Looking for a distillery to visit on the weekends that is within driving distance from NYC? Is your idea of a perfect weekend touring and sampling spirits at a Hudson Valley distillery?
What about lunch at a local Westchester brewery? Or spend your afternoon touring a small batch whiskey distillery in the Hudson Valley?
There are a lot of breweries, distilleries and cideries in the Hudson Valley and Westchester County that are within easy driving distance from NYC.
Below are 12 Hudson Valley Distilleries, Breweries and Cideries to visit on weekends.
Note: Please contact the distillery, cidery and brewery directly to confirm their latest operating hours and tour availability.
Lunch at a Brewery in Westchester County
Lunch at Captain Lawrence’s Brewing Company Outdoor Beer Garden
Learn about the brewing process from start to finish at Captain Lawrence, the largest craft brewery in the area.
Sample Captain Lawrence’s award-winning sour beers, IPAs, lagers and specialty craft beers and have lunch at the Westchester brewery.
Captain Lawrence Brewery has two Westchester brewery locations- Elmsford, NY and Mount Kisco, NY.
There are ample outdoor beer garden seating at both Captain Lawrence Brewery locations where you can spend the afternoon sampling craft beers and enjoying your favorite pub food fare.
If you are a big fan of BBQ meats, you should go to the Captain Lawrence Mount Kisco Beer Garden location where BBQ meats are smoked in-house.
Both Captain Lawrence Westchester beer garden locations are family friendly serving kid friendly favorites.
Captain Lawrence Elmsford is located at 444 Saw Mill River Rd., Elmsford, NY. Phone: 914-741-2337. Captain Lawrence Mount Kisco is located at 369 Lexington Ave, Mount Kisco, NY. Phone: 845-261-3279.
Lunch at a Hudson Valley Microbrewery
Have Lunch at Peekskill Brewery
Peekskill Brewery is a microbrewery in the Hudson Valley.
Peekskill Brewery is known for its IPA, Lager and Sour Ales.
Spend your afternoon at the outdoor beer garden sampling Peekskill Brewery’s IPAs and craft beers.
There is also a food menu available serving pub fares like wings, pizza and burgers for lunch at this Hudson Valley microbrewery.
Peekskill Brewery is located at 47 South Water Street, Peekskill, NY. Phone: 914-734-2337
BBQ Lunch at a Hudson Valley Microbrewery
Beer and BBQ at Defiant Brewing Company
Pulled Pork and Baby Back Ribs with a craft beer? You can have your beer and BBQ at Defiant Brewing Company a microbrewery in Hudson River’s Pearl River, NY.
Defiant Brewing Company is a microbrewery located in Rockland County just across the Hudson River from NYC.
There is also a smokehouse at Defiant Brewery featuring an extensive BBQ menu consisting of pulled pork, chicken wings, smoked beef briskets and baby back ribs served with sides or in your tacos.
Spend your afternoon at Defiant Brewing Company’s indoor beer hall or outdoor patio, and sample craft beers with your BBQ at this Hudson Valley microbrewery.
Defiant Brewing Company at 6 East Dexter Plaza, Pearl River, NY. Phone: (845) 920-8602
Whiskey, Bourbon and Spirits Tasting at a Hudson Valley Distillery
Whiskey and Bourbon Tastings and Tour at a Hudson Valley Distillery
Spend the afternoon at Tuthilltown Spirits Distillery.
Tuthilltown Distillery is a Hudson Valley craft distillery located on 36 acres of picturesque land at the foot of Shawangunk Mountains in Ulster County, New York.
You will be inspired by the history of how Tuthilltown Distillery was founded by New Yorker, Ralph Erenzo after the prohibition. Tuthilltown Distillery is the maker of Hudson Whiskey.
Learn about the whiskey and bourbon distilling process during your tour of Tuthilltown Distillery.
Or stop at the Visitor’s Center at the Hudson Valley distillery to sample whiskeys and spirits. Self-Guided Tasting kits are on sale at the Tuthilltown distillery Visitor’s Center- the kit comes with a Branded Hudson Whiskey NY rocks glass, tasting notes and samples of 5 spirits.
There is no onsite restaurant at the distillery but you can pack a picnic and have a relaxing lunch on the Great Lawn at the distillery next to the Shawangunkill River.
Tuthilltown Spirits at 14 Grist Mill Lane, Gardiner, NY
Behind the Scenes Distillery and Malt House Tour at a Hudson Valley Distillery
Hillrock Estate Distillery is a Hudson Valley distillery producing the finest hand-crafted spirits made with their own grain, craft distilled in copper pot still, aged in fine oak and hand bottled at the Hudson Valley distillery.
Get a behind-the-scenes tour of the distilling process at Hillrock Estate Distillery.
After the distillery tour, sample a variety of Hillrock’s award winning small-batch whiskeys. Hillrock Estate Distillery tours must be booked online in advance.
Hillrock Estate Distillery at 408 Pooles Hill Road, Ancram, New York
Sample Award-Winning Bourbon at a Hudson Valley Distillery
Taconic Distillery is the producer of New York State’s premier craft bourbon.
Taconic Distillery tasting room is only open on Saturdays from 12pm to 6pm.
You can sample Taconic Distillery’s award winning spirits at the tasting room of this Hudson Valley distillery. There is also a gift shop in the tasting room.
Advanced reservations are not required to visit Taconic Distillery’s tasting room. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy it at Taconic Distillery’s large outdoor patio overlooking scenic farmland with lawn games and a fire pit.
