We’ve spent many an afternoon cruising along the backroads of Washington County in the Wagoneer. With rolling hills, old barns, covered bridges, and beautiful views, it’s easy to see why we keep coming back. There’s something about small towns that we love, and Washington County just has an extra special combination of charming Main Streets, hardworking farms and the nicest people (we know that even better based on the number of people who stop to help when we’re broken down out there in the Wagoneer!).
We’re so excited to partner with our friends at Washington County Tourism to share more about this beautiful area that’s both close to our home and close to our hearts. And what better way to kick it off than with one of our favorite activities - antiquing! Read on for six antique shops to visit in Washington County (we’re just scratching the surface here - there are so many more!), AND once you’re done reading, you can watch all of our antiquing adventures unfold in our first video at the end of the post!
Fort Ann Antiques | Whitehall, NY
We’ve driven by here hundreds of times on our way into Vermont and out to Maine, and each time we promise that we’ll stop on our way home (which, of course, never happens since we’re always so eager to see the pups!). Anyway, we were so excited to finally make Fort Ann Antiques the destination for once, and after our experience it looks like we’ll be doing that much more often (in fact, we’ve gone twice in the last month!).
With a little bit of everything, it’s easy to spend hours here (which, by the way, we did). One of the best parts of antiquing, in my opinion, is the anticipation of what gems might be hiding around the next corner - and here that just went on and on! Some favorites: a great selection of old wooden soda crates, a vintage pie basket that I may need to go back for, a stoneware water cooler that I also may need to scoop up, vintage paint by numbers and oil paintings, and… I could go on. We left with an armful of treasures and can’t wait to go back in a month or two to see what’s new.
While you’re in town: grab coffee and a blueberry scone at Historic Grounds, a - you guessed it - historic 1906 brick building converted into a charming coffee house.
The Village Booksmith | Hudson Falls, NY
A gem hidden right before our eyes on Route 4 in Hudson Falls, we were so happy to stumble upon The Village Booksmith. We love looking to old books for inspiration, and there are shelves upon shelves to flip through here. Ranging from recent “vintage” like Goosebumps (anyone else grow up reading them?!) to antiques, this was another place we could’ve spent all afternoon...which was a fairly common theme this trip!
I’m always on the hunt for a great read, but I’m also always on the hunt for great books to add as decor around the house. Titles like “Adventures to Come” will always have a place on our bookshelves. We left with “Vacationland USA” in hand (a 1970’s guide to road trips and adventures), and a plan to return soon when we have a couple more hours to spare.
While you’re in town: check out the newly opened Hudson River Brewhouse for coffee or beers, and if you’re hungry for dinner, hop over to Forged!
Greenwich Hardware Antiques | Greenwich, NY
A favorite of ours, we’ve visited many times before - how could we not with that charming stained glass sign calling us in off of Main Street? Once a hardware store, we love popping in to peruse their two floors of antiques, along with the barn out back.
They have a great mix of more formal antiques along with country pieces, vintage signage, and furniture. A stand out about this shop are the tags hanging from the items - thoughtfully handwritten, you’ll find the history of the item, what it might have been used for, and where it came from. One of the best parts of antiquing is the history and stories, and we love being able to find out more - whether it was picked from an old barn, or came from a farmhouse outside of town - the stories behind the items make them all the more special.
While you’re in town: stop in for a brewski at Argyle Brewing Co., or head to Greenwich Village Cafe or Lynn’s Country Cafe for some lunch.
Cambridge Antiques Center | Cambridge, NY
With a little bit of everything spanning 2 floors, Cambridge Antiques is another place you could easily spend an afternoon. Some of my favorites are always waiting on the landing at the top of the stairs - vintage signage, rustic wooden trunks, and a bit of blue-and-white chinoiserie. This is another place with a great mix of formal and country / rustic, and a fantastic selection of lighting (perfect for anyone restoring an old home!). Oh! And the vintage rugs - I was bending down to look at one around every turn.
We loved talking with the owner about where some of his pieces had come from and subsequently, the homes or buildings to which they’ve gone. After spending a few hours in antique shops like this one, it’s easy to see that we’d be just as happy (and hey, so would the environment!) if we filled our house with previously loved things instead of buying all new.
Hubbard Block Antiques | Cambridge, NY
Just down the street in Cambridge, Hubbard Block is a smaller shop with a lot of heart. It’s always so great chatting with the owners of shops in these small towns, and this one was no exception. We loved being pointed in the direction of some of her favorites, and we’re always smitten with a good Christmas room (Hubbard Block has a great one!).
Tom’s clear winner here were the old magazines and license plates (which I basically had to drag him away from), and there’s a decent chance I’ll be heading back to scoop up a pretty Delft Blue planter that I had my eye on!
While you’re in town: grab a cookie or three at Round House Bakery Cafe (highly recommend the ginger spice cookie..okay, and the maple cookie!), and check out what’s playing at historic Hubbard Hall.
Eagle Bridge Antique Center | Eagle Bridge, NY
Quite possibly the largest shop we visited this trip, this was definitely a place with a surprise around every corner. When I say there was a little bit of everything, I mean it! Vintage board games, pull-down classroom maps, Hess trucks (Tom’s favorite), lots of blue and white jars and vases (I needed a cart), vintage picnic baskets, old frames, you name it.
Everything seemed to bring up a memory from our childhood - whether it was a toy we played with or finding something that one of our grandparents had at their house when we were growing up. That’s the great thing about shopping for antiques - so much nostalgia. We left with as much as we could carry, and they’ll be seeing more of us in the future for sure!
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We’re excited to have worked with Cornell Digital and 8 of Eight Strategies to bring our antiquing adventure to life through video! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry (just kidding), and you’ll roll your eyes along with me at everything Tom wants to buy ;) But most importantly, we’re hoping you’ll be inspired to plan a little day trip to beautiful Washington County, a place that’s near and dear to our hearts.
Until next time, Washington County!
*This post was in partnership with our friends at Washington County NY Tourism, a place we’ve visited and loved for as long as we can remember. You’ll see the Wagoneer winding along the backroads here frequently, and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to share some of our favorite places in the county with you. Thank you for supporting the businesses and organizations that support The Yellow Note.