About our rating systemOnly a decade or so ago, Hudson was a small upstate town with very little going for it save a setting near the river and good bones in its run-down architecture. However, an influx of antiques dealers and part-time residents from New York City has given it a remarkable makeover, resulting in a premier upstate shopping destination. Today it is the antiquing destination of the Hudson Valley and full of enjoyable shops, restaurants and bars. Most of the development and refurbishing is restricted to a single street, the long and charming Warren Street, which is packed end-to-end with antiques shops, several catering to those with an interest in contemporary and midcentury modern aesthetics. Also worth checking out in Hudson is the surprisingly engaging FASNY Museum of Firefighting (117 Harry Howard Ave.; tel. 518/828-7695; donation suggested; daily 9am-4:30pm). Hudson, home to the oldest volunteer fire department in the U.S., is also the site of this large and very well-organized museum, which has been around since 1925. It contains more than 80 fire apparatus, ranging from a 1725 Newsham wooden cart, the first fire "engine" in New York City, to wonderfully ornate, mid-19th-century carriages. A small 9/11 exhibit in the front reminds visitors of the importance and bravery of firefighters. For current information on gallery exhibits and other Hudson happenings, visit www.warrenstreet.com.
