First inhabited by the Nyack Indians, Nyack was settled by Dutch farmers in the mid-1600s and became home to thriving shipping, boatbuilding, and shoe- and cigar-manufacturing industries in the 1800s. The village fell into decline after the Depression, but in the 1970s was reborn as an antiques and arts-and-crafts center.
Today, most of Nyack’s quaint Victorian downtown has been restored, while homes of the rich and famous perch on the steep wooded hills surrounding the village. Helen Hayes once lived with her husband, playwright Charles MacArthur, at 233 North Broadway, a white house with a widow’s walk that she called “Pretty Penny.”
In 1939, during the Depression, Hayes and MacArthur commissioned a portrait of their house from a resentful Edward Hopper. Hopper took the work because he needed it, but he disdained working on commission. Recalled Hayes in 1981, “As a performer I just shriveled under the heat of this disapproval. I backed into a corner and there I stayed in the dark, lost…really, I was utterly unnerved by this man.”
Today, Hopper’s remarkable portrait, Pretty Penny, hangs in the Smith College Museum of Art in Northampton, MA [1]. Other famous residents here have included Edward Hopper, Ben Hecht, Carson McCullers, Helen Hayes, Jonathan Demme, Ellen Burstyn, Harvey Keitel, and Toni Morrison.
In summer, when Nyack is overrun with tourists, a Nyack Chamber of Commerce information booth (845/353-2221), operates daily at the corner of Main Street and Broadway. The booth is also open on weekends in spring and fall.
To reach Nyack from New York City [2], take the Palisades Parkway north to Exit 4 and follow Route 9W north. To reach Nyack from Westchester County, take I-287 to Exit 10 and follow signs.
The birthplace and home of painter Edward Hopper (1882–1967) is a two-story clapboard house in downtown Nyack (82 N. Broadway, 845/358-0774, www.edwardhopperhouseartcenter.org [3], 1–5 p.m. Thurs.–Sun., admission by donation). The son of a prosperous dry-goods merchant, Hopper grew up in Nyack and held title to the house until his death, even though he left the village in 1910 to live in New York City. Hopper is buried in Nyack’s Oak Hill Cemetery.
The rooms of the Hopper House are wonderfully evocative—filled with a clean white light reminiscent of the artist’s work. Unfortunately, only a small section of one room is devoted to Hopper’s art. Most of the house is a gallery showcasing the work of local artists, while out back is a picturesque garden where summer jazz concerts are presented.
Continuing up North Broadway to the district known as Upper Nyack, you’ll pass a number of grand Victorian estates. Helen Hayes once lived with her husband, playwright Charles MacArthur, at 233 North Broadway, a white house with a widow’s walk that she called “Pretty Penny.”
In 1939, during the Depression, Hayes and MacArthur commissioned a portrait of their house from a resentful Edward Hopper. Hopper took the work because he needed it, but he disdained working on commission. Recalled Hayes in 1981, “As a performer I just shriveled under the heat of this disapproval. I backed into a corner and there I stayed in the dark, lost…really, I was utterly unnerved by this man.”
Today, Hopper’s remarkable portrait, Pretty Penny, hangs in the Smith College Museum of Art.
The 700-seat Helen Hayes Performing Arts Center (123 Main St., 845/358-6333) presents first-rate theater, concerts, lectures, and dance. Other entertainment and nightlife options include lively, rollicking O’Donoghue’s (66 Main St., 845/358-0180), where you’re bound to hear many a tale. Live Irish bands perform on Monday nights.
Nyack also hosts many street fairs and festivals. Three of the biggest, all featuring about 200 vendors, are the Art, Craft & Antiques Dealers’ Fairs (845/353-6981), usually held on the third Sunday of May, July, and October.
The riverfront Memorial Park, off Main Street in the village center, offers great views of the Hudson. Two miles farther north is Nyack Beach State Park (off N. Broadway, 845/268-3020, dawn–dusk daily, parking $6 June–Oct.), a riverfront stretch offering hiking, fishing, and more great views.
At the steep northern end of North Broadway reigns Hook Mountain State Park (845/268-3020, dawn–dusk daily, parking $6 June–Oct.), offering bird’s-eye views of the Hudson, along with hiking and biking trails. Once a favorite campground among Native Americans, the park is said to be haunted by the Guardian of the Mountain, a medicine man who appears every September during the full moon to chant the ancient harvest festival. A hawk watch is held in the park in the spring and fall.
Simple, casual Strawberry Place (72 S. Broadway, 845/358-9511) is a local favorite that’s especially good for breakfast. For after-meal treats, Temptations (80 Main St., 845/353-3355) is the place to go for ice cream and desserts.
The newly redecorated King & I (91–93 Main St., 845/353-8588, $14) is known for its fresh and authentic Thai food. Local favorite Heather’s Open Cucina (12 N. Broadway, 845/358-8686, $16) is a lively Italian restaurant serving imaginative contemporary fare. Asian-fusion cuisine is the order of the day at sleek, stylish 
Wasabi (110 Main St., 845/358-7977, $16).
For dinner in a historic setting, try the Hudson House of Nyack (134 Main St., 845/353-1355, $21), housed in an old town hall with pressed tin walls and ceilings. On the menu is eclectic American cuisine and lots of homemade desserts. Patio dining is featured in summer.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-england/massachusetts/western-massachusetts/pioneer-valley/northampton
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-york-city-long-island/discover-new-york-city
[3] http://www.edwardhopperhouseartcenter.org