To continue my series of COVID-safe, socially distant, outdoor, family fun adventures, I bring you the latest acquisition in my quest:   The Storm King Art Center. Although this modern and contemporary art museum has been around for 60 years, I had never been there.  Located in New Windsor, NY (Hudson Valley), it is only about an hour away from Manhattan.   We enjoyed the pretty views as we drove along the winding roads of the Pallisades.  

What was it like? 

Of course, the day that we chose for this adventure was the first of a New York heat wave, so it was about 90 degrees when we arrived at our destination. The Storm King Art Center is an outdoor museum that is set on 500 acres of land. The space is divided into 4 sections: South Fields, Meadows, Museum Hill and North Woods.  Nina chose the North Woods as a starting point because of its name: she guessed that it would be more shady in “the woods”.  Unfortunately, we were directed into the South Parking lot, so that plan was crushed. Our journey only took us through the South Field.  After about 90 minutes of walking, we were exhausted and sweaty.  The kids did not want to continue exploring, so we headed back to the car.

Our ratings of The Storm King Art Center

I gave this adventure a score of 7. First off, acres of walking in 90-something degree heat with a broken toe, wasn’t really the best choice of activities for me. I found the juxtaposition of the huge industrial sculptures against the bucolic setting to be a bit jarring.  It isn’t my kind of art, and did not bring me joy.  However, being out in the open country (after having been locked up in our Manhattan apartment for so many months) was glorious.  

Nina was not happy with this trip and rated it 2 or 3. First, in her opinion, the “statues were not cool or pretty”. She was also put off by the lack of shade and the paths which were not clearly marked (she was our guide). Obviously not the fault of the center, but she was also not a fan of the heat and the bugs.

Alex couldn’t decide between a 6 or a 7 rating. He felt the statues “were cool, but there weren’t so many” to see. He also said “there was not so much shade, but there was some.” He is a glass-half-full kinda guy.

Renato is the high grader of the day; he gives The Storm King Art Center a score of 8, citing the “gorgeous nature and art”.  He said “it was so great to walk around and be outside!  It’s everything that we’ve been missing.”

What’s the bottom line?

If I had to do it all again, I would have waited until fall. I think we all would have liked this experience better if it had been 15 degrees cooler.

Logistics and tips

• To enter the park, you must reserve a timed ticket online; they sell out pretty quickly, so I recommend purchasing in advance. 
• During our time there, we passed one bathroom area which also had some vending machines; the museum and cafe are closed due to Coronavirus.  
• There are several areas with picnic tables, and we saw many people having their meals under trees as well. We ate before we visited the museum (see below).
• Aside from our interactions with ticket checkers and parking directors, we did not run into any other staff during our visit.  There was no one to provide hints or tips or answer questions during our visit.
• Only very few maps are displayed.  You can find a map of the grounds here.
• Not all paths are paved; getting around with a stroller or wheelchair would be difficult.
• Bring a lot of cold water, especially if you go in the summer! You will need it! Also, since there is very little shade, wear a hat and bring sunscreen.
• If you feel like stopping to rest, know that there are very few benches available (we just sat on the grass).

Where can you eat nearby?

We decided to try Fiddlestix Cafe on Main Street Cornwall, NY for lunch. I was disappointed that the town lacked the charm that I always expect in upstate areas. Fiddlestix is a small restaurant with one dining area and an open kitchen. There are three tables located on the patio for al fresco dining. Unlike Manhattan, Cornwall has already reached phase 4, so eating inside has been permitted for “about 4 weeks” (according to our server). Perhaps because of this, COVID safety did not seem to be a priority. Sadly, I felt kind of uncomfortable with the fact that the customers inside and several employees were not wearing masks. Our server was adorable and sweet and eager to please when I asked him to lift his mask to cover his nose, but it subsequently fell again.

Our thoughts on lunch

• The setting was noticeably quiet which was weird for us
• The staff was LOVELY! So friendly and accommodating!
• Portions were huge and the food was AMAZING!!!
• Definitely try the homemade salty salty potato chips…SO GOOD!

Thanks so much for reading about our adventures upstate. For more about our COVID era experiences, take a look at:

• Our Trip to Six Flags Drive Through Safari
• The Emotional Onslaught of COVID-19
• The Early Days of COVID-19 with kids