Nyack offers rich culture and arts within a square mile
The village of Nyack packs boutique shopping, waterfront parks, strong schools and 8,000 residents into a square-mile community on the Hudson River. “Nyack is like a little piece of the city, but without the congestion and with all the arts and entertainment,” says Catherine Hotaling, a real estate agent with Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty who has sold more than 20 homes in the area. “It’s definitely a walkable downtown, which makes it a nice transition for people moving up from the city." The former shipbuilding town continues to be a hub for craftspeople and artists, and Federal-style storefronts built in the 1920s house restaurants, bars and all kinds of shops. Nyack’s retail scene and hospitals provide most of the village’s jobs, but commuters may also opt for an hour’s drive or train ride into New York City. "I can get into Manhattan in 35 minutes, park on the Upper West Side and have dinner," Hotaling says.
Downtown is full of boutique shops and diverse restaurants
Downtown Nyack’s colorful rowhouses host cafes, bars, galleries and many more local businesses. “Nyack is like a Disney neighborhood, a storybook neighborhood – it’s magical,” Hotaling says. “There’s lots of charming shops and unique experiences. There’s a little bit of everything.” The Runcible Spoon Bakery has long been a gathering point for cyclists due to its early hours and its fresh-made sandwiches and pastries. The Breakfast & Burger Club specializes in pancake and burger brunches, also serving dinner on Fridays and Saturdays. The Olde Village Inne, founded in 1994, is Nyack’s oldest pub. A traditional, bright-red exterior greets visitors before they order a pint and an Irish dish. Two Spear Street offers a waterfront venue for New American fare. Nyack Fresh Market is Nyack’s main grocery destination, but the Palisades Center puts big-box retail like Target and Macy’s fewer than three miles away up Interstate 287. The Nyack Farmers Market sets up shop on Main Street every Thursday, year-round. “There’s always something happening here,” Hotaling says. “There’s classic car night, movies and TV shows are shot here very often, ‘Movies in the Park,’ music in the Local Tap House and jazz in the garden every Thursday.”
Housing options include riverfront condos and hillside homes
Nyack includes a bustling downtown area and more suburban, hilly outskirts. Condos on the water cost $680,000 to $710,000, while those farther inland go for $240,000 to $420,000. Townhouses sell for $440,000 to $490,000 and co-ops from $220,000 to $480,000. Single-family residences below 2,000 square feet sell for $400,000 to $1 million, while larger homes go for $780,000 to $1,480,000. Properties in downtown Nyack tend to have sidewalk access and small gardens. In Nyack’s suburban, northern section, sidewalks are rare, homes may have larger yard sizes and some properties have hillside views of the Hudson Valley.
Nyack High School offers community-oriented activities
Students can start at the Upper Nyack School and Nyack Middle School, both of which receive an A-minus rating from Niche. A-rated Nyack High School offers diverse co-curriculars, including the Young Achievers Club, in which high schoolers can teach time management and communication skills to middle schoolers.
Local parks offer boating, skateboarding, hiking and more
Most of the village’s parks sit along the Hudson River waterfront. The Village of Nyack Memorial Park includes a skatepark, basketball court, baseball diamond and splash pad, as well as Rockland County’s World War I memorial. The Nyack Marina is equally popular as a launch for boaters and as a venue for a scenic riverside stroll. The Nyack Boat Club and Hook Mountain Yacht Club each invite boating aficionados to socialize over volunteer work and sailboat racing. Franklin Street Park puts tennis and basketball courts, a playground and the trailhead for the Raymond G. Esposito Trail across Cedar Hill Avenue from Nyack. Hiking destinations like the hilly Buttermilk Falls County Park and the abandoned National Guard base at Blauvelt State Park are short drives from downtown.
Nyack is a 30-mile train or car ride from Manhattan
Though Nyack doesn’t have its own train station, many residents opt to cross the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge – popularly called the Tappan Zee Bridge after the section of the Hudson it crosses – and take the Metro-North Railroad from Tarrytown to Grand Central Terminal for an hour’s journey. The Palisades Interstate Parkway connects drivers to Midtown Manhattan within a 30-mile journey. Nyack has its own health care center, the Montefiore Nyack Hospital.
![Jacob Adelhoch]()
Written By
Jacob Adelhoch
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Photography Contributed By
James Leynse