Taconic Distillery at 179 Bowen Road, Stanfordville, NY
Spirits, Lunch and Live Music at a Hudson Valley Distillery
Spend your afternoon at Hudson Valley Distillers. Stop by Hudson Valley Distiller’s tasting room to sample a variety of their award winning spirits or enjoy a cocktail at this Hudson Valley distillery’s outdoor patio.
Their tasting room is family-friendly and the outdoor patio is pet-friendly. On weekends there is live music and food trucks on-site at Hudson Valley Distillers where you can grab lunch while enjoying your favorite spirits and cocktails.
Wine, beer and cider on tap are also available at Hudson Valley Distillers. Tours of Hudson Valley Distillers are also available with advanced booking.
Hudson Valley Distillers at 1727 Route 9, Clermont, NY
Tour and Taste the Spirits at a Hudson Valley Distillery
Denning’s Point Distillery is an award winning Hudson Valley distillery.
Artisanal spirits are crafted from the highest quality grains from local farms at Denning Point’s Distillery downtown 19th century buildings in Beacon, NY.
Stop by and visit Denning’s Point Distillery tasting room and urban production space. No advanced reservations are required to visit the tasting room at this Hudson Valley distillery.
Denning’s Point Distillery is at 10 N. Chestnut Street, Beacon, NY
Learn about “Tree to Bottle” Distillery Process at a Hudson Valley Distillery
Spend your weekend afternoon at Harvest Spirits Farm Distillery with a craft cocktail and BBQ from the onsite Harvest Smokehouse at this Hudson Valley Distillery.
Harvest Spirits is a true Farm Distillery located on an apple farm in Valatie, NY.
Sample Vodka and Gin made from Home Grown Apples. Sample Brandy crafted from Bartlett Pears or Bourbon Whiskey-Like Apple Jack crafted from Hudson Valley Apples.
Harvest Spirits Farm Distillery tasting room is open daily from 12-5pm and the Harvest Smokehouse is open Thursday to Monday 11:30am to 6pm.
Don’t forget to check out their small batch artisanal vinegars crafted from Hudson Valley apples- think balsamic style apple vinegar.
Harvest Spirits Farm Distillery is at 3074 Rt. 9, Valatie, NY
Cider Tasting at a Hudson Valley Cideries
Cider Tasting at Hardscrabble Cider
Spend your Friday or Saturday night at Hardscrabble Cider. Enjoy live music, food trucks and sample Hardscrabble Cider’s award winning craft ciders.
Hardscrabble Ciders are hand crafted, farm-to-bottle beverages where all stages of the cider making process take place on the farm – from growing, picking and cleaning the apples, to pressing, fermenting and bottling the cider.
The cider is pressed from a blend of all 10 apple varieties grown on site at the Hardscrabble Cider apple orchard.
Advanced reservations are required for Hardscrabble Cider’s Friday and Saturday night events.
Hardscrabble Cider at 130 Hardscrabble Rd, North Salem, NY
Yoga and Cider Tasting at Angry Orchard Hard Cider
Imagine spending your Saturday morning enjoying scenic views of a 60 acre apple orchard while attending yoga class on the back lawn of Angry Orchard Hard Cider.
What about going on an orchard tour to learn more about apple growing methods and craft cider making and ending your tour with a guided tasting of award winning ciders.
Looking for something a little less structured? How is an Angry Orchard picnic pack complete with a bottle of cider, a picnic blanket & glassware for 2 to enjoy on the lawn.
Or a visit to the Angry Orchard Cider House with indoor and outdoor seating where you can enjoy a flight of cider with pizza from the kitchen.
In addition to the food at the Angry Orchard Cider House, food trucks are also available onsite on Saturdays and Sundays. Cider House seating are available on a first come, first served basis (they don’t take reservations).
However, advanced reservations is required for the Angry Orchard Yoga Class and the Orchard Tour and Tasting. The Angry Orchard picnic pack should also be ordered in advance.
Angry Orchard Cider at 2241 Albany Post Road, Walden, NY
Apple Picking and Cider Tasting at Bad Seed Cider
Looking for a family friendly activity that everyone can enjoy? What about apple picking, exploring an apple orchard and cider tasting?
Stop by Bad Seed Cider’s Farm Bar in Highland, NY where there is ample outdoor seating. Pizza and smoothies are also available from Bad Seed Cider’s Farm Bar.
If you want to check out the craft cider making process, you should make a stop at Bad Seed’s Cidery and Taproom also located in Highland, NY.
Order a flight of cider and enjoy it with pizza and fries from the kitchen at the Bad Seed Cidery and Taproom. Reservations are not necessary at both Bad Seed Cider locations.
Bad Seed Cider Farm Bar at 341 Pancake Hollow Road, Highland, NY and Bad Seed Cidery and Taproom at 43 Baileys Gap Rd, Highland, NY
You May Also Be Interested In:
10 Best Waterfront Restaurants in Westchester County
20 Waterfront Restaurants in Connecticut with Outdoor Seating
Lobster Rolls? Must Visit Seafood Shacks in CT
Outdoor Beer Gardens in Westchester County
Need a Real Estate Agent in the New York Suburbs?
Suburbs 101 has a free service to connect you with local real estate agents. Check it out!
About Suburbs 101
Suburbs 101 is an online lifestyle guide for the New York Suburbs of Westchester County, Long Island, Fairfield County and Northern New Jersey. Get the inside scoop on what it’s really like to live in the New York suburbs through our interviews with local suburbanites and features on Food, Fashion, Home, Travel, and Local Events. Be sure to Follow Us on Instagram, Like Us on Facebook and subscribe to our Monthly Newsletter.