day. Plus, optional activities include everything from fly fishing and hiking to ice plunges and whiskey tastings.

Auberge Resorts Collection has unique resorts and hotels all over the world. Their award-winning properties are consistently named on Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards, as well as the new MICHELIN Key Hotel list. Wildflower Farms, which opened in the fall of 2022, is on both of these lists.

Wildflower Farms, in New York's Hudson Valley, near the small town of Gardiner, is a great spot for a fall family getaway. Though less than two hours from Manhattan, the area is a complete escape from the city. The Wallkill River, a tributary of the Hudson, flows through the center of town. The Shawangunk Ridge, affectionately called "the Gunks," rises to the west. In addition, apple orchards and pumpkin patches, a distillery, a rail trail, and a skydiving center offer something for everyone.

By the time you reach the resort, you will already be enchanted by the area. Arriving at Wildflower Farms will help you enhance that initial vibe. The property was a dairy farm and then a tree nursery before being turned into a resort. Donkeys and sheep still live on the farm, and it also grows vegetables for Clay, its rustic, seasonal restaurant. 

If you enjoy exploring, paths wind between the fitness center and movement studio, the seasonal outdoor pool, the spa, and fire pits. They also connect the cabins and cottages, which all have floor-to-ceiling windows and private terraces. The cottages add indoor gas-burning fireplaces and freestanding soaking tubs, and each has a mini bar curated with local snacks for when you want to relax.

Such luxury does come at a price, however. Summer rates start at $1,086 per night. An additional $40 nightly resort fee includes a welcome beverage, parking, farm tours, and wellness classes.  If you plan ahead and prepay, however, you can save up to 20% off the listed rate with some packages.

The open buildings, which easily merge with their surroundings, quickly make you fall in love with Wildflower Farms. But the resort's outdoor activities, both on and off the property, are what will make you want to return again and again. You can book forest-immersion walks, ice-plunge guides, and sound-healing sessions through the wellness center. A fly-fishing instructor can teach you how to properly cast for trout. "The Gunks" have a lot of hiking trails with gorgeous views. 

For delicious eats and drinks, single-barrel whiskey tastings are held at Tuthilltown Distillery, New York's first post-Prohibition distillery, right down the road. Then, back at the resort, you can join seasonal events, like the Art of Abundance, a harvest dinner series. The family-style meal is served beneath the trees and fairy lights on Maple Lane.

After a few days enjoying nature in the Hudson Valley, you will feel refreshed and rejuvenated. If you are returning to Manhattan, stop by Croton-on-Hudson, a little-known creative mecca full of parks along the Hudson River. You could also extend your Upstate New York trip by heading north to Kingston, a city with historical landmarks and an artistic flair. Both places will hold you over until you are able to return to Wildflower Farms. Just like summer camp, you might just feel its pull year after year.