A Walkable Charming Village With An Impeccable Farmer's Market Is Just A Metro Ride Away From NYC

Winding through the Hudson Valley, the Metro-North Railroad is a godsend for people in New York City who need a break from the urban rush. The route connects NYC to places such as the charming, artsy day trip destination of Peekskill and the Storm King Art Center, one of America's largest outdoor sculpture parks. Pleasantville is a quieter village in the leafy hills of Westchester County, bordered by nature preserves and city suburbs. The village is small but compact, with most of its action clustered around a downtown lined with colonial homes, where buildings are rarely higher than two or three stories. You could walk from Pleasant Lake at one end of the town to Soldier and Sailors Park at the other end in about 30 minutes.

Pleasantville's farmer's market has earned the village the most acclaim. The market is one of the largest in Westchester County, and Westchester Magazine has named it the county's best farmer's market for more than a decade. It takes place at the village center along Memorial Plaza, where there are also several lovely restaurants and cafés. You could grab some food to go and set up a picnic at the sprawling Graham Hills Park nearby. Pleasantville has a youthful vibe, with its streets filling with students from the local Pace University campus during the school year. But no matter when you visit, its historic streets make it a great place to simply stroll around and stumble upon some gems.

The train pulls in at the village's central hub, Memorial Plaza. It's here that the Pleasantville farmer's market is held, every Saturday between April and December from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The market has delighted its locals and visitors to the city since 1997, and the fact that it's entirely volunteer-driven is an indicator of the community's affection for it. The booths include a mix of fixed weekly vendors plus guest vendor spots that rotate each week. One of the unique guarantees of the market is that all of its vendors are vetted to ensure that the items sold are truly locally grown or made and not funneled through wholesalers.

Among some of the regulars are the French-style Bien Cuit bakery, Buddhapesto (specializing in basil pesto), and Chaseholm Farm Creamery. Regular market attendee Jennifer Odom told Westchester Magazine, "I get our bread for the week, and we get a paleta, or this pickle-on-a-stick, or the goat chocolate milk from Chaseholm [Farm] Creamery. We know them by name. And we love the pesto guy." Some other things you can expect to find at the market are artisanal crackers, pure olive oil, wine from Hudson Valley vineyards, and a plethora of succulent fruits and vegetables.

Aside from its array of fresh food vendors, the market also hosts a live music series during the warmer seasons, and it sponsors the annual apple pie-baking contest. The contest, which takes place in early October, is a favorite, and attendees can try out a slice from the different contestants after a winner is determined.

One of the appeals of Pleasantville, especially if you're day-tripping from New York City, is that you're right in the heart of the village as soon as you step off the train — no need to worry about taxiing around. From Grand Central Station in Manhattan, it's about an hour-long journey via the Metro-North Railroad's Harlem line directly to the Pleasantville stop. It takes about the same amount of time by car.

Near the Memorial Plaza is the Jacob Burns Film Center, which is something of a local curiosity. It's located inside the former Rome Theater, built in 1925 and one of the first cinemas in Westchester County. The theater today screens indie films, and be sure to check out its third floor, where there's a gallery for rotating film-related exhibitions.

Walk along Bedford Road to see Pleasantville's gorgeous, historic architecture. Stately colonial-style homes line the street, many of which were built before 1900. One of those is the grandiose Marmaduke Forster House, parts of which were first built in 1786. Those interested in the organic architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright should visit the Usonia Historic District that's adjacent to central Pleasantville. Wright left a significant imprint in New York state, with some of his masterpieces being the best things to visit in Niagara Falls. But the Usonia Historic District is unique not only for its architectural excellence, but also for being a planned, cooperative community that represented Wright's broader vision for cities.