Where Hudson Valley homeowners take out-of-town guests in the fall

Fall brings a steady wave of visitors to the region, and homeowners often end up as the local tour guide whether they planned to be one or not. A few drives consistently deliver: Route 9W along the river, the roads through Rosendale and High Falls, and the loop up toward Woodstock.

Kingston's Stockade District is worth a walk for the older stone architecture, and it pairs well with a stop for cider or apples on the way back through Highland or Marlboro.

If your guests want a longer day, the drive up toward the Catskills from Saugerties gives a good mix of foliage and elevation change without requiring a full day trip.

None of this requires much planning — the region does most of the work in October. Just leave a little extra time; the scenic routes get slower on weekends as more people have the same idea.