The biggest draw by far among shopaholics is Woodbury Commons Premium Outlets, about an hour north of New York City in Central Valley, just south of Newburgh (498 Red Apple Court; tel. 845/928-4000; www.premiumoutlets.com; Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 10am-8pm). There are more than 220 purveyors of clothing, home furnishings, jewelry, luggage, leather, and gift items, including Barneys New York, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Chanel, Coach, Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Neiman Marcus Last Call, Saks Fifth Avenue, Versace, and Williams-Sonoma. By car, take exit 16 off the New York State Thruway, or I-87. You can also hop a Gray Line bus from the Port Authority Bus Terminal at 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue in New York City. The bus leaves daily beginning at 8:30am and the last departs at 2:45pm ($37 adults, $19 children 5-11 round-trip). Cold Spring is the top antiques center in the Lower Hudson Valley. Main Street is lined with more than a dozen small antiques dealers and cute home-furnishings shops. Taca-Tiques Antiques, 109 Main St. (tel. 845/265-2655), specializes in Victorian and estate sterling silver and beveled mirrors. Nyack is another town with a number of antiquing possibilities. Elsewhere, Boscobel Restoration in Garrison has one of the best gift shops attached to a historic site.

Though it's a bit removed from the Hudson Valley per se, lots of folks make the trip west to the Sugar Loaf Art & Craft Village, a hamlet in Orange County (north of Warwick, off Rte. 17) that features more than 50 shops and galleries dealing in jewelry, stained glass, and metalsmithing, among others. Sugar Loaf is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 5pm; call tel. 914/469-9181 for events and more information.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.