New York's Hidden Hudson Valley City Has A Vibrant Downtown And Outdoorsy Charm On The Delaware River

The Hudson Valley has long served as an outdoorsy escape for New Yorkers. It's home to detour-worthy parks and gardens from the popular Bear Mountain State Park to the Chinese-style Innisfree Garden in Milbrook and the famous Storm King Art Center, one of America's largest outdoor sculpture parks. But some of the region's most beautiful landscapes can be easily appreciated from a lesser-known spot: the town of Port Jervis, New York.

Hidden away near the borders of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, in a mountainous area right at the confluence of the Delaware and Neversink Rivers, Port Jervis (population 8,600) is framed by nature. Visitors can explore the surrounding wilderness on a hiking, biking, or kayaking excursion, or even venture across the state line to High Point State Park, a New Jersey escape perfect for fishing and camping, just a 12-minute drive away. Later in the day, return to the breweries, cafés, and restaurants of Port Jervis' vibrant downtown.

Start your outdoor explorations with an easy 2-mile hike around the tree-lined Brewer's Reservoir, part of the Port Jervis Watershed Park and Recreation Area. The out-and-back hike takes an hour or less to complete. Of similar duration is the mile-long D&H Canal & Gravity Railroad Trail, part of the same recreation area. On the flat, shaded, out-and-back trail, hikers regularly spot deer, foxes, and even hawks. The watershed also features a network of mountain biking trails.

In summer, you can get out on the Delaware River on an excursion with Silver Canoe & Whitewater Rafting (check with the company for current rates). You can also rent a kayak or river tube to explore the Upper Delaware, a wildly scenic river system and national park site. 

For sweeping views over the Delaware River, drive up to the lookout points on nearby Hawk's Nest Highway (NY Route 97), just a few miles outside of town. The winding road, sometimes featured in car ads, offers dramatic vistas over the river valley, forested hills, and sandstone cliffs below. 

Back in downtown Port Jervis, a lively food scene awaits. Wake Cup is a stylish women-owned coffee shop beloved by locals, while Fogwood + Fig serves vegan cuisine in a sleek minimalist space. Go for craft beers at the brick-lined Fox N Hare Brewing Co., or step back in time at the Erie Hotel & Restaurant, a restored landmark establishment built in 1890. Today, the restaurant serves elevated comfort food, and the hotel's quaint rooms offer a needed respite after a day exploring nature. 

Erie Hotel & Restaurant is the only lodging in town, but you can find more hotels across the Pennsylvania border, including the Hampton Inn Matamoras/Milford and the Best Western Hunt's Landing Hotel Matamoras/Milford. Both are about a 10-minute drive from downtown Port Jervis. 

Port Jervis is just over a two-hour drive from New York City and its international airports (or more, depending on traffic). The town is also connected to New York's Port Authority Bus Terminal by public transportation: it takes about three hours to make the trip using NJ Transit Rail and/or NJ Transit Bus.