About Hudson Valley Sojourner
Hudson Valley Sojourner is an independent guide to exceptional places, businesses, food, events, history, and experiences throughout New York’s Hudson Valley.
Hudson Valley Sojourner was created in 1999 and is handcrafted in Poughkeepsie, NY.
Our Simple Hudson Valley Sojourner Mission
Our goal is simple: to help residents and visitors discover the people, places, businesses, food, history, and experiences that make the Hudson Valley an extraordinary place to live and explore. Along the way, we hope to support the local businesses and communities that make it all possible.
Why We Do This
It’s definitely not for the money! It’s our heartfelt way of giving back to good neighbors and friends, and of enjoying both the bounty and the beauty of such a wonderful place. We live here, we work here, and we are genuinely grateful for it. It truly makes us feel good inside!
How We Select Listings
We research businesses using publicly available customer reviews, the business’s own information, local reputation, and relevance to Hudson Valley visitors and residents. When we select businesses, they generally maintain a rating of 4 stars or higher on a major review platform. Hudson Valley Sojourner decides which businesses to include. We review listings regularly to verify ratings and business status.
Editorial & Advertising Policy
Businesses are not required to advertise with Hudson Valley Sojourner to be included in their listings. However, advertising does not automatically ensure favorable editorial coverage or guarantee inclusion in the listings. When content is published as sponsored or advertising material, it is clearly marked as sponsored or advertising.
We try to keep these listings fresh, but Hudson Valley businesses come and go faster than the weather. See something we missed? Give us a holler.
Honoring the First Peoples of the Hudson Valley
Long before the Hudson Valley received its present name, this beautiful region was home to Indigenous peoples who lived along its rivers, mountains, and forests for thousands of years.
We respectfully acknowledge the Mohican (Muhheaconneok), Munsee Lenape, Wappinger, Schaghticoke, and Haudenosaunee peoples, whose ancestral homelands encompass the Hudson Valley. These First Peoples cultivated the land, cared for its waterways, established communities, and developed rich cultural traditions that remain integral to our region’s heritage.
We recognize the hardships, displacement, and injustices endured by Indigenous communities after European colonization. We also honor their resilience, their descendants, and the Native Nations that continue to preserve their cultures, traditions, and connections to these ancestral lands.
As we celebrate the history and heritage of the Hudson Valley, we remember that its story did not begin with European settlement. It began thousands of years earlier, with the people who first called this remarkable place home.
Our Very Cool Virtual Staff
We take the Hudson Valley seriously. Ourselves, considerably less so.
BooBoo Sojo is on the job and ready whenever someone needs rescuing or a quick sip of… No problem. She’s housebroken.
A true Hudson Valley celebrity and legend, Rip Van Winkle shows up when he’s not asleep, just to keep you awake and focused on your journey.
Weazedog Ironwake is the site’s chief of security. He’s a tough one who puts the plank under hackers, phishers, and scammers.
Robert Taylor is our Keeper of Design. He makes sure our site always looks great and runs smoothly.
Belva Lockwood serves as the Keeper of Standards. Getting listed means getting past her, and she can be quite formidable.
Ian Smeagleton is the head gemologist who unearths great hidden-gem experiences in the Hudson Valley.
This is Martha Ten Broeck, known as the Catskill Witch. She leads our Spooky and Scary Legends program. Please don’t piss her off!
Chef Beppo Pomarola is our top restaurant and cuisine consultant, though his one major flaw is wanting to taste everything he sees.
Tyler Inkwell is our top historian and archivist, helping us write and organize our historical information so we can find it. We think!
