Hudson Valley Town Recognized As 'Top 5 Coolest' In America

If you're thinking that Beacon, Hudson or Kingston earned the title as one of the top five coolest towns in America you'd be wrong. This one caught us off guard but when you think about it, maybe they do deserve it. Gardiner has come a long way in recent years and the Matador Network has recognized their progress.

Gardiner is a town of fewer than 6,000 people as of the last census. Citing the arrival of Tuthilltown Spirits arrival in 2003 as a significant turning point, Matador notes that they were the first distillery in New York since the end of prohibition. A visit to see Zoli at Gardiner Liquid Mercantile in town should be on the list of things to do but there's fun for the family too. Consider booking a cabin or campsite at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park which overlooks the Wallkill River.

But that's not all, there's a great farmers market, lots of hiking and climbing options and more. Here's a look at the top five, for the full list of the 25 'Coolest Towns In America', click here: