Looking for an easy trip to do something fun? Why not take a train to the kayak?
That is the offer made by Hudson Valley Outfitters of Cold Spring, 50 miles north of Manhattan and two blocks from the Hudson River, and one block from the Metro-North Railroad station.
The store has been in business for a decade. After eight years, it largely stopped advertising since a return clientele and word-of-mouth have kept customers coming in the door.
“I was just at the right place at the right time, it just kind of happened in a serendipitous way,” said Teri Barr, the owner of Hudson Valley Outfitters. “Our mission statement from the very beginning still stands, delivering an easy way for people to have fun on the river and be of service to people in the community.”
It just so happens that community includes the millions of people who have access to the Metro-North Railroad. “It works really well,” said Linda Hoffmann, manager of Hudson Valley Outfitters. “You take the train and then a short walk to the store where we set everything up and then we put you in (the river) at a beautiful spot.”
The put-in at Scenic Hudson”™s Foundry Dock Park boasts a stunning view north and northwest of Storm King and west across the river to West Point. South lies Constitution Island and southeast through a calm inlet is Constitution Marsh, home to a variety of plant life and bald eagles.
“A lot of people go kayaking for exercise,” said Hoffmann. “Well, that area (the marsh) is kayaking for therapy.”
After eight years of ads in specialty publications in New York City, Barr has stopped advertising. “Now, most of it is word of mouth,” Barr said. “I do sometimes send out e-mail blasts. And those (kayak) tours just fill up.” She said the store “does a lot of repeat business.”
While walk-ins are welcome, Hoffman said the best idea is to contact the store in advance, given that the Hudson River is a tidal estuary, with access to the Constitution Marsh limited at low tide. There is also an array of guided kayak tours for groups and individuals.
Barr said by the end of August the store will have received stand-up paddle boards for customer use. A simplistic description of the sport would describe a  kayaker standing on a surf board, and videos show aficionados racing and even catching waves, all while working out key core muscles. But Barr sees the growing sport as a business opportunity.
“Everyone is really excited about it,” she said. “It”™s really about seeing what the next thing is and investing in it.”
There are frequent trains peak and off-peak, weekends and weekdays, and Hoffmann said that a surprising number of customers take the train not only north from Manhattan, but south from Poughkeepsie and other stations.
“It”™s really just an easy way to come into town,” she said. “Everything is here antiques, shops and restaurants.”
