Every Friday around 3 PM, the same thought: what are we doing this weekend. And then the same answer: probably nothing, maybe brunch, definitely errands.
Westchester has more going on than most people give it credit for. The problem is not a lack of options. It is that the options are scattered across 40-something towns and nobody put them in one place. So here is a list of things that are worth doing on a weekend, any weekend, not just when a festival rolls through.
Saturday morning
Farmers markets. Pleasantville runs one of the best in the county, every Saturday from June through November. Ossining’s market on the waterfront is smaller but has a view. Larchmont, Hastings, and Irvington all have their own. Get there before 10 if you want the good bread.
Waterfront walks. The Old Croton Aqueduct trail runs from the Bronx to Croton and most of it is flat and shaded. The Tarrytown section has a stretch with Hudson River views that would be on every tourist list if it were in Connecticut. Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla has walking paths and a park that is surprisingly calm for how close it is to the highway.
Coffee that is worth the drive. Nuna Harvest in Mount Vernon roasts their own and the space is beautiful. Black Cow in Pleasantville has been a neighborhood staple for years. Slave to the Grind in Bronxville has the energy of a college town coffee shop, which makes sense because it is right by Sarah Lawrence.
Saturday afternoon
Museums nobody goes to. The Katonah Museum of Art rotates exhibits and is never crowded. Neuberger Museum at Purchase College has a permanent collection that is better than it has any right to be. If you have kids, the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers does a planetarium show on weekends.
Vintage and thrift. Second Time Around and other consignment shops in Scarsdale and Bronxville have designer stuff for reasonable prices if you know what you are looking for. Goodwill in Hartsdale is a sleeper. The Ossining flea market pops up seasonally and is worth checking.
Swimming (seasonal). Saxon Woods Pool in White Plains is the big one. Rye Playland Beach if you want the ocean (it is technically the Sound, but close enough). Tibbetts Brook Park in Yonkers has a pool and is less crowded than Saxon Woods.
Saturday night
Live music. The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester books real acts and the venue is excellent. Garcia’s at the Cap is smaller and does late-night shows. Paramount Hudson Valley in Peekskill does a mix of music and comedy. Check the calendars — weekday shows are sometimes the better lineups.
Dinner spots that do not require a reservation three weeks out. Mima Vinoteca in Irvington is consistently good. Taqueria Los Gueros in Mount Vernon is the real thing and stays open late. MP Taverna in Irvington does Greek food at a level that would work in Astoria.
Sunday
Brunch. We wrote a whole guide to the best brunch spots in Westchester. Short version: Sundance Kitchen in Pleasantville, Dolphin in Yonkers, and The Cookery in Dobbs Ferry are reliably good.
Day trips that still count as Westchester-adjacent. Storm King Art Center is 40 minutes north and the outdoor sculpture park is worth a full afternoon. Dia:Beacon is right across the river. Cold Spring is a train ride away and the antique shops and waterfront are a solid Sunday.
Parks with space. Ward Pound Ridge Reservation in Cross River is the biggest park in the county and it feels like it. Bring a blanket and a book. Rockefeller State Park Preserve in Sleepy Hollow has carriage trails that are flat enough for a casual walk. Cranberry Lake Preserve in White Plains is smaller but quieter.
The weeknight bonus
Not everything has to be a weekend thing. Trivia nights run at a few spots in White Plains and the Rivertowns during the week. Outdoor yoga pops up in parks during warmer months. And if you have been meaning to try pickleball, the courts at Saxon Woods and Rye Town Park are packed after work.
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Do it with people
The honest truth about weekend plans in Westchester is that the best ones involve other people. A farmers market alone is an errand. A farmers market with a friend and coffee after is a morning. If your social calendar could use more of the second version, that is what Club West is for.
We run events across the county — happy hours, fitness meetups, brunches, seasonal parties, volunteer days. It is $10 a month and there is an application process because we want members who show up.
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