Autumn is our favorite season on Greenwood Lake. The crowds of summer have thinned, the ridgelines turn gold and rust, and the water goes still and glassy in the morning. Here is the weekend we'd plan for you.
Friday — arrive slow
Come up after the city empties out; you'll cross the George Washington Bridge and be at the lake in about an hour. Light the fire, pour something warm, and let the deck and the hot tub do the rest. Dinner is easy — D'Boathaus is right on the water and open late enough for a Friday arrival.
Saturday — ridge and cider
Start with coffee on the deck while the lake wakes up. Mid-morning, drive fifteen minutes to Sterling Forest and walk up to the Bare Rock Overlook — the view back over the lake and the turning hills is the one you'll remember. Reward yourselves in the afternoon at Pennings Farm Cidery or Warwick Valley Winery, both ringed by orchards, then a cone at Bellvale Farms Creamery on the hilltop as the light drops.
Sunday — orchard and home
Pick your own apples at Masker or Ochs Orchard, wander the historic village of Warwick for brunch and a browse, and load the car with cider and pie. Then it's an easy drive home — close enough that the lake feels like a standing invitation to come back.