Jul 25, 2023

Peekskill, New York, is located 40 minutes southwest of Meadowland and 50 miles north of New York City. Peekskill offers many arts and cultural events, historic attractions, museums, shops, and restaurants. Let’s take a look at some of the top ways to spend a day exploring the charming city of Peekskill.

Peekskill Coffee

Coffee in Peekskill Ny

Start your Peekskill adventure with an energizing espresso at Peekskill Coffee, a quirky coffee shop in the downtown district. Peekskill Coffee offers many coffee variations, including drip brewed, cortado, espresso, and cafe au lait. Latte fans will love the creative hearts and foamy designs in their cups.

Before you explore, sample some of the coffee shop’s fresh pastries, such as scones, croissants, muffins, bagels, and brownies. You can choose specialty crepes, waffles, or paninis for a more substantial meal.

The bustling shop is a popular local hangout and hosts live music, trivia nights, and other entertainment events. The shop interior features paintings by local artists on the walls and is a wonderful place to plan your day. Enjoy the lively ambiance and soak up good vibes while sipping your favorite coffee.

Location: 101 S. Division St.

Hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Bucko!

After savoring your coffee, head next door to Bucko!, a delightful boutique with a unique selection of clothing and home goods. The wonderfully curated shop carries vintage and current apparel and other merchandise, such as tote bags and T-shirts, which make perfect gifts. You can also find candles, puzzles, home decor, infant clothing, and accessories in the shop.

The friendly owners, Brian and Katie Orsi, are often there to chat with customers and assist with finding the perfect gift. The shop features new items weekly, so stop in whenever you visit Peekskill.

Location: 107 S. Division St.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

Bruised Apple Books and Music

Bruised Apple Books and Music is a used bookstore and curio shop. Since opening in 1993, it’s become a popular shopping destination for locals and visitors. The bookstore has wall-to-ceiling shelves and plenty of areas for lounging while you browse nearly 50,000 books, including many rare books and out-of-print titles. This alluring bookstore is full of unexpected treasures.

Whether you’re a serious book collector, an avid reader, or just looking for a gift for that hard-to-buy-for person, Bruised Apple has something that will appeal to you. The shop’s bookshelves are bursting with books, movies, CDs, and knickknacks that can keep you engaged for hours, or you may prefer flipping through the vast selection of vinyl records. Plenty of step stools are located throughout the store to help you browse those upper shelves.

Bruised Apple also has an excellent selection of books, postcards, and maps on the history and landscape of the Hudson Valley and Westchester County.

Location: 923 Central Ave.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

The Hudson Creamery

If you find yourself in Peekskill this summer, stop by The Hudson Creamery. What could be more enjoyable than artisanal ice cream on a steamy summer day? Kids love eating hand-dipped ice cream cones on old-fashioned backless stools and posing for photos on the carousel horse mounted inside the ice cream shop.

The Hudson Creamery serves Jane’s Ice Cream, hand-crafted in small batches in the Hudson Valley. You can choose from 29 standard or exotic flavors, such as apricot orange blossom, pomegranate molasses, and rum raisin. Of course, you can also pick from more traditional flavors, including vanilla bean or cookies and cream. The shop makes mouth-watering sundaes, milkshakes, and ice cream cookie sandwiches.

Location: 55 Hudson Ave.

Hours: Thursday and Friday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, noon to 9 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 8 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday. The Hudson Creamery closes for the winter season.

Lincoln Depot Museum

On February 19, 1861, President-elect Abraham Lincoln took his inaugural train ride from Springfield, Illinois, to Washington, DC. En route, he stopped to give a whistle-stop speech at a small depot in Peekskill. Today, the Lincoln Depot Museum is a 3,000-square-foot museum inside the Peekskill Freight Depot commemorating Lincoln’s visit.

The museum houses a substantial collection of Civil War-era artifacts and memorabilia. History buffs will enjoy the rare maps, photos, and original documents highlighting Lincoln’s activity in the Hudson Valley.

Location: 41 S. Water St.

Hours: The Lincoln Depot Museum is open seasonally from May 6 through Nov. 19, 2023, Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Paramount Hudson Valley

When you head to Peekskill, see what’s happening at the Paramount Hudson Valley Theater. Originally a 1500-seat movie palace that opened in 1930, the aging building was restored in 2006 with a $1 million grant from New York State. Today the historic building is a Westchester County Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is used as a performing arts center.

The theater hosts a variety of shows, including live musical performances, stand-up comedy acts, dance, and ballet. Artists featured in recent years include Orleans, Joan Boaz, and Herman’s Hermits. You can also enjoy tribute bands covering music by artists such as Billy Joel, the Carpenters, Johnny Cash, and Led Zeppelin.

Location: 1008 Brown St.

Flat Iron Gallery

Flat Iron Gallery is a community art gallery on the second floor of the historic Flatiron Building, which was built in 1910 and also houses Peekskill Coffee and Bucko!

Flat Iron Gallery features the work of over 100 local artists for sale. The gallery’s merchandise includes paintings, photographs, blown glass, pottery, wearable art, and handmade jewelry. It’s the perfect place to find a unique gift for someone special or purchase an excellent addition to your art collection.

Location: 105 S. Division St.

Hours: Friday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.

Spend a Day Exploring Peekskill, New York

If you’re spending a day in Peekskill, New York, we hope that you visit some of these great shops and attractions suggested by our friendly team at Meadowland GMC. Did we mention your favorite Peekskill destination? Drop us a line if we missed it so that we can add it to a future list.

Photo Credit: white and brown paper cup by Kelly Sikkema is licensed with Unsplash License