Dinner and a getaway: 5 places to go near Lower Hudson this summer where food is a focus

Weekend escapes are a hallmark of summer, especially when your weekends start on a Wednesday or Thursday and stretch into Monday (or Tuesday). And while quaint towns, spa appointments, and shopping are top attractions, so, too — at least for food lovers — are places that have "drive-worthy" restaurants attached to them.

From luxe digs on Manhattan's Park Avenue to cozy cowboy vibes in the Catskills, nature loving "glamping" in Ulster County and a historic overnight in Putnam, there are plenty of options for a getaway and a great meal.

Even better: These getaways are year-round spots meaning they're just as nice in fall, winter and spring. In fact, don't be surprised if you see me there, too.

Loews Regency New York Hotel, New York City

A new chef at The Regency Bar & Grill at Loews Regency New York Hotel on Park Avenue is reason enough to book an overnight while taking in a Broadway show, museum hopping, or just plain eating your way through Manhattan.

Manjit Manohar's goal for the restaurant, known for its "Power Breakfast," is to re-establish the sophisticated space as a neighborhood spot filled with seasonal fare. Diners can expect white asparagus vichyssoise prepared with ramps, hazelnut and chive oil; diver scallop with charred cauliflower, pickled raisins and ramps; and a strawberry shortcake topped with macerated strawberry and basil. There's also a new monthly multi-course dinner series featuring local beverage purveyors with a pairing menu as well as a special Summerfest cocktail program with a Park Avenue Spritz featuring Makers Mark bourbon, lemon juice, ginger syrup, watermelon juice and Prosecco.

Plus, how can you resist one of the signature suites curated by top designers such as Nate Berkus, Meyer Davis, Rottet Studio, and Haynes Roberts, the Julien Farel Restore Salon & Spa and that overall "I'm on Park Avenue" pampered feeling? Distance from White Plains: 30 (ish) minutesMore information: 540 Park Ave., New York, 212-759-4100, loewshotels.com/regency-hotel

Diamond Mills Hotel, Saugerties

There's a true get-away-from-it-all vibe at this luxury boutique property, especially when your room has an overized bed and an outdoor balcony facing the majestic Esopus Falls. And while there's no spa yet — that's coming later this year — there's the new-ish (open since April) Blackbarn Hudson Valley restaurant, an offshoot of its Manhattan cousin helmed by acclaimed Chef John Doherty and featuring farm-to-table cuisine. Among the options: eight-hour barbecue beef ribs, olive oil-braised octopus, black sea bass, and a vegan wild mushroom ragout.

Summer eats: Waterside perches and golf course views in Westchester, Rockland

But food alone isn't the reason to come here. Though quietier than other bustling towns along the Hudson — think Beacon and Rhinebeck — this charming Ulster County spot has great trails (head to the Saugerties Lighthouse that dates to 1869), quaint shops, serene views, Instagram-worthy Victorians and, for film-lovers, a three-screen vintage movie house operated by Upstate Films called the Orpheum Theatre.

Distance from White Plains: 90 minutes More information: 25 S. Partition St., Saugerties, 845-247-0700, diamondmillshotel.com

Hutton Brickyards Retreat & Spa, Kingston

This is relaxation at its best: luxury bespoke cabins designed with an appreciation for nature and a desire to spend lazy mornings in bed. You also have the option to stay in Edgewood Mansion, which was built in 1873 for prominent brick manufacturer John A. Cordts. There are 12 guest rooms inside the three-story Second Empire-style home, along with eclectic details such as a centered tower, slate sloping concave mansard roof, iron roof cresting and a columned front porch.

As for dining, the River Pavillion takes advantage of the scenery with an open-air concept featuring wood-fired ovens and grills and warm-weather dishes like brickyard barbecue, Calabrian honey wings, burrata with snap pea pesto, tri-color heirloom tomatoes and wood-fired pizzas.

Westchester restaurants: 11 recently opened spots with more coming soon

Family and pet friendly with 70-plus acres of manicured lawn, the place is meant for lounging on Adirondack chairs with a cocktail, enjoying lawn games against the Hudson river or savoring s’mores by a firepit. And coming this fall, there will be a new signature restaurant and bar inside Edgewood, giving you even more reason to visit.

Distance from White Plains: 90 minutes More information: 132 Lindsley Ave., Kingston, 845-514-4853, huttonbrickyards.com

Urban Cowboy Lodge, Big Indian

Release your inner cowboy (or girl) at this Catskills mountain escape nestled in the Big Indian Wilderness. If a forest bath in one of their soaking tubs doesn't entice you, perhaps a steam in their Estonian sauna, a plunge in a swimming hole, a hike along a mountain trail or just relaxing by a roaring fire will. The resort, which is designed for de-plugging (hello to no cell service!), features rustic luxury accommodations as well as a live-fire restaurant that focuses on outdoor cooking with foraged ingredients and a seasonal menu intended to bring people together.

Public House at Urban Cowboy Lodge is helmed by Chef Jon Adair and features a vegetable forward menu with items such as beer battered squash, roasted cabbage, and smoked carrots. Other entrees include smoked chicken, hanger steak, steelhead trout and duck confit.

This summer there's even a mushroom hunting expedition to partake in along with axe throwing, yoga, fly fishing and wine and spirit tastings.

Distance from White Plains: Two hoursMore information: 37 Alpine Road, Big Indian, 845-254-5026, urbancowboy.com/catskills

The Bird & Bottle Inn, Garrison

The booking system isn't set up yet at The Bird, as locals call it, but bookings are taking place at the five-room inn, one of which is a standalone cottage just off the main house (call or email). Though the rooms may be over 260 years old — the inn dates to 1761 — they've all been modernized with luxurious touches like world class mattresses, fluffy duvets and crisp white sheets. They also have generous-sized tubs perfect for soaking your stress away.

There's also a welcoming front porch (perfect for relaxing and reading), a library (more books in case you didn't bring your own), eight fireplaces, lots of cozy nooks and an intimate tavern and gourmet restaurant designed around seasonality and the bounty of the Hudson Valley. Sample dishes include duck pappardelle, 16-ounce bone-in Berkshire pork shop, pea flower risotto and Goffle Farms chicken paillard.

The inn's history is a big part of its charm (as are the uneven original wood floors). As stories go, The Bird once housed George Washington’s Continental troops as it was perfectly sited between The Fishkill Military Supply Depot, Garrison Redoubts, West Point and The Beverly Robinson House where generals like Benedict Arnold were stationed during the war. George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and The Marquis de Lafayette likely passed through the property. It was also a centrally located stop for watering horses and grabbing a pint.

Distance from White Plains: 40 minutes More information: 1123 Old Albany Post Road, Garrison, 845-424-2333, thebirdandbottleinn.com

Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @lohud_food or via the lohudfood newsletter. 

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Five summer getaways near Hudson Valley NY with great food